Progarchives, the progressive rock ultimate discography

FUSION ORCHESTRA 2

Heavy Prog • United Kingdom


From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

Fusion Orchestra 2 picture
Fusion Orchestra 2 biography
This is the the second incarnation of FUSION ORCHESTRA, the band from UK that was co-formed in about 2007 by guitarist Colin DAWSON (the only original member) and keyboard player Ben BELL. They then found vocalist Elsie LOVELOCK, Shemeck FRACZEK (bass) and Seex DYER (drums) to complete the lineup. They have re-released for digital download, their first album ''Skeleton In Armour'' in 2009. Now they have a new album ''Casting Shadows'' (2013).

The music of FUSION ORCHESTRA 2 is a fusion of rock, jazz and Prog. The sound takes you back to the 70's with heavy rock fusion that is complex music with many tempo changes. The music continues to the style of their 70ss album, with a more polished production, but still the same vintage sounds of instruments (Hammond) and that trippy vibe. Their music has some similarity with bands like COLOSSEUM and BABE RUTH.

written by rdtprog

FUSION ORCHESTRA 2 Videos (YouTube and more)


Showing only random 3 | Search and add more videos to FUSION ORCHESTRA 2

Buy FUSION ORCHESTRA 2 Music


FUSION ORCHESTRA 2 discography


Ordered by release date | Showing ratings (top albums) | Help Progarchives.com to complete the discography and add albums

FUSION ORCHESTRA 2 top albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

4.29 | 6 ratings
Casting Shadows
2013

FUSION ORCHESTRA 2 Live Albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

FUSION ORCHESTRA 2 Videos (DVD, Blu-ray, VHS etc)

FUSION ORCHESTRA 2 Boxset & Compilations (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

FUSION ORCHESTRA 2 Official Singles, EPs, Fan Club & Promo (CD, EP/LP, MC, Digital Media Download)

FUSION ORCHESTRA 2 Reviews


Showing last 10 reviews only
 Casting Shadows by FUSION ORCHESTRA 2 album cover Studio Album, 2013
4.29 | 6 ratings

BUY
Casting Shadows
Fusion Orchestra 2 Heavy Prog

Review by comfy_chair

5 stars It's been a long time since I enjoyed an album as much as this, possibly not since Van Der Graaf Generator - and it's become essential weekly listening. I'm been in the habit of just listening to individual tracks in recent years but this I have to hear from start to finish every time.

While I wasn't quite old enough to know the original Fusion Orchestra, the feedback I heard at the gig I went to seemed to suggest that this album is a worthy successor.

Leaving It All Behind is a great upbeat start but my stand out song is Secret Shadow - a track which remains interesting throughout its substantial length and never degenerates into meaningless musical meanderings. I also love the short piano pieces between tracks which link it all up perfectly.

If you're thinking of giving it a listen, go for it, you won't be disappointed.

 Casting Shadows by FUSION ORCHESTRA 2 album cover Studio Album, 2013
4.29 | 6 ratings

BUY
Casting Shadows
Fusion Orchestra 2 Heavy Prog

Review by aapatsos
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

4 stars 40 years worth the wait

It is exactly 40 years since the release of "Skeleton in Armour" and the second incarnation of the group, with only Colin Dawson on guitars from the 70's band, sounds quite similar and at the same time quite different than its predecessor. While FO2 keep the general character of the 70's band, they succeed in creating an album fresh and dynamic.

FO2 has a similar set-up to FO1 - a 5-piece with a female vocalist - and even the structure of the album resembles to "Skeleton in Armour" with long compositions and several bridges/interludes that work as well as they did back then. The interest is focused on the three long (>10min) compositions where their jazzy progressive hard rock character is unveiled in all its splendour. While the improvisation, long solo sections and occasional jamming feeling are ever apparent, the result remains accessible and very often "catchy". To this assists the exciting voice of Elsie Lovelock who combines the punchy, street rockin' and rebellious tone (ala Joplin) in her voice with more jazzy and mellower patterns with such easiness...

Well-worked compositions with the right balance between the rock and prog aspects, plenty of organ-driven or pure jazz passages on hard-rockin' riffs or melodic (often dual) phrases, a very tight rhythm section that employs frequent breaks, simultaneously "filling" the sound, paint the picture for what promises to be one of the best albums of 2013.

The minute production problems should not avert the listener from enjoying this to the full. For fans of the FO1 and acts such as Babe Ruth, this might not be a genre-redefining album but an excellent, honest effort and quite dissimilar to a lot of recent progressive rock albums.

Highly recommended!

Thanks to Andy Webb for the artist addition. and to NotAProghead for the last updates

Copyright Prog Archives, All rights reserved. | Legal Notice | Privacy Policy | Advertise | RSS + syndications

Other sites in the MAC network: JazzMusicArchives.com — jazz music reviews and archives | MetalMusicArchives.com — metal music reviews and archives

Donate monthly and keep PA fast-loading and ad-free forever.