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Lunatic Soul - Fractured CD (album) cover

FRACTURED

Lunatic Soul

Crossover Prog

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mitarai_panda
5 stars From Riverside's main DUDA personal band, which is their fifth album released. The difference between the band and Riverside is that they are more electronic and modernized from the beginning, out of the area of avant-garde metal. Perhaps in the first one is not obvious, but especially the fourth very obvious. This album is the best DUDA works, so far, according to the personal official website description, the theme of the album is catharsis, we know Riverside guitarist unfortunately died, and DUDA's father also died, which makes him past Year is very uncomfortable, this album is his relief. Album music more electronic, but very attractive, very atmosphere.
Report this review (#1790870)
Posted Thursday, October 5, 2017 | Review Permalink
Timdano
5 stars Lunatic Soul's fifth outing finds the Polish wunderkind Mariusz Duda's at his best, creating a vivid tapestry of soundcapes while reeling from overwhelming loss, panic of mortality, fear, addiction, gut-wrenching grief... to construct some of the finest, most relevant, complex and heartfelt music of his career.

Duda draws upon influences as varied as modern Depeche Mode (for example, replace Duda's vocals with David Gahan's on the song "Moving On" and you'd have the quintessential Ultra-era Depeche Mode sound), new wave, jazz, alternative, electronica and progressive rock, to name a few. The ethnic drone sounds and general lack of accessibility of his earlier solo efforts are out too. That's not a bad thing, trust me.

Highlights here for me are "Battlefield" and "A Thousand Shards of Heaven", which is in the running now for my favorite prog song of 2017. That's not to say that the additional material here is anything but fantastic- this album has no filler and is a must-listen beginning to end. Despite the hype, I find this album to be superior to Steven Wilson's latest, To the Bone too.

Five stars.

Report this review (#1801629)
Posted Sunday, October 8, 2017 | Review Permalink
CeeJayGee
4 stars Previous Lunatic Soul albums have been more atmospheric but Fractured is more up-tempo. With Mariusz Duda's wonderful vocals, the album would be closer to the Riverside sound were it not for the strong electro influence and, as previously, a wide range of percussion instruments being used. Duda is a fine songwriter and there are eight solid tracks here with the longest, A Thousand Shards Of Heaven, being my personal favourite. For me it is a joy to hear Mariusz in such good form after the tragic loss of Riverside's long-time guitarist Piotr Grudzinskiedy. Let us hope to hear from Riverside again soon.
Report this review (#1802503)
Posted Thursday, October 12, 2017 | Review Permalink
proghaven
4 stars What's to be said about Lunatic Soul in general? It's a wondrous place where Mariusz Duda musically has a rest from Riverside. Sometimes he also takes a rest from progressive music at all in that magic place, especially on the two earliest albums (self-titled debut and Lunatic Soul II). Now, with the fifth album from Lunatic Soul, Mariusz Duda takes a rest from music on the whole, at least in three tracks, Blood On The Tightrope, Anymore and Battlefield. So-called electronic music is insidious in some respects. Those three tracks could be considered a top of perfection for (exempli gratia) Prodigy, but for Mariusz Duda it's too easy job, parole d'honneur. Especially after the brilliancy and splendour of Walking On A Flashlight Beam (Lunatic Soul 4th). Electronic music from the leader of Riverside is expected to be as rich and magnificent as on Eye Of The Soundscape. Fortunately, the title track, Moving On and especially A Thousand Shards Of Heaven pull the album up and make it another interesting chapter in Duda's musical life story.
Report this review (#1802575)
Posted Thursday, October 12, 2017 | Review Permalink
Quizzus
1 stars I think it is the first time I am hearing something that high rated here and hating it THAT much. I can not comprehend how this is considered to be a part of the greatest Prog site there is. Fractured is truly _repulsive_ album, which sounds like watered down Depeche Mode mixed with annoying electronics and it is devoid of anything prog related whatsoever. I have never been a fan of Riverside, but Lunatic Soul are even nothing like them, it is just a monotonous melancholic synth-pop slash electronic album where nothing exciting happens and is not supposed to by design. I would not even consider to listen to anything like that if not the stellar rating on Progarchives. Runner up next to Wobbler for the best album of year 2017 and beating Jord? Is it a cruel joke? I gave it one star, but now I really think that zero stars should be implemented saying "does not belong here".
Report this review (#1818101)
Posted Wednesday, November 1, 2017 | Review Permalink
Mellotron Storm
PROG REVIEWER
4 stars LUNATIC SOUL the side project of the RIVERSIDE frontman has been around for almost 10 years now, hard to believe. This is album number five and I'm not sure where I would place this one when compared to the rest. My favourite by far is "Walking On A Flashlight Beam" but I'm so intrigued with the first three albums where the vocals were sparse and we had so much atmosphere and electronics. And the subject matter of those three only adds to the enjoyment as we follow this soul who has just died and his journey after that. True headphone albums and the second one "II" is my favourite of those. This latest one called "Fractured" seems to be a therapy album for Duda who had a tragedy in his life recently. Lots of vocals here giving the impression that this is the most commercial sounding recording of this project but this is far from being commercial 99% of the time.

