MAJESTIC

MAJESTIC is the brainchild of Jeff Hamel, underway with this project for some years. Additionally supported by drummer Mike Kosacek and some reliable male and female vocalists he surely dominates the production with his instruments (guitars, keyboards). I'm not aware of the former recordings - this new double CD 'V.O.Z.' marks a mesmerizing thing in any case - yeah, you bet - the album promises some wonderful experiences .... when you allocate enough time to plunge into the entire thing with care.

The song content is often smooth and melodic, though definitely also heavy at times and provided with a high proportion of psychedelic impressions, thus 'V.O.Z.' represents variety all the way through, entertainment pure. CD1 is reserved for the distinguished title epic, segmented in eleven parts, There might be a concept behind that, mirroring a special journey, apparently even rather dangerous. Yes, some dramaturgy is to smell in between, just take the closing Voyage Ends or Freefall for example, which is comprised of spaced out moments.

The journey arrives the peak with Crossing Meridian -'we are sailing on, on and on ...' - an intriguing refrain is given in between, suitable for singing along. And then - scarcely to be expected - on CD2 Jeff totally comes out of hiding, I surprisingly stumbled upon an awe-inspiring psychedelic triple made of Spirits Dwell, Around The Sun and Hyperbole - wow, this twentyfour minute affair is worthwhile alone, can be perceived as a prog masterpiece per se.

Let it rock! The long runner Red Skies finally gathers pace again and comes with metal riffs as well as nice female vocals. Everything your heart desires - with 'V.O.Z.' Jeff Hamel varies a lot on guitar and keys, comes across many prog genres hereby - well, an ambitious attempt, which definitely works on top of it. This proves him to be a prolific musician and composer. Two suites which should convince many prog fans. A highlight in 2012 for sure - 4.5 stars so far - don't miss the boat!

Majestic's V.O.Z. is that most ambitious of all album projects: a 2CD double album offering around two hours of music. Dominated by the hour-long title suite, it's a massive beast which reminds me both in presentation and aesthetic style of some of the Flower Kings' bulkier releases, such as Flower Power - and like Roine Stolt, Majestic's mastermind Jeff Hamel has an ear for a good vocal harmony or two, and co-opts a small quartet of voices to help out with that. With atmospheres ranging from dark to airy and lighthearted, a wide emotional scope is also captured.

When assessing albums such as this, the final score often hinges on whether the reviewer perceives any "filler", a highly subjective point. For my part, I can't give it a very high score because I found some of the sections concentrating on the four-piece choir to outstay their welcome a little and the album doesn't really hold my concentration all the way through; still, if you like the idea of two hours of multi-instrumentalist neo-prog with choral backing, it can't hurt to give this one a spin.

This is a complete masterpiece, a rare event for one-man projects in general as the solitary display can often be a tad sterile but multi-instrumentalist Jeff Hamel delivers a 2 CD album of intense, colorful and cinematographic prog of the very highest order. I chanced on this again via the progstreaming site and immediately purchased the work. A glowing review from Progarchives colleague J-Man convinced me only further. Not quite as folk-proficient as a Michael Oldfield, Hamel prefers a headier set of progressive guidelines to channel his musical vision. There are numerous references to more established acts such as Dream Theater, Porcupine Tree, Riverside, Hawkwind and Pink Floyd but also some sections that honor ambient, soundtrack, neo, symphonic and psychedelic styles to great effect. But what are really striking are the pristine sounds and the spacious and uncluttered deliveries, highlighting fresh soloing ideas within standard prog structures. Hamel handles all instruments with clever technique and inspired performance, obvious proficiency never taking over the desired mood and atmosphere. He is also brave in being unafraid to forge into more bombastic heavy areas, a tad like Arje Lucassen of Ayreon fame. The vocals are equally commendable, his voice has a mellifluous tone that is most appealing, occasionally handing the mike to a series of guest vocalists. The drumming stool is manned by Mike Kosacek.

