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Nuno
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Published on: 5 Aug 2003
Serious Prog from Uzbekistan!
After last year’s Al-Bird’s theatrical soundtrack Sodom & Gomorra, the most prolific and brilliant proggers from this ex-USSR Republic are back and with an even more mature, accomplished and refreshing presentation of Neo-Classic Progressive music.
With the same line-up as the aforementioned album, X Religion’s Dances on Gobelins features the skills of Al-Bird on keyboards and guitars, Vitaly “Progressor” on bass and guitars and Valery “Ptero” on drums and keyboards.
This powerful and eclectic trio brings us a refreshing view on how Neo-Classic Prog is supposed to sound. The music on Dances on Gobelins has a strong sense of symphonism and classicism, but it adds a tremendously complex architecture to it’s contemporary core. Sometimes this feels like listening to a renewed and actual version of the works of Prokofiev with a Wagnerian attitude, due to the power and strength lend to the compositions.
While basing the whole structure on worked out keyboard craftsmanship, the music gains depth and wideness with the anti-mainstream way the other instruments are played. The drums are exquisitely placed to provide an extra sense of complexity, for they accompany the constant changes in direction and rhythm that are imposed by the keyboards. Maybe the music would gain even more personality if these drums were “acoustic”, but this does not mean that the semi-machined sound of the drums harm the overall content of the music, it just may upset a bit the most purist fans.
Being all instrumental, the absence of vocals could be a set back for this band, due to the fact many proggers like to listen to some words in their prog diet, but to be honest, one does not miss this element in X Religion’s music, for one gets so enthralled and concentrated on mentally translating the labyrinthic melodies and swirling harmonies that the lack of words is hardly missed.
One curious thing about this album is the artwork. The booklet is very interesting and artistically rich, featuring beautiful self-made paintings, but a first look at the cover may take the incautious potential buyer to think he is in the presence of some obscure black metal album…
Even if in some way I consider X Religion to be playing in the same philosophic path as, for instance, Karda Estra, this meaning it strives to provide a completely new view upon basic Classic music, the “tools” and “thoughts” it uses are most of the times the opposite of that English composer. While having a strong preoccupation on delivering harmony and melody, X Religion accomplishes that using at the same time an unusual complex structure and many times “aggressive” sound. To say the least, this is a project that finds no match or obvious resembrance in the actual map of progressive rock, being so unique in its exquisite style.
Just try it and be prepared to experience one of the most pretentious (in the good progressive sense) and innovative Neo-Classic / Symphonic albums of the new millennium!
So again has Mellow Records bet on the right horse, for quality is a stand in this label’s catalogue and that is, once more, the case.
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| TRACKS |
CREDITS
(click to view performer credits) |
PROGGNOSIS SELECTED DISCOGRAPHY
(click to view Release Page) |
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Agnostic Eparchy
- Waiting for the SIgn of Eternity
- Transformation of Mentality
- Yesterday's Tomorrow
- Religion of the Dead
- A.L.I.V.E. - Epitaph
- Dances on Gobelins
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ProGGnosis - Progressive Rock & Fusion
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