WHITE ROCK EXPERIENCE

State Urge is a young band who hail from Gdynia in Poland, formed by Marcin Bochenski (drums), Marcin Cieslik (electric guitar, vocals), Krystian Papiernik (bass) and Michal Tarkowski (keyboards). Although most people would call these guys neo-prog/prog, they have quite a different idea on how their music should be described: "We hate being classified, though, as we aspire to create an immersive atmosphere in our works, especially in the spectrum of sound. Our compositions usually start out as instrumental improvisations, with elements of rock, blues and even classical music occasionally shining through. Despite all of this the original sound of our band becomes dominant in our creations and thusly we like to call our genre in our own way, White Rock".

Following on from two self-released EP's, and gaining a following in Poland with lots of radio airplay as well as performing with acts such as Votum, the band signed a deal with Lynx Music to record their debut album. They took the opportunity to record a mixture of both brand new songs and some that had been played for a while, but definietly wanted to be seen as being something different, hence the use of the words 'White Rock'. Of course, when I first saw the name of the band I thought that they were referencing Rick Wakeman's 1977 classic, which was the soundtrack to the Innsbruck winter Olympics, but while that is not the case they do make me think of fresh snow, as there is a crispness, clarity and clean feel to the sound and production that is rare for a debut. I then looked to see who had been involved on that side and found that Ryszard Kramarski from Millenium engineered some of the songs.

At times they use sounds that are more often featured in dance, with electronic drums and beats, but one of the real joys is the way that they don't feel restricted or pigeonholed and they do exactly what they feel is right overall. Consequently, although they can be labelled with the progressive label they are quite different to most of the other bands in the scene, and this is an album that feels like a breath of fresh air as it blows through, and consequently is one that I have been playing a great deal. Well worth investigation. www.lynxmusic.pl

What do you get when you mix Pink Floyd, electronic elements, Porcupine Tree, and some classic rock sensibilities? Yes, you get State Urge, a new band from Poland. Interestingly enough, they don't sound anything like the other "progski" bands from recent years, and that's perfectly okay. This band has a great sound that is addictive in all the right ways.

Yes, these guys mix high-tuned guitar work with infectious melodies, spacey keys, and very interesting song structures. In fact, I'd say that their songwriting skills show a much more mature band than you would expect. Their sound leans heavily upon atmospheric instrumental sections that feature some inventive guitar work that could be called noodling, but it never gets annoying or pretentious. It always seems to have a point and a destination. A spacey, electronic ambiance immerses much of their music, such as on the opening instrumental track "Third Wave of Decadence". Other times, a strong classic rock vibe is present, such as on tracks "Preface" and "All I Need". Addictive grooves, excellent classic-style drums and bass, and wonderful piano passages also complement the already scrumptious tone of the music. One of the best parts of this album is the presence of great keys. Organs, synth, and piano are all used expertly. I especially enjoyed the "wild" organ passages on "Preface", the thoughtful and spacey synth on my favorite track "Long for You", and the excellent piano on "Time Rush".

The vocalist has quite a unique voice. I can't really make any comparisons in general, but he really sounds like Mick Jagger at points, especially on the final track. This really adds to the classic rock feel of the album. It is by no means a weakness, either.

If I were to point out one similarity State Urge has with their Polish prog brothers, it would be the darkness of the lyrical content. The lyrics are emotional, desperate, and introspective. A longing for lost love, a feeling of loneliness, and new resolve for the future can all be found in the pages of this journal. And, if there's anything I love, it's dark and personal lyrics mixed with great music. State Urge has started their career at a high point, and I have a feeling that it will only get better from here.

