SEVENTH STORY

This is a five piece band from Uzbekistan, between 2008 and 2013 FROM.UZ released 4 studio-albums and one live CD/DVD entitled Audio Diplomacy (2007). This review is about their second effort entitled Seventh Story from 2010, two years after their highly acclaimed debut album Overlook (2008).

On Seventh Story the band features two musicians who play on keyboards. The seven tracks can be divided into two sections. Three shorter ones that sound pretty atmospheric with acoustic guitar and vocals (like the opener Perfect Place and the final song Perfect Love) and wonderful classical orchestrations and Grand piano (like Bell Of The Earth). And four longer compositions that I would like to analyse piece by piece.

First the long Parallels (20 minutes) in which a lot of tension and dynamics (evoking a sound between Rush and King Crimson) featuring powerful electric guitar and spectacular synthesizer sounds.

Then the alternating Desert Circle (16 minutes): from soaring keyboards with howling guitar runs to a swinging rhythm with jazzy piano and acoustic guitar.

Next my highlight entitled Taken (18 minutes) with excellent work on keyboards (from tender piano to sensational synthesizer flights) and a heavy and blistering guitar solo, the climates shift from compelling bombastic to a tight rhythm with propulsive rock.

And finally the track Influence Of Time (close to 12 minutes) that again evokes Rush (to be more specific: YYZ) with strong shifting moods and great saxophone and wah-wah guitar.

I am delighted about my first musical encounter with Fromuz, an interesting band to discover, FROM UZbekistan.