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Gandalf's Fist - The Clockwork Fable CD (album) cover

THE CLOCKWORK FABLE

Gandalf's Fist

Neo-Prog


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5 stars I got this mammoth of an album (three CD's in a fantastic designed DigiPak with over 3 hours of music and radioplay-bits on it) a few days ago (pre-ordering directly at the band's website rules!), and had in in my player since then. Gandalf's Fist have outdone themselves with this one *again* - even if you're not into all those radio-play dialogues and acting stuff, you still end up (by programming the player to just play all the EVEN track-numbers) with over 2 hours of fantastic music.

It's a general mixture between old and new, between sheer mandness and pure genious, spiced with a keen sense of beautiful and hooking melodies. Several songs end with such epic endings ("A Solemn Toast for the Steam Ranger Reborn" or "The Lamplighter (Parts IX-XIII)", to name just two), that you might think the albums over now. But then it moves on, even topping the preceeding songs. It is really hard to make out *THE* stand-out song, as there's so many of them. You're into ballads? Then "Eve's Song" and "The Clockwork Fable" might be just for you. Some more "pop-prog" stuff? Checkout "The Lamplighter (Parts XIV-XV)" or "Through The Lens". I could go on like that for ages, I have not heard something like this before - such diversity, such brilliant songwriting, so many melodies that won't go out of your head even after first listen!

I sometimes caught myself humming or whistling some yet familiar, but somewhat unknown melodies recently, and I wondered where I got that melody from - turns out it was one of the many parts and melodies hidden in this album.

But, besides the beautiful music - there's a story being told between (and within) the songs. It's the odd fight of good against evil, of we we simply never seem to get enough of. Here, the love for detail is at a really high quality, with the accompanying website Gandalf's Fist have set up. Really drags you into it, and after listening to half of the Album, you just cannot stop it, you want to find out if the band of rebels makes it in the end, or if "evil" prevails...

To sum it up: This seems to be Gandalf's Fist at their peak. I couldn't imagine them to become any better, but they probably will prove me wrong one day. Until then, I have this absolutely fantastic album to digest.

Truly deserved 5/5 Stars!

Report this review (#1557812)
Posted Sunday, May 1, 2016 | Review Permalink
5 stars Since I have really enjoyed "A Forest of Fey" back in 2014, I was curious about the new Gandalf's Fist album, especially after checking out the website they set up for "The Clockwork Fable" in order to introduce the entire concept and to provide detailed background information on the story they came up with. A civilisation under the surface of the Earth, the servants of darkness against those to try to find their way back into the light... It was clear right from the start that this was going to be something special.

I got my Digi-Pak a couple of days ago, it's beautifully designed and came with a signed card and a guitar plectrum with a symbol on it that can also be found on the website mentioned above. Very nice! Three CDs, three acts, more than three hours of playing time... very obvious that this is anything else but an ordinary prog album. "A Forest of Fey" was great, but this one's better - well, maybe "better" is not the right word, to say "it's different" would be more appropriate. "The Clockwork Fable" is more like a radio play; between the songs, the entire story is told by professional actors they hired for the job. I have to admit I was a little sceptical when I read about the spoken parts at first, but after a few minutes of listening it became obvious that the concept works very well, adding some nice goosebumps moments to your listening experience. It's like listening to a movie that you can see in your mind.

But even if you're not in the mood for a radio play, you can easily skip the spoken parts and just enjoy the music. And there's definitely a lot to enjoy! The opener, "Shadowborn", has a catchy melody and whets the appetite for more. And as you go on, you won't be disappointed. Each and every song on the album is beautifully composed with recurring themes standing for the different characters of the story. You'll find epic prog songs such as the Lamplighter trilogy, beautiful ballads ("Eve's Song" is definitely one of the highlights), but also some harder stuff like "At the Sign of the Aperture", which is one of my personal favourites. But in fact, it's hard to name any favourites at all since each song has a fascination of its own, all of them very complex so that every time you listen, you'll discover something new.

Guest musicians such as Dave Oberlé, Blaze Bayley, Arjen Lucassen and Melissa Hollick make sure that each of the story's main characters have their own singing voice which makes the entire story even more authentic. And in the end, after a long, epic journey, while listening to the final song, "Through the Lens", you'll feel as if you, in fact, see the sun rising for the very first time in your life. Gandalf's Fist at their best. Brilliant.

Report this review (#1558175)
Posted Monday, May 2, 2016 | Review Permalink
4 stars When I first discovered that Gandalf's Fist were releasing a 3cd album, I was expecting it to be like a pint of watered down beer at a cheap all-inclusive hotel. Then I read on their website that it will be a whole concept piece with established actors lending their skills to turn it into a whole story piece. I didn't know what to think of this. I enjoy their music and do not want to be distracted from it, but on the other hand it sounds like such a bold and potentially career-forming decision. If it's done well it could catapult the Fist into the limelight just by extravagance and intrigue alone. Prog fans often bang on about length of songs and progressive ideas, so this should be almost 'prog porn' to some. So I have listened to the album three times now from start to finish, and admit that on first listen the spoken passages were nothing but an irritant. That was a mixture of the initial realisation that I might have to spend my time repeatedly skipping tracks, and the fact that I was sitting in my lounge with headphones on, the tv on, and midway through playing Guild Wars 2 on the laptop.

