DRIFTING SUN

Then, however, lineup changes meant that Planet Junkie ended up feeling like three different EPs rather than a cohesive album, an exercise in the band trying out new vocalists and new musical directions, to the point where it felt like they'd made the album as a by-product of a workshopping process.

Here, however, Forsaken Innocence sees a striking return to form. In some respects, it's a further rebuke to the various line-up experiments on Planet Junkie, because in fact it doesn't actually go with any of the configurations of the group represented on that album - instead, band founder Pat Sanders and his loyal guitarist Mathier Spaeter are joined by an entirely new rhythm section of Jimmy Pallagrosi on drums and neo-prog veteran John Jowitt on bass.

As for vocals, these are handled by John "Jargon" Kosmidis - not one of the vocalists who sort of got a test run on Planet Junkie, but a new member of the band, revealed here as a sort of neo-prog Mike Patton - a deft singer who can adapt his performance to all manner of complex turns and twists. That's important, because this is by some measure the most challenging and musically complex album Drifting Sun have tackled, putting the lie to the idea that neo-prog groups can't get a bit avant with it when they get a yen to.

Is it still neo-prog if you're going complex and avant-garde with your approach? This album may well be the test case. There's a certain emphasis on atmosphere and emotional resonance which I associate with neo-prog acts more than I typically do with the avant-prog scene, a sensibility which feels like it's been carried along by Drifting Sun ever since their early days; the influence of neo-prog acts like IQ and Marillion have always been present in their music and they don't vanish here. And whilst the album does have its complex moments, especialy in the two-part epic title track, these always are integrated with moments which are willing to go for simple emotional directness when it's aesthetically important to do so. Either way, this is a truly compelling offering which further affirms that Drifting Sun's best days may still be ahead of them.

In the long run, this seems to have more or less paid off - a steady flow of albums has come out right to this day, gathering a level of critical attention and listener acclaim that had eluded the 1990s incarnation of the group. (I myself rather like Safe Asylum, and rate Twilight as a bona fide classic.) Trip the Life Fantastic, by comparison, feels more like a warm-up effort - an album put out largely to test out the process of both producing their album and bringing it to market in the online DIY era, with material which is entertaining but not especially ambitious.

It's a light and at points somewhat cheesy affair, and when you know that the band come out with more creative and distinctive material later on it's hard not to suspect they were keeping their powder dry and not putting out their best material on this album just in case it crashed and burned. Alternatively, perhaps this lineup was so fresh that they still needed a bit of time to really gel and come up with solid material, and they jumped to make an album a little before they were ready.

Either way, it's alright, but not really better than "alright" - entertaining enough if you like light, unchallenging neo-prog, but few people are likely to get very excited about this. Maybe, at a stretch, you can imagjne a major Drifting Sun fans from their original 1990s run getting hyped up about this back in 2015 when it came out - but now the band's rebirth has picked up more steam and put out superior material, there's little compelling reason to prioritise this album now. With both the best of the new material and their two 1990s albums being comfortably better, Trip the Life Fantastic falls between two stools.

With Karl Groom making a guest appearance and Clive Nolan helping out with the mix, it seems like the band had some pretty useful connections in the neo-prog scene who were eager to help them out. Alas, 1996 wasn't exactly a fruitful period for the subgenre; established acts who'd solidified a loyal fanbase in prior years were doing fine, but new groups were struggling to gather enough of a following to sustain them. They'd have one more album, On the Rebound, which would shift to a more Marillion-influenced sound but otherwise maintain the approach of this debut, and then they'd have a long hiatus before reconvening and reconfiguring in the mid-2010s. As far as this first album goes, it showcases a distinct sound which will appeal to neo-prog fans without necessarily making lots of new converts.

No matter who he is working with under the name Drifting Sun, Pat continues to produce some soaring and highly commercial progressive rock which is a delight. Given he is a keyboard player it is no surprise that these have a huge part to play in his music, and it is often to a piano he turns to provide that counterpoint, with the synths used more for solos or swathes of chords. Kosmidis has a very melodic voice with a high range, and he often provides his own harmonies to give a multi-pronged approach. The music is highly melodic and accessible on the first time of playing but the more one listens the more there is here to enjoy. The two longest tracks are parts one and two of the title cut, which in total comes in at more than 25 minutes in length, a true epic. What strikes one throughout this album is the sheer class which comes shining through in whatever they are performing, with everyone having a major part to play. Arguably it was here that the latest version of the band started to become just that, coalescing as more of a group than a project with JJ and Jargon continuing to work with Pat on the next album, the wonderful 'Veil'.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable prog rock album from beginning to end, and while rooted in Neo there are also plenty of Crossover and Symphonic elements as well. One for any proghead to savour.

So call this the comeback album if you will, but it spurred a consistent run that continues in 2024 with their latest "Veil" featuring Jon Jowitt on bass and Fudge Smith on drums, now that's old school. Their last few albums have been rated very high on the RYM site. I just have this three album run beginning with the album I'm reviewing today, along with "Safe Asylum" and "Twilight". And that "Safe Asylum" album is special. The other two are 3 star albums but that 2016 release was made for me.

This one makes me cringe at times, I'm not going to lie. I mean that 8 1/2 minute ballad "Five Ever" is awful but an extreme example of "in poor taste". Top three include the title track to open the album, as well as the closer "Last Supper" which is my favourite, and a long one at 9 1/2 minutes. Some killer bass on this one, as well as on my last top three "Tormented" where the drums really impress, and it's quite powerful.

While I highly recommend "Safe Asylum", apparently their last few albums are the ones to get. I need to at least check them out. This was a modest comeback, as well as being hit and miss.

