THE WORLD OF QWAARN

Another Quebec prog scene,, but the problem is always the same !!!! surely not bad prog. The problem or band coming from this old capital is:::: not ORIGINAL!!Similar whit too many prog band. The album is concept album like Marrilon, Arena and all this package..Not very tecnical aspect, little melodie,i not listening a great felling especilly from the vocalist I think is not bad but not very impress me.Maybe that some people like this product!!I give 2.5 stars.......

Canadian Neo prog 4 piece band with mild hints of GENESIS, CAMEL and VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR. This 4 piece band blend highly symphonic keyboards with clean drumming and excellent guitar and bass interplay. QWAARN also has the addition of DAGMAR's Mathieu Lessard on vocals and this is likely where I get VAN DER GRAAF feel. Instrumentally these guys are solid with some interesting and varied songs on this album. Cover art is also by Paul Whitehead who was responsible for a number of early GENESIS albums. Overall a very good album which also boasts some nice clearn production capabilities.

What a huge disappointment actually.

Hard to compare with anything - maybe worst from DEYSS or of that kind, plus unnecessarily complex (to make it more progish?) and overfilled with stolen tunes and ideas (not the best ones too). I expected more varied and interesting work from the band where ex-RED SAND vocalist sings. Instead of it we're having undeveloped themes and arrangements, horribly ridiculous dialogues (album is kinda concept) and narrations, weak accented vocals, thin soundproducing and almost total absense of songwriting abilities. They'd rather make a good pop-rock album than forcing a progish one to come out from their guts. Not recommended, even for collectors - simply a waste of time. Hate to say that guys, but can't you see that it's lame? Sorry again, hate to be a basher...

QWAARN are a Neo-Prog band out of Quebec. I'm familiar with the vocalist on the debut here as he used to be in a band called DAGMAHR. This is a concept album and Paul Whitehead did the album's cover art. Okay enough with the details, the bottom line is that this album is a disappointment on so many levels.

"Bright Blue" opens with synths and piano then vocals arrive before a minute. A beat and a fuller sound kicks in before 1 1/2 minutes. We get a guitar solo 4 minutes in. "It's Three O'Clock" is mellow with acoustic guitar and synths. A beat joins in then vocals. It's better after 2 minutes when the guitar arrives. It settles back and piano ends it. "The Word Of Qwaarn" opens with spacey synths then it kicks in around a minute. Spoken words before 2 minutes. Reserved vocals and piano follow as it settles back.It picks up after 4 minutes. "The Endless Night" is spacey with spoken words then it kicks in before 1 1/2 minutes. A guitar solo after 8 minutes. It settles 9 1/2 minutes in. Spoken words end it.

"Djan's Mission" turns heavier after 1 1/2 minutes. Bass and keyboards lead with drums 3 minutes in. It lightenes and we get some vocal melodies too. "Virtz's Operation" is lightweight with vocals. Not good at all. "The Quest For The Spirit" is pastoral to open as spoken words come in.The tempo picks up some with vocals. It's speeding up 2 1/2 minutes in then it calms down as themes are repeated. "Response" features synths and relaxed guitar as the drums join in. A fair amount of atmosphere here. Spoken words after 1 1/2 minutes then the vocals arrive as it picks up a minute later. More spoken words then vocals end it. "Realities" opens with synths as spoken words come in. It picks up with vocals 2 1/2 minutes in.

I feel like i'm being generous with the 2 star rating here. You've been warned.

Qwaarn is one of the unnoticed bands coming from Quebec zone from the newer generation of prog bands. I was very surprised to see how low rated this band is. Their first album released in 2004 named The world of qwaarn sounds to me anything but neo prog really. This very much towards eclectic prog in vein of what Van Der Graaf generator done in mid '70s. Some arrangements and the most similar with VDGG is the voice of Mathieu Lessard , better known from Daghmahr band. Well, I must confess that to me this album sounds pretty much ok most of the time, I like the the voice who remind me a lot of Hammill. Even is far from being great, in places is little forced and doesn't have catchy moments overall this album is ok to my ears. I like the first copuple of pieces and the middle of the album, some nice keyboards and aswell vocal parts. Not among the worst albums I've ever heared but nothing is excellent here aswell, little amatorish. 3 stars to me. Good cover art made my the master behind Genesis albums, Alex Carpani, etc - Paul Whitehead.