My second attempt was in the correct environment. Me, the car, and a 4hr round trip on a business trip to Oxford. What a difference it made, as this is an album that you need to concentrate on. You would not watch tv with the radio on right? (Ok so I did once to get better match commentry on Talksport!). I will not go into a track by track review because others will do it and quite frankly I can't be bothered - but overall I found this album addictive, enjoyable, and a real pleasure to listen to from start to finish. Ok so there are some parts that I would consider weaker, but I will not say what bits because I believe that is purely down to my personal tastes rather than the quality of the music. The story is mostly very engaging, and takes turns with the music. In stark contrast to my first hearing, I found myself looking forward to the next installment as it progressed! Let's face it, when you get fed up with the storyline it is easy these days to de-select the spoken tracks.

Musically it is very Gandalf's Fist. It does not move away from their previous albums in any major way, and I still find myself wondering what these guys would achieve if they had money to throw at a top producer. The songwriting skills and musicianship is clear to see, yet there are still plenty of rough edges. The strange thing is, I think I like them just as they are. None of their albums are likely to go platinum any time soon, but there is something about this band that really is unique. They use familiar prog sounds, but somehow sound so different to anything else and are instantly recognisable.

Great album. Great packaging. Massive idea. I bet they had fun writing and recording it and that's where the real artistry shines through. What will they release next? A 4cd album? A 1 track EP containing a 78 minute song? Who knows, but it is sure to be excellently executed.

Report this review (#1558910)
Posted Wednesday, May 4, 2016 | Review Permalink
4 stars Review #21 Gandalf's Fist are centered around 2 very creative persons; Luke Severn and Dean Marsh, plus a big variety of musicians that they have been using for the needs of the recordings of their albums.

I learned about Gandalf's Fist 2 years ago, with the release of their previous album 'A Forest of Fey'. In these 2 years, I added in my collection 2-3 of their albums, and I was lucky enough to 'meet' with their drummer Stefan Hepe. Further than that, I had the pleasure to have them as guests in my radio show 'Prog & Roll' a few months ago and we had lots of fun altogether. (As it seems we will have them as 'guests' again after a month or so, in order to make something like a small 'presentation' for this album). When I was informed by Stefan Hepe about this triple new album of theirs, I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical at first. It sounded like a very ambitious piece of work and I had no idea how the final outcome would sound like.

The Clockwork Fable was officially released just a few days ago and I must admit that it is really unique and superb! The CD comes in a wonderful triple Digi-pack package, including a huge amount of information regarding the story of the album. I can't even start to imagine how many hours they spent over this project and the story-building. But the least I can do is to congratulate them for their efforts!

The Clockwork Fable is a triple concept album, which lasts for almost 3 hours. The main story behind it is a really interesting one, and the very detailed booklet really helps a lot with the information that includes. It is kind of a 'theatrical' album I dare say, since there are a lot of storytelling pieces included, which are actually ALL the even numbers. 1,3,5,7 and so on. I found this fact very interesting and unique to be honest. That way, not only you get to know the story as it evolves, but it also creates a 'bond' between the songs. As for the songs, well, It is very difficult for me to start mentioning the songs separately, since I consider them as small parts of a bigger project.

There are many guest musicians participating here, with the biggest names being the ones of Arjen Lucassen of Ayreon and Blaze Bayley (ex-Iron Maiden). Concluding this, I would like to congratulate the guys of Gandalf's Fist once more, and say that The Clockwork Fable already occupied one position in my yearly Top-10 album list. As for my rating, hmmm, this is tough. I usually don't give 5 stars, but on the other hand 4 stars seems very few for this album. So, I will rate it with 4.5 stars. Give it a try, you will not regret it! Highly Recommended!

Report this review (#1559101)
Posted Thursday, May 5, 2016 | Review Permalink
5 stars Whoa! That could sum up the overall reaction I had after listening to "The Clockwork fable" for the first time. Since the band teased some bits and pieces from the musical side of the album on their website (in form of a 10 minute medley), I somehow thought I knew what to expect, but the final result really overtops the medley by far. I don't even know where to begin...

The story (whose background is expertly shared on the extra website (clockworkfable.com) with really astounding graphics and effects on it) is carried forward by some expertly written and "acted" radio-play bits which remind me of "War of the Worlds" from back in the days. Recorded with the help of some really famous actors, like Mark Benton, Tim Munro, Bill Fellows, Paul Kavanagh, Paul Barnhill, Zach Galligan (Billie Peltzer in Gremlins), with the bandmembers filling the ranks. Those sections really drag you deep into the story, and makes you wonder what happens next in this crazed world of Cogtopolis.