The 'new breed' Polish prog bands such as Riverside, Believe, Arlon, Soma White and Lebowski have given a modern twist to the previously hard-core neo-prog that made groups like Collage, Millenium, Satellite, Abraxas, Quidam and Lizard such stalwart torchbearers for progressive music worldwide. Well, one can add the name of State Urge to the list, a young crew of talented lads from Gdynia who define their style in rather interesting terms, as per their website ''White Rock Experience- Three simple words. Each one separately, as well as all together, describe our artistic identity. White colour is always present in our scenic creation. Music that we play is most surely 'rock'. Experience is the key word defining our deep need of almost tangible contact between music and listener'. Hmm, not bad, in terms of branding their style, these musicians seem to be onto something. So what is 'white rock' like, you ask? A suave combination of moody pieces played with exceptional control, definitely progressive rock but with a polish (yeah, that was obvious, no?) that seems unreal for a debut prog band. Slick, modern, hard, very 21st century and shimmering with all sorts of explosive attractions. Sort of Porcupine Tree meets Midge Ure era Ultravox. Keyboardist Michal Tarkowski uses plenty of carving synths, brooding organ runs and dense orchestrations, giving the pieces a powerful symphonic sheen. Guitarist Marcin Cieslik has a strong command of his axes, screeching nicely and rocking hard when needed, which is often, as this is no placid fluff of an album. His voice is tremendous, showing that when you master a hard language like Polish or Hungarian, English becomes kind of easy. Think Mariusz Duda of Riverside fame, accent-less, bold, vibrant and convincing and at other times, a bluesy rocker like Paul Rodgers. The rhythm section is typical of Polish bands, rock solid and yet technical. In fact drummer Marcin Bochenski can give Wojtek Szadkowski (Collage, Satellite, Strawberry Fields, Peter Pan) a run for his title as the nation's finest drummer.

The material is exemplary, vividly cinematographic, thought provoking in mood and texture, though there is no piece longer than 8 minutes, which is quite a feat, each song rich with gripping notes and colossal construction. The instrumental 'Third Wave of Decadence' kicks off the festivities with grumbling synthesized effects, trembling axe shimmers, insistent piano and wide electronic colorations. Bombastic and monstrously elegant, the flow just ignites a profound sense of sonic expansion that draws immediate smiling tendencies.

Most tunes rock hard such as 'Preface', a hard almost punk ballad that bruises with incredible rage and power, Cieslik showing off some immense pipes while Tarkowski unleashes a thundering organ flurry that will drop your jaw. There is no specks of cereal in this can of dog food (to quote Uncle Frank), just meaty, lush, angry white rock music that would satisfy the bitch in you.

Delicate Chopin-like piano introduces the majestic 'Time Rush', another ardent collision between soft elegance and taciturn obsession, with a momentary lapse of reason by infusing a quirky sense of playfulness, crested by a momentous guitar solo that aches, screams and howls mercilessly. This is quite a display of progressive craftsmanship.

Of course, all this unrepressed angst needs a little two-pronged assault on one's senses, so why not offer a gorgeous ballad, hushed and pained vocals (here the Steve Wilson influence is quite evident), a chorus that convincingly belts 'I Long for You' while the synths twirl in the ether. I am thoroughly gaga, a romantic prog song has always been my weakness and this one sends an arrow deep into my Achilles heel. Modern beat with electronic drums kick this puppy into interstellar overdrive, fading nicely into the album's highpoint, the scintillating 'Illusion', an 8 minute groove adventure that would suit any motion picture production. Washes of dense electronics, pulsating sequencers, insistent and reptilian bass and slashing guitars all combine to slam you between the ears and ask for your abject and unconditional surrender. The mood veers into high density space rock dimensions, an offering of screeching axe howls that are almost unbearably perfect. Speechless!

'Tumbling Down'. Broodingly raspy guitar presents Cieslik's voice sounding almost like the legendary Paul Rodgers of Bad Company fame, a compliment of the highest order believe you me, which suddenly morphs into a sensational Led Zeppelin-esque tribute with its surly guitar solo, both nasty and bluesy, a harder version of 'No Quarter' comes to mind, with soft front and end sections. Damn unbelievable!

