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Amarok - Hope CD (album) cover

HOPE

Amarok

 

Crossover Prog

4.18 | 60 ratings

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alainPP
4 stars Crossover, ethnic, symphonic, singular world prog, colorful, eclectic music shaking up traditional progressive codes.

'Hope Is' starts heavy on a gritty riff, soft synth to round out; Marta imprints the Amarok touch, the nervous-space side and the vibrating synth; heavy, heavy and hovering like a remake of Hero but stronger on The Gathering; slide guitar solo full of emotion for a countdown finale. 'Stay Human' melancholic, bucolic sensation, that of Anathema, repetitive sweetness to enter the album; break with the theremin to captivate and restore rhythm, one of those explosive with tribal percussions; to headbang in 2024 in an 'overloop' way. 'Insomnia' southern slide, Scandinavian, take your pick; stretched guitars, cozy atmosphere, melting marshmallow; murmured backing vocals, violin; emotion in bar for the ballad and the Gilmourian guitar solo; the finale explodes in the vein of an indie rock The Gathering with Michal showing his vocal and keyboard talent. 'Trail' begins with Floydian percussion, trance rhythm, drum & bass the innovation is there; the soul of Jean Michel Jarre too; electronics invite themselves, Marta and the synths go to Oldfield and Knopfler; a blissful crescendo made for trance dreaming; the last part explodes, that's the word on these different titles: a controlled brutality of heavy, invasive, hypnotic sounds which makes you nod as if to finish this high-flying trail. 'Welcome' its cold wave in the distance, drums and Konrad on vocals, metronomic tune, the guitar eyeing more and more that of Ry Cooder; Orgasmic and aerial psyche-trance all at once with these vintage sounds like the Floydian keyboard.

'Queen' begins with a post-stoner tune, Kornel on vocals to easily build this track; languorous sound of Monster Magnet, Monkey3, the voice reminding me of the Smashing Pumpkins; the violin adds a melancholy plaintive layer with orgasmic ecstasy; final decrescendo. 'Perfect Run' instrumental with deafening synth bringing a syncopated, danceable rhythm, ready to go jogging; a trace of the Tangerine dream of the 80s, an interlude bordering on an enthusiastic Lunatic Soul, a tune that combines like a hypnotic repetitive tune. 'Don't Surrender' solemn piano, captivating voice, melancholy arpeggio, chorus overwhelming with its sweetness; the reverberating synth, the phrased voice laying out this title, a military ballad day of mourning; the sax solo ah non guitar warm, languorous, disturbing with a final crescendic rise.'Simple Pleasures' horses, piano, the air of contemplation oozes; title focused on ambient, progression, latency; Michal shows that you can do beautiful things with little.'Dolina' with his accordion on a typical Polish text; nursery rhyme worthy of a 'Gypsy Time'.

Great art-rock.(4.5)

alainPP | 4/5 |

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