These radio-play sections are separated to the songs by putting them on extra tracks, you can - if you ever have enough of the dialogues in future spins of this album - just put all songs on a playlist (every even tracknumber is a song) and still have about 2 hours of excellent music.

On the music side, you get really long epics, which - astonishingly (see what I did there?) never get boring. The first Lamplighter part moves so smoothly, you really don't notice that you actually listened to 8 minutes of great music the first time you're looking at the duration bar. Plus, I somehow begin to whistle melodies from the songs at various places when I'm NOT actually listening to it, and I wonder where I heard those melodies. That really speaks volumes in my books...

I'd say CD 2 (or Act II, as they call it) is my favourite, because there you have a perfect mixture of Progressive Rock, Folk and a tad of metal on a harder edge or two. Every CD (or Act) has a certain "feel" to it, or a musical style it leans towards, with the last CD being the "hardest" (in lack of better words for it) style. Lots of Iron Maiden influences to be found there, but not copied at all, no - some of the songs sound as if someone discovered a long-lost Maiden album in the attic. Influenced by Maiden? Yes. Just copying? No way! It still is Gandalf's Fist, and it is their finest work so far.

After several spins, I give this one a 5 stars rating, because as of now, it can't really get any better than this. This is Gandalf's Fist at their peak. I wonder if they can top that... but until their next release, there's a lot of music to digest on this one first, with a very well deserved highest rating possible.

Report this review (#1559793)
Posted Sunday, May 8, 2016 | Review Permalink
4 stars I think the boys of Gandalf's Fist may have outdone themselves with their latest musical adventure in 'The Clockwork Fable'. After releasing their 2014 musical adventure album 'A Forest of Fey' I wandered how they would be able to top it, a double CD, best of Gandalf's Fist or maybe a live EP? No, instead a 3CD epic story told through actors and songs.

Most of the reviews pretty well sum up this beast of a 3 CD musical extravaganza, and with it Gandalf's Fist has once again shown the world how much talent and soul they throw into their work.

Having a 3 CD album that goes for just over three hours may seem a bit of overkill but with The Clockwork Fable it works just fine. From the introduction you get involved in the story line straight away and continue to be intrigued all the way to the end. Yes you can skip the spoken parts and just listen to the music, but in my opinion you would be very easily lost on what the album is about. Both spoken and musical pieces fit together extremely well with professional actors really adding depth to the storyline and you can feel how much enjoyment they have in being a part of this album.

The music in itself shows just how much they have developed over the years musically with each song showcasing different styles of music and the influences of other bands and genres on the Fists members that have made Gandalf's Fist into a band well worth listening to.

It is hard for me to pick a favourite song as they are all excellent pieces of work, but ones that really stand out for me are ' The Great Cog' with its brilliant use of organ work (reminds me of Deep Purple), 'Fight for the light' hints of the great Iron Maiden influence with guitar riffs and 'Lamplighter (parts XIV-XV)'.

'At the end of the aperture' is a classic rock performance with 'Eves Song' once again showcase's the vocal talents of Melissa Hollick with beautiful soft tones and yet a powerful strong voice.

With its incredible artwork and classic Gandalf's Fist sound punctured with powerful rock riffs this is an album that most definitely would do well in any music collection. If you don't own it I strongly suggest you get your hands on a copy.

Report this review (#1564804)
Posted Sunday, May 15, 2016 | Review Permalink
FragileKings
PROG REVIEWER
5 stars A while back now, for my 100th review, I expressed my thoughts and impressions of Ayreon's "Human Equation" a double-disc concept narrative album, and one which I enjoyed thoroughly. Now I have reached my 200th review and I am very thrilled about reviewing yet another masterpiece of a concept narrative, the triple disc steampunk story "The Clockwork Fable" by Gandalf's Fist.

This is the band's sixth album but only the first to be welcomed into my music collection. The band had been on my radar for a while, and with the subsequent drop in the value of the British pound after the Brexit vote, I took advantage and ordered a bunch of CDs from the U.K. that were more expensive or even unavailable in Japan. Thus the pricy, three-CD, digipak became somewhat affordable for me.

The story takes place in the subterranean city of Cogtopolis, a refuge for humanity from some great catastrophe that befell the surface. Radiation, 20-year winters, and the disappearance of the sun suggest that there may have been a nuclear war. Cogtopolis has existed for well over 200 years, all its denizens being shadowborn and subject to religious indoctrination, though it is only the weak-minded who truly submit to the religious brainwashing of the Pastors. We begin with our encounter with the Lamplighter. Yes, "we" because we, "you the listener" play the role of The Traveller. We surprise the Lamplighter as he is making his rounds, lighting lamps, and at first he is startled and not very impressed with us. However, he soon softens as he gets over his surprise and he offers us a grand tour of Cogtopolis. Here then the first song begins and it sounds very much to me like an 80's prog metal inspired piece. The vocals are high in register and the guitars, though metal, are not produced heavy and loud, and so I feel it's a very 80's prog metal type of music. There's even a part that sounds very Iron Maiden.

