A TIME OF DAY

Anekdoten's latest 2007 album "A Time of Day" is a strong melancholic atmospheric work with very slow paced easy listening material mixed with bursts of dynamic creativity. Each track tends to blend into one piece so it is difficult to define any highlights for me. Having said that, '30 Pieces' is my favourite track as the time sigs and vocal style are memorable among all the instrumental sections that the album capitalises on. This track also has a killer riff in the instrumental break and some wonderful flute. There are moments of sheer tranquil bliss in the same vein as King Crimson, Transatlantic or Porcupine Tree. There are passages of deep mellotron mixed with spacey guitar embellishments, and the cymbals crash in like waves on a beach. The music transports you to an imaginary location: I can picture a forest with sun bursting through the clouds with the golden rays blessing the treetops. The soundscape is a beautiful transfixing serene texture with shades of light and dark.

The vocals are quiet and reflective such as on the acoustically driven 'A Sky About To Rain'; "How did it ever come to this, I can't pretend that nothing changed any longer... Ignore the space between the lines, don't act so surprised when you knew it all along each and every lie bursts a hole into my soul." Powerful stuff.

There is not a lot of heavy rock on this which may alienate some of the fans of earlier heavier Anekdoten. The fantastic up tempo 'In For a Ride' is as heavy as they get and even this is layered with pleasant sounding keboard motifs. The vocal style on this is similar to Gentle Giant as are the rhythm breaks. However, as in the case with Opeth's "Damnation" that did not have a shred of metal on it, this is a nice departure for the Swedish band. It takes them in a new direction with waves of gentle keyboards, focusing on duel mellotron layers, and a few detours with some heavy drum beats and solid guitar breaks. The riff on the instrumental passage of 'A Sky About to Rain' is notable as a memorable killer riff, but for the most part the mellotron orchestration dominates.

Overall Anekdoten have a real winner here and it may pleasantly surprise you as it did me. It will grow on you with its infectious melodies and solid virtuoso instrumentation. I have to award this musicianship and consistent high level of innovation 4 stars at least.

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