THE FALL OF BLISS

When I was approached by Nikitas Kissonas to review this album, I wasn't really sure what to expect. I mean, firstly he is from Greece which is not a country normally associated with progressive rock music (with Vangelis and Aphrodite's Child being obvious exceptions) and secondly this is a solo album in the truest sense of the word with only one other musician, Nikos Miras who provides drums with Nikitas doing everything else. He told me that he decided to release it himself as either the labels weren't interested in him, or eventually he wasn't interested in them as he wanted to have complete control himself, so I was intrigued to hear the end result.

Then one day an envelope arrived, and I certainly wasn't expecting to open it and find a digipak and booklet filled with great artwork (care of Dmitra Papadimitriou who definitely deserves a namecheck), with all of the lyrics etc. It certainly doesn't seem like a one-man effort, and the music definitely reinforces that. Nikitas used to be a member of Verbal Delirium and is currently a member of the Greek conceptual avant garde performance band Yianneis and it was following the release of their debut album that he locked himself in the studio to start work on this which he describes as symphonic-progressive.

It is an album of great depth and complexity, with lots going on. At times it is over the top and in your face while at others there is a real feeling of space with just gentle instrumentation. The use of 'real' drums definitely enhances the feel, and there is a controlled dark emotion that pervades the music as a separate layer, and the vocals are sometimes delicate and almost whispered and at others they are passionate and fraught. The combination of fragile vocals and delicate piano at the beginning of 'Lines on a Bust' are Hogarth-era Marillion at its' best, but for the most part the one band that appears to have influenced Nikitas more than any other is probably Discipline, and any fan of their incredible music will definitely appreciate this album.

It is an incredible piece of work, even more so as it is just one person creating this world, and I believe that the next album will be more of a band piece, but in the meantime this is highly recommended for all progheads. methexis.bandcamp.com/