HAMMER AND ANVIL

PURE REASON REVOLUTION's third album will bring further disappointment to those looking for a continuance of their Floydish debut 'The Dark Third'. Instead, 'Hammer and Anvil' is an extension of the direction towards poppy electronica begun on their second album. But for those interested in prog-tinged electronica, as I am, this is an excellent record.

It is something of a concept album, dealing with the causes, effects and aftermath of war. Of particular merit are the vocals shared between John Courtney and Chloe Alper, conjuring an ethereal atmosphere jarringly (and deliberately) at odds with the power of their subject. I'm also particularly fond of the rhythm section, the bass making an important contribution to the way the tracks adhere to each other.

The outstanding moments are the first track, 'Fight Fire', with its blunt lyrics and shattering instrumentation, the outstanding 'Last Man, Last Round' and the 13-minute two-part track 'Blitzkrieg/Open Insurrection', the proggiest moment on the album. This is not an essential prog album, but it is an interesting amalgam of ideas four decades apart. Well worth a listen.