Kamil Konieczniak just keeps on making his brand of prog, another proudly talented musician who refuses to conform to expectations or even endlessly dabble in flavor of the year trends. After a lengthy seven year span of silence since “Travel Within” in 2019, which went by rather unnoticed and surely underappreciated, the crafty multi-instrumentalist who masters the big four of prog, returns to loftier heights with the spectacular “No Rewind” , keeping his long standing vocalist Marcin Staszek but splitting duties now with the fabulous Anna Batko, formerly fellow Polish band of Albion (a band I wish would rise from the ashes as Jerzy Antczak’s music is sorely missed). Regular guest Marcin Kruczek rejoins Kamil again delivering a blistering guitar solo on the penultimate track , he has become the leading axe for hire guitar slinger, having played on numerous albums with Nemezis, Framauro, Millenium, Metus, Gall, the Ryszard Kramarski Project and Mindfields. However, with this album, there has been a major stylistic change, overtly less neo-prog than before, veering into more symphonic detailing, though the melodies remain of paramount importance, and the vocal deliveries from both vocalists verging on the spectacular.
As the album titles clearly implies, there is no looking back. The glittering opener “Two Roads” signals where the artist was, as Batko impacts the piece with seductive efficiency and the following two longer pieces really showcase the progress into more subtle realms, as both the extended “Shadows in the Dark” and the impressive “Single Game” hit the proverbial bull’s eye, with Staszek in particular blowing the mind with stupendous tone and overt emotion. The first one sweeps into the conscience with atmospheric intent, solidly expanding on a short yet bold chorus, then dropping back into crunchy rhythm guitars chopping the percussive block, dense keyboard orchestrations and decorative guitar licks, but it’s the mid-section vocal high notes that create the goose bumps. The instrumental core is simply divine, a sense of flow that is unescapable, ambient passages where the majestic piano appears to rule, albeit just for a tender moment (they are Polish after all!). The second is the perfect companion, maintaining a quality that cannot be overlooked, even by the most casual ear. When Staszek grabs the microphone, he combines plausibility with uncanny ardour, his upper scales in the Steve Perry realm (without the corniness), the shimmering guitar effects sweeping the road ahead, steadfast and oozing romance. This is frightfully delightful, modern prog at its finest, inspired and prone to adventure.
Three shorter tracks shift the focus onto more painful matters, altering once again the style as the first one up is “Cheaters”, navigating a more electronic urban reference, where synthesizers ping and drums pong, guitars screeching and bass shuttling without remorse. The chorus hits the vocal plateaus previously reached apparently with ease, this Staszek fellow is a revelation (he was always very good, but on this album, he kicks it up quite a notch). This 5-minute romp remains concrete and stark, yet oozing feeling. Anna Batko enhances the pot with her honey sweet voice, high up and near the Kate Bush zone, sugarcoating the wounded essence on “When We Played by Heart”, the emotions thrilling and devout, the instrumental backdrop quaintly delicate. Kamil then elevates the storm with a commanding expanse of sonic detailing, an upward surge that made me skip a few beats. “Silent Rooms” deflects the attention to an ornate piano chamber, where the solitary ivories resonate with a pressing hush, a magnificent 3-minute interlude kept deliberately pure, another magical moment on a ride that has no rear-view mirror.
Our guitar cameo shines on the stimulating “Friends of Blood “, as Kruczek unpacks all his talented craft with his good pal Kamil keeping the foundation structure secure, Staszek convincingly relating the bond between them that shines through the grooves. The expectant guitar splurge is off the charts brilliant, an explosive flurry of gritty fingers gliding all over the fretboard, all bending, caressing, touching and feeling the inner most expressions of the musical soul.
Proof is in the pudding , and the dessert here is “All About You”, the 10 minute + epic finale, proving my point about the slight upward direction undertaken during the 7-year itch. Batko sings and hushes with equal aplomb, the lengthy instrumental display from Kamil stamping not just this closing statement but the entire album with a vigorous ‘my best yet’, a motion that I can concur with 1000% . With the apparent demise of Riverside and the silent Albion fade away, Polish Prog remains nevertheless still vibrant if one needs to judge by this stunning release. Not a single weak moment on an album I intend to rewind many more times in the near future. Give it a try, you cannot be disappointed.
5 lunar zeniths