INVICTA

I was quite pleasantly surprised by this album, I have been jaded to The Enid with vocals for a long time and always wrote them off as weak and taking away from the music, but this album is very different. With the addition of vocalist Joe Payne, The Enid finally has vocalist with talent to match the rest of the band. The vocalist from Journey's End, Max Read, is still here but he does mostly backing vocals now along with some additional guitar work as The Enid did always tend to have a duel guitar set up. I originally thought that they were using an actual orchestra, having thought I read that somewhere, but it seems that Robert is just getting better at mimicking the sound.

The album starts off with the short introductory piece "Anthropy." It takes about 30 seconds to build up until crashing loudly into the quiet sound of a choir and then slowly fading out. This is followed by the 10 minute track "One and the Many." This admittedly took a few plays to get into, but when I did I realized how beautiful a track this is. This track shows off Joe Payne's impressive falsetto, which at first I thought was actually a woman singing and then realized it was just Joe and his falsetto. I found this odd at first but I warmed up to it. Eventually deeper vocals join in with Joe's falsetto sounding even more operatic and very much like church music. Joe's operatic voice works very well with RJG's piano and the sound of Robert's orchestration. About 8 minutes in when I'm just starting to lose a little interest Joe's voice drops down to normal and it gives a very powerful effect. He has a remarkable voice and this sections captivates me. The backing choir vocals come back and the orchestra sounds get more powerful ending with bombastic bursts that surprise you. It may have taken a few listens to fully appreciate this song but once you let this song take it's full effect it's quite remarkable.

The next song is called "Who Created Me?' which shows off Joe's natural vocals. His vocal are theatrical and sound as if he should be on Broadway. This song immediately clicked for me on first listen, with Joe's fantastic vocals taking me by surprise. The instrumentation side however is not lacking, even if the song does focus on Joe's vocals. RJG's dramatic piano work does a great job of creating a dramatic mood along with the vocals. Not much guitar work is included in the song until the end when it builds up to a beautiful guitar solo showing just how talented the band is. This segues into the song "Execution Mob," starting off in what sounds like a carnival until church bell start to ring and the vocals kick in. These vocals are not the same however, and sound more like the Enid vocals of old, with multiple people harmonizing on vocals here. however these vocals work well here. It actually kind of shows The Enid's quirkier side. The song then ends how it started with the sound church bells before dramatically segueing into Witch Hunt. Joe is back here in parts, sharing with Max, but it sounds as if he is mimicking the old style as of The Enid's vocals much like the previous track, however as it did before these work spectacularly. The song has a sense of urgency throughout, and the guitar is more prevalent as is the sounds of the orchestration. I feel like every time I listen to his song the more I find to love about it. It soon changes from the more dramatic sound to a brighter sound, reminding me of "Raindown" from Something Wicked This Way Comes. Then suddenly frantic guitar comes in and the orchestra sounds pick up the powerful and dramatic sound from earlier on. This track does a fantastic job of showing the guitar talent in this band, especially in showing how well it works coupled with RJG's orchestration.

After that powerful track we have the instrumental "Heaven's Gate," a very atmospheric track, using RJG's synthesizer heavily. The track doesn't really change much until about 2 and half minutes in when the orchestra sounds are introduced. Their involvement increases over time, eventually introducing guitar into the mix. About 6 minutes in I find myself getting tired and it then fades back in to the atmospheric sound from the beginning though with the guitar staying in to add a more dramatic effect. Then with about a minute and a half left the orchestra sounds come powerfully back in, making the hair on the back of my neck stand up. This piece, like "One and the Many," took a few listens to fully appreciate. Following "Heaven's Gate" is another initially synth driven track, "Leviticus." Joe and Max are back with Joe's voice sounding as it did on "Who Created Me?" His powerful and emotional vocals never fail to make the hair on the back of my neck stand up. The guitar here is very reminiscent of the guitar work on older album like In the Region... and Aerie Faerie Nonsense. About 3 minutes and 45 seconds in the guitar and orchestra sounds start building up together producing a powerful effect. I can't say enough how much I love Joe's vocals on this album, they are so powerful and effective, I think he has already made in the ranks of my favorite vocalists.

