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Progressive Rock CD Reviews

Djam Karet

New Dark Age

Review by Gary Hill

The newest release from Djam Karet, this one continues their tradition of rather unusual guitar driven progressive rock instrumentals. It features some jams that are quite entertaining and interesting and would be a good introduction to band for first time listeners while still pleasing their longtime fans.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2001 Year Book Volume 1 at  garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2001-and-2002.

Track by Track Review
No Man's Land
This cut has a nice retro texture with strong prog leanings and a very nice rock riff for a time. It is a great, fairly hard rocking jam.
Eclipse of Faith
Starting with spoken samples, weirdness takes the piece as it begins a slow build. The cut remains in a weird ethereal sort of style throughout, changing only marginally as it continues.
Web of Medea
With a keyboard intro that feels a bit like a James Bond theme, this composition starts a slow build into some of the most traditional prog material on the album. It gets somewhat fusion oriented after a time. This is a very strong jam that covers quite a bit of musical territory.
Demon Train
Another that starts with atmospheric weirdness, this one gets down right creepy at times. It breaks down later into a great percussion mode. It feels a bit like modern King Crimson at times.
All Clear
Breaking into a fast paced jazzy prog texture, the Hammond organ that dominates sections of the cut imparts a retro sort of style. It rocks out hard later with some guitar that absolutely smokes. It drops to a fairly mainstream more sedate and slower section.
Raising Orpheus
More weirdness starts this cut. It builds very slowly with a rhythmic texture eventually taking over. It features more strong guitar work.
Kali's Indifference
Starting with textural modes, this one begins in a gradual way, various patterns emerging. It eventually dissolves down to silence.
Alone With The River Man
Starting with one of the most mainstream melodic progressions on the CD, this one starts a slow build. After a short stop, the song is absolutely reinvented with a hard rocking Santanaish jam taking over. It then begins redeveloping on that mode while capturing much of the spirit of the first movement.
Going Home
A great mainstream prog sort of texture begins this one. A gradual building on that style takes the piece for quite some time, then a minor shift happens with some strong screaming guitar work taking over. This mode carries the piece for a while until it drops back a bit toward the more sedate and then builds back up in a different direction.
Eulogy
A brief cut, this is a processed spoken word dominated piece of textural weirdness. After a time the voice goes away and a more melodic texture takes it to its conclusion.
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