DELUSION SQUARED: Anthropocene (PROGRESSIVE ROCK): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

Four years of maturation were necessary for Delusion Squared to deliver their fourth album, "Anthropocene", continuing the discography of the band after the closing of their first trilogy.

Talking about continuity, or rather the lack of it, it's a major change that the listeners of this new album will be confronted with, since Lorraine Young has left the ship, leaving the place to a male vocalist assured mostly by Steven Francis. And there is no doubt that this one will be much more consensual than before, as the high intonations of the female vocals had been controversial on the previous albums.

This being so, the now duo gratifies us with an album of more than one hour, whose concept turns around the exploration of different futures for the humanity, opening on a quality appetizer, delivered by keyboards of all kinds supported by very worked mid-tempo rhythmics, including numerous breaks. Impeccable melody, neat accompaniments, this opening will give the tone to a work at the same time very accessible, but nevertheless full of all the elements which presage an inspired and exciting progressive rock. And it is indeed the case!

Thus, 'Necessary Evil' is going to go up quietly in power until a syncopated instrumental bridge of any beauty. It's also the nice acoustic ballad 'The Promised Land' that unfolds a wonderfull chorus, enchanted by the grace of Emilie de Neef's flute. At the other end of the spectrum, we find a more electric, more tortuous 'Under Control', flirting with metal in the manner of a Porcupine Tree. And omnipresent, in the manner of Spock's Beard, very worked choruses on the choruses of numerous titles bring a grandiloquent side on these passages.

Served in rather short formats, the different tracks alternate with happiness the ambiences, with always this meticulous concern of the melody which hits the bull's eye, of the worked accompaniment which makes that this progressive with a very neo tendency proves to be fascinating from one listening to the other, and that in spite of the relative length of the album, it is difficult to unhook from it especially once known the atmospheric final all in softness delivered by 'Prayer'.

Within a 2018 year more than rich in productions of quality, Delusion Squared positions itself without any problem in the leading pack through its most accomplished album. "Anthropocene" contains all the ingredients suitable to delight the largest number of lovers of a quality progressive rock, both accessible and intelligent. - Official website

DELUSION SQUARED

ANTHROPOCENE

AUTOPRODUCTION

PROGRESSIVE ROCK