ROZ VITALIS

The Latin title of this album can be translated to 'Because They Don't Know What They Are Doing' and it would be interesting to ask Ivan Rozmainsky (keyboards) who he is aiming that at, although one can surmise. It has been five years between studio albums, during which time the world has changed for musicians in Russia and Ukraine, but finally here we are back with their latest release. There has been a slight change in personnel since the last one, but Ruslan Kirillov (bass), Vladislav Korotkikh (low whistle, flutes), and Vladimir Semenov-Tyan-Shansky (acoustic & electric guitars) are still involved, while long-time drummer Philip Semenov has now been replaced by Evgeny Trefilov who also provides some keyboards. As is usual, we also have some guest musicians providing additional instrumentation, of which the most key is the trumpet of Alexey Gorshkov.

I have been following the music of Roz Vitalis for well over a decade now, and there is no doubt they are one of my very favourite Russian bands, but one is never quite sure in what direction they are going to lead us, and this album finds us in a different mood to what I normally expect. While there are still RIO elements, there are less of the modern classical (although some songs, such as "Fountain", still demonstrate those roots), and in many ways this release finds the band both experimenting with their sound and becoming somewhat more commercial. This means it is one of the easiest of their albums to enjoy the first time it is played, and I certainly do not agree with some of the comments I have seen regarding the content, arrangements or production as while this may not be as dynamic and off the wall as their wonderful live albums, they are a quite a different band in the studio and this is far more reflective.

This is their eleventh studio release, and it is nice to see a band continuing to explore what they wish to achieve and how they are going about it as opposed to going through the motions. I continue to be excited when I see they have a new release available and while this may not be as essential as some of theirs, it is still one I have enjoyed immensely and isn't that what listening to music is supposed to be about?

To share my impression of new album Roz Vitalis "Semi Acoustic at Kuryokhin Center" I will describe images and feelings that arise while listening. (The order of the compositions is different)

Blurred. Road, path and work. Enjoying the road. It can be difficult sometimes, but then revitalization and motivation can occur. Hard work and inspiration. Perseverance, courage and hard work, goal setting helps. The main thing is to see what you are doing it for.

Jungle Waltz. Beautiful, mysterious game and playfulness. It seems that tropical animals are walking and playing around. Mystery, tension take place at the end accompanying a final battle the main wild characters participate in.

The Hidden Man of the Heart. Virtue, hope, rise, the path to achieving the goal come up while listening to this composition.

Lavoro D'amore. Relationships can be difficult. If you want to build relationships you need to put a lot of effort. You have to try your best to go through quarrels, misunderstandings, anger, resentment. Then comes relief, revival, a new stage of the relationships.

Forbearing One Another in Love. Seems like this composition reflects the stages of relationships. Fleeting glances, sympathy. Love. Two clarified each other. It started out hard. Misunderstanding. They were spinning in the stream. Everything is great. Very beautiful, fairy tale. Storm, fake and condescend, work on relationships. Relief has come.

Recovery. Vanity and care are replaced by joy and enjoyment of life, improving the internal state and finding peace.

Ascension of hope. It embraces feelings of beauty, love, kindness, lightness, sublimity, flight, hope.

Passing winter. Light sadness, melancholy, fear and mystery change to hope and enlightenment, excitement, with a feeling of peace and awareness that everything is going as usual. Magical and bright feelings, beauty and sadness occur.

Ending. The road and the work, enjoying the result and the experience that was gained.

Mother of all rain. The peace and joy that we experience in good times, in sunny weather, the laconically and unexpectedly change to the charming and immersing. You feel the atmosphere of strength, struggle and work that we experience in difficult times or in rainy weather. You go through difficulties and move on.

Passing over. Boiling and seething change to the peace. Then it changes immediately to the mystery. You continue the path, with new experience.

What a great performance and album!

For those who don't know, Roz Vitalis is a great Russian project led by composer and keyboard player Iván Rozmainsky, who back in the early 00s worked as a one-man-band, however, with the years he has surrounded himself with great and talented musicians who have helped him to release a considerable amount of records, and to offer another great number of concerts.

Now in this 2024 Rozmainsky and co. have released a wonderful live album whose title is "Semi-acoustic at Kuryokhin Center", and when I listened to it for the first time I felt surprised it didn't include any song from their latest studio release, but then I realized this concert was recorded in february 2023, prior to that studio release, which saw the light until october.

