ASTRA

THE BLACK CHORD continued the psychedelic space rock aspects but tamped down the blatant Pink Floyd influences and also crafted a faster and heavier album than the debut. By turning up the prog influences and focusing more on the heavier Red-era style of King Crimson and the more demanding period of Yes such as on "Relayer," ASTRA added hefty knotty and at times even angular fortifications to its otherwise hypnotic space prog. With keyboard workouts reminiscent of Genesis' "Trespass" (especially the track "The Knife") and twin guitar attacks that featured the heavy prog focus of bands like Uriah Heep and more modern bands like early Anekdoten, ASTRA's second album was not only more demanding in terms of progressive rock but offered a more expansive style of playing.

A much shorter affair than the 79 minute debut, THE BLACK CHORD which featured six tracks only barely exceed the 47 minute playing time. Remaining roughly 2/3 instrumental and the rest with vocals like the debut, THE BLACK CHORD featured more upbeat compositions that threatened to drift into metal territory but never quite took things all the way. The band 's chemistry had clearly coalesced even further into a fully oiled machine at this point giving the band the confidence to tackle some of the most complex time signatures that prog can offer albeit within the context of well-crafted melody based musical motifs that equally sucked you in as easily as the more chilled space rock tracks of "The Weirding." Very much still looking to the 70s, the album is dominated by mellotrons, memotrons, minimoogs, moog rogues, echoplexes, Hammond organs and even a grand piano. While not the primary focus, the occasional flute parts drift in and out as do moments of acoustic guitar.

The opening track "Cocoon" was an interesting track title thus fueling more rumors and claims that the band's previous album was a secret soundtrack of the 1985 film of the same name. The track immediately distinguished THE BLACK CHORD from its predecessor with a beefier production, faster tempos and a significantly improved leap in technicality, yet without sacrificing the very space prog mood setting psychedelia that was laid down in the debut. While the space rock dominates much of the album, the clear nods to Meddle-era Pink Floyd had been replaced by more original takes on the space prog sound with no clear connections to many bands however the occasion Floydian slip does occur as do moments that are reminiscent of classic Hawkwind. While the heaviness on the debut was more of a proto-metal Black Sabbath sort of chord oriented accent, on THE BLACK CHORD the heavy guitar riffing delivers more complex progressive workouts bringing bands like Anekdoten or even Captain Beyond.

Overall THE BLACK CHORD found ASTRA improving on all levels with a more complex album and a more refined style that sounded more original than retro despite the obvious warmth of the 70s tones and timbres delivered through the analog equipment. In many ways the heavier and faster aspects of the album do put a damper on the more chilled out space prog vibe of the debut but it's like comparing apples and oranges and in the end it's a good thing that this band didn't just take the cookie cutter approach and simply make a "Weirding 2." The maturity on this album and the development over three years should have propelled this band into the big leagues of modern prog with the likes of Porcupine Tree but it didn't quite work out that way.

While the band didn't call it quits, drummer David Hurley did leave the band in 2013 which left the rest of the band unable to cope with idea of a new percussionist with all the members citing the perfect chemistry of the original five would never be the same. The band took a hiatus which at this point has been over a decade. Three members ( Conor Riley, Brian Ellis, Paul Marrone ) went on to form Birth in 2017 and released an album in 2022 however ASTRA has remained on permanent hiatus for over a decade. All the members have stated that they are slowly working on a third album and when it's completed it will emerge but considering all the members are busy with other projects there's no telling exactly when that could be. Whatever the case, these guys are worth the wait with two excellent albums that each showcased a different aspect of the band's wealth of playing styles.

As Silver Sunshine, the band released one self-titled album and after trading in Iain Sclater for percussionist David Hurley and picking up guitarist and moog player Brian Ellis, the band morphed into ASTRA in 2006 and three years later released this debut THE WEIRDING. One of the characteristics of the retro prog scene is the use of the same analog equipment and instrumentation used during prog's early years therefore ASTRA indulges in all those early 70s sounds by means of the mellotron, vintage synthesizers, the moog and a stylistic approach that would easily fit into the 1971 or 1972 timeline right down to the vintage album cover art. There's also a rumor circulating that the album is a secret soundtrack to the 1985 film "Cocoon" and if you play it with the visuals of the movie it lines up. I've never tested these claims but it's an interesting prospect for sure.

