http://jonb52.wordpress.com/album-reviews/sky-architect-a-billion-years-of-solitude/
Hailing from Rotterdam, Sky Architect have been together since 2008 and have released two albums prior to A Billion Years of Solitude. Largely unknown outside of the Netherlands, that could all be about to change with this latest offering, released on 4 November.
The bands’ biography states that for this album they were inspired by, and wanted to evoke the feel of, sci-fi movies from the 50s and 60s. They have certainly done that with the opening track The Curious One, after about three minutes there is a synth motif that threatens to evolve into the theme from the original Star Trek. Athough all of the songs have a space or sci-fi subject matter this is not a concept album any more than Hawkwind’s In Search of Space or Doremi Fasol Latido were.
As inspiration, Sky Architect cite the likes of modern day neo prog bands such as The Flower Kings and Opeth and classic era bands like Pink Floyd, Genesis and King Crimson. Listening to the album, however, it becomes apparent that one influence stands out above the others and that is King Crimson, particularly around the period that produced such classics as Starless and Bible Black and Red. The doom laden riffs over staccato rhythms are there in abundance and at times guitarist Tom Luchies harmoniously fluid runs or hard edged, jarring solos are pure Fripp! Even the vocals occasionally sound almost Wettonian. That said the music can suddenly shoot of at a tangent with a keyboard solo reminiscent of Rick Wakeman in Yes, a brief episode of jazz fusion or a portion of heavy metal riffing!
The lyrics, as you would expect given the subject matter, are not exactly deep and meaningful, but neither are they cringeworthy, as some dealing with this subject matter can be. Apart, that is, from one line on Traveller’s Last Candle, a glaring double negative; “later there won’t be nothing left for me”, we will forgive them that, however, and put it down to not writing in their native language. It is not all sci-fi and fantasy, however, as there is a degree of environmental comment in Wormholes (The Inevitable Collapse of the Large Hadron Collider) which deals with …well the title pretty much speaks for itself really!
The aforementioned The Curious One kicks the album off in epic style, at a little over 18 minutes. After a dramatic opening, not dissimilar to that of Todd Rundgren’s Utopia it tends to fall a bit flat with some early Pink Floyd type spacey noodling. This is followed by the first couple of verses and chorus sung with acoustic backing, it doesn’t really get going until after the six minute mark when it really comes to life with one of those Crimsonesque heavy staccato rhythms. From this point in the song is excellent, going through a number of time and tempo changes – frequently returning to the chorus which sounds vastly improved and infinitely more dynamic given the full band treatment.
Wormholes is an interesting one, dramatic start giving way to pretty standard prog fodder until a very funky burst and – hang on, is that the Clangers I hear towards the end? Well they did say they wanted to evoke a sci fi feel!
Sky Architect excel more on the longer songs where they can stretch out musically, but Jim’s Ride To Hell which at 2.25 is the shortest track on the album and completely instrumental, stands out for cramming so much into it’s short existance. A rollercoaster ride of searing guitar, crunching bass and thundering drums, tempered with whimsical Zappaesque keyboard passages it is prog metal a la Dream Theater.
Revolutions and Traveller’s Last Candle round things off brilliantly with plenty of variation, all of the above in spades and even a lengthy jazzy part in Revolutions, culminating with a dramatic ending to TLC, disjointed riff, screaming guitar, swooping synths and enough bleeps and bubbles to keep the pickiest Hawkwind fan happy well into the next millenium!
Overall Sky Architect have achieved exactly what they set out to and have come up with an album that is varied and interesting, excellently played and with a well thought out balance between long musical workouts and shorter snappy, instantly memorable tunes and riffs. This is made all the more praiseworthy by the fact that they chose to go it alone for this release. Production and mixing was by guitarist Wabe Wieringa, mastering by drummer Christiaan Bruin and the cover art by keyboard player Rik van Honk. Talk about keeping it ‘in-house’! For a DIY job you really can’t fault it.
Finally, just in case you want any more recommendation, The Tangent’s Andy Tillison can be seen wearing a Sky Architect tshirt on the inside cover of his latest album Le Sacre Du Travail! Say no more!
