It has been quite a while since I last came across a “new” progressive band from Israel, which is a real shame as on the basis of this release it is obvious their scene is quite vibrant. It is unusual for a progressive band to be instrumental, even more so when that band is more than ready to throw down the metallic riffs when the time is right, yet that is what we have here. The line-up is Noam Arbel (drums), Oz Shemesh (bass), Itay Carmeli (guitars), and Danielle Sassi (flute). For those thinking that last name seems familiar, that is because she is the daughter of Yossi “Sassi” Saharon who used to be in Orphaned Land and played on their classic ‘All Is One’. But while the namedrop may get the band some initial recognition, the reason people will keep playing this album is because it is sheer brilliance.
The flute is the main “voice”, but what makes this such an interesting piece of art is the way the four musicians all know how to bring in the important fifth, space, and then to manipulate the music so one never knows where it is going to take us. We can be in frenetic mathcore one second, then into something which is dramatically full of Middle Eastern influences the next, while Noam could be playing delicate taps on the cymbals or blasting into full out attack, Oz may be playing just the odd accompanying note or taking the lead role himself with dramatic melodies, Itay can be crunching and riffing like a madman, or just picking gently, while Danielle can be delicate or somehow finding herself at the front of a metal madhouse, and having fun in both environments.
It has been six years since the debut (which I have yet to hear, something I need to change), and I certainly hope it is not so long until the next one. This is an incredibly varied and powerful album which is not prepared to sit within a certain subgenre but instead is actually progressing through many. For Storchi being “progressive” is doing so in its truest sense as opposed to just resting back and being “regressive” like so many others. This is an incredibly deep album, and even though I loved its intensity and style the first time I played it I have got much more on repeated listens. Awesome.
Rating: 10/10