Izvajalec: Sky Architect
Založba: Progrock Records
Izid: year
Trajanje: 50:56
Ocena: 4.5/5
Glasbo mladim! Tako je, čas je, da niso le starci iz sedemdesetih nosilci progresivno rockovske scene. Roko na srce, namen progresivnega rocka je, da vedno in povsod napreduje (prav lahko bi bil slovenski besedni ekvivalent progresivnemu rocku napredni rock). To je glasba, ki je vedno na novo odkrita, ki vedno znova išče sveže in poprej neuporabljene elemente, sestavine, ki mora prehiteti čas in hkrati skupno z njim predefinirati, spremeniti, izboljšati samega sebe. Velik del trga progresivnega rocka polnijo različne “retro-prog” skupine, ki so že prijetne za poslušati, vendar po mojem mnenju to ni progresivni rock. Progresivni rock sedemdesetih že, ne pa progresivni rock današnjega časa. Le malo skupin tistega časa, ki še delujejo, se držijo te prave forme progresive – verjetno bi jih lahko naštel na prste ene roke (za primer bi omenil Van der Graaf Generator, ki so z vsakim albumom odražali časovno obdobje, ko je ta nastal). Zato pa se trg, ki je sicer finančno neprijazen, odpira mladim bendom za njihovo idejo modernega progresivnega rocka. Med uspešnejšimi tovrstnimi bendi so na primer Porcupine Tree, The Mars Volta in Opeth, ki so dokazali, da je v glasbi, ki sledi trendu prog rocka, še veliko neodkritega. Slednje je tudi vizija še enega izmed mladih, obetavnih bendov moderne progresive, Nizozemcev Sky Architect.
Sky Architect sestavlja peterica mladeničev, ki zaokrožijo zasedbo na dve kitari, bas kitaro, klaviature, bobne in vokal. Bend je sicer začel kot instrumentalni trio, vendar so bili do leta 2008 že v polni postavi, ko je bil tudi posnet njihov prvenec “Excavations of the Mind”. Ta je sicer izšel šele leta 2010. Njihova glasba je bližje težkemu progresivnemu rocku, vendar je to verjetno kar moderna smernica progresivnega rocka – torej nekoliko večja korelacija s hard rockom. Vseeno se na plati najde dovolj psihedeličnih momentov, melanholično-temnih, vendar umirjenih refrenskih delov ter tudi nekaj “retro” vložkov, ki spomnijo na sedemdeseta in takratne progresivce.
“Excavations of the Mind” vsebuje osem komadov, ki se raztezajo skozi dobrih 50 minut. Gre za konceptualno ploščo, ki pripoveduje o psihičnih motnjah, ki se igrajo z umom nekega moškega. Album se izkaže z izvrstnimi besedili, sploh v prvih štirih poglavjih skupka “Deep Chasm”, v katerem je tudi osebni favorit albuma, “Deep Chasm pt. II: Chime”. Gre za skladbo, kjer se neverjetno združijo vse hotene zamisli benda kot tudi tiste usodne, ki se v glasbo prikradejo “od zgoraj”. S fantastičnima ad hoc vokalom in inštrumentalno podporo smo resnično preseljeni v labirint uničenega uma, iz katerega ni izhoda, kjer je nešteto poti in koder smo lahko kjerkoli v kateremkoli trenutku. Sicer vsa glasba ostaja v mejah progresivnega rocka (ki je že sam po sebi dovolj širok za ogromno žanrsko preskakovanje), vendar z jasnimi prestopi v najrazličnejše teritorije progresivnega glasbenega žanra bend popolno ponazori želen koncept. Z občasnimi retro vložki, sicer pa z veliko mero poskušanja definiranja prog rocka nove, moderne dobe. Kar je, brez dvoma, uspešno storjeno.
