SATELLITE

Formed around four of six members of Karnataka, Panic Room is a band that surely surpassed their former band in almost every aspect. Paul Davies (guitar), Jonathan Edwards (keyboards) , Gavin John Griffiths (drums), vocalist and multi instrumentist Anne Marie Helder plus new member Alun Vaughan (bass guitars, who previously had a background only with jazz bands) had already release an excellent debut album, The Visionary Position in 2008. So I was really anxious to see what this new album was like. Could they outdo themselves? The answer is yes.

it is very rare to see a team of musicians that seemed to work together so well not only surviving a major crisis when their former group disbanded after their leaders and main songwriters split, but also rarer to find out they manage to make it a blessing in disguise. They had lost none of the their musical tighness, but there is more to it. The band now is more than a sum of its parts. The arrangements are tasteful, and they are playing for the music´s sake, they are really team players who give their best for what the songs called for everytime. Just great! The new songwriting team of Helder and Edwards already displayed great promise on their debut, but now they show they have grown more mature, more secure and varied as ever. Also Anne Marie Helder, who had joined Karnataka as a harmony singer, is growing more confident on each relase. She has not only a beautiful voice, but also has a versatile, unique and powerful way to deliver the message, making her one of the most charismatic vocalists ever to appear on the prog rock field.

I was glad to be able to get the two CD version of Satellite. The bonus record is short (only 24 minutes) but the four songs are as good as any of the main course. Production is also top notch. There are no fillers and every song is a gem on itself. It´s hard to point out a highlight since the variety of styles makes it hard to compare them (although I do have a soft spot for the title track, one of their very best songs ever). As on every good prog work I know, the CD takes time to grow on lyou, with each listening showing more subtle detais you didn´t notice before. A great melodic prog rock record that will please anyone who likes this kind of music. Nothing really groundbreaking, avant guarde or too symphonic, ok, but made with passion, talent and conviction. And I love it!

While I haven´t heard the new Karnataka album and line up (only bassist Ian Jones reamaining now as an original member) I´m glad to know Panic Room more than fulfilled their promising start. I´m loking forward to hear their new stuff.

Rating: I´d love to give it a five star rating based on my personal taste, but believe they still haven´t reached their peak. So 4,5 stars is more fitting for this fantastic work. Time will tell if it will become a masterpiece in the eyes of the world, but I wouldn´t be surprised if it eventually make it.