VANDEN PLAS: The Seraphic Clockwork (PROGRESSIVE METAL): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

It took the Lill brothers' band 4 years to give birth to a successor to the excellent Christ-O. Parallel to the release of this little gem, the adventure Abydos, dear to Andy Kuntz, was adapted into a musical comedy, bringing the whole group together for a little rock opera wonder. Then it was the bankruptcy of SPV and the subsequent debacle of Inside Out that compromised the immediate future of the formation. Now distributed by the Italian label Frontiers, and after patiently taking the time to let their minds purge of such an experience, Vanden Plas is back with The Seraphic Clockwork.

The Seraphic Clockwork tells the story of a man living in 16th century Rome, who falls under the influence of an Old Testament prophecy and is transported in 33 AD to Jerusalem to be confronted with his fate... Focused on the psychological evolution of this hero in spite of himself, the album uses this historical, even mythological context very appropriately and takes the listener on a truly magical journey.

Progressive metal fans "à la Dream Theater" will be on conquered ground. However, Vanden Plas has long since been able to expose a well-established personality that revolves around an immutable duo, that of guitar and vocals. Musically, it is indeed Stephan Lill who is at the origin of most of the compositions, and the predominance of his riffs and solos, all more impeccable than the others, is equalled only by Andy Kuntz's impeccable performance, whose vocal lines are simply formidable. This pair of artists is at the heart of the debates throughout the album, in a permanent duel that is more of a passionate embrace than a confrontation. They are supported by a solid rhythm section, discreet but fulfilling its function to perfection, and by the keyboards of Gunter Werno, also rather withdrawn in the whole but which pierce here and there for some memorable parts. It is to this trio that we owe one of the best moments of the album, delicate and superbly groovy on the track "Sound of Blood".

The Seraphic Clockwork offers tracks that are themselves a little long, especially in the second half of the album, where the epic tracks follow one another and actually lose their impact. On the other hand, a fairly hard FM track like "Holes In the Sky", is perfectly written and would even make an ideal single. Concise and yet just as rich as the others, he shows that writing 8 or 10 minutes of music is not a sine qua non element of progressive metal. Despite the in pace and interest in listening to this second part, it would be very unfair to remain focused on these thin flaws, because if originality is not the order of the day either, it must be admitted that Vanden Plas is a band that has an undeniable know-how. The quality of writing, arrangement and production will not make you forget the classicism of the whole, of course, but here is a concept-album so well done that you let yourself be caught up. Catchy riffs, melodies that stay in the head, technical instrumental parts without being demonstrative ("On My Way To Jerusalem"), sense of groove and impeccable setting.... That is good work.

Under these conditions, the rating itself cannot exceed the one received by Christ-O. Let us acknowledge the work done, but let us hope that Vanden Plas finds the necessary resources to create the absolute masterpiece that is still missing from their list of achievements. - Official website

VANDEN PLAS

THE SERAPHIC CLOCKWORK

FRONTIERS RECORDS

PROGRESSIVE METAL