This is a wonderful performance where we can appreciate songs played in a unique way, with even some different arrangements, songs taken from Roz Vitalis' extended discography, but in particular from their 'The Hidden Man From The Heart', 'Lavoro D'Amore' and 'Patience of Hope'. The album starts with 'Blurred' and since the first moments we can feel that acoustic essence, with a sound that ranges from folk to prog, made by an amalgam of synths, strings and a wonderful clarinet played by AndRey Stefinoff, who greatly adds colorful sounds with his instrument. It is great to hear audience applauses at the end of the tracks, seem it was an intimate concert.

The clarinet continues to take over in 'Jungle Waltz', however I also love the acoustic guitar and bass, along with the percussion (cajón or box drum) which are clearly not drums, so the sound might be quite different from the studio song, however, it makes it a unique performance. I love its changes and how classical music is also present in Roz Vitalis' music, but also that we can feel embraced by different moods, by dark atmospheres, some tension, but also bright passages and beauty. The clarinet & keyboard combo in the final part is a killer! 'The Hidden Man of The Heart' has also an exquisite performance here, first with delicate sounds and then with a bit more intensity for some seconds. One can easily close the eyes and feel embraced by its sound, I imagine people who attended had a wonderful and peaceful time.

Piano opens the gates to 'Lavoro D'Amore', then strings and winds join with delicacy, and a minute later after a brief change, keyboards mark a new proggy sound which is very colorful and dreamy, clarinet playes the same notes and together create a great synergy. Later a guitar solo appear and makes the song even better, with a disarming and heartfelt sound. 'Forbearing One Another in Love' is a solo performance by Rozmainsky with his piano, I am not sure but I think is an original composition (or improvisation) for this concert, play in a delicate and classical oriented way. This piano piece leads to 'Mother of All Rain', a great song release in 2012. Here I'd like to appreciate the work of long-time collaborator Vladimir Semenov-Tyan-Shansky who does an extraordinary effort with both, acoustic and electric guitar, changing the song's direction and atmospheres with his instruments.

'Recovery' is a very nice song that I believe has not been included in any studio album yet, but was included in a live record. The sound is so gentle, with some folkish and eastern flavors. 'Patience of Hope' is also greatly performed here, the sound is so charming, first with the piano and then when clarinet, bass, guitar and percussion, a longer song that has so many interesting changes in tempo and mood, very proggy. 'Ascension Dream' start is very subtle, first piano, then bass notes and lastly acoustic guitar, then after one minute percussion join and all together change the rhythm and the atmosphere, turning it into a joyful track. The final part is very emotional, though.

'Passing Winter' is another piano track that has not been included in a studio album yet, but it is great to hear these clean and passionate performances, music that touches our soul. 'Ending' has a curcial world and yeah, we might think it would be sensible to finish a concert or album with that title, just as it finishes the studio album it belongs. The performance here is delicate as well, so both old and new Roz Vitalis' fans could appreciate it. And last but not least, the band delight us with 'Passing Over', the longest track here, and a challenging song with some changes in time and mood, a nice example of progressive song with a soft and delicate sound, and with a great work of all musicians, including Yury Khomonenko on percussion and Max Lokosov on bass, who I hadn't mentioned before.

Well, it is an exquisite album, to be honest, and I thank the band for releasing it. Hope one day I could see Roz Vitalis on stage.

Enjoy it!

"Quia Nesciunt Quid Faciunt" (2023)