With the next track, "Villain of Science," you can tell we're nearing the end. This song is another dramatic and theatrical performance like "Who Created Me?" which it reprises at that end. This is another track that immediately clicked with me. The song in parts sounds as if it wouldn't be out of place in Sweeney Todd. It shows Joe's range extremely well. It is an extremely playful and adventurous song, with the RJG's orchestrations at bombastic best, being backed with RJG's regular keyboard work and Jason Ducker's playful guitar riffs. About 3 minutes and 45 seconds in, followed by powerful vocals from Joe, Jason comes in with a haunting guitar solo reminiscent of Steve Hackett. It then finishes with reprisal of some of the lyrics from "Who Created Me?" and segues into the beautiful closing track "The Whispering." The vocals here sound like a church choir but they work well, with Joe's vocals still sticking out amongst them, showing off his falsetto again in some sections. It is a peaceful ending to the album, but it works extremely well.

I was initially going to give this album 4 stars, but the more I listen to it the more I realize that this a perfect album, and I can't give it anything lower than a perfect score. This easily the best album The Enid has released since Francis Lickerish left the band in the early 80s. I recommend this to anyone who can get their hands on it, and to any fans of the old Enid who have yet to try out this new incarnation, I recommend you get this album for you will not be disappointed.

Twenty years ago I went to see Galahad support Aerie Fairie Nonsense, which of course was The Enid under an assumed name, and RJG introduced himself to me by putting his arms around me and asking if I knew he was a poof? Now, that can make quite an impression on a lad, although it has to be said that it didn't have as much impact as seeing him play piano later on that night which was just astounding. RJG is one of those very few musicians who has always brought classical and progressive music together from the early days when he was working with Barclay James Harvest to when he formed The Enid in 1974. Since then the path has been complex and often tortuous, yet still he prevails. The current line-up features original drummer Dave Storey (although he, like Simon Nicol in Fairport, had some time off for good behaviour), guitarist Max Read (who has been there since '97), guitarist Jason Ducker (07), bassist Nick Willes (09), and new singer Joe Payne. It is interesting to see that the band now features a twin guitar attack as not many people would view them as a guitar based band ? as this is all about providing modern classical music.

There are a lot more vocals on this album than I am used to with The Enid, but at the same time it is also full of the styles and arrangements that one expects from RJG and the more I played it the more I was gradually drawn back into his world. In fact there were times when I felt that I was being taken all the way back to "Raindown" from the classic 'Something Wicked This Way Comes' and this new album stands up very well indeed to what is widely regarded as one of their best works. This is a band that is probably only ever going to be appreciated by a relatively small audience as their music is seen as 'high brow' or 'eclectic' even within the prog scene, but if you have never come across The Enid then this album is a great introduction. www.theenid.co.uk

This was a most unforeseen revelation, a new album from this storied yet eclectic group led by the irascible iconoclast Robert John Godfrey. I, as many proggers from the golden age have known and possessed the first 2 legendary The Enid albums (In the Region of Summer Stars and Aerie Faerie Nonsense), attracted by the quirky union between classical orchestrations and more formal prog-rock. Their long history is very well documented and there is little need to hash over such golden territory. Let us just state that their deep instrumental symphonics were perennially modulated by trumpet-timbred synthesizers, ornate piano colorations and colossal waves of strings. RJG now has evolved into infusing this brittle formula with stunning operatic vocals, courtesy of voice wunderkind Joe Payne, owner of a lonely falsetto that would make any music fan blush with envy. He is without any doubt the focal point of this tremendous release.

This monstrous talent is evident on the stellar "One and the Many" , a brooding and melancholic composition loaded with towering strings, dense atmospherics and a dual vocal performance , first with that nearly feminine falsetto and then his "normal" tone which just shimmers with trepidation. Toss in some rumbling church organ for a finale and you have a track for the ages. Wow!

"Who Created Me" shows off some transcendent lineage that would make Freddie Mercury smile a bucktooth expression, up there in regal heaven. Playful piano toying with the operatic theatrics is perhaps an acquired taste but we are really not far removed from 'A Night at the Opera', including that zippy guitar sound that has such a captivating appeal. "Execution Mob" provides some opening cinematographic effects with carnival sonics, carousel flutes, chirping fowl and pealing bells blending in with massed choir vocals that hint at the Beach Boys what with a little calypso feel mixed with some utter Britishness! Cool runnings!

