RITES AT DAWN

Wobbler is one of the best new bands in the purest form of classic progressive rock. Norway, their home country, is fertile ground for music in generes black metal, death metal, progressive in all its forms, and nearly every other genre out there. Wobbler embraces its role as the great new great prog Nordic band.

Formed in Hønefoss, Norway, in early 1999, Wobbler set out to recreate the musical spirit of the early 1970s, focusing on authentic vintage instruments and compositional styles from the progressive rock era of 1969 to 1974. Inspired by bands like PFM, King Crimson, Gentle Giant, Yes, Museo Rosenbach, and ELP, they quickly developed the foundation for what would become their debut Hinterland. After a brief hiatus between 2001 and 2003, they returned with a demo recorded at Lars' studio and released it online.

Lars Fredrik Frøislie is the mastermind behind Wobbler, and the band's distinctive sound is due to the warmth of Frøislie's vintage keyboards, Lars Fredrik Frøislie's huge collection of vintage keyboards the band used only pre 1975 instruments completely avoiding MIDI and relied on classics like the Mellotron, Chamberlin, Hammond organ, Minimoog, Rhodes piano, clavinet, ARP, piano, and harpsichord.

The band is completed by Andreas Prestmo on vocals, Morten Andreas Eriksen on guitars, Kristian Karl Hultgren on bass, Martin Nordrum Kneppen on drums, and the aforementioned Lars Fredrik Frøislie on all kinds of analog keyboards. Rites at Dawn is heavily inspired and influenced by a mix of Yes and the Italian progressive music of Banco del Mutuo Soccorso. In addition to a very unique sound and some mild modern progressive, this is a departure from their previous albums.

Rites at Dawn, Wobbler's first major album their third, following Hinterland (2005) and Afterglow (2009). Rites at Dawn, released in 2011, is a much more thoughtful, concise, and mature work than their previous albums.

Rites at Dawn went somewhat unnoticed by the public, due to the obvious influences that many didn't understand or preferred to criticize instead of praise, and in a certain way the band didn't propose anything new, but Rites at Dawn is Wobbler's hinge for albums more appreciated by critics.

Although not a concept album in the strict sense, Rites at Dawn carries a strong thematic cohesion. Its lyrics revolve around nature, inner awakening, and the cycles of life and transformation, giving the album a philosophical depth that connects the songs in mood and meaning.

The lyrics (written by vocalist Andreas Prestmo) often explore cycles of life, day and night, rebirth, and spiritual or natural rites. There's a consistent mood and philosophical tone running through the album, and musically it's very unified, with recurring motifs and seamless transitions between songs.

The record open with Lucid A brief instrumental prelude that sets the atmosphere with delicate textures and a mysterious mood. La Bealtaine ? A celebration of rebirth and nature's awakening, full of dynamic shifts and vintage keyboard flourishes. In Orbit ? A more cosmic and introspective piece, exploring inner journeys and featuring complex instrumental interplay. This Past Presence ? Gentle and emotional, it blends acoustic and electric sections, reflecting on memory and time. A Faerie's Play ? A playful, baroque-influenced track with intricate rhythms and a whimsical spirit. The River ? The longest track, a sweeping piece that encapsulates the album's themes of flow, transformation, and return. Lucid Dreams ? A short, peaceful outro that mirrors the opener, closing the cycle on a meditative note.

Rites at Dawn is my favorite Wobbler record and marks my personal return to Nordic prog music. I know it's not their best?that honor goes to From Silence to Somewhere and the main reason is the sound. Maybe it's because it was a home made recording, and you can note. The magic of that kind of recording usually lies in not noticing whether it was made with high or low resources but here, it's noticeable. Even so, it's a great record, and I truly enjoy and appreciate.

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