FIREWORKER

I remember the buzz about this band around 2007 on here and the frustration that none of the North American vendors carried their music. I ended up getting a cdr of "Night" from a buddy in The Netherlands before their music was finally made available over here. So I have their 2005 "Firebird", 2007 "Night", 2009 "Tick Tock" and 2010 "Missa Atropus" before I bailed and waited to hear if they did anything close to "Night" which is by far their best recording. In fact if I hadn't have played it a couple of months ago I probably wouldn't have taken a chance on this their latest studio album from 2020. This may go down as my most regrettable purchase since getting back into the game. It's been a long time since I've popped a cd out because I didn't have the patience but that happened.

One thing that made this different was the choir that comes and goes on that 19 1/2 minute opener "Space Cowboy" and the next track "Hourglass". There is nothing in the liner notes that even mentions them let alone gives a credit. That opener is a long one and a little too sparse at times. It did get surprisingly heavy after 9 minutes. "Hourglass" is close to being ballad-like with the piano and vocals but then the choir replaces the vocals followed by the choirs being replaced by violin. I don't like the title track. Just a little too commercial sounding and the drums sound bad. "Antique" is another relaxed tune with vocals and atmosphere although we get some brief power after 5 minutes. "Sapien" ends it and again mellow stuff but with brief outbursts that come and go. There's vocals and not much else after 11 minutes before picking up some late without vocals.

Man this was so hard to get through but I'm at least thankful that I own "Night" a very special recording. This one went over my head.

I talked about Gazpacho before with Night, but I wanted to do another review for them since I think they are one of the best contemporary Prog rock groups of our generation. I have never been disappointed by any of their releases so far, and while I may think some albums are better than others, I cannot deny that they are a really high quality band that deserves a lot of recognition. Their eclecticism and forward thinking movements lets them be an amazing band and one that I think any Prog fan should try out. That said, I gotta hand it to them, their latest album from 2020, Fireworker, is a hold no bars fistful of their brilliant executions of music, and one that deserves all the praises it can get.

This album has been a bit of an obsession as of late, and one that I am surprised I didn't listen to much in compared to say Night or Tick Tock, because this album is so good.

Every Gazpacho album is, in some way, a concept album, and this is no exception. Unlike the dreamy loose tales of Night, or the more narrative driven story of Tick Tock, Fireworker takes a more Lovecraftian approach with its story, being about a omniscient monster that is willing to propagate in the minds of everyone and everything around it, kinda like, say, The Radiance from Hollow Knight. The creature on the cover (which I absolutely love) may be this monster, since it is huge and otherworldly, covered in harsh shadows with glowing red eyes. It is a monster that, in some shape, is in our minds at any moment, scraping away rationalism and disgust of our actions to try and justify them whether they are big or small. This conceptual narrative drives the album forward, making this one of the biggest sounding albums the band has created.

Musically, I find this to be one of the most interesting and memorable albums the band has released. The biggest moments on this album are definitely the two big epics, the first and last songs of Space Cowboy and Sapien. I absolutely love Space Cowboy as a song. The band isn't unfamiliar with these big and winding epics, heck they made an album that was practically one big epic, but I think Space Cowboy might be the most prolific song the band has ever made. Strong heavy chords, winding orchestral bits and pieces, a choir, and a giant-winding feeling that persists throughout. To say it isn't an amazing song is an understatement, because it is also when the band started to test new waters. Gazpacho is not really a heavy band, per say. They have heavy concepts and lyrics that invoke thought, but sonically they are as hard hitting as a soft blanket. Here, though, through the Lovecraftian concept, they test out more Prog metal methods with heavy guitar chords, very tight drumming, and singing that isn't your typical lush affair. This is probably their most gritty album yet, and I am all for it. It has some mud and dirt on it, and judging from its 2020 release, it was made at the right time when pretty much everyone was getting their minds fireworked. Sapien is also really good, being very moody and somber, carrying the last remaining weight of the album up its own steps in a glorious fashion.

The songs in between, Hourglass, Fireworker, and Antique, whilst being a lot shorter, are also really good. Sure, not as good as the two big epics, but they still get the job done. Fireworker is my favorite of these three. Such a powerful song from the band that doesn't waste anytime, getting right into the chase with very grandiose melodies and poetry that creates for an incredible, but short experience. The only problem I have with these songs is that they are so short, which makes their quick ends feel bittersweet, but I can definitely see them as a much needed bridge from the heavy Space Cowboy to the moody Sapien. Their purpose should be counted for.

I think this is the band's best musical endeavor since March Of Ghosts in 2012, since before this release, Demon, Molok, and Soyuz were very greatly made, but never really reaching the highs many other albums before has. This album shows the band still got it in them to create an amazing Prog rock album featuring their distinct, but ever so changing sounds. I find myself coming back to these songs over and over again when I have an itch for them, no matter the time of day. It really is one of the band's best works in a long while.

If you haven't heard it by now, do yourself a favor and listen to it. Not only will you get your worth of good music, you'll also be experiencing a really well made record that deserves your attention. It is an album you play at the middle of the night and let it wash all over you. It is an album that deserves all the attention it can get for you to embrace every last nanometer of sound. This, Night, and Tick Tock are the best Gazpacho albums by far to me, and this Norwegian band of misfits are some of the best Progheads I have heard.