CARNIVAL OF LOST SOULS

Cen-ProjekT

Symphonic Prog

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rdtprog
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Heavy, RPI, Symph, JR/F Cant, Neo Teams

This is the project of one man with only one guest on bass. The music is rooted in the symphonic prog of the 1970s. The melodies are developed around lush keyboards and emotional vocal harmonies. Some acoustic passages bring Genesis and Hackett's style of playing. The flute passage adds to the retro prog feel that we have throughout the album. The guitars are never as heavy as some Neo-Prog bands, and the prominent use of acoustic guitar and flute provided an almost pastoral atmosphere. I am impressed by the quality of the songs from start to finish. For now, this album seems to be a step ahead of other albums from this project, because the songs have the edge that was missing. This could be in my top 10 albums this year!

Report this review (#3184854)
Posted Thursday, May 8, 2025 | Review Permalink

alainPP

"Elias Blackwood" cinematic fairground telling the story of a magician; a reverberating Floydian bass and the sound on Genesis, Big Big Train. The acoustic guitar with the vocal between the Archangel and Jon of Yes for a nostalgic atmosphere, title revealing the climate. "Victor Malveil" with the puppeteer on a typical Mellotron air, alternating melancholic spleen and symphonic Yessian opening. The aerial pad, the elegiac vocal and the final keyboard solo on the neo era of the 80s evolve the sound. "Isabella Thorn" continues to regress to the 70s with the romantic- spleen ballad where the acoustic solo then the vintage keyboard touch on the original Genesis sound. A fruity flute break followed by the Hackettian arpeggio in the finale, the nostalgia is there. "Seraphina Moon," Tangerine Dream's electronic-spatial intro; the rest is a "ersatz rehash" of previous tracks, from yesteryear, with proven vocals and melancholic instrumentation; the final, invasive organ helps differentiate the tracks.

"Lilith Vale," with its title cue; the regression is interesting, giving the impression of Genesis-esque outtakes rediscovered by chance. The synth solo is stunning, the old guitar addictive. Have we gone back to the 70s with this energetic passage on "The Knife"? The flute and keyboard finale is grandiloquent and solemn. "Gregor Titan Volkov" drives the musical point home further, with a slow, oppressive tempo, over an enigmatic march. The break sounds more modern while retaining the atmosphere of yesteryear; a circus-like finale. "Dante Blaze," with its dark intro, smoke from the fire-eater? An Olympian air navigating the Charisma label's territory, flirting with Big Big Train, themselves great Genesis devotees. "Evelyne Nocturne" follows, just as it is, each track possessing its own soul through its marked symphonic digression. The break with the dancer in the father's bottle of water, "Daddy, I love you...," or "The Mother's Music Box" is a wonderful example of this captivating piece. "Lucian Graves" serves as a finale, with the sound evolving into dithyrambic and Olympian thanks to the trumpet synthesizer. The unabashed Banksian melody is enhanced by a passage of Carl Orff, returning during the coda to a rustic Albion tune.

Cen-ProjekT continues to surprise with the release of fast-moving albums, three per year on average. This opus returns to the 70s, dear to Genesis and Yes above all; Genesis-esque regressive and symphonic solemnity. Origin on Progcensor.

Report this review (#3207589)
Posted Thursday, July 31, 2025 | Review Permalink

CEN-PROJEKT Carnival of Lost Souls ratings only

chronological order | showing rating only

ElRocin (Jacinto)
dannyb
mbzr48 (Mayer More)
kevlar1
Grumpyprogfan (Will)
Rowby
ProgElectronicFan (Daniel)
Stoneburner (Renzo)
dyyigor1958 (Igor)
JavierMiranda (Javier Miranda)
Equinox2019 (Carlo Orlandini)
Pedrolas (Pedro Enrique Esteban Almag)
xeod01 (xeod)
lexus (Serg)
Mr Grieves (Ian Ramshaw)
bublick (Sergey)
Seligpreisung (Klaus)
Szarock (SEBASTIAN SALAZAR HARRIS)
BBKron (Bob Larkin)
ProgroC (Valentyn)
tmay102436 (Thomas May)
Halcott (S.Novitskaya)
Petr59 (Petr)
Yandr (Andrianov)
onurprs (Onur TOSUN)
brainsuccasurgery (Alain SUCCA)
Yes1188 (Markus Klein)
CarlesProg (Carles Prog)
ProgfanJP (Azumi)
ekang otse (p.S.)
IagoMs (iago)
bartymj (Matt Bartlett)
Maxrammo (Max Rammo)
redkite (wizard)
titus1984 (David)
icastoican (ICUTZA)

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