DWELLERS OF THE DEEP

'Dwellers of the Deep' is the fifth studio album by Norwegian retro-proggers Wobbler, released in 2020, some three years after their highly praised magnum opus of lush symphonic rock 'From Silence to Somewhere'. This record is hardly different - but why exactly? It is certainly the same style that they presented on the precedent album, focusing a tiny bit more on composition, making 'Dwellers' somehow more tight. However, this takes none of the enjoyment of the listening experience - the magnificent and largely lush retro prog sound, that also is the reason for many comparisons to Yes to be drawn, is still here, it is quite recognizable, and it is unsurprisingly the reason for which this mysterious Nordic band is so highly regarded.

No changes in the lineup means that the five members of Wobbler could focus on expanding their scope, and maybe stretching out a bit further the 70s symphonic prog sound they are going for (and successfully championing it!), so that they can simultaneously meet the high expectations after their 2017 work of grandiosity, and not make a repetitive sequel of it.

'Dwellers of the Deep' kicks off with the nearly 14-minute 'By the Banks' - the massive retro keyboard sound takes the listener on from the very first second of this record, just to introduce the rest of the band that go on to play another mind-wobbling instrumental introduction. This is a more dynamic number from the band, and a fantastic way to open the album.

After that comes the pretty perfect 8-minute song 'Five Rooms' - I am seriously doubtful whether they recorded this in 2020, or they went back in time, probably somewhere around 1972, and recorded this in the same studio where Yes were doing whatever they were doing back then. It is a gorgeous celebration of that old-school prog fiesta sound that we usually associate with Yes and Gentle Giant. At the same time, the attention to detail and the wacky shifts that the band does, reminds strongly of King Crimson and Änglagård. However, most importantly these guys remain Wobbler all the time, and I think that with the previous album and now this one, it can be safely stated that these Norwegians have pretty much nailed a recognizable sound of their own!

'Naiad Dreams' is a very gentle and almost entirely acoustic piece, representing the more lyrical and calmer side of Wobbler that goes on to introduce the big winner of the album - the 20-minute 'Merry Macabre'. This is an epic that is nothing like the epics that Wobbler's peers release these days, as it sounds pretty sinister, extravagant, and compelling, almost diverging from the uplifting tone of the rest of the album; divided into three parts, each of which seems to get darker and weirder, it is more than exciting to see the Norwegians in such light, and if I were to guess, this is a shade of their music they will continue to explore on future releases... hopefully!

All in all, 'Dwellers of the Deep' is an excellent album, another great achievement for Wobbler that will certainly age as one of the best moments in their discography; probably not as astoundingly lush and melancholic as its precedent, but nonetheless a very well-constructed album that makes perfects sense... well, probably not the mythological lyrics, but musically as a whole! A highly recommended band and album.