BURDENS OF THE MIND

This is a Dutch musical project by Jacob Broers on keyboards and Gerben Klazinga (known from Knight Area) on keyboards, bass, rhythm guitar and drums), the collaboration is originally rooted in 2014 at the Knight Area Productions studio where Jacob and Gerben met. Jacob told Gerben that he wanted to make symphonic rock, after making the track Iconoclast Gerben was delighted and decided to make an album with Jacob. In 2015 the duo started to work out musical ideas, it took 5 years to complete the album, entitled Burdens Of Mind, released in the autumn of 2020.

Listening to this album it's hard to imagine that this is not a 4 ? or 5 piece formation playing toegether in the studio, incredible, what a job by the producing and recording crew! Now about the music, I am sure Burdens Of Mind will please many progheads, what a wonderful, melodic, harmonic and tastefuly arranged compositions, embellished with inspired work on keyboards and guitar. Often IQ comes to my mind, especially due to the many sumptuous eruptions with majestic Mellotron choirs and howling guitar runs (by different guitarists), goose bumps! But also Kayak, with its accessible symphonic rock featuring an important role for the singer, a big hand for Mark Smit his very fine voice (once a Queen tribute band member). Another strong point on this debut album is the contrast between the mellow and bombastic moments, topped with compelling conclusions, this delivers huge tension and will carry you away to Prog Heaven. Especially on my highlights Now That You're Gone (from tender piano and melancholical cello by Rata Kloppenburg to a climax with glorious Mellotron choir and sensitive guitar leads by Slava Syurin), Year Without A Summer (a Vintage Keyboard Extravaganza driven Bach tribute), the beautiful ballad Back To The Wall (from dreamy to a sumptuous conclusion, topped with a moving guitar solo by Vincent van den Bosch) and the epic titletrack (coloured with howling guitar, Minimoog flights and in the end Mellotron choirs, goose bumps).

Other strong tracks are the intense Emerald Eyes (tender piano and melancholical cello by Rata Kloppenburg, and in the second part again those moving guitar runs, now by Mark Bogert) and the swirling Bach/Keith Emerson tribute Karakas ("heavy guitar by Mark Bogert meets vintage keyboards", lots of dynamics, and compelling grand finale, a very exciting composition).

I join the long row of fans and reviewers who are delighted about this first effort by Broers + Klazinga (including the many Knight Area fans), well done, what's next?!