REVELATOR

Moving on to the sixth album by ROZ VITALIS after really digging "Compassionizer" and "Lavoro D'Amore". REVELATOR finds the band continuing to utilize their own unique style of using classically inspired keyboard music while adding all kinds of interesting additional layers of percussion, woodwind instruments, progressive electronic, strings and horns as the icings on the cake. As with the other albums i've heard REVELATOR is in the same vein however this band is very masterful in keeping a different feel for each album as not to sound like they're just repeating things and going through the motions.

REVELATOR seems to rely a bit less on the classical elements and has more of a folky flavor all the while adding the touches of avant- prog quirkiness to the mix. It is all instrumental like the other albums i've heard. The music has a kind of tug-of-war effect between an enthusiastic happy feeling and a dark somber depressant. Once the melodies hook you and reel you in then starts all the stranger elements. As with the other albums this is one that ratchets up the differences and never slaps you in the face. Once the hooks are in place then comes the slight time sig changes, electronic embellishments, occasional flute and horn runs and shuffling of expected roles in instrumental behavior.

It's always hard to convey unique music in linear written language, especially music that is as eclectic as this. Suffice it to say this qualifies as a form of avant-prog for its quirkiness but it is also very symphonic in its sound as Ivan Rozmainsky's keyboards dominate the overall sound pretty much for the entire run while other instruments which include cello, flute, shakuhachi, viola, bassoon, trumpet and flugelhorn interpolate their respective timbres intermittently into the nooks and crannies of the melodic procession that hops from one track to the next. The tracks are all fairly distinct and the keyboard parts sometimes completely drop out to let in segments that sound very avant-garde but no matter how weird things get they are always resolved as to make a pleasant listen that isn't too out there for the listener.

What can i say? ROZ VITALIS may be one of the biggest surprises for me of the last year. It's rather innocuous to take in upon first listen but just quirky enough to take you on a wild ride in ways that seem logical yet totally unexpected and keeping me wanting to hear more, so without further ado i will check out yet another album. Very cool stuff.