Izvajalec: Azazello
Založba: MALS Ltd.
Izid: year
Trajanje: 53:50
Ocena: 3.4/5
Današnja progresivna rock scena je obširna, morda celo bolj kot v 70-ih (čeprav ne tudi tako odmevna), vendar so predeli sveta, iz katerih malodane ne slišimo, pa bi zaradi njihove velikosti morali. Takšna je vsekakor Rusija. Danes je še najbolj znana skupina Vespero, psihedelični progerji, ki z neverjetno eklektičnim zvokom sežejo da velike večine občinstva progresivnega rocka. Tu so potlej še The Gourishankar, še eni eklektični prog rockerji, ki reminiscirajo na legendarne King Crimson. Seveda je še veliko manjših bendov, ki še niso segli dovolj daleč iz Rusije, da bi naredili večji bum na progresivni sceni. Azazello, ki imajo pokrit progresivni metal ruske prog scene in se približajo zvoku Dream Theaterja, so bend, ki so na nekakšnem prehodu iz lokalne na svetovno prog sceno. In svetovna prog scena, še posebej ljubitelji »dreamtheatrovskega« zvoka, jih bodo morda dokončno sprejeli z njihovim že osmim albumom Preobrazhenie.
Plodna diskografija Rusov je z vsakim albumom rasla, njihov predzadnji album Seventh Heaven pa je bil še posebej dobro sprejet v progresivno metalski komuni. In ker le malo poslušalcev lahko razume besedila, je moral na njih narediti inštrumentalen del dovolj velik vtis, da so album tako dobro sprejeli. Preobrazhenie je tako nadaljevanje zvoka, ki so ga Azazello dosegli že na Seventh Heaven. Še vedno gre sicer za standardno mešanico metala z dovolj progresivnimi elementi, da izstopijo iz izčrpane metalske začrtanosti in ustvarijo sebi značilen zvok.
Presenetljiva poteza je celoten miks albuma. Ne gre za klasičen, tehnično popoln miks, ki se ga pričakuje od progresivcev. Ima nekakšno surovo kvaliteto, ki morda odseva njihovo hladno ruskost. Tudi vplivi niso čisto klasično progresivno metalski – čeprav je v njih veliko Dream Theaterja in Symphony X, se lahko na nekaterih komadih sliši sledi Uriah Heep, Hawkwind, slišati je celo nekaj jazza. Občasni aranžmaji z podtoni ruskega folka ponovno začinijo bendov skupek vplivov v nekaj, kar ni le tuja kopija progresivno metalskih velikanov, temveč pristno zanimiva glasba.
Preobrazhenie sicer ni tako zanimiva in razgibana kot Seventh Heaven, vendar Azazello kaže v dobri luči, še posebej ob njihovem konstantnem trkanju na vrata svetovne glasbene prog scene. Bend nadaljuje z mešanico zanimivih vplivov, ki jih začinijo z nekakšnih značilnim surovim zvokom. Seveda bi bilo še veliko bolje, če bi se lahko razumelo besedila, vendar je vsekakor pohvalno, da bend poje v svojem maternem jeziku in ne v polomljeni in močno naglašeni angleščini.
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Today’s progressive rock scene is pretty huge, maybe even huger than in the 70’s (though definitely not as popular). But there are certain parts of the world that are being, in this scene, unheard, though they should be. Russia is definitely one of these parts. Nowadays, their best known music product is Vespero, psychedelic proggers, who with unbelievably eclectic sound reach to the mind and heart of almost every prog rock lover. There is also a group called The Gourishankar, another elcectic progressive rock band, which is very reminiscent of the legendary King Crimson. Of course there is a lot of little bands, who haven’t yet reached out of their native land, haven’t made enough pomp on the prog rock scene yet. Azazello, who represent Russian’s progressive metal scene and are many times being comapred with Dream Theater, is a band that is on its way from a local to a bigger auditorium. And this bigger auditorium, especially the lvoers of Dream Theater, will maybe finally accept Azazello with their eighth album, Preobrazhenie (Transformation).
Russians’ prolific discography has been evolving with the band’s every output, and their album before last, called Seventh Heaven, was especially well-received in the prog metal midst. And since there is very few people who can understand the lyrics, the instrumental side of the album had to had made a big impression for it to be received so well. Preobrazhenie is, as such, a continunation of the sound that the band already achieved with Seventh Heaven. The sound is still composed of the standard metal with some very in-your-face prog elements, but there is enough of them for the band to reach out of the cliché metal equations and create its own sound.
What is surprising is album’s production and mix. The mix isn’t what you would have expected from a prog band. It is not technically perfect. It has this raw quality, which reflects the band’s Russian coldness. Even their influences are hardly typical – there is, of course, that Dream Theater and Symphony X sound, but some of their tracks show that Uriah Heep, Hawkwind and jazz in general had something to do with their music. The occasional Russian folk influences are another thing that really brings something to the band’s music. Azazello is therefore hardly a copy of the great prog metal giants. They are, in atheir own way, pretty unique.
Preobrazhenie may not be as interesting and diverse as Seventh Heaven, but it once again shows Azazello as a great-sounding band, which only fuels up the group’s ambition to break out from the local scene. The band continues to use various interesting elements from different, unusual genres, which are spiced with the aforementioned raw sound. It would definitely be even better if I could understand the lyrics, but I have to congratulate the band on sticking to their mother tongue.
Zasedba
Alexander Kulak – vokal, električna in akustična kitara, bas kitara, klaviature, tolkala
Vladimir Kulak – klaviature (1, 2, 7)
Vladimir Demakov – bobni, tolkala
Vladislav Chala – bas kitara
Seznam skladb
1. Искра жизни / The Spark of Life (2:08)
2. Луна / The Moon (5:46)
3. Циферблат / Clock Face (8:16)
4. Ворожея / Enchantress (5:51)
5. Побеждать / To Win (8:58)
6. Меланхолия / Melancholy (2:17)
7. Песчинка / A Sand Grain (5:56)
8. Феникс / Phoenix (4:46)
9. Свет любимых глаз / Light of the Lonely Eyes (6:12)
10. Преображение / Transformation (3:39)
