ONE MAN'S GRIEF

1. "First Light" (2:06) great atmospheric opener--setting the album's mood for the listener extraordinarily well. (4.75/5)

2. "Caves" (6:10) opens sounding like LUNATIC SOUL before morphing into RIVERSIDE (no stretch of the imagination) and then becoming Post Rock for a couple of minutes with high density Math Rock chord progression followed by more delicate,, spacious, floating/brooding instrumental interplay. I love the slow rise of the heavily-treated programmed drums during the fifth minute, but then everything cuts out and we're left with contemplative guitar arpeggi interspersed with electronic percussives. Great song. (9.5/10)

3. "Endless Hours" (6:14) spacey PINK FLOYD-like ambience over which heavily-reverbed vocal (on multi-tracks) sings amplifying the Dark Side of the Moon feel and effect. I'm reminded of Poland's AMAROK and Norway's GIANT SKY. The slow path down the ANATHEMA-like discofied second half is surprising and quite clever--and it works! (9.5/10)

4. "Path of Forlorn" (7:46) this one opens with a folk-troubadour/Pagan folk feel to it--even as it moves into the singing portion (for the opening two-and-a-half minutes). The next section feels more psychedelic bordering on stoner rock but by the time the sixth minute rolls around it's transitioned to full on metronomic Kosmische Musik, but then at 5:53 it quite suddenly switches to laid-back late-nite lounge jazz with all acoustic-sounding instruments (over the lush synth washes)--all reverbed to the max. These guys are so creative and adventurous. I love it! (14/15)

5. "Half-Light" (8:59) Buddha Lounge electronic chill opens this one--even into the second minute--while the sedate guitars lurk in the background, dripping full with potential energy--seemingly ready to leap out into the fore with whatever compulsion they're feeling on a moment's notice. Vocal sample appears briefly at 2:47 (sounding a bit like a chill Barak Obama) and then again a few times in the fourth minute, but, surprisingly, the otherwise-instrumental song stays modern chill, start to finish. Hugo Selles (the man behind PSYCHIC EQUALIZER) should collaborate with these guys! Very enjoyable ride! Even those very cinematic final three minutes. (18.25/20)

6. "Fading Shadows" (7:10) more atmospheric prog on the mellower, more melodic side: again, with the piano play, I'm reminded of more recent ANATHEMA and PSYCHIIC EQUALIZER; it's not really NeoProg yet contains elements that are familiar, almost retro (such as the electric guitar strumming). In truth, these young men are doing an excellent job of creating their own original music. The mellifluous mood is familiar, comforting, relaxing, but the means to creating these feelings is totally unique. The vocals (in English) are accented but gentle and very easy to understand--as well as being quite melodic-- practically like another atmospheric instrument added to the weave. (They remind me a bit of Chilean band AISLES.) Nice guitar solo in the sixth minute--kind of Steven Wilson-like: understated yet totally on the mark--but then it really gets cooking in the seventh minute. I love how the repeated vocals never feel the need to strain or scream to get their message across. (13.75/15)

7. "Sirens of the Sun" (2:49) more cinematic, on-the-verge-of-being-electronic, prog. I'm rather amazed at how real the drums sound. Very cool how it all slows down in the second half, leaving you ascending toward the sun--like rising in a hot air balloon--or rescuing an otherwise-edited scene from Interstellar. (9/10)

8. "Ceasing to Exist" (9:24) opens like a NO-MAN song: very simple chord progression repeating over and over with Daniel's treated-voice singing Tim Bowmess-like over the top. I love the thick bass and wailing guitars in the instrumental second motif. Then growls! Wow, I did not see that coming! Gentler music and then heavier prog to come, before a bluesy psychedelic motif sets up after the four-minute mark. Things settle down again in the sixth minute before giving way to solo upright piano and tuned percussion to bridge us over to a brief calm flute passage before all Hell breaks loose again with some heavily distorted electric guitar chords patterned over bass and drum counterpoints. Then, in the ninth minute, the heavy motif just stops and the void is slowly filled with spacey synth washes and gently soloing heavily reverbed electric guitar slowly soloing. Kind of scattered and disjointed but, given the song's title, I think I get it. (18/20)

9. "Last Light" (5:11) more ambient-like mood music created to match the title. I guess in Daniel and Dominique's ontological view, life after death is quite peaceful and, shall I say it: beautiful (if still emotion-filled). Again: very modern-ANATHEMA-like. (9/10)

Total Time: 53:49

Despite its 21st Century Dark Side of the Moon (post-pandemic) vibe and sound palette, there is quite a bit of 21st Century ANATHEMA here, as well as STEVEN WILSON. A story/concept/arc that I really enjoy and appreciate. Better this than some doom metal death-screaming thrash crap.

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of atmospheric progressive rock music. I can see that this album may not be exciting or dextrous enough for many prog lovers, but it will satisfy all those seeking the balm that albums like Dark Side of the Moon and more recent ANATHEMA albums have give us.

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