NIGHT DUST

No i'm not surprised that my Psychedelic / Space brothers Uwe and Eetu have already reviewed this album. I want to thank Classic Rock presents Prog for their interview with the band, much of that info I used in this next paragraph.These guys kind of met haphazardly at this festival where bands would re-create Classic Rock albums.They kind of got thrown together and their goal was to do the first BLACK SABBATH album. It was so much fun for them that they decided to stay together, well except for the Ozzy-sounding vocalist. Most of the songs were done through jamming and improvizing because the band felt it was more exciting to do it this way. Whatever works right ? They're based in central Finland far from Helsinki. Ami the keyboardist describes it as being like the Australian outback, very backwards. Half of the year is dark and darkness is definetly a theme of many of their tunes.There's a cool picture of the band in the liner notes taken in the dark with a lantern at their feet.

"Hoodoo Horizon" opens with a sample of a countdown transmission then this slow and heavy soundscape comes in.The tempo picks up 3 1/2 minutes in then it slows back down to end it. "Highway To The Orange Desert" opens with a beat as the piano joins in. Guitar after a minute as it picks up some. Nice bass with synths before 3 1/2 minutes. Piano and guitar lead before 5 1/2 minutes.

"Oceans Away" sounds really good to start with the bass, drums and guitar standing out. It settles before 4 minutes with water sounds and more. It picks back up after 7 minutes with some excellent guitar. Water sounds end it. "Super-Alter" has these spacey synths and strummed guitar that reminds me of early PORCUPINE TREE. Nice. Organ after a minute then synths again. A definite favourite.

"Starmask" has a heavy beat with heavy guitar early. Spacey synths before 2 minutes. A Gilmour vibe when it comes to the guitar around 4 minutes. Synths a minute later. "Thunderdrift" is uptempo and heavy. It does settle after 2 minutes.

"Sundown Mountain" is the longest track at almost 16 minutes. It's dark and spacey to open. A heavy sound comes in after 2 minutes. Riffs before 5 minutes and some vocal melodies too. A change before 7 1/2 minutes. I like this. It picks up before 10 1/2 minutes with the guitar and drums leading. It settles back around 13 minutes. It's spacey a minute later. We're galloping late.

An enjoyable listen with some variety and I like the fact that they aren't afraid to let it rip once in a while.