A Billion Years of Solitude can be purchased by clicking here
For more info http://www.skyarchitect.com/
Sky Architect – A Billion Years of Solitude
Hailing from Rotterdam, Sky Architect have been together since 2008 and have released two albums prior to A Billion Years of Solitude. Largely unknown outside of the Netherlands, that could all be about to change with this latest offering, released on 4 November. The bands’ biography states that for this album they were inspired by, and wanted to evoke the feel of, sci-fi movies from the 50s and 60s. They have certainly done that with the opening track The Curious One, after about three minutes there is a synth motif that threatens to evolve into the theme from the original Star Trek. Athough all of the songs have a space or sci-fi subject matter this is not a concept album any more than Hawkwind’s In Search of Space or Doremi Fasol Latido were.
As inspiration, Sky Architect cite the likes of modern day neo prog bands such as The Flower Kings and Opeth and classic era bands like Pink Floyd, Genesis and King Crimson. Listening to the album, however, it becomes apparent that one influence stands out above the others and that is King Crimson, particularly around the period that produced such classics as Starless and Bible Black and Red. The doom laden riffs over staccato rhythms are there in abundance and at times guitarist Tom Luchies harmoniously fluid runs or hard edged, jarring solos are pure Fripp! Even the vocals occasionally sound almost Wettonian. That said the music can suddenly shoot of at a tangent with a keyboard solo reminiscent of Rick Wakeman in Yes, a brief episode of jazz fusion or a portion of heavy metal riffing!
The lyrics, as you would expect given the subject matter, are not exactly deep and meaningful, but neither are they cringeworthy, as some dealing with this subject matter can be. Apart, that is, from one line on Traveller’s Last Candle, a glaring double negative; “later there won’t be nothing left for me”, we will forgive them that, however, and put it down to not writing in their native language. It is not all sci-fi and fantasy, however, as there is a degree of environmental comment in Wormholes (The Inevitable Collapse of the Large Hadron Collider) which deals with …well the title pretty much speaks for itself really!
The aforementioned The Curious One kicks the album off in epic style, at a little over 18 minutes. After a dramatic opening, not dissimilar to that of Todd Rundgren’s Utopia it tends to fall a bit flat with some early Pink Floyd type spacey noodling. This is followed by the first couple of verses and chorus sung with acoustic backing, it doesn’t really get going until after the six minute mark when it really comes to life with one of those Crimsonesque heavy staccato rhythms. From this point in the song is excellent, going through a number of time and tempo changes – frequently returning to the chorus which sounds vastly improved and infinitely more dynamic given the full band treatment.
Wormholes is an interesting one, dramatic start giving way to pretty standard prog fodder until a very funky burst and – hang on, is that the Clangers I hear towards the end? Well they did say they wanted to evoke a sci fi feel!
Sky Architect excel more on the longer songs where they can stretch out musically, but Jim’s Ride To Hell which at 2.25 is the shortest track on the album and completely instrumental, stands out for cramming so much into it’s short existance. A rollercoaster ride of searing guitar, crunching bass and thundering drums, tempered with whimsical Zappaesque keyboard passages it is prog metal a la Dream Theater.
Revolutions and Traveller’s Last Candle round things off brilliantly with plenty of variation, all of the above in spades and even a lengthy jazzy part in Revolutions, culminating with a dramatic ending to TLC, disjointed riff, screaming guitar, swooping synths and enough bleeps and bubbles to keep the pickiest Hawkwind fan happy well into the next millenium!
Overall Sky Architect have achieved exactly what they set out to and have come up with an album that is varied and interesting, excellently played and with a well thought out balance between long musical workouts and shorter snappy, instantly memorable tunes and riffs. This is made all the more praiseworthy by the fact that they chose to go it alone for this release. Production and mixing was by guitarist Wabe Wieringa, mastering by drummer Christiaan Bruin and the cover art by keyboard player Rik van Honk. Talk about keeping it ‘in-house’! For a DIY job you really can’t fault it.
Finally, just in case you want any more recommendation, The Tangent’s Andy Tillison can be seen wearing a Sky Architect tshirt on the inside cover of his latest album Le Sacre Du Travail! Say no more!
A Billion Years of Solitude can be purchased by clicking here
For more info http://www.skyarchitect.com/
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