DEMON

"Sycamore tree is existing on the earth for more than 100 million years, can grow as tall as 40m (130ft) and can reach up 2m (6.6ft) in diameter. Another amazing fact is that on average this tree can live six hundred years. It is believed that the tree has got its name "Sycamore" because of the peeling flakes of its bark which make it look 'sick' all the time." -- from the article

Sycamore tree, which you can see on the front cover, is a symbol of this album.

Before to review this album I went to Gazpacho's back catalog and tried 4 last albums again to compare... Demon tops them all. Basically it's the same formula: the mix of Prog and Alternative Rock with traditional Scandinavian melancholic flavor. However, in Demon they elevate everything to the next level, sometimes close to perfection. The balance shifts to symphonic prog, music became more complex and accessible at the same time.

The Artist can paint small pictures so nice and cute that everybody will likes them, but he also can create a big canvas, where he can put so much details that people will stay hours to get into them to try understand and accept the picture as a whole piece of art.

The same with Demon. Gazpacho put on three big canvas and one small picture so much details inclusions and insertions from choruses to crying violin solo, from mandolin and accordion to operatic vocals of vintage gramophone records and rocking piano on a top of it. I was listening to the first song for less than 5 min, but it feels like 15 min has gone. From this song to the very end, the album has some theatrical feel. Second song transformed me to Middle East. It's a small picture of everyday life there with uplifting folk melodies, but, as a contrast, I caught in the lyric: "I was there when bomb exploded" - something serious was going on. From the beginning I thought that song 4 'Death Room' would be my favorite song, but when I found Live version and very nice video with lyric of song 3 'I've been Walking P.2' on youtube, I think they are equally great songs.

Jan Ohme vocal has always been a trademark of Gazpacho sound, but in Demon it reached, at some places, extraordinary soul penetrating ability. I've got multi 'eargasm' - first at 10min song #3 and couple times at song #4. It's hard to get into mostly metaphorical lyrics, but big sadness and pain are radiating from stunning Jan vocal. Beautiful digibook design and illustrations of Antonio Saijas are as an icing on the cake.

If Frequency Drift Over is my female fronted Crossover album of the year, then Demon is my male fronted one. Beautifully crafted Masterpiece of Crossover Prog. 5 Bright Northern Stars.

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