PSALM 6

"Psalm 6" is the latest release by Russian outfit Roz Vitalis, and is the first entry of their long and illustrious career to grace my ears. I've gotta say, I'm very impressed by what these guys have done.

Don't be dismayed by the RIO/Avant tag on this release; this music doesn't sound like a set of drums being thrown down a flight of stairs at all! Rather, Roz Vitalis manages to create 30+ minutes of gorgeous, melodic instrumental prog, all of which is very accessible. The title track kicks off all-guns-a-blazin', with heavily distorted guitars and brass exchanging frantic, pounding rhythmic lines. After a hectic start, though, the chaos falls to silence and the EP's most memorable passage takes hold. Roz Vitalis takes their time to allow splendid wind, piano and guitar melodies to take the listener away, off to nostalgic summer pastures. Very beautiful and uplifting stuff these guys do, and it grows gradually to an intense, dynamic finish. Not too bad for an intro!

The rest of the EP follows with a tad more mellow approach. That isn't to say that it gets sterile or complacent, of course, not in the slightest. Each track that follows is still rich in textures, with hints of drama here and there, albeit often presented quite subtly. There's no doubt that Rozmainsky is a fantastic composer, and has a real knack for creating serene, relatable sorts of moods. The folk-ier sounding sections of "Passing Over" in particular sound almost like the sonic equivalent of a lazy summer afternoon.

I'm always overjoyed to hear artists that can manage to produce positive, uplifting music without sounding trite, and Roz Vitalis does a great job at that on "Psalm 6". Having said that, the music here just doesn't seem to demand enough "permanence", so to speak. Indeed, this EP is in fact just a teaser for an upcoming studio album, which I have no doubt will be fantastic if this is any indication of the standard of quality. Of course, I can't get over the sort of temporary quality that the EP presents; the first few plays are fantastic but there just isn't enough going on to warrant a lifetime of enjoyment. So maybe "Psalm 6" isn't an essential piece of prog to be remembered decades from now, but I still recommend giving it a try in the meantime. On the higher end of 3 stars!