We are back with the Lamplighter and we've reached the Great Cog, the Giant One, the "marvel of engineering" that is the heart of the city. The Lamplighter expounds poetically on its importance and wonder. We then move on to the first eight parts of the "Lamplighter" suite, an epic track with softer parts, solemn segments, beautiful passages and heavy moments. Two vocalists share duties here, one I believe to be Melissa Hollick, who provides the angelic singing voice for the character Eve, and a breathy masculine voice whose owner I can't confirm from the CD info alone.

The story begins to take shape now as we hear the conversation between The Tinker, a kind of incessantly cheerful madman of a scientist who loves "gizmos, doo-hickies, and thingamy-traptions" and Eve, a young girl who looks to The Tinker as a mentor. Eve is late because the city streets are packed with revelers on the Eve of Shadowmass, the single most important religious holiday of the underworld. Tinker reveals to Eve that his measurements show that the Great Cog is slowing down and that furthermore, in spite of the disaster a stagnating cog would portent, all remains functioning normally in the city, pressure gauges normal, "vending machine chicken soup inedible" as always. Then Tinker lets her know the great secret, that his gauges and measurements from the most upper regions of the huge underground cavern suggest that the sun has returned to the surface!

A song for the Giant One follows, led by a very cool bass line and drums with synthesizer showing up. It's a moody, haunting piece.

Now the plot of the story begins to unfold with several dialogues in succession, each separated by a churning, steam engine sound that could be a train or the Great Cog turning. The Nightkeeper Spy has been put in charge of finding "The Alpha and the Omega" though he has no idea where he should start looking. Then we meet the Primarch, the anointed chief protector of Cogtopolis as he meets privately with Pastor Simon. The Primarch fears the rumours of the sun returning and is worried that someone will try to open the Aperture, the passageway to the world above and the way that the founders of Cogtopolis came into the great cavern. Opening the Aperture will release deadly radiation from the surface into the cavern. The Pastor is more worried about heresy and blasphemy and wants to root out the spreaders of these rumours.

From here on it is tempting to write about every dialogue and every song because I enjoyed the story tremendously. Most concept narrative albums tell the story within the lyrics of the songs and at times, some more than others, use spoken dialogue and sound effects to add drama to the story in song. However, "The Clockwork Fable" makes great use of the voice actors, dialogues and sound effects to tell the story which comes across like a BBC radio play with a classic Doctor Who bent. Many of the spoken tracks are over three minutes long and as the story builds and we approach the climax, I found myself on the first listen almost disappointed when another 10- minute song wedged itself in between the captivating dialogues. And there is quite a cast of characters and an exciting story as Eve, The Tinker and a Steam Ranger they encounter in prison try to reach the aperture and hopefully acquire "the Alpha and the Omega" cogs that are necessary to open the Aperture, while the Primarch and the Pastor both try to stop them, each for their own differing reasons. From time to time, we and our guide, the Lamplighter, rove about Cogtopolis as he tells us about what's going on with Shadowmass and explains the wars that ultimately led to the rise of the current religion.

There is still a hefty dose of music too and after the second listen through it became easier to take the time to enjoy each song because I was no longer impatient to know what was going to happen next in the story. The music covers a fair range of styles and approaches, often within a single track. There's more early progressive metal and even a bit more Iron Maiden-influenced playing (note: former lead vocalist, Blaze Bailey sings the sung parts of the Primarch), some more neo-prog parts like Arena and IQ or Pallas from "XXV", gentle and beautiful piano parts with strings and Hollick's soul-soothing vocals, moody and brooding parts, Renaissance, folk and Celtic leanings and even a nod to Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall".

One interesting thought is all the allegory one can infer from the story. The concept of everyone being "shadowborn" and civilization having gone underground, living in darkness could be a metaphor for our "lost civilization" ruled by evil and corruption. Or the Shadow Church could be seen as the Catholic Church keeping everyone in the dark. When the Tinker calls out, "The Light shall prevail!" it seems an obvious message for humanity. And of course that the way out requires the ascension of a great ladder up to the aperture, which opens to the sun, also makes a great religious symbol. But even though there are messages that could be seen as religious messages (for or against), scientists get a barb in the side as well when the Tinker cries out, "I'm a scientist, Eve. I did it because I could!"

My final opinion, and I've truncated this review seriously, is that this is a very entertaining album with a captivating story, excellent voice actors, and some stellar music. That said, it is three discs with over 60 minutes per disc, thus making it quite a lot to listen through at once. I can get through half during my commute to work and the other half on the way home. For that reason, it is not an album I am likely to spin often. I love "The Human Equation", "The Wall" and IQ's "Subterranea" too but I don't play them often.

So, bravo to Gandalf's Fist for combining music, story-telling, and audio theater on one very impressive collection of sound. But I can see some people feeling it's a bit long and others, like me, loving it but not letting it play much because of the time required to hear the whole thing. Nevertheless, two big thumbs up!

