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"Even if it is not the record of the year, "Nine Path" can be a good start for those who would like to discover the neo-progressive movement."
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3/5
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The Dutch from Knight Area have a sense of timing with a regular delivery every two or three years since their first opus in 2004. Rich with a stable line-up and a mastery of their subject, the band offers us this year a "Nine Paths" that could well be considered as the expected confirmation.
The machine is well established, a very nice job on the mixing has been done and it is a significant progress compared to the first 3 opuses. Charlotte Wessels (Delain) makes an appearance on a ballad ("Please Come Home") with a long final solo of six strings. "Pride and Joy" will be the unnecessary short instrumental that does not ultimately bring much to the whole.
For the rest of the compositions, the references that immediately come to mind are Arena for the depth of the orchestration and the many solos of keyboards and guitars, IQ for the extensive register of the different tracks (the very pop "Clueless" reminds us of their Marc Menel period - not necessarily the best) or Pendragon for the quality of the 6 string solos (the finale of "Summerland") see Atria on "Wakerun" and its obnubilant rhythm coupled to Mark Smit's voice.
However, this powerful ensemble finally breaks its teeth a little bit on what the progressive has the hardest to control, the coherence. While keyboard and guitar solos are legion, they unfortunately weigh down the subject more than they embellish it, like "Summerland" and its (too) long flood of keyboards/opening guitars.
To finish on a positive note, let us note the success of "Angel's Call", a ballad that starts very gently on a piano/voice duo and ends in the same way by having gone through a rise in power supported by effective synthesizer layers and the inevitable 6-string solo.
Since 2004, Knight Area has released 3 very interesting albums without succeeding in producing the ultimate opus that is inseparable from the progressive movement. It's not a bad record but it lacks the little something that could have allowed "Nine Paths" to reach a higher level in the band's discography. A slight disappointment therefore compared to the two previous deliveries even if this record can be a good start for those who would like to discover the neo-progressive movement. - Official website
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TRACK LISTING:
01. Ever Since You Killed Me - 09:48
02. Summerland - 07:14
03. Please Come Home - 05:16
04. Clueless - 04:12
05. The River - 07:33
06. Pride And Joy - 02:42
07. The Balance - 06:15
08. Wakerun - 07:52
09. Angel's Call - 09:23
LINEUP:
Charlotte Wessels: Chant (3)
Gerben Klazinga: Claviers
Gijs Koopman: Basse
Mark Smit: Chant / Claviers
Mark Vermeulen: Guitares
Pieter Van Hoorn: Batterie
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READERS
4.3/5 (3 view(s))
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STAFF:
2.8/5 (5 view(s))
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