1. "Veiled" (2:00) produced as if a vinyl or wax recording with clicks and pops, this "orchestrated" piece almost sounds like a Christmas carol or soundtrack piece for a Hallmark Christmas movie. (4.375/5)

2. "Frailty" (12:05) opens with some bombast and a full-on NeoProg sound palette. Once into the fullness of the song it sounds like hairband classic rock blended with Matin Orford-era IQ and Arjun Lucassen's AYREON while trying to be Rick Wakeman/Fragile-era YES. Not bad, not annoying or cloying, just not anything new or refreshing here. (22/25)

3. "Eros and Psyche" (5:12) there is definitely nothing special here. In fact, the musical instruments feel so separate and fragmented that I wonder if they knew what they were going to sound like before the final mix was presented. Jargon's lyrics may be something worth attending to but I'll never know. (8.66667/10)

4. "The Thing" (7:49) a sea shanty! The story fits. The full-male naval choir chorus would seem to indicate as much. Might this song be inspired by the AMC television series, The Terror? Nicely executed. (13.375/15)

5. "2-Minute Waltz" (2:00) a classical piano show piece. Probably from Pat Sanders' middle school piano recital that he couldn't perform because he was ill or due to a death in the family. (4.375/5)

6. "Through the Veil" (5:45) another bombastic, theatric song that feels as much relevant to a West End theatric production or a Pete Jones album. The soundscape is just a little too sterile, even bordering on stark (in terms of each instrument's isolation from one another). Nice 1980s drumming (sound). (8.75/10)

7. "The Old Man" (5:44) Another well-composed and crystalline-engineered song that feels totally headed for a theatric debut. Who was that singer for the 1980s band ABC? Martin Fry? That's who Jargon sounds like. Even when Jargon stops singing and the instrumentalists ramp things up for some soloing it still sounds as if there are probably stage characters in motion. (8.75/10)

8. "Cirkus" (6:34) bouncy Hammond chord hits and military drumming open this one, giving Jargon a circus macabre stage upon which to relay his story. I do like this PETER HAMMILL voice styling much better than his previous ones: it really adds to the creepy feeling that he's trying to reel us into his spell and pull one over on us. Though I'm still not super enamored of the music, I like this song best of all the other son the album. (8.875/10)

Total Time 47:09

A little too theatre-dramatic for my tastes, this is still very finely crafted and performed music impeccably rendered by the engineers (despite the frequent feelings of sterility).

B/four stars; a very nice collection of very-well-polished theatre songs that most prog lovers will love--especially those with an affinity for stage musicals.

The album features a dream lineup, and just hearing the epic opening track King Of The Country will have you agreeing wholeheartedly. The vocals throughout the album are provided by Verbal Delirium frontman Jargon, and you might be surprised: he sounds even better with Drifting Sun than with the Greek band. His vocals are not only warm and expressive, but he also frequently delivers catchy melodies, as heard in the opener. Guitar and keyboards in King Of The Country showcase their remarkable ability to add color to the music. At times bombastic, at other times reminiscent of Mark Kelly's (Marillion) keyboard riffs, the piano sparkles to bring light into the dark music, there's folk with a guest role for Eric Bouillette on violin, and a thunderous guitar solo passes by. The music is richly layered, making the vocals a true delight. This also allows the bassist to push his abilities to the limit, and with none other than John Jowitt on board, you can expect quality to be assured. There's another musician to get excited about: drummer Jimmy Pallagrosi. His decisive playing already made a great impression on Franck Carducci's live DVD, a spectacle in which guitarist Spaeter also shines.

Next, Drifting Sun presents Insidious, which, thanks to a strong vocal line, can be considered one of the album's standout tracks. Everything good about this band sounds even better here. This could be described as a heavy version of Echolyn, something like that. The track features a beautiful interlude with broken chords on the electric guitar and fairly high wordless vocals. The way the band exits this passage is top-notch.

After the swirling Dementium, featuring guest player Ben Bell on the Hammond organ, and the somewhat lighter New Dawn, the band delivers the two-part title track Forsaken Innocence. More than 26 minutes of prog heaven, wow. Part one is stunning: a well-oiled sequence of musical brilliance, with a jewel of a guitar solo as the highlight. I should note that none of the musicians show off, which is most evident in the instrumental part two.

The album closes with the light Time To Go, at least the regular CD version. The digital and vinyl versions include an extra track. Hand On Heart lasts four minutes, but I'm so attached to the seven-track disc that I'm trying to keep that extra track at bay.

Timeless material.

Orginally posted on www.progenrock.com

When I played this the first time, I must admit I was somewhat surprised at what I was hearing as it felt as if the band had really stepped up their approach in all areas, from performance to songs, arrangements and musicianship. I have always enjoyed their music, and their albums since reforming have been wonderful examples of modern progressive rock, but this is taking everything to a new level. John's vocals are delightful, incredibly melodic and controlled, while Pat knows the arrangements do not always need massive bombast when he has a singer like that to work with so he is more than happy to layer keyboards to provide support such as on the lengthy introduction of "Eros and Psych", while the rhythm section have been major players in British prog for the best part of 40 years and knows exactly what is needed and Ralph Cardell has also been around professional music for many years, being a found member of both Deepstate and Rattlesnake Kiss.

This is neo-prog moving bravely into symphonic, progressive rock at its finest, and one can hear just how much has changed in the camp. Only Pat remains from the 2019 line-up who released 'Planet Junkie', which was until now my favourite album from the band, and there is no doubt that this line-up has produced an album which will surely be in many critics' top ten at the end of the year (I am not surprised to see this safely within PA's Top 20 for 2024). Drifting Sun are a band who have been through a lot of changes over the years, both musically and with personnel, but now is the time to fully investigate what is a truly wonderful album. I only hope this line-up stays together and we get another album soon as they have combined to produce something quite special which all progheads will love.