The daring "Witch Hunt" has an ominous tone where marimba patches, marshmallow guitar shrieks and swooning vocals meld into quite a stir pot of sound, spiced with dabs of trumpet/ trombone blasts. Vivacity, thunder, lightning, very very frightening! Galileo? Well we did say Witch Hunt, no? The hysteric axe creaks nastily amid the blooming string whoppers, the tympani drums booming Magma-esque when combined with the massed zeuhly choir work.

"Heaven's Gate" is the epic 9 minute colossus, a luxuriant doorway to profligate sounds, untenable angst and barely concealed apprehension, like some Kubrick-ish audio nightmare with a slowly evolving main motif. Extremely multi-dimensional space instrumental with operatic overtones in its bombastic finale, this one will require multiple revisits to sink in its anti-satanic message. Yes, and beauty will prevail in the end. Bravo!

Synthesizers anoint the perception quite religiously in the very English "Leviticus", here rather Beatles-esque than anything previously displayed, as the piano revels in the Joe Payne voice with fretting humility. This man can sing impressively and is a talent to be watched closely. Brazen guitar work only heightens the surprised enjoyment.

"Villain of Silence" is more classic the Enid, with intense importations of heady guitar (Jason Ducker, whose shattering solo will agonize the track later on) and cavernous RJG arrangements but all yielding to the playful Joe Payne voice, full of dynamic range, coy theatrics and artistic liberties (think a modern musical rock opera). "It takes the King's crown" Indeed!

"The Whispering" closes of this little masterpiece in utter style, a startlingly enjoyable listening experience that makes an immediate impact (the songs are simply of damned good quality!). Again fans of tremendous vocal ability will flock to this precious relic and will look forward to many future revisits.

The old school black and white cover artwork even winks at past glories, sylvan forests where angels, goddesses and lazing nude eunuchs play the lyre and the zauber flutes.

"I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul"

Progstreaming strikes again, providing the required marketing to hunt this one down.

4.5 poetic justices

THE ENID: INVICTA (2012) 9/10

SYMPHONIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR?

The first thing occurred to me while listening to the new album of The Enid, was the soundtrack for the movie trilogy by famous Polish director Krzysztof Kieślowski "Three Colors", composed by Zbigniew Preisner (and favored by me, of course). After a short orchestral prelude "Anthropy" is coming track "One and The Many", which as if have been removed from some movie of aforementioned trilogy, most probably "Blue" . Its melancholic atmosphere, Payne's falsetto vocal, subtle orchestral arrangements, grand piano accompaniment - all perfectly creates a unique, beautifully-achingly nostalgic mood. Similarly onomatopoeic is also the composition "Heaven's Gate", the longest and actually only instrumental on the album.

Some songs, like "Who Created Me?", "Villain of Science" or "Execution Mob" as if they belonged, for a change, to some rock opera. In short, engagement of such a brilliant singer, which Joe Payne certainly is, just paid off!

I'm really excited about this record, which represents Symphonic Prog in its true sense and pure crystalline form. Everything blends perfectly here: distinctive singer, almost Gregorian vocals, sensitive orchestral arrangements along with perfect rock band sound. Of course, we haven't forget the soul of the whole line-up, and that's the main composer and keyboardist Robert John Godfrey.

For me, this is 2012 Top Symphonic album, undoubtedly. At the same time, it is a true masterpiece of The Enid and their factual stepping out of the shadow of uneventful, mostly instrumental albums issued by them since 1976. Hopefully this trend will continue! The only thing one could complain is no mention of casting of individual instruments of symphonic orchestra and choir...

Never mind, this album deserves much more attention from the Prog Rock community. And from me? 5 stars, how else? Highly recommended!

I've been reviewing the latest The Enid albums for the last month, so it was quite obvious that their latest studio album Invicta (2012) would not be left aside. You can check out my other reviews HERE (progshine.net/search/label/The%20Enid).

Invicta (2012) is the second part of a trilogy that started with Journey's End (2010) and brings the band leaded by Robert John Godfrey (keyboards) with their latest lineup that includes Max Read (guitars and vocals), Dave Storey (drums and percussion), Jason Ducker (guitars), Nic Willes (bass) and Joe Payne (vocals).

The Enid's 13th studio album maintains the band's tradition for narrative. The album, like I said, is the second part in a planned trilogy. The trilogy deals with exploring the relationship between one as individual and the collective known as humanity.