Dear friends, good afternoon! Today I want to write about the new album of the very famous progressive rock band Roz Vitalis from St. Petersburg. The album "Quia Nesciunt Quid Faciunt" (from Latin - "They do not know what they do") is the 11th album, it took the musicians long time - four years to compose. This album began to be created in 2019 and then the main compositions of the album were recorded. And it seemed that it happened, the album could be released, but musicians made a very difficult decision: to rework the material completely and record it again, so the recorded material at past time was considered inappropriate to the level of the band! And only in 2023 the album was released finally! The music of Roz Vitalis is interesting and multifaceted! Listening to the new album you can hear rock and piano sketches, salon music of the 18th-19th centuries (when the harpsichord is played), brass music, some church music, when we hear an electric organ, ragtime 20-30s. XX century, something reminiscent of music for films of the 70-80s. Also the work of the Roz Vitalis group is distinguished by the complex construction of compositions when one track can have 2, 3 or 4 parts, and each of that can be very different from the previous one, so in fact these are 2, 3 or 4 separate compositions united by one tittle. Dear friends! In my opinion, this is a great album! After listening to it, you will get a lot of positive emotions! The musicians have made high-quality interesting music, excellent composition, memorable melodies! This album will stay in your heart forever! The title track "Bait of success" is, without exaggeration, a masterpiece! It starts at a fairly fast pace. This composition consists of 3 parts. The first part - the sound and melody is reminiscent of music from films popular in the 70s and 80s. This fragment could even be heard in the classic James Bond movies. You can especially highlight the sound of bass and synthesizer. But after the second minute the music stops... only to begin again with lovely single notes and harpsichord chords. This is the second part of this wonderful composition! Yes, we are immersed in the atmosphere of romances of the 17th and 18th centuries. Then we move back in time again, we hear the ragtime of the 20-30s. But not for long, literally a minute. And then the third - final part - begins. We are already back in the 80s, the drums come in, a romantic saxophone solo sounds, the electric guitar gradually enters into a kind of dialogue, then the bass immediately joins. And then the trio - solo guitar, bass, keyboards. They sound intertwined. At the end of the composition, the sound of brass is added again, the keyboards follow rhythmic chords and the lead guitar turns into rock distortion. That's all! The sound cuts out and echoes for 10 seconds. The orchestra called "Roz Vitalis" has finished playing! And it's not immediately clear that this masterpiece is finished! And also the fact that 6 minutes passed simply unnoticed! Bravo! The second composition "Daybreaking" has a very gentle introduction, brass, acoustic and electric guitars shimmer in a single sound. But then, after the second minute, this lyrical part ends, and the second, fast one begins. The tempo increases, and something nervous begins to brew in the music; the mood is created by the pseudo-moog synthesizer of Ivan Rozmainsky. It is also worth noting the interesting drum moves and sounds of the Spanish guitar in the magical hands of Vladimir Semyonov Tyan-Shansky. After another 2-2.5 minutes, the tempo of the music calms down again, we hear the solo of a lonely and romantic trumpet, and at the end of the track the music fades away, as if it were being gone away with the wind. The third composition "Fountain" was written and played by the band's drummer Evgeniy Trefilov on keyboards. Sentimental piano. This leisurely musical sketch is like a sip of fresh water from a fountain on a hot day! After two previous such powerful-sounding compositions this track gives you the opportunity to "unload" and feel that the creation of the Roz Vitalis band is so diverse! The title of the fourth track is in Italian - "Se Camminiamo Nella Luce (LP Version)" and means: "If you walk in the light." The composition begins with the piano, as if it were a continuation of the third composition. The theme develops, and someone of you can think this is also a piano composition, especially when the virtuoso hands of the master begin to play the overtones as if at a "Chinese tea ceremony," we even hear the rustling of the clavier sheets being turned over. But no. The ensemble enters. Brass, electric guitar. It is worth to underline the sound of bass guitar, in places it is in the foreground, a very interesting shift in the melody towards this instrument. And now when almost four minutes have passed at a leisurely pace, great rock begins! Solo guitar and horns are in the lead! High tempo. Close your eyes and imagine it's like a night, summer, you are alone or with a girl, driving a beautiful car at high speed motor way along to the sea! And you listen to this wonderful music, it is very romantic. The ending is divinely lyrical, as if autumn is coming after summer and the sea! The fifth piece on the album "Premonition" begins again with a reference to the 80s of the 20th century, alarming and exciting-sad music, but this track is a continue of the rock started in the 4th track. There is quite fast and powerful rock with channel stereo separation of instruments. And in the middle of the composition, the music breaks away from the near-Earth orbit and flies into space! The band "moves" into a spaceship and flies between alien planets to a distant star, we hear the breath of the galaxy and the sounds of the cosmic ether! And that's it, in the final part we hear slow pleasant music, pleasant and melodic, but still the same native and classic rock! I believe that the composition "Premonition" is a classic, it is an absolute gem of the rock genre, it should be included in the collection of the best rock compositions, or at least in the symbolic collection of the best compositions of the band! The composition, which is number 6 on the album, "Walking" begins with electro-jazz. Very beautiful melody, delicate performance. We hear a kind of jazz ballad performed by 2 guitars, bass and gentle drums. Then a guitar solo is heard, a rock edge. Again a small return to jazz, the winds coming to the fore, again jazz and... salon romance performed by a harpsichord, melodic bells. And in the third movement there is again slightly modified jazz, the initial melody, but with wind instruments. The rhythm is quite fast, I think the drummer would definitely warm up after performing this composition. At the end, the guys from Roz Vitalis again refer to rock and that's it! The 7th composition "Wides" begins that we are again flying in space between asteroids, then we fly out into clear space, but the flight is slow at first. Brass and guitars lead the way, and the sound of the lead guitar intensifies. And now we feel that our ship is accelerating, nothing is stopping it. Because of the sound of the electric organ and other instruments, I got the feeling that my parents were young again, on the threshold of the 70-80s. 20th century, and I'm listening to a record of popular Western European dance music at that time, and I imagine I watch like my favorite hero from a children's cartoon is running through the streets! Please pay attention it was played very masterfully! There is no doubt that you will really like it! Track number 8 is "The Man Whose Wings Were Cut Off (LP Version)." It begins with the distant sound of a lonely guitar, which becomes closer as the melody develops, then the rest of the instruments start to play. The sound is somewhat muffled at first, apparently to create an underground atmosphere, according to my feelings. The composition makes good use of the move to separate the solo instruments for the listener into right and left channels. The composition is very complex technically: frequent changes of rhythms and instruments, deviding into channels and mixing back into a single musical stream. In this composition, in addition to classical instruments, you can hear such an interesting Asian plucked instrument - the rubab, the Uzbek version. You can hear more of this instrument if you listen to the albums of another project of Ivan Rozmainsky ? "Compassionizer". This composition is the story of "a man whose wings were cut off." The rocky sound of the first and main part of the composition seems to tell us about the development of this person, his ups and downs, but moving forward and upward. But then, apparently, there was a fall. This man is like Icarus, whose wings came unstuck after he began to approach the Sun and he burned up while falling. And in the second, final part of this composition we hear an acoustic guitar, harpsichord, keyboards, electric organ and spiritual music, which already suggests that the soul is eternal, the wings, the body burns, but the soul is eternal, it remains, it turns into space, it is getting everywhere! A leisurely ballad is the ninth track of "Beautifulness (LP Version)", this is a romantic composition. Brass, harpsichord, guitars, leisurely drums. This is a chamber track. Playing keys on a piano, playing wind sounds, playing guitar strings. Small musical fragment from the Chinese tea ceremony, a short segment when all the instruments of the band play together. Who composes this cool music? - Roz Vitalis! The end of the composition brings us to the next track. The band has very talented musicians. And the final tenth composition "Nocturne" is an excellent proof of it: so the band's drummer sat down at the piano again and composed such a wonderful composition! I would call this romance "Nocturne Of Love". This is a farewell track, and it's a small, no, honestly, very, very sad that this, I'm not afraid of the word, great album ends with this bright and beautiful composition! But, time moves forward, the band creates new compositions, and we will hear their next singles and albums! And this thought takes us away from sadness and gives us hope! And, if you liked the new album of the band Roz Vitalis, then you can also enjoy other tracks from previous albums. Dear friends! Thank you for reading to the end! The band's contribution to the development of progressive rock is invaluable! I wish you good music to listen like this and take care of yourself!

