GLORY OF THE INNER FORCE

Back in the seventies when things were SOOOOO fresh and everything was experimental, I recall the naïve fondness in extolling the virtues of the manic guitar gunslingers, all 6 string outlaws trying to out duel each other and vying for guitar god supremacy. One of the most common questions at the time was who is the fastest axe ripper out there? Alvin Lee, Santana, MacLaughlin, DiMeola, Akkerman and a slew of other rock maestros and I do remember Alvin winning most of the time! There were some lesser known craftsmen as well (Hillage, Mussida, Tolonen, Manzanera) , one of which was Finch's Joop van Nimwegen all unafraid to make a name for themselves that would stand the test of time. This all-instrumental Dutch band's debut is one hell of a ride, so strap on your seatbelts, adjust your headphones and slide shut the canopy, we are flying! Like a sleek fighter, the opener slams on the turbojets right from the get go, propelling the machine into the skies. "Register Magister" sets down a complex intertwining of motifs, mostly led by the absurd keys, pushed along by the physically rotund bass and impelled by some ferocious drumming. Relentless, rapid and resilient, the mood stays firmly focused a guitar-led melody somewhere similar in spirit if not style to a faster paced vocal-less Camel with dashes of Akkerman but I constantly find myself obedient to the Peter Vink bass barrage. His superlative playing is purely scintillating throughout this recording, so bass fans better pay attention. Cleem Determejer's aisance on various keyboards is stunning; these gents knew how to play, again fast and furious. The immense 10 minute "Paradoxial Moods" is even brasher, as they blatantly showcase ultra-sophisticated musical promenades with a quasi-funky attitude, very sexual prog this may be, alternating enraged thrusting with gentle caresses and delicate groping. When Joop lets it rip, mellotron blazing in the shades, this arrangement enters the domain of the incredible, just follow drummer Beer Klaasse, if you can (no jokes here please) or Cleem's classic (and I mean Classic) Hammond solo. Brrrr, scary?.Jon Lord beware! The tremendous "Pisces" is an oddity, deliberately atonal at first, until the manic Vink groove anchors it all into place, shoving this harsh steamroller ever forward, jazzy piano noodlings vie attention with Joop's vivid guitar lines. I tend to see a distinctive and unique style in his playing, way faster in blinding speed foraging than most, yet displaying such a wide palette of sounds from his fret board. The gentle mid-section is sheer beauty, the volume pedal playing havoc with van Nimwegen's instrument, a bluesy slow dance that has enormous restraint, especially in view of their habitual propensity for delirium. When the guitar blasts its urgent solo, you know that you are in the presence of a phenomenal presence, displaying eloquence and a technical prowess that is hard to grasp. Bravo! Vink then unleashes a slithering solo that will captivate aficionados of the 4 string wonder. Can the pace continue like this? Yes! "A Bridge to Alice" is a 13 minute cavalcade of sound and fury, laden with more swift expressions from the four musicians, vibrant yet explorative. Eerily complex and intensely polyrhythmic, the group vision and the technique execution are simply supreme, highlighting the incredible exhilaration of well-played instrumental rock. The spreading guitar runs are monstrous, the raging organ glowing with phosphoric energy and the crucial bottom end is held down rock solid, a necessary prerequisite for prog validation. The mood swings into the pastoral, acoustic guitars jangle breezily, languorously evolving into a murky space feel (that two stroke bass is devilish!) which suddenly takes on added speed and emphasis, eventual walls of mellotron collide with sultry guitar leads. The 2-part "Colossus" takes this another step forward, as Peter Vink exults once again, giving Joop the platform to circumnavigate the pulse and peel off some effective licks, at first mostly highly inspired by classical music, introducing acid-drenched rips that defy description. A buzzing bass puts this appetizer to bed. Part 2 resumes the frenzy with utter conviction, each instrumentalist firing on all cylinders enthusiastically. Actually it must be said that all the material is inherently upbeat with only occasional mood dips into melancholia. Again, the musicianship is jaw dropping.

When the term Dutch Masters was coined, after the success of such bands as Focus, Golden earring, Ekseption, Trace, Supersister, Kayak and Solution , it was entirely justified in view of the incredibly fascinating progressive rock albums they released. Finch is the missing link, the little tyke who could play with the big boys. Colossal! 5 Amsterdam birds (no, not the ones you perverts are thinking of?sheesh!)