'Anthropy' starts the album, but it's just an intro. It's when 'One & The Many' comes along that you get hooked! 'One & The Many' is a wonderful piece of music with over 10 minutes and built over an amazing choral of voices. The Symphonic sound of The Enid continues intact as the track goes along and presents us 'Who Created Me?' with an excellent job on the vocal by Joe Payne.

'Execution Mob' is the next track, and apart from the very interesting vocals, the presence of this almost Reggae song on the album is inexplicable. A song completely out of context within Invicta (2012). And it's even more visible when 'Witch Hunt' begins. A dark orchestral piece, full of great vocals. A very strong track! 'Heaven's Gate' is an instrumental Symphonic piece, melodic and pretty, but quite weird as a continuation piece and a bit too long. It lacks a bit of rock.

Then 'Leviticus' comes in, continues on the same slow path, but Joe Payne vocals gave the track some character. 'Villain Of Science' is like a mini story being told, like a musical. It is also when rock and symphonic join together perfectly. 'The Whispering' closes the album with the slow Symphonic side again. Carried mainly by vocals this is a beautiful ending for Invicta (2012).

Invicta (2012) also comes in a beautiful high quality digipack in which the band appears on the cover as ancient Gods. The album is a great piece of work where you have to listen carefully to the details and to the beauty of the work as a whole! Highly recommended for symphonic fans!

(Originally posted on progshine.net)

I was very impressed by The Enid's "Invicta". This is the first album I've heard from them, and admittedly I was a little put-off by the opening opera-ish track. As it progressed, I realized it was more of an epic set piece that was foundational for the album. By the time the track ended, I was already sold on this album, I think!

Imagine my surprise, then, when "Who Created Me?" played. Wow. This track is simply outstanding prog in every sense of the concept. Fantastic vocals combine with heady themes to create a masterpiece of a track.

The album does not top "Who Created Me?", but it is strong throughout anyways. "Witch Hunt" and "Heaven's Gate" are poles apart, but they fit together so well. That's what really caught me about this album: This album has so much variety---featuring purely classical music movements to prog ballads to choir-led vocals within folksy tracks---and it always fits together so well. I'm not sure if it's the tone or the atmosphere, but this album is a unified whole regardless of how different each track is.

Overall, this album is epic in scope and ethereal in imagination. Incredible classical influences meet prog folk to create a simply delightful album for the open minded.

THE ENID - INVICTA (2012)

After a brief intermission, the album begins with "Anthropy," a short work that acts as an introduction to the album. After 30 seconds, a thunderous smash is followed by a gentle choir.

Second track "One and the Many" is a 10-minute tune that follows. Godfrey starts the piece with his little orchestra like composition, lasting 50 seconds, and beautiful vocals take place along with diverse keyboard sounds, percussions, gentle guitar with Max Read backing the vocals. You may think that there is a woman singing? No! It's Joe Payne with his spectacular falsetto and operatic (?) voice.

Follows Who Created Me, which has Godfrey's keyboard work and Joe Payne's natural voice, his vocal performance builds up to a beautiful guitar solo at the end.

There is a seamless transition into the next track "Execution Mob" which starts with some kind of carnival music, bird sounds, and incomprehension human speech. Different harmonized vocals come together, these vocals sound like a mix of band members' voices, this track segues into next track "Witch Hunt".

On "Witch Hunt" Joe Payne and Max Read back are on track with their vocals. In this track, percussions are alive, in addition, this song is kind of in a fast mood at first which changes later.

Next song is called "Heaven's Gate", it's instrumental and it definitely has atmospheric sound at the start. There is not much to tell till 2:50 mark, then synthesizer and his orchestra sounds are introduced. Guitar feels like it is floating during the song. Then orchestral sounds increase in pace and blow up!

"Leviticus" has Max and Payne's vocals. Their vocals are powerful and rise with orchestral. Lyrics are meaningful as always, and make the concept more clear to the critical listeners.

Next track "Villain of Science" is another song that features Payne's vocals and incredible percussions, along with bombastic orchestral, and a beautiful guitar solo. This song is very playful in that it never makes you bore. The song closes with Payne's falsetto and it reprises into the last song of the album "The Whispering".

"The Whispering" has Payne and Max's vocals, Max's back chorals support Payne. We hear falsettos which sound wonderful, Godfrey's doing his little touches on keyboard, and the album ends.

Easily 5/5 from me, the more you listen to it the more you appreciate the album, it has beautiful compositions, vocals, percussions, guitar sections, and synthesizer use.