Report this review (#1589093)
Posted Wednesday, July 20, 2016 | Review Permalink
4 stars Having loitered and read lots of reviews on this site for quite a while, it's time I wrote my first review. I have selected this album not because it is my favourite (it isn't) but the sheer effort that has been put into this, and it's undeniable quality, demands that it gets a wider listening. Reviews and scores are consistently high, but the number of scores is low in comparison. I expect that its threediscness is putting many people off.

When I first read about this album I was both intrigued and somewhat tentative. Unwilling to splash out on a triple album without hearing some of it first, I tried it out on Spotify. The downside of this is that it shuffles the tracks, which are 50% radio play. However, a short amount of listening was enough to convince me that the music tracks were to my tastes and that the "story" tracks were high quality and worthy of a proper listen.

So I purchased a download (£7.99 is a bargain, believe me), and selected a day when I was working from home and I set out to listen to it in its entirety. And with the exception of a few conference calls to break things up I managed it.

Unusually for me, I was able to follow the story. I am usually terrible at following albums which supposedly tell a story (e.g. "Snow"), but with actual radio plays interspersing the music there really is no excuse hear. Although every other track is non-music at least 2/3 of the running time is attributed to the music, which is what you would expect to listen to once you are familiar with the story.

The quality of the music is high, and also consistent. But there is also a fair degree of variety and many of the tracks are memorable after only one listen. Highlights for me are the Lamplighter suite, Eve's Song, Ditchwater Daisies, and my favourite The Climb. Iron Maiden influences are noticeable here and there, but are mixed up with mellower moments and the use of different vocalists helps prevent the music from sounding samey.

So, like many other reviewers, I encourage others to try this out. It doesn't require as much patience as you might think. The whole production is fantastic ? the effort that has gone into it is admirable and the band deserves much respect.

The only downside I can think of is something a bit picky and personal. I lament that so much prog music demands nasty, clanky, trebly bass tone, and the tone on this album is probably the worst I have heard. Even when using an octave pedal, the tone is thin and weedy and lacks any presence. However, I know some of you guys dig that sound so it won't bother you.

Overall 4 stars. This is very, very good, but not earth-shatteringly outstanding.

Report this review (#1596938)
Posted Friday, August 12, 2016 | Review Permalink
4 stars If listening to a 3 CD album seems daunting to you, take solace in that half of the tracks are narrative. Musically, it's the peculiar but familiar for their listeners formula of taking fantasy folk, epic hard rock in Iron Maiden style, your typical Genesis influence and wrap it in a psychedelic package, with its far-out, culturally-familiar-but-inverted concepts. In essense, hobbit campfire sing-a-long.

The Clockwork Fable continues the line of Forest of Fey by emphasizing the folk and shifting focus to (better) guest vocalists. Does it work? Story and music are well integrated (usually for prog, the story is just a device, but here it is the music that serves the story). Strictly musically, its pleasant and not too complicated, despite the average 10-minute (save for the occasional bursts of metal and folkish instrumental wankery). But the album does seem to be dragged out a bit, especially the middle which sometimes feels uneventful and too simliar in vibe.

Report this review (#1647182)
Posted Sunday, November 20, 2016 | Review Permalink
5 stars For my first review on PA I want to cover an album I'm flabbergasted people aren't raving about! I'm not sure where to start with this album other than to say it's the finest conceptual record I've heard in a considerable time. At 3 CD's long and over 3 hours in total, one would assume that this would be an over-log, bloated release but this could not be further from the truth. The tracks are varied and well produced, crossing a range of styles and the story is fully engaging and unique. Speaking of which, Gandalf's Fist have employed professional actors to narrate the tale in between songs. Many names are recognisable from BBC drama, such as Mark Benton, but most interestingly is the inclusion of American Actor Zach Galligan, famous for playing "Billy" in gremlins. The result of which brings about more of a BBC radio play/cinematic quality than the "rock opera" kind of concept album that we are all used to. The band call it a "Mind Movie", which, actually, is a pretty good way of looking at it! The radio play carries the story allowing the songs to breathe and drive the mood of the album. All of which is refreshing as many concept albums in the past have suffered from relying on the lyrical content to drive a story and as such the focus on songwriting had suffered? no such complaints here, the songs are excellent, even in isolation. With special mention to the epic "Lamplighter" suite of songs as well as "Shadowborn" and "Victims of the Light". As with their previous release, Gandalf's Fist have also harnessed some familiar names from the world of Prog (and metal!) to fill their musical ranks. Dave Oberle from Gryphon, Matt Stevens (the fierce and the dead) return again but also in come Arjen Lucassen (Ayreon) and even Blaze Bayley (ex-iron maiden) to help voice some of the characters in the songs. I have to give credit to the amount of effort the band have put into creating this world, the album's booklet and supporting website is full of details and back story right down to the religious structure and language of the world?. you truly do feel immersed in the story. Also, so yourself a favour and get the CD version rather than the download ? the packaging is brilliant? it's got a cool "DVD boxset What it boils down to is, really, an essential album. The music is varied and contains without a doubt the band's finest selection of songs and the story is engaging, extremely witty (in a monty python style at times), and even sometimes quite touching. If you haven't checked it out yet, I emplore you to do so, if you're put off by the idea of the acted sections between songs: Give it a chance. Stick with it. I can guarantee that you'll regularly crack a smile. We're dealing with progressive rock, and what a great, progressive and unique way of presenting an album. I can't think of another record that puts across the story in quite the same way? I suppose you'll have to put aside some listening time to see what I mean!