I've been listening to Roz Vitalis for about a year now, and in my opinion, it is a wonderful album full of unsolved riddles, difficult choices and undying hope, and I love the way all these phenomena were presented in every song, intertwined with one another. Every instrument felt like a different path, different life, different character, which I probably could say for every album of this wonderful prog band. And although some melodies felt a bit odd for me, the way they were performed is absolutely stunning, and from that perspective, it seems obvious why it took about 4 years to make ? every transition has something in it, unfolding a story worth hearing. To sum up, although I don't consider this album a magnum opus of Roz Vitalis, I'm certain that this album is definitely worth listening to, at least for me it was quite an adventure. 4.6/5 :)

Roz Vitalis, a Russian band, with their album "The Hidden Man of the Heart" from 2018, touched perfection and created a prog rock masterpieceMystical and melancholic, with sounds that sometimes step into really dark atmospheres, but at the same time, a bright spot emerges that gives glimpses of hope. The chamber and orchestral component is wrapped in a rock approach and as such creates irresistible landscapes of the melodic avant-garde world. Here, the band really reached heights in terms of composition and presented a diverse palette of sounds that are perfectly implemented in a web of grandiose inspiration, which, as we are used to from the main composer, is quite personal and strives to create images and stories, thus creating a perfect whole.

Here we have constant compositional beauty presented through strong, heartbreaking, and lacerating emotions, dark gothic emotions, glimpses of contemporary music, and eclectic suggestions in a diverse soundscape halfway between the classic and the modern sound. The chilling sounds, macabre, and seductive melodies are incredibly presented and ingeniously designed to make this whole concept perfect and to paint complex psychological pictures dominated above all by strong emotions. Talented guest musicians add a rich diversity of textures, nuances, and sounds to the instrumentation and the arrangements that on this album manage to give the desired depth. Here the band strives to refine their sonic potential in the presence of plenty of musical suggestions promptly bent to a precise idea to create a unique and modern approach to chamber rock, demonstrating the instrumental quality of a project with perfectly implemented balances. The sounds also oscillate between heavier sound and jazz-rock seasoned chamber prog, sometimes with slight classic- progressive coloring. The music progresses very elegantly, complexly interwoven and well-rounded, sometimes clearly rooted in the RIO tradition, but without flaring up weirdly or wildly.

The musical value of these compositions is compact and beautiful. A fact that demonstrates, to those who do not yet know Roz Vitalis, their perfect adaptability as well as their intense and never banal musicality.

The last quarter of 2023 witnessed the release of 'Quia Nesciunt Quid Faciunt', the first Roz Vitalis studio album since 2018, which of course, was great news. Prior to this, they had given us a live album entitled 'Peace Live', which I enjoyed a lot, and which carried a very special message, inspired sadly by the war Russia and Ukraine had been fighting in the past couple of years.

Now, maybe with a bit more light in the context, the band gives us a new production where we can find elements from their essence: avant-prog music, Crimsonian sounds, tension, classical and cinematic music, but I think this time with a lighter sound. It is comprised by 10 tracks that make a total time of 53 minutes, songs that as I understood by the description in their Bandcamp site, were composed in the 2010's but developed live in concert years later.

It kicks off with 'Bait of Success', which could be 3 songs in one because it has several changes, in a very prog rock melody. I love the bass lines here and the addition of trumpet, and of course, it is worth mentioning that one can easily notice both the guitar and the synth work, as usual. A pastoral sound enters in 'Daybreaking', a beautiful track with a peaceful yet melancholic atmosphere, 4/4, nothing out of pocket, however I believe this passage is quite sublime, so you can close your eyes and feel enchanted by it. But wait, because after the second minute it completely changes and the sound has now more energy, with a bit of tension, and then a nice mixture of prog rock with mid-eastern flavor.

'Fountain' is a short song, a classical piano interlude that open the gates for 'Se Camminiamo Nella Luce', whose first two minutes follow the same piano-oriented path, then acoustic guitar, drums and synth enter in a soft way, slow rhythm but nice and delicate sound. Seconds later new elements are being added, such as flute, electric guitar, bass and of course, that wonderful trumpet which is a highlight in this album, in my opinion.

'Premonition' is the longest composition, nine minutes of delicacy made prog rock. I like here the band rescued that obscure sound they usually put in their albums, but the difference is that in spite of that dark elements, it still sounds delicate and even peaceful. Of course this is a track full of contrasts where you can hear rockier moments with more energy, and some others with more experimentation and with some symphonic-prog sound, mainly made by keayboards, though all the musician's efforts are equally important. It is also worth mentioning there are moments where you might think every member goes in a different direction, but it's just a proof of their understanding.

'Walking' is an interesting piece because it brings a different mood, sound and rhythm. Maybe it is catchier, but at the same time its richness of musical genres makes it unique. Roz Vitalis also creates music that could wonderfully fit in a movie, and one example is 'Wides', which to me sounds like the background of an old European black and white film. It has a delicious mid-eastern flavor provided by percussion and harpsichord, and later new sounds are being introduced little by little, such as flute and a new-agey atmosphere make by keyboards. The second half will persuade you to dance, which was unexpected (and a little bit funny).

'The Man Whose Wings Were Cut Off' has again a cinematic essence, and the experimentation is always present, you can tell it by its constant changes in rhythm, mood and musical styles. Though I like they are always challenging themselves, I sometimes think there are too many changes, too much experimentation that in moments could make the listener feel confused and maybe lost.

The last five minutes come first with the song 'Beautifulness', a pastoral theme with a classical essence. The flute will give you charm and comfort, while drums, guitar, bass and synth wonderfully complement this peaceful experience. And the album finishes with the one-minute epilogue called 'Nocturne', a sweet piano piece that says goodbye.