CD1 has the entire colossal "V.O.Z." suite, broken down in 11 sections that seamlessly flow into another with mature insistence, contrasting serenity and rage and a pure joy to listen to, especially if you enjoy vivid, bright and exhilarating compositions that make your imagination run rampant. The overture "In Memory of?" is a hair-raising affair as massive blasts of symphonic mellotron-like cascades usher in a serene tingling melody and properly prepares the listener for a mind-blowing musical adventure. Section 1 "New World" is initially piano driven with sublime dexterity, a dreamy concoction full of emotion and deep melancholia where a tangled guitar expresses the aspirations of some new frontier. Much to Hamel's credit, he is unafraid to ratchet up the power level and shove the arrangement into more muscular territory, a formula which defines his style and keeps the suite alive and kicking. Looping bass is a highlight, as it carves nicely along. Very cool, indeed! "Crossing Meridian" is more power ballad inclined, jangling guitar phrasings and spirited vocals guiding the piece nicely, a scorching bass leading the charge once again. It has a slight sense of doom in the instrumental section, recalling some of rock heavyweights (Beatles, Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, Riverside and Dream Theater) and tossing in a few remarkable twists and turns. "Approaching Storm" is where things get hot and heavy, rasping axe scratches and bruising bass both act like depth charges, exposing the harder riff to the swirling torment. Contrary to popular belief, I deeply enjoy the harder stuff but only when it goes beyond the predictable. This is hot, molten lava drenched heavy prog, screeching wildly, scratching mightily and just plain old nasty! Hamel even dares to descend into dissonant pools of atmosphere within a mid-section that exemplifies a foreboding sense of tortured paranoia. Stunning material! "Milestone" meanders even deeper into the troubled psyche, crashing riffs suddenly blooming into a liquid axe solo, showcasing different tones and textures (at times almost jazzy) that defy categorization. This segue bleeds directly into "Whispers" where female vocals rule the roost from the get go, providing a whole new spectrum of listening adventure. Breezy and fresh like some sunny morning in the mountains, the unexpected bliss is highly welcome, especially when the electric guitar shimmers like some silver stream. The flute rivulets only accent the image further. "Freefall" dives head first into more psychedelic realms, keeping the flute dissonance alive, a kaleidoscope of sound effects that evoke a sense of floating helplessness, when imperceptibly a doom laden riff appears from within the marshmallow symphonics, drums splashing wildly and the intensity constantly burning until the final explosion of landing on terra firma. Damn bloody brilliant! The Floydian "Darkened Worlds" has a more acoustic feel featuring a sensational vocal from Jeff, a hefty set of lungs aiding and abetting a lucid guitar rant that is pure Gilmour, massive floating organ waves and slippery synthesizer lines that recall the sadly departed Rick Wright, a simply beautiful piece of music that is glorified by a colossal electric guitar push. Definitely a future classic! "Rise to the Surface" wrestles with a percussive intro, creating a profound sense of upward urgency, a slow burning vortex of sonic splendor featuring a one-two drum beat that would make Mason blush with envy, crisscrossing fretboard shafts that could mimic some hypothetical James Bond chase scene, incandescent guitar and aggressive organ burps shoving the Aston Martin along. A licensed to kill track! "Skies Clear" as the title implies offers some ambient respite, as the howling wind sonics dissipate gently to reveal some imaginary promised land, extremely musical and cinematographic. The "Voyage Ends" with blistering appeal, back to the sweaty monster beat (Ayreon, Rocket Scientists and Riverside fans will love this!) and the mammoth vocal with Lou Gramm (Foreigner) like urgency , a tight and impassioned ending to a delightful suite of tremendous musical expression. The crisp axe shrieks on and on??.I am stunned into utter submission!