Report this review (#1648227)
Posted Thursday, November 24, 2016 | Review Permalink
5 stars I'm Befuddled "The Clockwork Fable" has but 100 or so ratings. By far my favorite album of 2016. I feel a tad guilty that I haven't reviewed this beauty till now. 2016 was young when I preordered Gandalf Fist's triple disc Steam Punk musical. Clockwork Fable is comparable to "The Wall", "Tommy", "War of the Worlds", and best of Ayreon.

I suppose the triple album length and the plethora of albums that prog aficionados shuffle through yearly, partly explain the lack of collaborator reviews. What a shame. I understand. I own a few thousand albums and CD's, yet I don't have enough time to give my precious collection of classic albums, the attention the albums deserve.

"The Clockwork Fable" transports me to the days of my youth when I would warp and wear out vinyl. Less then a year old, The Clockwork Fable has become an dear old friend who comforts and pleasures moi.

I adore every song but in this review I won't go through a song by song critique. Trust me, resplendent tunes abound. For a deeper peek into the music, please read other reviews for song by song details. The same holds true for a detailed history of Gandalf's Fist. Until a year ago, Gandalf's Fist was but a name that reminded me of kinky hobbits. Wow, I was wrong. Although, kinky double entendres, aplenty, pop up like tarts to entertain and amuse.

I purchased The Clockwork Fable because of the shear ambitious audacity of the project. I thought, " Either Clockwork Fable is a swing and a miss or a grand slam." I happy to report Gandalf's Fist hits this baby outta of park! These guys went all-the- way. Maps, alphabet, original lingo, extended metaphors and a plot line worthy of a major movie musical. They even produced an excellent youtube movie preview for the Fable masterwork. Every song is memorable and sublime! The lyrics superb. Since other reviewers have covered the music portion of the album, I'll speak to the spoken dialog.

Every other selection on The Clockwork Fable uses dialog to further the story. You would think after 40 spins I'd skip the spoken dialog. Oh contraire. The dialog is spoken by professional actors and flows like honey. For God's sake, these actors populate the world of Doctor Who! The dialogue is Dickensian, poetic, humorous, full of intrigue. I find myself rooting for the different characters. Political, social, and religious satire abound.

It's amazing what Gandalf's Fist did with the annual "Shadow Mass" holiday. Just genius.

Cogs and gears grind melodiously dark yet heighten the underworld that is Cogtopolis. Every word and gear adds atmosphere, melody, or rhythm to this post-apocalyptic tour de force. Embedded within the vinyl grooves of The Clockwork Fable" Cogtopolis's history comes alive and is made real. Shadow is light. Everything topsy-turvy yet right on. Very Steampunk and deep ( multiple layers of meaning) Absolutely brilliant ! If you dig English humor you're in for a treat. At times the melodious dialogue reminds me of Shakespeare. I just blasphemed. So be it. It's obvious the actors have Shakespearian training. If you enjoy musicals that keep getting better with each viewing this is a MUST HAVE! It's such a fantastic album, I can't help but give 5 stars.

So friends, if you dig concept albums with an extremely well defined plot line, multiple vocalists, post apocalyptic stories, and an entire world unto it's own, this triple disc steampunk musical is just what the doctor ordered! One of favorite albums ever. Thank you universe!

Report this review (#1676743)
Posted Friday, January 6, 2017 | Review Permalink
5 stars This is a great album!!! Never heard of "Gandalf's Fist" before and, being a Tolkien's fan, I have to say that I came here cause the name. But I found a great band (or a great musician, cause most of the music is Marsh's work). Three C.D.s, three hours, lot of good songs, a nice story (better than most on lots of concept albums). The idea of the interspersed radio play bits is nice but I don´t like to listen to them more than twice; fortunately I can skip them. "The Lamplighter" is a great epic. "The capture", "Victims of the light" and "Fight for the light" are very good also. In fact I like all the songs, and the musicians are very well chosen. Every moment of the story has a correct musical feelling. The album cover (the whole pack in fact) is a very good work, dark but beautiful. I don't miss the old 12in paperboard anymore. One of the best albums from 2016.
Report this review (#1680489)
Posted Monday, January 16, 2017 | Review Permalink
tszirmay
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Honorary Collaborator
5 stars As a rule, I am not a big fan of epic albums with narration, which is why I have failed to add applause to such celebrated albums as Rick Wakeman's "Voyage to the Center of the Earth" (the original and the more recent remake). I just prefer musical arrangements before anything. Ayreon's magnificent "The Electric Castle" was one of the very successful epics that had both narrators and singers that blended well with the punchy music. It's no surprise that Arjen Lucassen is a guest vocalist here and he may also have been a source of inspiration as well. A live setting may be a different feeling but on recordings, just give me the tunes, please. Gandalf's Fist has provided a stunning 2016 opus with the massive "The Clockwork Fable", a 3 CD affair chock full of memorable slices of sonic genius, though it must be said that their sound is much sharper and harder than ever before. Way less overtly Floydian than their previous releases such as the masterful trio of "Road to Darkness" (2011), "A Day in the Life" (2013) and "Forest of Fey" (2014), the core of singer Luke Severn and multi-instrumentalist Dean Marsh have decided to widen their sound by solidifying the rhythmic tandem by adding a full-time bassist in Christopher Ewen as well as solid thumper Stefan Hepe, giving Marsh all the space needed for his keyboard and guitar ornamentations. 194 minutes is a daunting task to wolf down in one helping, so I helped myself to reorganize a playlist of songs only, which may take away from the narrative but does focus cuttingly on the music. If you mostly want to follow the storyline just buy the album for the entire experience. Throw in former Gryphon vocalist/percussionist David Oberlé who supplies the folkier side , ex-Iron Maiden lung Blaze Bayley the helium yell and guitar maestro Matt Stevens adding his ambient skills and you get the complete picture. The core section of the work is found in the multi-part suite "The Lamplighter" that is liberally strewn among the three CDs , each over an hour long.

