BLUE HOUR CONFESSIONS

Earth Flight is a relatively unknown German psychedelic doom metal band. Formed in 2004, the band released a number of releases as well as a number of lineup changes before the release of their second full length studio album, Blue Hour Confessions. The band owns a very unique style; the band's music will vary into extremes and equilibrium with three main influences: 70s hard rock, doom metal, and psychedelic rock a la Pink Floyd. Although those influences may seem odd together, the band does a spectacular job at the amalgamation of these almost opposing styles. From swaths of doomy riffing to oceans of melodic and spacey guitar chords, the music on this diverse disk rarely stagnates and it keeps the listener tuned in to the emotive and inviting music quite keenly.

This album is a wonderful example of a side of progressive rock that isn't seen very often. This album is not fed from the fires of virtuosity or technical mastery. This album is very much dependent on emotion and feeling to express the power and potency of the music. The compositions are not complex orchestral monstrosities or intricately technical, but rather careful emotive pieces of music meant to express these four musicians passion for the sound that they create. Each member has an intimate niche in the music, whether adding rhythm, melody, harmony, or a solid foundation for which the music is based from. Whether subtle harmony or gentle melody, the whole atmosphere of the music is wonderfully expressive of the composer's influences and the diversity adds a spectacular color and feeling to the music.

The diversity of the music, and the dynamics that that diversity yields, is another one of the wonderful things about this album. Although the album is heavily based in their doom metal background (even the band's name is taken from a Pentagram, a doom metal band, song), the album has much farther reaching elements than depression-soaked riffs and dour lyrical themes. The band has a spectacular base of influence, ranging from Pink Floyd- esque chord progressions to Zeppelin-esque riffing to even more recent rock influences. The album never really bottoms out with a boring section of riffs or rhythms, it constantly changes, whether the band is in a psychedelic swing, such as much of the intro of "Restless," or an upbeat rock swing, such as much of "Other Side of the Rings," the band has a number of tricks up their sleeves to make their music interesting and inviting.

In conclusion, Blue Hour Confessions shows itself as a spectacular display of Earth Flight's potential to make emotive, diverse music and synthesize numerous influences into a dynamic, inviting, and cohesive piece of music. The band's wonderful mastery of their part in the music truly makes this an exemplary piece of music. Although the songs are not complex, overly technical, or even spectacularly progressive, the music still is a fantastic show of the desire to create music that not only they like, but pushes the boundaries of their genre and makes an inviting and enticing album for listeners. 4 stars.