Nice to see Roz Vitails so active, music always gives messages and in many, really many times, saves us.

Roz Vitalis is one of my favorite prog bands. With their purely instrumental music, they manage to express lots of emotions and carry an uplifting message of hope and deliverance in times of trouble. Their most well-known previous releases are Patience of Hope (2012), Lavoro D'Amore (2015), and, of course, The Hidden Man of the Heart (2018) which stands out as the band's magnum opus. Each of those albums has impressed me very much, each in its own way. How about the new one?

First of all, I have to say that you have no second chance to make a first impression. Basically all compositions on QNQF album have been previously released as singles or as live performances, so the element of surprise is not present here. But I must mention that most of the tracks have gone through a lot of transformations, therefore the new album is worth your attention even if you own all those singles and live albums. Roz Vitalis is a very creative and improvisational band, so we have a chance to hear different versions of each song, which for me is especially interesting. And this new album has lots of surprises even for die-hard fans. I am not an expert in music composition or sound production, neither in classic 70s prog (which of course is a major inspiration for Roz Vitalis, but not so well known to me), and my perception of music is mostly emotional. Being an amateur drummer myself, I also take special notice of rhythms and grooves. Having said that, let me try to give some personal comments to each individual track.

1. Bait of Success

Well, this song slightly disappointed me at first, but it grew on me after more listens. Maybe it lacks some kind of delicate intro? It starts at full speed with a simple synth melody in 4/4, then switches to a rockier groove with a guitar riff in 7/8. Everything is cool, but kinda lacks variety. After a few loops in this style, we enter a "transit zone" with harpsichord and synth melodies and effects (that remind me of the Compassionizer project), and then a second part comes in where things become more epic. We have a ? surprise! ? reggae groove here, while the guitar starts a solemn solo in a 3:4 polyrhythm. Later the melody is picked up by the trumpet to make it more epic. Prog and reggae ? that's something new. Let's call it Proggae ))

2. Daybreaking

This one does have a gentle intro that I really enjoy. The whole melodic and tender side of Roz Vitalis is here in full bloom, with a beautiful flute melody supported by the whole band. But as soon as you start relaxing, you hear ominous guitar chords in 7/8 which take us to the next section, where acoustic guitar, percussion and trumpet give us some dark flamenco vibes. After the anxious section, we are back to the main sweet melody, this time both the flute and the trumpet have a chance to shine. I would propose "From Dusk till Dawn" as an alternative title to this song ;) This song is similar in structure to the first one, but it sounds more coherent and complete. All in all, a beautiful composition in the style of Progantino ))

3. Fountain

This is a nice small piano interlude which allows us to take a breath before next prog tracks.

4. Se Camminiamo Nella Luce (LP Version)

Translated as «If we walk in the Light», it portrays exactly what its title implies (yes, I also looked at the single's title photo). We start with a slow piano melody, then the whole band comes in and the flute leads, reminding me of "Lavoro D'Amore". Then the groove goes double time and we have epic trumpet solos over 70s-style synths and rhythm section, which gives me a taste of spaghetti westerns and Ennio Morricone's soundtracks. Is it the only song on the album that is only in 4/4? Sometimes less is more, and simple grooves work perfectly here. Great song, bright and cinematic. I'd call it Proggicone ))

5. Premonition

This is the longest song on the album, and it's the most epic, symphonic, classic prog rock with elements of prog metal. We start with a flute intro over an ominous backround. Then the main part kicks in, with the famous prog 5/4 groove (think "Mission impossible"). The guitar riffs, roaring bass and drumwork (we even hear the double bass here, is it the only Roz Vitalis' song that has that?) can be classified as prog metal. But there's more. Soon the good old 70s bass sound (that reminds me of «Nights in white satin» by Moody blues) leads us into the final part of the composition, where we have a pleasure to hear more beautiful flute melodies and a powerful Gilmour-style guitar solo. Wow. Weird titles are not applicable here. This is a good solid piece of «haute cuisine» without extra spices. This song is just awesome.

6. Walking

I'm not exactly sure what they call "walking bass", but that was my first thought. Syncopated bass line, drums and guitar work in the beginning of the song remind me of RHCP. In the middle, we have a cute medieval section with harpsichord and other interesting sounds. Imagine strolling through an old European town and finding an old castle haunted by ghosts. After that, our pleasant walk changes to some kind of panic run, as the tempo alternates between 11/8 (with some neat polyrhythmic syncopation on the bass) and 4/4 with galloping bass. I don't know if it was intended or just my sick imagination, but the whole song gives me RHCP vibes, and even the sweet flute and trumpet melodies can't stop me or make me give it away )) Let's call it Red Hot Roz Vitalis. A great song, by the way.