Sky Architect so s svojim prvencem ustvarili enega najbolj opredeljujočih modernih progresivno rockovskih albumov. Končno gre za ustvarjalno, novo, krasno stvarjenje mladcev, ki sicer znajo ceniti glasbene korenine, vendar se zanašajo na svoje poglede, svojo interpretacijo glasbenega napredka, svojo kreativnost. Progresivna zlata sedemdeseta so se dokončno upali pustiti za sabo in iščejo nove rešitve za novo obdobje, ki se napoveduje že toliko časa. In zdaj je končno tu.
Music to the youth! That’s right, it is time for the youth to take the pedestal of progressive rock music from the oldsters of the 70’s era. Truth be told, the basic purpose of progressive rock music is to progress always and anywhere. Prog rock is the kind of music that must not stand still, that must be rediscovered at every given moment, that is always on a lookout for fresh and previously unused elements and ingredients, that has to go ahead of time and together with it redefine, change and better itself. A huge part of progressive rock market is full of those so-called “retro-prog” groups that are easy on the ear, but are not, in my opinion, progressive (rock). Sure, they are progressive rock of the 70’s, but definitely not progressive rock of today. There is only so much bands from that time that are still truly progressive that I can count them with only one hand (e.g. Van der Graaf Generator, who have defined every era of prog rock with each new album). But the market, though financially unkind, is opening up for young bands and their ideas of modern progressive rock. Amongst successful modern prog bands are e.g. Porcupine Tree, The Mars Volta and Opeth, who proved that there is a lot to uncover in the genre of progressive rock. That is also the vision of another young and promising band, Sky Architect from the Netherlands.
Sky Architect is made up of five youngsters, who round their group with two guitars, bass guitar, keyboards, drums and vocals. The band had started out as an instrumental trio, but was in their full formation by the time their debut “Excavations of the Mind” was recorded, which was in 2008. The record, however, did not get released by 2010. Their music is closer to heavy progressive rock, which is a probable guideline of the modern progressive music – higher correlation with hard rock. Nonetheless there are many psychedelic moments, melancholic and dark elements and even relaxed and easy choruses, all topped off with some “retro-prog” inputs.
“Excavations of the Mind” consists of eight tracks, which last for about 50 minutes. The album is conceptual and is about psychological disorders that are playing with this guy’s mind (as the title suggests). The record is full of great lyrics, especially in the first four parts of “Deep Chasm”, where I found my personal favourite, “Deep Chasm II: Chime”. This is a song where everything connects. All those concepts that were planned and even some of those sent from “above”. With fantastic ad hoc vocals and instrumentals we are transported into a maze of this destroyed man’s mind, from which there is no escape, where there is an infinite number of passages, ways, but none of them leads out. Although all the music is within the boundaries of progressive rock (which alone is wide enough for mixing various genres and styles), there is much fusion, much goings into “foreign” turves of other genres, which serves the band’s concept. With a few “retro” elements, but mostly with tries to define the progressive rock of this modern era. Which is, without a doubt, masterfully done.
With their debut, Sky Architect created one of the most defining records of modern progressive rock. We are finally looking at creative, fresh, wonderful creativity of youth, who can appreciate music roots, but are relying on their own visions, their own interpretation of music progress, their own creativity. The golden 70’s of progressive rock are finally left behind and we are looking at a new era. The era of Sky Architect.
Zasedba
Wabe Wieringa – kitare
Chistiaan Bruin – bobni
Rik van Honk – klaviature
Tom Luchies – vokal, kitare
Guus van Mierlo – bas kitara
Produkcija
Wabe Wieringa
Seznam skladb
1. Deep Chasm (Part. I) (3:38)
2. Deep Chasm (Part. II) (8:03)
3. Deep Chasm (Part. III) (0:42)
4. Deep Chasm (Part. IV) (6:44)
5. The Grey Legend (12:11)
6. Russian Wisdom (5:04)
7. Excavations Of the Mind (11:43)
8. Gyrocopter (2:53)
