NUCLEUS

Simply my favourite prog album of the 90's. However, it isn't for the fainthearted and before you listen to this album I recommend you first test the water with Anekdoten's offical debut album "Vermod". (But don't go to "From Within" just quite yet). Anekdoten first formed as a Krimson tribute band - there is a demo cassette doing the rounds, with precursors for "Vermod" and 3 or so Krimson covers; the recording predating "Vermod". "Vermod" itself is clearly derived from classic Krimson circa 1974, but with added Swedish melocholia, cello and a touch of grunge, which might have made Kurt Cobain happy.

"Nucleus", their second album finds Anekdoten starting to put some clear water between their music and Krimson. Musically, their sound had both become significantly more gut-punching and cerebral simultaneously, without full abandoning the Krimson roots. They had found a rich vein of music only partially mined by Fripp and Co. in the mid 70's, and here with refining and processed in Anekdoten's particular way, giving something new. The tunes are more angular and angry - there are sudden changes within a piece, a startling whistle maybe used to mark such a change. As such Anekedoten seem to have found the liberty to be experimental. They are loud and heavy, driven by bass and drums, while a little lightness is given with mellotrons and cello infills. "Nucleus" is a heavy album, with only a little light relief from its stridency. In comparison, the next studio album " From Within" is a more mature album with much more light and shade.

Brilliant - a word that should not be used too often - and an album I keep going back to hear more.

Footnote: I reckon if you like Anekdoten then you may have problems with the tireder neo-prog of the likes of Spocks Beard.