Described as the ultimate jamming session where Pink Floyd, Genesis and King Crimson get together and find a new competent vocalist to narrate some psychedelic tale of fantastical lyrical adventures performed in a way that only classic prog could conjure up. THE WEIRDING is a magical journey into the world of psychedelic space rock interpreted through the lends of 70s progressive rock. With eight strong addictive tracks that do sprawl on for quite a lengthy period of time and at nearly 79 minutes of playing time, THE WEIRDING is akin to a double album's worth of music for the era it emulates.

While retro bands are a dime a dozen these days and often find the artists wearing their influences too covertly on their sleeves, ASTRA delivers a style of space rock that brings all of the influences to mind without referencing them directly. The crafty mix of styles gives ASTRA a unique style all its own and of course it wouldn't amount to anything if the band wasn't able to create extremely elegant and creative compositions that showcase a phenomenal command of the sounds of the past. While mostly resting in the world of early 70s Pink Floyd with the same dreamy vocal deliveries and chromatic cleverness. Also the use of tones, timbres and dynamics that offer a wider swath of the era offers a much larger panoramic view of the early 70s as opposed to simply focusing on the Floydian aspects.

The album was well received in 2009 when it was released and for good reason. The band skillfully channeled the zeitgeist of the early 70s without sounding like any other band that existed then. From the opening "The Rising Of The Black Sun" on through to the 17 minute plus "Ourobouros" all the way to the closing "Beyond To Slight The Maze," ASTRA showcases its uncanny ability to delivery a skillful stream of consciousness type of album that drifts through sensual flute runs to jazzy saxophonist excursions as well as tackling the heavier guitar sounds of early proto-metal. Despite it all it's really the strong melodies that suck you in and the subtle yet effective ways of changing things up enough that keep you enthralled on the space journey. And while many retro prog bands succeed in the instrumental department (as ASTRA does), this band also employs the talents of a suitable vocalist who fits in perfect with the band's style.

At times ASTRA has the tendency to verge on sounding like a symphonic prog or even a more modern neo-prog band with some of the melodic liberties but never strays too far from the established 70s space rock that showcases various features of not only Pink Floyd but Hawkwind, Nektar, Gong, Aproditie's Child and Eloy. Overall an interesting debut by ASTRA outdone only by the band's second album, the more adventurous "The Black Chord" which emerged three years later and unfortunately was the band's last album. While retro prog bands have become a dime a dozen in the 2020s, at this stage the idea wasn't overplayed and ASTRA demonstrated the perfect way to honor the past while sounding unique in the present. This one took a few spins to sink in but ultimately won me over big time.

In fact Astra their music is simply structured, to me most of the eight compositions even sound like extended jam- sessions: the musicians let the three guitars and the vintage keyboards speak, this makes listening to The Weirding to a very compelling musical experience, often I am carried away to Space Rock Heaven! The special element in Astra their sound is the fact that all of the three guitarists play vintage keyboards, we can even enjoy a double-Mellotron sound. Especially in the two epics The Weirding (first brass ? and violin section and in the end brass ? and flute section) and Ouroboros (lots of violin ? and choir-sections sounds). The interplay between the distinctive sound of the Mellotrons and the moving work on the guitars evoked many times goose bumps! The final composition Beyond To Slight The Maze delivers exciting work on Mellotron (again), Moog and especially the Hammond organ. This culminates in a breathtaking grand finale with majestic choir-Mellotron, soaring Hammond organ and fat Moog synthesizer flights, what a mighty musical experience! The short song Broken Glass is a bit of a maverick because of the acoustic guitars, beautifully blended with warm vocals and the sound of the flute ? and violin section of the Mellotron. But in general the atmospheres shift from dreamy and spacey to bombastic and from slow and hypnotizing rhythms to heavy eruptions. Often early Pink Floyd (Pompeii-Meddle era), Seventies German Progrock (melodic and emotional) and some Black Sabbath (vocals and heavy rhythm-section, mainly in the titletrack) come to my mind.