"Blood On The Tightrope" is a great way to start the album and it's just outside of my top three. Sounds like a electronic rhythm to start as the atmosphere builds and the vocals and drums kick in. It's surprisingly aggressive before 2 minutes with vocal melodies then it settles back. Sounds like high pitched synths around 2 1/2 minutes. I like the piano a lot before 4 minutes bringing Kevin Moore to mind. A change 6 1/2 minutes in as a determined rhythm takes over and builds. Excellent track!

"Anymore" opens with beats, electronics and bass, synths too. It's kind of catchy as the vocals arrive. Man I get tired of that repeated line "You don't talk to me anymore" and yes that's the 1% that's commercial on this record. At least the instrumental part of this song is top notch. I like the synths before 3 minutes but I have mixed feeling over this one.

"Crumbling Teeth And The Owl Eyes" opens with keys, percussion and picked guitar as the vocals join in. A pleasant sound here. Some emotion 1 1/2 minutes in with the swelling synths and vocals. A calm with picked guitar 3 minutes in along with some vocal expressions. It kicks in after 4 minutes to a fuller sound. Man this is interesting to listen to after 5 minutes then the vocals return.

"Red Light Escape" starts with atmosphere and beats with vocals. Love when it turns more serious around 1 1/2 minutes then back to the vocals. That serious sound is back as themes are repeated. Sax after 4 1/2 minutes.

"Fractured" is a top three track. Beats and atmosphere as the vocals join in. Drums and bass too as we get this great sound a minute in. Love this one. So much going on 2 1/2 minutes in. So good! Active drumming after 3 1/2 minutes as the vocals become more passionate. It's brief though.

"A Thousand Shards Of Heaven" is my favourite song on here and it clocks in at over 12 minutes. Picked guitar I believe and strings before it settles and vocals join in around a minute. This is ballad-like but man I like it. So much emotion to say the least. Gulp. Love when it starts to pick up after 4 1/2 minutes with vocal melodies. Sax arrives 6 minutes in then back to the vocals before 8 minutes. Emotion once again before 9 1/2 minutes instrumentally. Ripping sax before 11 minutes and a fuller sound. Nice. It then calms down with sax and strings.

"Battlefield" rounds out my final top three. Deep pulsating sounds as the vocals and a beat join in quickly. The synths before 1 1/2 minutes are interesting as the vocals step aside. So much going on then the vocals return. Those synths are back as themes are repeated. Love the sound before 6 1/2 minutes with the vocals, synths and drum work.

"Moving On" ends it as we probably gather from this title that this album is about a broken relationship. Drums to start as vocals and synths join in. It's kind of cool the way this song sounds, it's in my top five with the opener. Sax late.

A beautiful album that is sparse and atmospheric. Easily 4 stars.

Report this review (#1826839)
Posted Sunday, November 26, 2017 | Review Permalink
altered_beast
3 stars Depeche Prog? Yeah it does remind me of the good years of Black Celebration and Music for the Masses when I actually really liked what Depeche Mode was putting out. Also the songs are really good and consistent. I really enjoy every track on this album. Enough experimentation and good musicianship make this a great Prog Pop work of art.

Anymore and Crumbling Teeth and the Owl will bring you a lot of 80's Dark Wave memories and possibly deja vu.

A Thousand Shards of Heaven is a brilliant epic that really adds to how much I like this album. Very emotional and beautiful epic that I consider a gem. It could have fit right into the Riverside album Wasteland. But it fits right into this album perfectly for whatever reason.

Moving On ends the album in a way that does sound a lot like an ending track to a Depeche Mode album.

What is funny is in Mariz Dudas other band Riverside it's impossible not to ignore all the influences from The Cure. Not much if any Prog Metal going into this album however. It's very 80's sounding with far better sound and production of course. Very cool and retro sounding album but improves on what you may be used to for this type of music. Maybe not for everyone but a smooth and enjoyable album.

Report this review (#2937523)
Posted Tuesday, July 4, 2023 | Review Permalink

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