NEMESIS

The Rob Cottingham-led sophomore Cairo album was excitedly expected by this reviewer, as I thoroughly enjoyed the opening salvo 'Say' back in 2016 and seven long years have passed, showing extreme patience but also tons of faith, as the wait was well worth it. The same line-up is back with a resounding, highly melodic, punchy, and diverse menu of compositions that had me drooling all over my non-waterproof keyboard. Sizzling guitarist James Hards, booming bassist Paul Stocker, skin pounder Graham Brown, stunning new lead vocalist Sarah Bayley all join in with Rob's voluptuous keys as well as his intricately dosed recipe for song writing, with a plethora of unforeseen shifts, with variety and charm, that had me on the edge (or as close to it as possible) of exaltation.

You want a forceful 'post-Covid-wakeup-slap in the face-enough already-lets get it on' opener? The aptly titled "Asleep at the Wheel" will undoubtedly trigger all sorts of inner ear bruising as the intro will require an after-the fact breathalyser test to determine the nefarious cause of such torpor in the first place. The Fool, the King, and the People each take a turn at expressing their feelings, a composite of divergent opinions, proving once again how confused the human condition always seems to be, regardless of time, space, and context. The razor-sharp guitars are hard (pun intended), the drums and bass pulverizing everything in its path, as Rob's bombastic keyboards inject a welcome majestic gloom to the piece. The doom-laden echoing voice sets the lugubrious tone with foolish conviction until a relative calm settles in, as the serene and reflective regal mood instills the entitled contrast, the extended keyboard structure a pure marvel. The popular retort re-ignites the volcanic eruption as we all find ourselves back to square one, whooshing synths not withstanding. POW! Good morning, Cairo!

Keeping the proverbial pedal slamming hard on the metal, Sarah forcefully squishes the microphone with a rocking performance on the blazing "Tripwire", with a voice that can easily reach Heart's Ann Wilson heights (yeah, THAT good!), interspersed with dynamic shifting sonic sands (they are called Cairo, after all), with evocative whoa, whoa, whoa harmonies , followed by slamming hard core instrumental chaos and veering off into a luxuriant oasis of gentle melody, only to finalize with a last hurrah climax. Total change of pace with the sweet innocence of "Glow", where Sarah Bayley shows off her stratospheric scale (hello Kate), a devilishly beautiful piece that has a whistling synthesizer passage and a celestial mood, proving that this quintet can create mellow nuggets to complement their electric side. Tea and sympathy with a touch of bonhomie, indeed.

With a title like "Rogue" fitting so nicely with my FB moniker (PROG ROGUE), any ode to rebellious non -conformism will sit very well, thank you. Some people lead, way too many follow, some people only do, some others only think but very few, think and do. The arrangement spans the gamut from choppy exaltation to surreal Floydian expanses that have that RPWL feel just long enough to beguile and applaud in admiration. They just out floyded Pink! This is the perfect set-up for one of the most devastatingly beautiful songs this seasoned reviewer as ever heard, the goose-bump inducing "The Love". I am reputedly a huge fan of romantic-tinged ballads, often loaded with deep emotion, pain, hope, and yes?love. This is on par with the celestial "Moments in Time" by Karnataka, the profound "Questioning Eyes" (Mostly Autumn) or the thunderous "Searching for my Shadow" (Breathing Space). When a tune starts off with a piano melody so perfect that you swear you have heard it before in your dreams, well, how great can the impact be? This song could/should be snatched by all the great female vocalists out there from Streisand, Brightman (whose version of the Beloved's "Deliver Me" still crushes my heartstrings), Lady Gaga to Adele, Stefani, and Swift. You need to hear this and I wager you will. Sarah Bayley, a name to remember.

The exhilaratingly clever "New Beauty" stamps this already with a proverbial golden buzzer, as the seemingly endless quality of the material proposed is off the charts, a delicately thrilling guitar web only serves to entrap Sarah's vocal athleticism as she pirouettes her voice into overdrive, navigating the intricate chorus with Formula 1 ease. This is an exquisite track that enthrals, hypnotizes, and sways the listener into a heavenly expanse where, thankfully, there is no requested escape. Mercurial atmospheric alterations only enhance the gratification, as the instrumental bombast keeps rising like an upward vortexed tornado. The appropriately titled "Déjà Vu" is like a long-lost classic, a vocal duet between Rob and Sarah that defies the norm, a brief shining glimpse at melody done perfectly with a luxuriant electric guitar foray that showcases James Hards impeccable skills. It may be viewed as 'been there, done that' but isn't that the point? Another great track. Enthusiastically playful and evocative of unrestrained adventure, the free-spirited "Jumping on the Moon "has all the ingredients of a once puerile maturity, expressed in the course of a fast-paced piece that once again offers countless twists and turns to maintain the listener's attention. Darn it, this woman can sing with the best of them.

The initially forlorn and melancholic symphonics of "Save the Earth" serve as a sonic warning of doom and gloom, expertly keyboarded by Rob's meaningful stylings. A majestic instrumental interlude that will prepare one for the grandiose grand finale, the 8-minute title track that features Rob's rather impressive vocal abilities. From the towering piano-driven onset, the mood is set for a velvety ride that exudes oomph and a colossal chorus that will 'Float your dreams away' and be with you 'night and day'. "In hushed conversations, and quiet contemplations" this track will settle any doubts about the sheer overpowering quality of the menu proposed here, a gourmet banquet that will undoubtedly be among the very top contenders for album of the year. Another masterpiece that will feed me for a long time, perhaps even eternally.

5 Egyptian foes