THE HEMULIC VOLUNTARY BAND

Don't be spooked by the monsters on the cover art - see, they're wearing pretty dresses, they're trying to be welcoming and unthreatening. In fact, they're probably supposed to be Hemulens, creatures from the Moomin books by Tove Jonsson (though the band probably couldn't get a licence to put Jansson's charming artwork on the cover), since the album lyrics are largely inspired by that series. Stylistically, what you get here is very much styled after the classic prog artists of the past, with Jethro Tull-esque folk influences and medieval allusions reminiscent of Gentle Giant or Gryphon.

There's also a strong Genesis influence not so much in terms of the actual music itself (though there's the odd flash of that), but in terms of the overall pastoral mood and, especially, the strong emphasis on theatrical storytelling that early Genesis always excelled at so well. Overall, a great little piece for those who like a fat dose of whimsical fantasy and a good story nestled in their progressive rock albums.