On the first CD "The Day the Great Cog Failed" , there are some delectable pieces to highlight such as the drop dead dazzling ballad "Eve's Song", a stirring and symphonic composition featuring a melody both haunting and reflective, a truly winning epic tremendously sung by Melissa Hollick. The delicate finale is precious metal incarnate. Things are fine-tuned from the start with the scorching "Shadowborn", chugging metallic guitar wrangling with a wicked synthesizer gone haywire, the rhythmic locomotive spewing smoke as the magical flute twirls in Tullian fashion. Listen to the thrilling "The Great Cog" with its echo-affected drum beats, reptilian bass attack and Luke's patented "pillow" vocals, flickered with endless sparks of slippery synth warbles, and you should come to the conclusion that this is going to be quite the entertainment package. Maintaining the urgency, the highly cinematographic "The Capture" is prog ?opera at its finest, bombastic orchestrations, pummelled by cannonading drums, garlanded by some whirling dervish synths salvos and some colossal Wagnerian choirs, slain by some snarly vocals.

Second CD "Of Men & Worms" is the showstopper section as it blends on "Victims of the Light" some outright folk of the vivid British kind with some breathless melodies affirmed by both starting lead vocals as well as massive choir work, an extensive acoustic guitar foray that is spellbinding from the get go. Another memorable air is to be found on "Ditchwater Daisies", a suave ballad that resonates with imagery, the art of combining a good story with a simple melody and wrap that in a pared-down arrangement and letting it all fall into place. Tragically beautiful. Luke's patented hushed voice is a pure delight and incredibly effective in creating celestial sentiments that seduces the musical soul. The pastoral sensation returns early on "the Bewildering", a shimmering fluffy cloud of atmospherics that gets accosted by a stubborn guitar riff from Mr. Marsh, interspaced with ambient flicks of the wrist (Matt Stevens), taking the whole thing into a complex universe of staccato rhythms, carpeted mellotron for Luke to swoon over, the fluttering flute (not credited anywhere) and a whole lot of adventure. But it's on the beguiling "A Solemn Toast for the Steam Ranger Reborn" that the magic really hits hard, brilliant vocals, sputtering synth bubbles, Spanish guitar fingerings, tinkling piano and marshal drums uniting in the cause. This is a tremendous piece that sweeps you into the clouds of fantasy, reminding me of their classic song "Stowaway to the Mushroom Planet". Delirious music.

The third act, "From Burrows we Came", here the overall texture definitely hardens, perhaps due to the Iron Maiden influences that are bursting through the speakers' seams, leaping into a harsher climate as on the dizzying "The Climb", maintain a highly melodic and dramatic urgency, upgraded by marvelous operatic vocals from Melissa Hollick, who really shines throughout. The improbable bass guitar/synth duet is a total stunner. The screeching electric finale is fast, furious and heavy. The rambling "Fight for the Light" is a shadow box of various explosive chords, tempered by those divine hushed vocals that instill a sense of yearning that gets me every time. Then Blaze grasps the mike with brazen authority and with the correct guitar barrage, the mood is clearly in jet propulsion mode. The slipstream synths warble madly, chasing the challenging melody. This greasier rock bravura is pushed along further on the next track, the colossal "At the Sign of Aperture", a towering and bold musical statement that swerves in various summersaults sung by "the chosen one", slashing mightily with passion and awareness. The 'sparks are flying' guitar solo is a classic Van Halen-like affair, unparalleled technique and emotional frenzy. The shimmering title track welds piano and acoustic guitar together, Luke swooning engagingly amid the clicking timepieces and ticking mechanisms, buoyed by lush symphonics in the use of various synthesizers. Truly terrific piece. "Through the Lens" gives licence to the piano pursue its magical journey, as Melissa adds a stirring and convincing farewell.