7. Wides

Well, well, well, that's a very interesting one. This song is not the longest one on the album, but definitely the most action-packed one. We start with a catchy 3/4 groove led by bass and supported by ethnic percussion on a background of jungle animal noises, then the groove seamlessly (special respect to the rhythm section for that) shifts to 4/4 and the flute comes in with a sweet melody. Beautiful and pleasant. Then other instruments follow. I'm happy. But wait, there's more! Suddenly the drums go double time, while the bass line changes to some kind of funky disco. When I first heard this transition, it made my eyes wide and my smile big, and it still does at every listen. The guitar chords also mimic this unexpected change of style, while the 70s synths play around the main melody in a Doors-like manner. Additional syncopation makes you wanna dance, but be careful, because all of a sudden the whole train at full speed shifts back to 3/4, and the bass starts playing Terminator 2 beat (WTF?!). Then we have a distorted guitar solo, then comes another dancing section, this time in a medieval style with harpsichord, then more guitar. What a party! And especially for us drummers out there, we have a couple bars here and there with a cute little polyrhythm. The extravaganza ends with the whole band playing the well-deserved T2 theme. Mission complete. This whole description may sound crazy and comic, but this song sounds great and runs so smoothly. In my opinion, this is the most creative, original, versatile composition Roz Vitalis has ever released. My favorite song on the album! Ima callit Proogie Nights ;)

8. The Man Whose Wings Were Cut Off (LP Version)

The track title is a fair description of feelings of many people during latest 2 years, although it was originally composed in 2019 and released during COVID times of 2020. The song content basically corresponds to its title. This is the most avant-garde / chamber style composition on the album, recorded together with participants of Ivan Rozmainsky's other project, Compassionizer. It also serves as a nice preview of what Compassionizer music sounds like, and I definitely recommend you to check out that project too. The composition itself is quite sophisticated. The sense of anxiety is with you throughout the whole song. Time signatures and their changes are too many to keep track of. There are lots of unusual sounds, including ethnic instruments rubab and doira and even a little ukulele. Bass and drums are not always present which adds to the avant/chamber atmosphere. The middle part is a more straightforward 7/8 instrumental prog march (Subdivisions by Rush comes to my mind) where all instruments participate. But that would be too simple )), so later we seamlessly shift to 4/4 and back. Then we have a quiet outro with acoustic guitar and synths. Welcome to the world of Compassionizer. Generally a good track, very creative and rich in sound palette. However, to me something is missing. Maybe there is too much happening and the flow is not as smooth as in the previous song? Maybe I wanted to hear the message of hope? I'd call it Prog Noir.

9. Beautifulness (LP Version)

Oh well. Here it gets personal. I first heard the single version (released in 2020) at a very special time and place, and it immediately grabbed my heart. The first notes of the slide guitar sounded like greetings from George Harrison, and the whole composition was so bright and uplifting, it was a physical pleasure to hear. I literally had it on repeat. It had a lot of air and that sweet sound of slide guitar blended so well with gentle melodies of flute (although synthetic), clarinet and keys. However, it had some drawbacks, especially lack of real instruments, so the band recorded a new version and released it on the album. What do we have here? It's still a beautiful slow ballad with delicate rhythm section, but this time the whole arsenal of instruments is present. Here most of the solo parts are played by flute while other melodic instruments play a supportive role. The slide guitar is barely heard, and it's a pity for me. Ballad sections alternate with slightly avant-garde parts, and the ending gives us some "morse code" (similar to YYZ, but somewhat different) played on guitar and marching snare drum. Looks weird, but sounds nice and feels good. Beautifulness it is. A great track, especially the new flute melodies, but my heart is still with the single version. It had that slide, lots of air and some kind of special tenderness. The title of "My sweet Prog" goes to the single version. The album version could be nicknamed "Fluty Beauty". But that's my personal biased opinion. Please listen to both versions and decide for yourself.

10. Nocturne

This is another nice small piano piece which is a perfect closing track for this exciting album.

My favorites are: Wides, Premonition, Beautifulness.

Good solid songs: Daybreaking, Se Camminiamo Nella Luce, Walking.

