ATLANTIS

Nova is a finnish prog band which mixes soft symphonic influences with bites of blues, psychedelic and almost popish sections. This album was released in 1976 but it wasn't succesful. Even when Atlantis isn't a masterpiece, it has some enjoyable moments.

The opener is "Se Vuosi", a nice lonk track which starts with a soaring piano intro that derivates into a pop barely psychedelic section which still sound good thanks to Antii Ortamo vocals. That sections slowy turns into a mixture of piano-guitar sequence which reminds me some Yes, Grobschnitt (Rockpommel's era) and even Triumvirat songs with drops of blues and psychedelic marked by the guitar solos that shares minutes with the constant presence of Ortamo's piano melodies and some proggy organ sections.

Secons song of the album is "Kaupungin Naiset" a 3 minutes blues leaded by slow and mellow guitar riffs and Ortamo vocals. Simple but effective.

"Atlantis" is an almost 9 minutes song which starts with the classic psychedelic sound that reminds me Pink Floyd of early 70's perhaps Ortamo vocals are much lyrical than Gilmour or Waters ... In between appears some interesting perhaps melodic rhythmical changes and guitar and organ solos but the song is very predicitble and lacks of epic or at least surprising moments.

The last song is "Vanha Surullinen Laulu", another 10 minutes long track which has some interesting instrumental sections leaded by organ but once again, there's a lack of real epic moments perhaps it's an enjoyable piece that reminds me some mid-70's french symphonic band or Harmonium's best quiet and darkest moments.

Resuming: a very nice album which deserves at least one play, with some enjoyable moments, full of classic 70's prog influences but not surprising at all. 3* ...