Northern European prog continues on in an endless upward vortex of new discoveries , new bands or artists that appear out of the glacial blue to literally blow us away with magnificent musical exposés. Agropelter from Norway and this Finnish delight are easily some of the finest symphonic instrumental albums I have ever heard, sheer unadulterated delight from the opening whisper to the final hurrah. Juha Koiste mans the guitars, bass and drums with equal mastery, while synthesist Ari Vilmunen adds orchestral layers of synthesized bliss that provides structural thematic expansion, keeping the listener breathless throughout the recording. A three-track affair with all the subtle ceremony and grandiose pomp one can only hope for, expertly dosed with incredible taste as well as respect for the long held traditions of the genre, witness the finale 32 minute colossus “The Journey Into…” that takes the straight line through heaven gates into the bliss bubble , we can only occasionally ever find in our treasure hunting travels.
“Wayfarer On A Trail of Stars” launches the adventure with a whisp of keyboards, an up-front and bold bass line, eventually connecting a masterful rhythmic pulsation that builds up into quite the cinematographic soundscape. It does not take long for the electric guitar to elevate the main melody into an even loftier dominion, with just enough variations in tone and style to keep things constantly enticing. The elegant piano insertions from guest Jarkko Lahti and Ari’s crafty synthesizers further decorate the arrangement. Juha displays a panoramic collection of stylistics both on acoustic and electric guitar that evokes both subtlety and grandeur, expertly dosed wherever needed in the arrangement. His bass playing remaining forceful throughout and his jet engine drum technique throttling through the cosmos of sounds. The melodic substance is gloriously majestic, immediately impregnating both the mind and the soul. A dozen plus minutes of infinite instrumental magic.
The soothing middle track is all about sensitivity and atmosphere “Across the Aeons”, a completely solemn slice of melancholic reflection, where a gradual build-up swells into a colossal mellotron surge, profoundly symphonic and intensely passionate. A finely chiseled jewel that projects a zillion particles of luminosity in every direction, an electric guitar reprise of the main theme once again carved deep into the nodes without any pretense, a definite highlight track in its utter brilliance.
Here comes the colossus, a 32 minute and change megalith of sound and fury “The Journey Into…” may easily wind up among the top 2025 epic pieces , a scintillating opus for the ages. Sit back, fasten the seat belt securely and prepare yourself for an astronomical launch into prog bliss. The complex polyrhythmic expression combined with some thoroughly rousing supersonic technical wizardry may hint at ELP or Triumvirat , but when the stormy guitars begin bullying the slithering synthesizer forays, you realize you just entered a new quadrant of the universe. the bass guitar seemingly the sole anchor of sanity. A valiant symphonic theme is established to maintain the cruise control, sweeping boldly into the great beyond, where a myriad of shining stars beckon. Just when you expect the obvious, here comes an acoustic Spanish guitar segment that is otherworldly, ruthlessly efficient in swerving between huge mellotronic moguls, the rambling synthesizers darting in and out of frozen asteroids and dense gaseous belts, while the cannonading drum barrage keeps the pace volatile and exhilarating. I had closed-eyed visions of Banks, Rutherford, Collins and Hackett blasting away in their prime, when they were still adventurous, daring and technically preposterous. Yes, this is quite the marvel, the various keyboards in sync with the thundering fretwork, the bass /drum combo tighter than a tiger. The tranquility of the acoustic follow-up underlines the attention to flow, detail and presence, yet unafraid to throttle into higher gear wherever the road dictates to do so. It’s like a Formula 1 driver in a chicane laden course, veering, careening , gliding and clutching with apparent ease and confidence. Even the ambient change of pace segment comes across an exercise in self-control, of intense focus on taking the time to weld together the gorgeous melody , appearing through the haze of time and space. Juha’s guitar has only one mission, exploding the theme into a cosmic super nova. He then inserts both the manic bass and the sensational drum attack, slamming hard into tectonic display of power, glory and desire. Just plain incredible, really ! This is so good, in need a nap….Wasted.
From the attractive cover art of the pristine sound, this entire package gets the full Rogue treatment, a rare and coveted event with any debut album, but when push comes to shove , this is the kind of pummeling one gets to enjoy without any hint of masochism, just pure giddy pleasure. Yes, I know it’s been done before! No, it’s not a revelation of new directions for our fave musical style! Just proof that time waits for no one and what worked so many times before can actually get a startling upgrade. In the top 5 for 2025, with no doubt whatsoever.
5 Intersecting Spaces