Less convincing for me were: Bait of Success, The Man Whose Wings Were Cut Off.

So, for the album in general. It's not a big conceptual opus as the Hidden Man was, it's rather a patchwork-like collection of various songs. But to me, the strength of the album is this variety of styles, sounds, moods and emotions. The new side of Roz Vitalis is their capability to play with different stylistic elements while at the same time maintaining their own signature style. After all, Progressive is about progress, but very often we see artists that fall for that "bait of success" and start repeating themselves. This is absolutely not the case with Roz Vitalis and Ivan Rozmainsky. How often do you hear reggae, flamenco, funk, disco, metal, avant, ethnic and other genres on the same album? Well, that's what prog is for me. The band is evolving and exploring new musical territories, and that's great.

Roz Vitalis also plays great live shows, so their live albums are also worth exploring. I was also blessed to visit their concert in April 2022 (the album Peace Live is also available here), and I definitely recommend to see them live if you have a chance. Compassionizer, Ivan's new project which is anything but rock, is also very interesting and highly recommended. Like, share, subscribe, buy the albums, support the band, go to the show to feel the warm thrill of confusion))

And finally: this music, despite being instrumental, conveys a strong message of compassion and hope that the world needs to hear in these times of darkness.

Many thanks to Ivan and the band for a great album! May the Force be with you as you walk in the Light! Looking forward for more musical adventures with you!

It's difficult to write reviews of instrumental prog rock albums, especially if it's music of the highest quality, and it's very difficult to find fault with it. As is the case with the new album by Roz Vitalis, which was released recently. All the best stylistic features are still preserved in music, as well as the direction chosen in the early 2010s; the avant- garde is becoming even less, which in my opinion is good for the band (this is a purely subjective factor in the perception of their work). The guitar again conveys the magical feeling of prog rock of the 70s, like Pink Floyd and Gentle Giant - special thanks to the guitarist of the band for this. The other instruments are also "not far behind", especially the wind instruments. I don't know about some listeners, but "stability" is that rare case when the band confidently moves in its wake, because for the complex music that Roz Vitalis creates, unnecessary jumps into experiments are hardly necessary, because difficult transitions and an unusual formulation of the concept, as well as melodism, are already embedded in the music itself. On the new album, the "muscular" tightly packed rhythm section is also very pleasing, sometimes referring the listener to the early Uriah Heep or Phil Collins, in his best days at Genesis. In addition, with atmospheric keyboards, the music sounds simply unreal, while the sound itself is very modern and meets the highest standards of what is called "Neo- progressive". This album is an indicator not only of the highest skill, but also of the extraordinary organizational talents of the leader and chief conductor of the group, Ivan Rozmainsky, who makes the listener literally feel the emotion of each instrument without merging into an incomprehensible mess. Probably "Quia Nesciunt Quid Faciunt" is the most "rock" album from the entire creative heritage of the band, and I want to believe that their music will really make listeners think about what is in the very name of the release. To think about a conscious perception of creativity, beauty and fragility of the surrounding world.

Review #146!

(A Quick Forward) I have gone through a few Docx and Google Document files today, and uncovered a few reviews I never got to posting. I realized that this little guy was left sitting in alonely file since September! (The Actual Review) Roz Vitalis's album 'Quia Nesciunt Quid Faciunt', translated from Latin as "They know not what they do'', is the wild, devious, yet fun amalgamation of Himiko Kikuchi's album 'Flying Beagle', Chon's 'Grow', and King Crimson's 'THRAK', which are all albums I'm sure this band has heard. A jazzy, groovy, yet occasionally mathy, and always cerebral and instrumental recording, this album is sure to keep any enjoyer of the aforementioned genre entertained and on the tippitiest of their toes. Sometimes acoustic and chamber-folky, sometimes electric and metallic, and sometimes electronic and synthpoppy, this album, almost all the way through, never fails to captivate the listener with emotion-filled music, no matter which emotion it evokes. The only thing I think that drags this album down from a solid five-star rating is the overuse of synthesized instruments. As an artist who often finds themselves having to use these to replace those I don't own or have the money to, I completely understand, but this acknowledgment doesn't fix the problem. But at least, it improves my respect and understanding of the situation. And for context as to what other bands this album sounds like: Squid, Triumvirat, some Peter Hammill (just the music, of course), and even a hint of 'The Ladder'-era Yes. As a severely underground and unheard- of gem, hear my decree: check this album out as soon as you can! It's worth the listen!