After recovering from all this pleasure where you almost feel like in need of a shower after such a barrage of great songs, white rock shows no mercy or desire to loosen the grip on the prey (yeah, you, buddy), a looping bass leads the ultra-pleasant voice into another dream cycle on '7:Gaze', churning organ and depth charge riffs tumble at you without any sense of pity or let-up. Drums smash pumpkins with unrelenting menace, raucous guitar that rekindle images of Montrose, Bad Company, Trapeze and Foghat. I kid you not, all in a proggy veneer.

The final cut (pun) is the organ-led 'All I Need', here evoking classic Spooky Tooth sensibilities, laced with some Pink Floyd eccentricities with loads of effects, menace and foreboding, all within a groove oriented sarcophagus, spunky drumming and that nasty, churlish Hammond blasting away. The electric guitar solo is not too shabby either, manic, insistent, desperate and lethal. A brief Ultravox section a la 'Vienna' gives the piece added amplitude and scenic drive. Bubbly bass renders the fat and kicks you when you're down on the ground, smiling helplessly.

My goodness, prog kids everywhere, do yourself a favour and hunt this urgent, aggressive and bold experience down! I know I intend to play this one a lot. And to think that some accuse me of liking softer prog! This ain't soft, baby!

5 Government impulses

State Urge come from the city of Gdynia, Poland and claim to be playing a unique type of music: White Rock.It all started in 2011, when Marcin Bochenski (drums), Marcin Cieslik (guitar, vocals), Krystian Papiernik (bass) and Michal Tarkowski (keyboards) recorded their first demo ''Underground heart'', which received some airplay, followed by the 2012 EP ''What comes next?''.The band played in several festivals and competitions and became a regular entry in many broadcasts of the Polish radio, eventually coming to the attention of Lynx.The result was to record their debut at the label's professional studio, featuring new and some older songs and launch it in 2013 under the introductive style of ''White Rock experience''.

I'd say that ''White Rock'' is another word for describing modern Polish Prog with the recent bands trying to find a balance between the past principles of COLLAGE and the heavier atmospheres of RIVERSIDE or PORCUPINE TREE, as ''White Rock experience'' contains both dramatic and more optimistic pieces, both contemporary and vintage prog values.Imagine a mix of Atmospheric Rock, Neo Prog and Heavy Rock in mostly accesible arrangements, which still burst a feeling of genuine instrumental sophistication.Their stuff is all over the place, featuring powerful, electrified tunes, flashy keyboard work, theatrical or more conventional vocals, organ-drenched rhythms and emotional guitar solos, sometimes you can find most of these elements in the same piece.And that was the real deal for the band, to succesfully meld these different branches into tight and cohesive songwriting and instrumental stability.They've done it pretty well, they even have a Pop flair during the sentimental moments, and their stuff is a trully pleasant listening experience.They mostly remind me of MILLENIUM at the point they became more versatile, introducing electronic elements, a stronger FLOYD-ian influence and sharp guitar melodies in their music.And there is also some really ''rock'' mood in the album with all these edgy guitar riffs popping up here and there among the more artistic or grandiose orchestrations.

You want to find out what ''White Rock experience'' is all about?Prepare yourselves for some angular, diverse and lyrical Prog/Art Rock with emphasis on grandiose arrangements and clean voices.Recommended.

Polish band STATE URGE has been a feature in the Polish scene from sometime around 2009, and following some self-released EPs they were signed to Polish label Lynx Music. They released their debut album "White Rock Experience" through that label in 2013, and one more album would follow the following year. Since then the band has been quiet, at least as far as recording any music goes.

State Urge is a band that on this album alternates between atmospheric laden material not too far removed from the Porcupine Tree's of this world, elegant neo-progressive rock and classic heavy prog complete with gnarly guitar riffs and organ coating. In this case going from one to the other rather than combining aspects of these more often than not, and with a tendency to shift towards a more generic melodic rock expression at times too. A decent production as far as such creations go, and if you tend to enjoy bands of this specific nature this is an album that merits a check at some point.