THE COCOON

I had no idea what to expect with Richard's first solo release but this totally blew me away. If you're a fan of his work with Haken or Nova Collective then this is a must have. Richard wrote all the music plays guitar, keys and sings. His vocals aren't bad, they are low in the mix, but the majority of music on this album is instrumental. On bass, Haken mate Conner Green helps out and Matt Lynch (Nova Collective) handles the drums. I love the drumming on this album. Upbeat stellar patterns that weave in and out effortlessly and are tasteful. Guest vocalists, guitar soloists, keyboard soloist, and a string and sax player fill in the rest.

The music is similar to his other projects but there are differences. It is not as metal-ish as Haken's last release, or as driving as Nova Collective. There are more mellow, experimental, and jazzy sections. "Lunar Room" even has a rap section that sounds good to this non-rap fan. The music that is being rapped to is not what you would expect and it works. The syncopated instrumental break at 3:27 through 5:15 is amazing. I believe the guest guitar soloist during this section is Marco Sfogli and he slays. My favorite tune is "Twisted Shadows" with Haken's Ross Jennings sharing vocal duties. This is the most Haken sounding tune on the album but more of the off-beat counterpoint interludes (I call them carnival sounds) than crushing metal guitar licks. Absolutely love the jazzy guitar breaks at 4:24 and 5:41. This song goes through a lot of musical states and somehow stays together. Something only accomplished musicians can pull off. Oh, and the rest of the songs are quality? not one dud. Enjoy!

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