NUTCRACKER IN FURY

Since I listened the AVIVA debut called "Rokus Tonalis", was expecting a second album that could ratify the quality of the band, or better said Dmitry Loukianenko, who except for an uncredited guitarist played all the instruments

Last week I found he had released "Nutcracker in Fury" so, bought the album and was impressed by the radical changes, in first place, the band's name is changed to AVIVA OMNIBUS, he's supported by Yurij Molodoy and Andrew Pruden in the guitars, Mamina on he bass and drums plus Vika who plays a second keyboard and violin.

But more important, his time Loukianenko forgets all the Emerson influences and presents a much more radical album which combines not only the well known Symphonic component,. but also a strong Heavy Prog element, Fusion and even traces of Avant.

But lets go directly to the album, which is opened with a weird introduction called "Sisoehtopa" that after 58 seconds of strange sounds leads to the surprising "Overture in Fury", that makes honor to it's name, because hardly anybody has reinterpreted TCHAIKOVSKY with such rage. The track starts very close to Heavy Metal and Avant, strong vibrant and full of dissonances that remind me clearly of FANTOMAS, the elaborate violin performance adds complexity to an already complex song, what a change from the formal Symphonic debut.

"Heavy March" is the strangest version of "Nutrocker" I have ever heard, being that from the well known chorus they jump to different conclusions as if selected randomly (well only the effect, because nothing is left to luck in the album), really spectacular, specially for the keyboard work.

"Children of the Damned" has more than evident Electronic touches, not really my cup of tea, but being as impartial as possible nobody can't deny the excellent arrangements done by Loukianenko. The vocals are pretty decent and sound well despite the distortion and..........some growls!!!!!

"The Frozen Doll's Town" starts as I expected all the album to sound, with a sober piano introduction that grows in intensity as more instruments keep joining, some sound effects add a bit of mystery and the usual dissonances collaborate with the complexity required not to break the atmosphere. Around the middle again AVIVA OMNIBUS gets closer to Prog Metal but jumps again into Electronic passages, seems Loukianenko and his band are trying experimenting, another good track.

"Dance of the Tea Giants" is even more contradictory, but by this point nothing surprises me anymore and this is good when you talk about a Prog album, the capacity to present something radically new is one of the bases of Prog, and this guys are able to do it perfectly.

The only thing missing is an acoustic track, and "Flower Fewer", provides it, most surely the strangest version of the "Waltz of the Flowers" I ever heard, with sound effects, shouts, conversations, but the soft atmosphere is respected despite all the strange things that happen in the background, breaks all my schemes, but that's also good.

"Coda Coda" is more Jazzy (Is there anything this guys don't include in this album?) and flows perfectly from start to end....well almost perfectly, because some radical changes and changes of style are really mind breaking.

When I read the name "Apotheosis", I expected a strong and vibrant closer, but no, this is the most calmed and softest track in the album...well at least until the band prepares the "grand finale" which makes honor to the name.

If I dared to say this an absolutely original album, many people would jump to the roof and ask how in hell can a new version of ·Nutcracker" could be original...Well, I suggest this people to listen i"Nutcracker in Fury", I'm sure they will be surprised, being that this album is absolutely different to anything you could expect. Something more dramatic if you heard the sober and formal debut, probably one of the most radical changes a band has tried from a debut to the second album.

Three stars for the music and one extra star for the unique sound and capacity to blend genres makes four solid stars.