I have edited the playlist, as suggested by others, in order to lean exclusively on the songs and the result is quite an entertaining ride. Whichever way you want to approach this massive opus, either in whole or in part, Gandalf's Fist has dared to conquer and has vanquished. I cannot fathom how they can possibly top this crowning achievement.

5 Device stories

Report this review (#1681913)
Posted Wednesday, January 18, 2017 | Review Permalink
5 stars I came upon Gandalfs Fist via a track on a sampler CD. On the strength of the track, which came from 'Clockwork Fable', i bought that CD. I have been completely blown away by what is essentially a three act play in words and music. It's quite unlike any other prog rock CD I have. The story line reminds me a bit of the film 'City of Ember.' It's about a world where the inhabitants live underground as the surface is uninhabitable-the Sun has gone out and there are interminable winters. The band has created a complete planet with its own language and hierarchy, It's breathtaking in its breadth and depth, crammed full with quite wonderful music, each linked by spoken passages which taken as a whole carries the listener along at great pace. Its an astonishing piece of work, a tour de force and the bands magnum opus. It would grace anybody's music collection, let alone being pigeon holed as prog rock. Goodness only knows how the band will follow this up.
Report this review (#1692405)
Posted Monday, February 13, 2017 | Review Permalink
kev rowland
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Honorary Reviewer
5 stars Some years ago I came across the debut album from Gandalf's Fist, then lost touch with them again until I received an email one day stating that to celebrate the two year anniversary of their latest album they were providing a free download of the first act. A short flurry of emails between myself and Dean Marsh, and I soon had a copy of the three-CD set to listen to. I knew there was something very special going on here even before I listened to it, as there were guest appearances by Arjen Lucassen (Ayreon), Blaze Bayley (Ex- Iron Maiden), Matt Stevens (The Fierce and the Dead) and Dave Oberl' (Gryphon). The album also featured the voice acting talents of the likes of Mark Benton (Waterloo Road) and Zach Galligan (Gremlins) among others. Then on top of that there was the press release. If an album is self-released I am lucky to get a page of (sometimes) useful background information, at a maximum two. No, what I have here is a 16 page full colour guide to Cogtopolis, with diagrams, illustrations, a complete history of the formation of the city, how it all works plus so much more.

Yes boys and girls, what we have here is a full-blown concept album on steroids. In some ways it is mix between the concept albums of Clive Nolan and the science fiction stories with music of Hibernal. There is far more acting and drama than one would hear from the former, and far more songs and rockiness than one would get from the latter. In many ways this has moved far away from the concept album format, and into a full-blown film for the ears. I soon found that the only way to listen to the album was by giving it my full attention, as if I didn't I soon lost track of whatever else I was trying to do anyway. The interplay between the progressive rock music and the dramatic storyline is seamless, with both providing dynamic interplay.

I kept 'seeing' what was going on in my mind, and also wondering if they were ever going to publish a book to go with this, as I can easily imagine this story being greatly expanded. I am not going to give anything away about the storyline itself, apart from saying that it takes place under the earth's surface, as due to man's maltreatment of nature humanity were sent underground some two hundred years previously. From the very beginning, when the lamplighter comes across a traveller, I was hooked, desperately wanting to understand where the story was going to take me. That the music was heavily influenced by neo prog and contained wonderful vocals performances and great musicianship and melodies was the real icing on the cake. I was surprised just how often I was reminded of the mighty Legend, as they and Galahad have obviously been fairly important inspirations behind this mighty endeavour, as has Ayreon and IQ.

A triple CD concept album, of this depth and magnitude, is released very rarely indeed. I can honestly say that it is one of the most impressive pieces of work I have come across in the last five years, and is essential listening to anyone who loves good music.

Report this review (#1938068)
Posted Saturday, June 9, 2018 | Review Permalink
5 stars From the very start this album sucks you in deep, and does it so well, it almost feels like you're watching "Lord of the Rings" or "Game of Thrones" or some other surreal, fantasy-type film. Comparing Gandalf's Fist's work to anyone else is simply impossible, it's just an experience you really have to try for yourself. I would highly recommend trying this album out if you're really into epic, atmospheric driven pieces of art, as the album is three and a half hours long. The amount of information they put in the album is honestly mind-blowing. Specifically, I remember one part of the album (I'm not sure on the specific track) where there was a fifteen minute exchange of only dialogue (it kept me entertained throughout the entire break.) And man, the voice acting is phenomenal. There were countless voices (each one a different character) placed all over the album, which was blended quite well with sound effects that all relate to the story of the album. With a concept and story as great as this, the music from epic tracks such as my personal favorite "The Lamplighter" tops it all off as an absolute "essential masterpiece of prog rock." Personally, I put this album as my 4th favorite prog album of all time, after Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon and Animals, as well as Dream Theater's Metropolis Part 2, Scenes From A Memory.
Report this review (#2132104)
Posted Monday, January 28, 2019 | Review Permalink

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