DHD

The first thing I must say is that this album must be taken off from the classification of neo-prog. This is not. Maybe "ecleptic rock" or "avant rock" is a better identification. After nearly 20 years comes this third album from the Donosti (Spain) band, Rivendel. If you have already listened to some of their two previous albums.. forget them. This follows a completely different path. Only three tracks. All instrumentals. One of them last more than 20 minutes and two over 10, involving a whole kaleidoscope of sounds where multiple references appear in a more conceptual than literal way. In my opinion, nowadays, it is virtually impossible that a group practising fully instrumental music posseses a "completely original sound". Perhaps this is neither the case, but, even when you can find references, I think that Rivendel, with this album, have got an universe which is more particular than the one they offered in the previous discs. I said "references", and, it's true, here you can find echoes from David Gilmour (more than Pink Floyd) at the beginning of the first track or, even,Tangerine Dream further in the same track. In the second one you can find sounds from the most atmospheric side of Pink Floyd. But they are only sound flashes integrated on a completely differente unit. Anyway, my favorite track is the last one, "(die von maschinerive) Metropolis". A track where they play a strange game with the tension between impressionists and expressionists sounds. References that probably are more explicits if you take a look to the cover, where Jose Mari Aguirrezabala has used images from the Wiene's film: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari . An special reference to the instrumental palette. Bass, keyboards and guitar. No drums anyway. This is important because the sound in this album is very particular. An instrumental album like this, rather than show its content in the first listen, trends to "suggest" moods and, in this regard, it's easy to imagine it as a struggle between darkness and light. If there is a moment that exemplifies the album for me it is the end of that first track. You can imagine that moment as a canvas where Monet and Kirchner were painting together. Congratulations, Rivendel. This is by far its better album. An album you must listen to.