THE DAWN AFTER THE STORM

Tempus Fugit is another of those bands that I planned to review at some future date, but after reading an interview with the band here on ProgArchives I thought that now would be a good time to post a review or two. In case any of you don't know, there is a fine Interviews section within the forums. Many of these interviews are the fruits of a very hard-working collaborator's labours. Now, I'm aware that camels can withstand long periods without water but apparently they can also do without sleep!

Anyway, Tempus Fugit is a contemporary Brazilian band and The Dawn After The Storm (1999) is the title of their second album. They are a symphonic band in the mould of their compatriots Dogma and Quaterna Requiem, and have clearly been inspired by the likes of Genesis, Camel and Yes. The Dawn is a mainly instrumental work, with only 3 of the 9 tracks containing vocals. Andre Mello's English-language vocals are absolutely fine, but for me the strength of the album lies in its lengthy instrumentals. The one song I would single out is the album closer, DISCOVER, which actually features guest vocalist Fernando Sierpe. This song isn't exceptional for its vocals; it's just a superb piece of music. From gentle acoustic guitar and mandolin beginnings it develops into a full-throttle rocker with Wakeman-esque Mini-Moog, and climaxes with a guitar solo underpinned by rumbling bass and choral effects.

The album also opens in dramatic fashion with DAYDREAM. There are more of those choral effects here; I don't believe a Mellotron produces them, but they sound great in any case. This track features wonderful interplay between the guitar and keyboards, but Henrique Simoes' haunting guitar solos deserves special praise. DAYDREAM segues into sound effects of a storm that heralds the multi-part title track. This is a symphonic poem that wonderfully interprets each of the 4 parts of the piece. Atmospheric-sounding strings and Mini-Moog give way to a catchy refrain with Andy Latimer-style guitarwork, followed by a heavy section, then another melodic part to resolve the piece. THE FORTRESS also features marked changes in tempo and dynamics, with Mello's classically inspired piano/strings intro and Moog figures contrasting with the rampaging guitar solos.

The other main highlights are TOCANDO VOCE with its exquisite 2-minute acoustic guitar and mandolin introduction, and the delicate O DOM DE VOAR with its piano, flamenco guitar and flute ensemble. There really isn't a bad track here and if you're a fan of melodic prog you'll relish this album. I think you might be left wanting more of the same, but the good news is that they have another couple of studio albums for you to explore.