CD2 is just as superlative as the first , another side to the majestic story that is certainly insightful but also highly adventurous , like the harpsichord-like intro "Zosimos Sleeps" that then segues into the pile-driving Satriani-ish epic "Becoming", a 10 minute sheer guitar fest with a strong bass partnership in tow, smooth lady vocalizings and some warp speed drumming. A tremendous track to be sure proof that Mister Hamel can sure play guitar! Ayreon fans, sit up and listen! A piano-led midsection adds fantasy to the whole shebang, inserting unending variations and excitement to the mix, eschewing predictability and pedantry. This is music, baby! "Spirits Dwell" unleashes another 8 minute piece of prog bravura, glossy and moody at the same time, with exemplary playing of appropriate notes with no tendencies to show off senseless noodling. The spirit of Floyd is here again but in a harder tone with lots of bluesy nuance, slight hints of 'Us and Them' as well as a lighter allusion to Black Sabbath's 'Iron Man'. There are Mellotron blasts and swirling symphonics to boot. "Around the Sun" introduces some flavorful vocals into the flowing melting pot of psychedelic sound, here vividly recalling early Porcupine Tree with Kosacek doing a masterful job on the kit. "Hyperbole" shows off the louder PT style: firm, strident, coarse, grimy and just plain mean with some fiery soloing (wah-wah pedal to the metal!) and even some steamroller Frippisms. Howling stuff indeed and a definite highlight piece! The previous "Becoming" is reprised on the ivories, a rather stunningly bold move as it slowly raises the pressure and then chooses to release it with some fine axe technique! The gleaming female vocals sing with the lovely guitar in tow, harmonious and expressive to the hilt. The jazzy bass-led piano rumble is bewildering in overt talent, hinting at the hard-jazz improv of classic King Crimson. I mean, c'mon! How delicious is this? Well, shutting down this behemoth with a huge 17 minute colossus is quite courageous but when you have so much ability, why not expose all of it, then? "Red Skies" is a fanciful finale, showcasing bright vocals, pulsating themes, electronic blips and burps, shuffling rhythms, very hard and very soft contrasts at every turn, veering almost into shred/metalloid territory when prompted (Fates Warning?) and finished off by a crystalline voice that keep it all grounded in 'dreamboatland' (imagine a proggy version of Heart) . The dreamy parts are highly glossy and trance-like, with creative orchestrations that exude confidence and purpose. The lightning fast rock parts are spellbinding and utterly complex, demanding attention and respect.

This is an awe-inspiring, kick-my-ass discovery, once again thanks to the progstreaming site and J-Man in particular who directed me with his expressive words to this matchless marvel. I have rarely witnessed a 2CD release with nothing but first-rate material, no spam, no filler, just unadulterated artistic revelation!

5 Spanish voices

V.O.Z. is the sixth album from American progressive rock act Majestic, as well as its first double CD release. As with Majestic's other albums, V.O.Z. is primarily the work of guitarist and keyboard player Jeff Hamel (who composes all of the music), but he has also recruited Mike Kosacek on drums and a handful of guest vocalists to complete the experience. As with many double albums, V.O.Z. is a highly ambitious work that will require some attention out of its listener, but its moody atmospheres and precise attention to detail make for a highly recommendable listen.

Although Majestic are often labeled as a neo-prog act, the music on V.O.Z. is much more eclectic than one may expect from the genre. I've yet to familiarize myself with Majestic's earlier offerings, so I can't comment on how this one compares stylistically, but the music here borrows from symphonic and neo prog, seventies' hard rock, progressive metal, and even touches of ambient. The more aggressive side of V.O.Z. typically reminds me of an album like Fates Warning's 1997 masterpiece A Pleasant Shade of Gray - while the riffs can get pretty heavy and intricate, the atmosphere always remains dark and subtle. This is still first and foremost a progressive rock album, though, so fans of acts like IQ, Pink Floyd, and Porcupine Tree should feel right at home here. I was actually quite impressed with how original Majestic's music sounds; I can't think of any other band to compare this to, so kudos to Jeff Hamel for managing to create something new and unique in the progressive rock world!

Fortunately, the songwriting is also excellent across both discs of V.O.Z., and there is enough variation for the album to remain interesting from start to finish. The first disc is dominated by the hour long title track suite, and half of the songs on disc two exceed eight minutes - this can make V.O.Z. seem a bit daunting at first, but the music is solid enough to keep you coming back for more. Tracks like "Voyage Ends", "Hyperbole", and especially the mammoth "Red Skies" should be right up the alley of any progressive rock enthusiast. The album is also quite well-produced, and while it's maybe not the best sounding album out there, all of the instruments are clear and the mix sounds highly professional.

V.O.Z. is one of those rare double CD's that manages to be both free of filler and eclectic throughout its entire duration, so I can only applaud Majestic for putting together such a great release. I would say that V.O.Z. perhaps doesn't reach into the 'masterpiece' range as frequently as other progressive rock gems, but Jeff Hamel has clearly crafted a magnificent observation here. Fans of progressive rock with an atmospheric and heavy edge should find a lot to enjoy from this adventurous release.

