KORAI ÖRÖM (2005)

Is prog dead today? Of course not, with albums like Korai Öröm's 2005 released in the past few years. Forget the tag "Psychedelic/Space Rock". This is far too eclectic and creative to be grouped into a genre dominated today by clones of Hawkwind and the Ozric Tentacles. Sure, sometimes it is reminiscent of Pink Floyd, Kingston Wall, and Santana to name a few, but you need not worry, when you listen to 2005, you won't get served something you've already heard before.

From start to beginning, a swirling mixture of ethnic beats, mesmerizing soundscapes, "trippy" psych music, and a heavy, driving jazzy backbone will take you on a ride that few progressive albums can even come close to. It's intense the whole way through and never drifts away into uninspired jams, making this the quintessential space rock album in my opinion. None of the other bands in the genre have seemed to reach the level of perfection Korai Öröm achieved here, and it's really a shame they aren't more well known. I would really recommend this to all fans of progressive rock because not only is it a definite masterpiece and a pinnacle of the genre, but the music is such an eclectic mix that there should be something for everyone.