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"Far from settling for the umpteenth rehash, Neal Morse offers us a new high-level work, carried by a quartet of veterans with nothing left to prove."
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4/5
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Among Rock workaholic, Neal Morse is undoubtedly at the head of the pack, with a succession of releases under his own name or as part of more or less short-lived bands. To date, his Wikipedia file lists over fifty studio albums, in the three decades since his first release with Spock's Beard. Since the start of the new millennium, a single theme has underpinned most of his discography: his intimate relationship with religion. And this new opus with its evocative band name follows in the same vein, its ode to god more or less directly in the lyrics of “Deep Water”, with a direct supplication found at the end of the opus stating: “I sing for Jesus, it was for me He died”. That says it all.
Musically, Neal Morse has surrounded himself with veterans of the progressive scene, real heavyweights brought together for a musical fireworks display of thirteen tracks, the last nine of which link up to form a title suite lasting almost 40 minutes. There's no doubt about the ability of all these talented musicians to deliver a music bursting with virtuosity on every level. An epic first track opens the hostilities, driven by a rumbling bass. With its 1970s feel, the instrumental opening is reminiscent of The Fyreworks (Rob Reed's one-shot project) and The Flower Kings. The arrival of vocals, frequently doubled or even tripled, with multiple themes interspersed with instrumental bridges allow the protagonists to demonstrate their virtuosity, in a style typical of Neal Morse's productions.
The rest of the opus sees our preacher take a few liberties with his usual style, adopting a lighter tone at times, as on ‘Time to Fly’ and its chorus with the allure of a heady single, incorporating bluesy/jazzy tones, or ‘I Won't Make it’, a ballad based on a verse/chorus structure and symphonic accompaniment that a solo Phil Collins wouldn't have denied.
Nevertheless, the musicians then find plenty of passages to demonstrate their dexterity, whether on the syncopated ‘Walking in Daylight’ or its alter ego ‘New Revelation’: Technical rhythms, singing or downright funky bass, keyboards or guitar solos, the quartet's dexterity rivals that of their rivals, taking the listener into a progressive whirlwind that may sometimes turn into a demonstration (‘Nightmare in Paradise’ drags on and on), but always manages to hold the attention with a new theme or a new instrumental break.
Far from contenting himself with yet another rehash, Neal Morse offers us a new high-level work, carried by a quartet of veterans with nothing left to prove. While the highly focused subject matter may be tiresome (at least for informed English speakers), the quality and interest of the music are unquestionable, following in the footsteps of Transatlantic. - Official website
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TRACK LISTING:
01. The Heart Of Life
02. Time To Fly
03. I Won’t Make It
 04. Walking In Daylight
05. Deep Water Suite I: Introduction
06. Deep Water Suite II: Launch Out, Pt. One
07. Deep Water Suite III: Fires Of The Sunrise
08. Deep Water Suite IV: Storm Surface
09. Deep Water Suite V: Nightmare In Paradise
10. Deep Water Suite VI: Launch Out, Pt. Two
11. Deep Water Suite Vii: New Revelation
12. Deep Water Suite VIII: Launch Out, Pt. Three
13. Deep Water Suite IX: The Door To Heaven
LINEUP:
Byron House: Basse
Chester Thompson: Batterie
Neal Morse: Chant / Guitares / Claviers
Phil Keaggy: Guitares
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READERS
4.5/5 (2 view(s))
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STAFF:
4/5 (2 view(s))
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IN RELATION WITH COSMIC CATHEDRAL
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