Recommended to Tron-Maniacs and space rock freaks, my rating: 3,5 star.

As a result, Astra are willing to get a little fuzzier and rougher around the edges, giving them a sound which simultaneously roots them somewhere between psychedelic proto-prog and full-fat prog and helps them assert their own sonic identity. If you've heard The Black Chord, the approach there is basically the same as here; if you haven't, I'd say go for whichever of that album and this one strikes your fancy first, because they're both excellent examples of this style.

My impression has not changed over the years. This is always an enjoyable album to listen to. It's not too long (unlike their debut, "The Weirding") and the tracks are kept at a reasonable length, completed perfectly in their given time frames. As I listened to this album yet again tonight, though, I was once more struck by the impression that this is really space travel music. You'll know what I mean when you hear the slow and gradual building up of the first track, "Cocoon". It takes you for a ride over the surface of a barren but exotic planetary landscape at sunrise before launching you to the stars and through gaseous nebulae and spiraling galaxies.

Astra are five lads from California who know how to capture the cosmic rock of the early seventies. Somewhat like the child of 1969-71 Pink Floyd and Hawkwind but inheriting Pink Floyd's more laid back style, Astra are big on Moog synthesizers and Mellotrons but of course including electric and acoustic guitars along with the quintessential bass and drums. One member is also credited with flute. A retro band to be sure but a very good one. The music is not hugely complex but rich in textures, the Mellotron used to create that space age fantasy soundscape. Acoustic guitar doesn't figure in much except in "Drift", and when I hear it in "Barefoot in the Head", the guitar notes are more like sparkles of twinkling starlight glittering through gaps in the obscuring nebulous gasses in the slowly shifting dust of a starfield.

The music is generally quite laid back and slow but it can break into gallops, the brief instrumental "Bull Torpis" being the one track the moves along at a hurried pace. There are suitable flourishes of guitar solos and keyboards, and the vocals are soft in that old Pink Floydian way and sometimes distorted slightly to add to the spacey effect. I believe there are two vocalists and their harmonized vocals also fit right with to the overall effect.

Though not everyone views retro-prog favourably, I think in a case like this where it is accomplished so well one has to give credit. This is one far out piece of work. If there is any flaw great enough to deny the album a five-star rating it's the production sound. I'm not sure if it was intentional but the dynamic range seems to be lacking. I'd love to be able to hear the music captured more clearly and the life of the instruments rendered more generously. This is a step up from their debut which had a much inferior sound quality. I can only hope that if they ever get around to recording a third album it will be better produced. But again, it almost seems as though it was done intentionally because the lack of dynamic range doesn't totally dampen the music. Perhaps they were going for this kind of effect.

A worthwhile album to check out, and gosh darn it all, Astra, guys, get another album out sometime soon, will you? You do stellar work!

The tone for this album is set right away, with wind sounds and a cosmic keyboard chord fading in on 'Cocoon'. The song builds and builds in mood, getting faster and more intense. The title track is a mammoth, 15 minute long cosmic trip. It varies its mood and pace expertly, making for a fantastic experience. The entire album manipulates the atmosphere very well, going between mellotron driven relaxed passages, tense progressive flourishes, and the occasional acoustic guitar lead.

The musicianship on the album is very precise and well-developed. The drumming stands out for being complex and fluid, without being over the top. The guitar parts are very free flowing, never seeming content to fall into a repetitive pattern, and the bass guitar follows suit, and the keyboards provide a perfect backdrop for all of this to take place. In addition to the individual parts being excellent, the songs are written well which allows all the pieces to fit together perfectly. The flow within and between each of the songs is fantastic, essential for the ambitious tone and structure that Astra is going for.

The Black Chord is an ambitious mix of progressive rock, psychedelic folk, and space rock. Astra have truly been able to forge a sound that is a throwback to the classics while still being its own unique entity. The band has a very bright future ahead of them if they can continue improving at this pace.

