WAR AND PEACE

From Russia, the music is instrumental with violin as the lead instrument, there is some intriguing rhythm patterns and some funky bass is heard in the songs ; "To Catch the Wind" and "Submarine". Like the title of the album, there is two different moods from some peacefully melancholic parts to some more frenetic and heavy parts. It's jazz fusion and rock music that is very dynamic in the instrumentation with impressive interplay between violin and percussion and with the guitars that could be quiet rock at times, if not heavy. And also the soaring keyboards of Ulyana Gor in some songs like "Dilemma" and the big epic of 16 minutes "James Pont" are shining. This epic song brings some King Crimson influence and many tempo changes. "Mother's Tears" starts as a melancholic ballad with piano/guitar/violin but the pace of the music evolve gradually to end up quiet nicely on a heavier note. "After the War" is heavy and dark with some chaotic passages at the end. There is some songs that are mostly fusion jazz that will remind you of previous bands of that genre, but the songwriting is so good here that you don't get bored for the whole sixty minutes. 4 stars