Member:
Templar
Date:
4/24/2003
How to describe Andromeda's new album? Well, they're a Swedish four piece, with an unusual line up in that they have no bass player. Johan Reinholdz - guitar; David Fremberg - vocals; Martin Hedin -keyboards; Thomas Lejon -drums. As soon as the first song you realise that where you should be hearing the bass, you're hearing orchestrated strings courtesy of the keyboard alongside the guitar. The lack of bass for me adds to the appeal of this album.
At about 4 minutes into the opening song “Encyclopedia”, the classic swirly Yes style guitar and keyboard interplay begins and you noticeably relax and breath out in your realisaiton that "yes this is going to be a good progressive album." The instrumental track is classic prog a la a modern version of Yes mixed with Threshold's guitar player and some ELP/Ekseption classical music variations thrown in alongside some Porcupine Tree/Pink Floyd imagery.Castaway could be a new mellow Led Zeppelin or Asgard track. The singer has a great voice, and thankfully, unlike many Swedish singers, he can pronounce English properly.
Lots of mellow songs in the second half of the album,with loads of minor piano chords give this a bit of a melancholy feel. Not quite as heavy as Threshold. Not at all neo-prog. Not as fusion as The Flower Kings. And not as light as say Saga. This album if it were to have relatives in the progressive world would probably call OSI and Threshold brothers, would call Arena and Porcupine Tree first cousins would call Yes and ELP grandad, Supertramp and Marillion uncle and Evergrey brother in law!
Whatever type of prog you like there's something in this album for you, apart from obvious cheesy neo-prog and fusion. And as much as I like The Flower Kings and other fusion prog I'm glad this album hasn't experimented in that direction. "Parasite" is the only track that ever so slightly puts a foot into the jazz field in an ELP meets Santana fashion then quickly withdraws it after a few bars and settles down into familiar screaming keyboard territory!
A very well produced and highly recommended album that gives a nod to almost every great prog band of the last 30 years, with the exception of Genesis.
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