SOUL'S INNER PENDULUM

In 2008 we could enjoy Polish formation Moonrise its debut CD entitled The Lights Of A Distant Bay, led by multi- instrumentalist Kamil Konieczniak with a contribution of Lukasz Gall (from other Polish band Millenium) on vocals. The next year Moonrise released a second album entitled Soul's Inner Pendulum and in 2012 (their swansong?) Stopover-Life. This review is about their second effort.

The sound on Soul's Inner Pendulum is in the vein of The Lights Of A Distant Bay. But due to Dariusz Rybka his saxophone play and especially Marcin Kruczek his guitar work, often Pink Floyd comes to my mind. Most of the 8 compositions start mellow and then turn into a slow rhythm with a compelling atmosphere, embellished with wonderful solo's on guitar and sometimes keyboards.

A good example is the opener Awakened, it starts dreamy with soaring keyboards, acoustic rhythm guitar and melancholical vocals. Gradually the sound becomes more lush featuring first violin-Mellotron waves and then a spectacular synthesizer solo with propulsive guitar riffs and a fiery Gilmourian guitar solo, what a start!

In Angels Hidden Plan we hear soaring violin-Mellotron with tender piano and then sensitive guitar runs with twanging acoustic guitar, followed by intense saxophone play and again soaring violin-Mellotron, simply beautiful.

More heavy and dynamic is Icarus (Full Moon 2) with a mid-tempo featuring tight drums and a powerful wah-wah drenched guitar solo.

In Feeling Like I Lost My Mind the focus is also on the guitar, we can enjoy a strongly build-up guitar solo that takes us to Eighties Neo Prog Heaven.

The joy continues with the epic final composition The Greatest Miracle (more than 13 minutes). First mellow with saxophone, a howling, Gilmourian guitar solo and a fluent synthesizer solo. Then the climate turns into more bombastic with pleasant vocals and powerful work on saxophone and guitar. And finally a very compelling part with a guitar solo in the vein of Camel's Andy Latimer (Nude-era), goose bumps!

I am sure the neo-progheads, fans of modern progrock and guitar freaks who love Latimer, Barrett and Gilmour will be delighted about Moonrise this wonderful Eighties Neo Prog inspired music.

My rating: 3,5 star.

See my social comment for a review about new interesting Polish band The Adekaem (not on PA).