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Progressive Rock CD Reviews

Moonlapse

Reversal

Review by Gary Hill

This is quite an intriguing set. The nearest comparison is to Nox Arcana, and that's actually pretty close. This is music that leans toward cinematic gothic sounds. It's decidedly electronic, but also symphonic. It's dramatic and powerful. Although there are some bits of vocals that are perhaps loops, they are more as instrumentation and non-lyrical. There are also some loops of spoken voices at times. Beyond that, this is purely instrumental.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2017  Volume 6 at  garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2017.

Track by Track Review
Corrosive Object
The keyboard and ambient sounds that start this are dark and mysterious. The piece evolves with those at its heart. As it works forward there is a tendency toward the bombast at times. Overall this really makes me think of something Nox Arcana might do. It has that same sense of cinematic goth music. There is an interesting section built around an acoustic guitar pattern later. There are definitely symphonic elements to this cut, too.
Reversal, Sundered Valence

As this enters it feels a lot like a continuation of the previous cut. That comparison to Nox Arcana is at least as relevant here. This has a lot of middle Eastern musical elements. It's packed full of dark, gothic, symphonic rock sounds. There are some female middle Eastern styled vocals later in the piece, along with some acoustic instrumentation. This definitely makes its way through world music territory. There are definite classically inspired things here, too.

Endeavor

Although this starts in a style very much in keeping with the first pieces, it quickly shifts to a more bombastic section that is nearly completely classical music. The cut continues to shift and grow from there for a time before dropping way down for some non-lyrical female vocals. It works forward from there with a return to quite classical musical styles.

Seek Precision

The world music themes are all over this one at the start. As this grows it turns toward the same kind of stuff we've heard to this point. The cut has more of a bouncy kind of vibe to it, though. It still feels dark and mysterious, though. As always, Nox Arcana is the ever-present reference point here. This arguably the oddest cut here.

Aspect, Rendered Eye

Coming in mellower and quite dramatic, this works in classical ways. After a time it blasts into some of the hardest rocking stuff of the whole album. It has a definite creepy air to it. It's still more symphonic than it is rock music oriented, though. This is the most complex and dynamic of the set. It has so many shifts and changes, covering a lot of ground. At almost 11 and a half minutes long, this is also the longest track here.

 
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