Majestic started in 2007 as a one-man project by musician Jeff Hamel,based in Minneapolis,USA.Jeff was a member of various little-known bands in his youth,before deciding to move alone and, encouraged by his son, he posted a couple of his compositions on ''myspace'',influenced by the likes of YES, GENESIS, RIVERSIDE and DREAM THEATER.The response was good and Jeff posted enough material for a demo CD.He was then approached by Andromeda Records and started working on a new album,but a bit later he was asked to collaborate with Russian MALS Records.So Jeff passed them what was supposed to be his demo CD and so ''Descension'' was born and released by the Russians in 2007.

''Descension'' is a nice mix of Symphonic Rock,Space Prog and Progressive Metal with definite influences by bands like GENESIS, PINK FLOYD, RIVERSIDE and DREAM THATER.The greatest element of ''Descension'' is that all instruments (handled alone by Hamel) are very balanced with no particular tendency for keyboard- or guitar-driven compositions,unlike tons of other one man projects.The tracks are varied, ranging from symphonic opuses with fantastic keyboard work and heavy prog cuts with strong guitars to metal-edged tracks with virtuosic playing and spacey passages with good use of synths and emotional guitar playing.Still,Hamel's voice needs some sort of development,being warm and sensitive,but the man is not a proffesional singer by any means.The compositions though are in a great level with their parts tightly connected,excellent flaws and a quite decent production.

Anyone seeking for modern progressive rock with a variety of influences should simply get this album.With a better singer aside,Jeff could certainly create something trully outstanding.

Very interesting EP!

Majestic is the brainchild of US musician Jeff Hamel, who is actually a multi-instrmentalist and the one who composes and performs all the instruments in his albums. In 2009 he released an interesting 4-track EP entitled "Clover Suite" in which Jessica Rasche helps with her great vocals. This EP is shows a great mixture of symphonic and heavy prog.

The four tracks are entitled Clover, the only thing that changes is the number that follows the word, and it is simple, I, II, III and IV. The first one starts slowly, with vocals since the first moments, but little by little it is adding new atmospheres, different inner passages that take the listener to a fantastic place, where one can imagine things and stories. I like a lot the keyboard sound in the whole track, its excellent nuances and how it perfectly complements the voice, and the heavier guitars, when they are needed. The last two minutes are very mellow, excellent I would say.

The second part is the longest one reaching almost ten minutes. Keyboards working as fore and background at the same time, with a pretty cool acoustic guitar addition. The sound does remind me to some Neo Prog acts, that is why this project is labeled (at least here) as such. Hamel really knows how to structure a song, how to intercalate the instrumental moments with the ones with vocals, and how and when to make sudden changes in time and tempo, and mood. I have actually been surprised by this new discover. And what better way to listen to this, than going to their website and download it for free. In this sole track, we can really appreciate the musician's wonderful skills in guitars, keyboards and even drums.

In the third part we have some spacey keyboards that remind me of some Ayreon moments. I like here how drums join, and how the keyboard sound is getting more and more intense, creating a kind of nervousness or tension. But this all disappears after a couple of minutes, and suddenly morphs into a neo-prog track, especially when female vocals appear. Well, but as you can imagine this is only a passage, because the song will offer one or two changes more, the most evident after five minutes with a metal-like guitar. Great!

And the final part is the shorter one, with only five minutes length. This is the softest of them all, this time with male voice, which I assume is the same Jeff. The sound is charming, even relaxing and suitable for an end. With this, the Clover Suite EP finishes. I am really happy with this discovery, and I highly recommend going and downloading it, and get more Majestic stuff. My final grade will be four stars.

Enjoy it!

Available as a free download (see the relevant thread on the forum), this 2011 release from American multi instrumentalist Jeff Hamel with vocalist Jessica Rasche definitely deserves a sight more attention than it has received thus far on the site.

There are only three tracks on offer here, the shortest one being a mere 14:20 minutes long. So, you would think, a prog fans trip to nirvana! Well, yes, but, as with many such artists, the key question is whether such a product is both good enough musically and well produced to keep the listener's attention from wondering to other places. I am very glad to report that Hamel manages this tricky issue with some aplomb.