Score: 81

The music maintains a slow to medium tempo throughout, unlike the sophomore album "The Black Chord" which breaks into gallops and canters in a couple of parts. The electric guitar is at times heavy but mostly spacey, never really technical but full of expression. And each song is carried on a shifting sea of lush and cosmic keyboard sounds: plenty of synthesizer, Mellotron, and organ. We also can enjoy some flute in a couple of the tracks. These boys know just how to take us on a mind-altering journey through space that never jars too much nor gets too weird or uncomfortable (think "Echoes" or "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" and not "See Emily Play" or "Bike"). It's a wonderful trip through a starscape of cosmic music.

Regarding the vocals, they are smooth and very much like the era of Pink Floyd mentioned above, sometimes uncannily so. The actual sung part of the songs are not long and Astra fill the length of their compositions with delay-effect guitar solos that often have a bit of an edge to them and keyboard solos that are everything I said above about the keyboards. The band follows the late 60's mentality of taking short songs and filling them with lengthy instrumental passages.

Where I have any criticism about this album lies in three aspects. The first is the sound quality. I respect that the band may have been trying to capture the atmosphere of that time period but the music sounds as though it was recorded in someone's home studio. It's not clear and bright but muddy and dull. I have music from the early eighties that actually was recorded in a home studio and it's exactly that lo-fi sound that makes great music sound less impressive. It's like viewing the ocean on an overcast day. There's all the power and magnificence but not the sparkle.

Next, I find overall impression of the album lacks variety. Individually, the songs have their own strengths and all of the songs are well enough composed and performed, but after having listened to the album through I feel there's a remaining impression of lengthy guitar and keyboard solos and some vocals. There is some variety in the music here and there, and the 19-minute instrumental "Ouroboros" includes some mixed sounds and moods (thankfully it's not just an epic jam session), with a very pretty guitar/keyboard/flute section. But again, overall, the lingering impression is of a very long cosmic journey retro space rock. It's like diving under the sea: there are colourful fish and corals but in the end what you actually saw was mostly water.

Finally, I find the album is very long. This is, in effect, a double album, or at least it would have been had it been released in the period of musical style the music emulates. It may have been a case of having so many good songs that they didn't know which to leave off the album and just put everything on. I actually can't say there is any song I could do without; however, some bands these days are putting out a normal length album and then including an extra CD in a deluxe package for fans who want a little more. The Flower Kings' "Banks of Eden" had such an option with four additional tracks included on a bonus disc and Wolfmother's "Cosmic Egg" came as either a single CD with a dozen tracks or a double CD with a total of 16 tracks. Perhaps Astra might have tried this approach.

The good news is that all three issues I mentioned above were taken care of in their next release "The Black Chord" which has slightly better production, more diverse music, and is under 50 minutes long.

So, good as the music is, I can only offer three stars for this album. I am very much looking forward to Astra's third album which I anticipate will be even better than "The Black Chord".

If the term Retro Prog is even a bit valid, then Astra's music deserves this description 100%.The whole, very long album (about 79 minutes) seems a lost work from the 70's era of Progressive Rock with strong psychedelic and spacey/symphonic inspirations and a great amount of shifting moods.The main influences come from the early-70's Mellotron-drenched era of KING CRIMSON and the psychedelic side of PINK FLOYD, but there are also some other interesting entries in Astra's music like the spacey, hypnotic flute passages in the vein of PULSAR or the extended jam sections close to the Kraut Rock stylings.The tracks range basically from long to very long compositions with limited vocals and huge space for instrumental exercises, both in a soft, psychedelic style or with a heavier and richer approach.All of them contains an incredible amount of Mellotron waves and intense introductions based on the ARP Odyssey vintage synthesizers as well as great, heavy guitars with some nice distortions next to a few interesting melodies, not to mention the lovely sound of flutes here and there.Most of the arrangements are tight and performed with an incredible passion, while the vocals recall the smooth but very expressive singing of GREG LAKE, still not everything about this album is perfect as it seems on paper.The final feeling, though positive, is that Astra lack personal identity and some long instrumental themes are a bit overstretched, however the constant change of moods does not make them that apparent.

Perfect album for those who suffer from 70's prog nostalgia.Rich, grandiose and adventurous Progressive Rock for fans of KING CRIMSON, YES, PINK FLOYD.Warmly recommended.