It is a brave thing indeed to open an album with an epic in excess of 31 minutes, but this is what is done with the title track. With its opening passage, with doom laden guitar and bass, what I thought I would have to look forward to was, basically, an Ayreon type of album, which is fine if you like that sort of thing, but it does belie what follows, and patience, and, crucially, a number of listens are essential here. Because, there are many tempo and mood changes on offer here, and once Rasche settles into her vocals three minutes in, you start to pay a bit more attention, and there are more than enough changes here to keep the interest going, and, whilst slightly overblown in places, this is a very accomplished piece of music. At turns heavy, orchestral, and mellow, this is a very good piece of music, and if you are not tapping your feet and nodding your head in appreciation at the conclusion, then you are probably clinically deceased. It is certainly very comparable to some of Dream Theater's better moments.

Mosaic is a very dreamy, almost psychedelic, piece of rock music, and Rasche's wonderful vocals are very much in keeping with the mood of the music she accompanies. When Hamel unleashes his guitar solo, which is very good, he takes a mellow spacey track to an altogether darker place, which has, presumably, the desired effect of breaking up the tempo, before the keyboards and drum/bass takes the track back to its Floydian roots, and I do really like the altogether too brief vocal harmonies at the conclusion.

Album closer, Phoenix Rising, demonstrates why this band are classified as neo on the site, because there really is a little bit of everything in here, and there are some quite lovely moments of music in a track completely free of vocals. There are, at the commencement, heavy passages clearly influenced by the likes of Dream Theater and Riverside, with maybe a touch of the more chaotic Yes moments circa Relayer, before the track develops extremely beautifully into a full blown symphonic masterpiece, and the final four minutes has moments which make you shudder with the beauty of what you hear. Hamel is a very talented guitarist, and the atmosphere and pace he generates with the closing passage are wonderful to listen to.

In conclusion, this is a very good album which absolutely promises much for the future. I have no hesitation in awarding it four stars with a strong recommendation for all who like heavy prog, psychedelic prog, and symphonic prog all rolled into one rather neat package.

Majestic is used to play longs songs and this one is no different with 3 longs tracks starting with a 31 minutes epic that allows for long instrumental passages with spacey keyboards, many tempo changes. The guitars can be very heavy at times close to what Ayeron do. The female and male vocals are used mostly in this first song, the rest is much more on the instrumental side. The song structure is built like a crescendo that gets to a emotional climax that reminds a lot of what the Neo-Prog band Sylvan have done. However the second track is a long and quiet interlude of 14 minutes where there is not much going on where the band show is Pink Floyd influence. The third track is much more interesting with the come back of all intruments shinning again with a lot of keyboards, sounding very much like the band Lands End. The drums can sound a little bit tinny compare to a big production of a complete band, but the compositions have enough quality to be enjoyable. I would give a 3.5 stars.

The music in this album is definitely psychedelic space rock with mixes of heavy prog and atmospheric rock.

Is good that a multinstrumentalist took the decision to be accompanied in this album with other musicians. If still the instruments sound a little linear as in his other albums (because of many synth one man instruments)here we can listen to group playing rock .

And compostions are very good ,very good space prog rock.

I can deny Hamel is very talented.... So a good album.

What I still don t like very much is (as i said above) the still a little linear sound of the instruments.

I think the solution is that Hamel only dedicates to the guitar and a keyboard player to be welcome to the band.

4 stars.

US outfit MAJESTIC started out as the solo vehicle of composer and multi-instrumentalist Jeff Hamel, and prior to 2010 a total of three productions had been issued under this moniker. As this venture has evolved, additional musicians have been added to the roster of musicians present, and the current edition of the band has vocalist Rasche and drummer Nathe added to the list of permanent members. And it is with this revised core line-up and additional guest musicians that their fourth disc "Ataraxia" was recorded and subsequently issued by MALS Records in the fall of 2010, the third of their albums to be released by this label.

If you enjoy your art rock smoothly produced, find a Pink Floyd-inspired sound to be generally interesting and don't mind a band that adds in the occasional ambient or metal-tinged theme, Majestic's latest production "Ataraxia" is one that you'll most likely hold in high regard. In addition to followers of David Gilmour and company, I'd suggest fans of acts like Porcupine Tree to spend a few minutes sampling this artist, as I'd suspect quite a few of them would find him in general and this disc in particular to be rather appealing.