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The Night Watch - An Embarrassment of Riches CD (album) cover

AN EMBARRASSMENT OF RICHES

The Night Watch

Progressive Metal


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4 stars THE NIGHT WATCH is a project of members of MUSK OX, with the imprint of AGALLOCH, TENHI, UNEXPECT, LEPROUS and BELIEVER

"Land Ho!" » with the magic violin of Evan RUNGE sets off on a sea of tranquility dotted with waves of acoustic and electric guitars, the sound goes as far as the new world and an air of the wild west at one moment; the different breaks leading to an apocalyptic finale. "Mendoza" with a violin and piano duo is more energetic thanks to well-crafted guitar riffs, BELIEVER, ANATHEMA and TENHI sound in the distance in a very fleeting way, the tune comes more precisely from AGALLOCH at its beginnings. "The Summit (partI)" opens with a gentle intro with sparse acoustic guitar notes, bordering on depressive spleen, then a two-part rise in violin, guitar and bass that allows the brain to explode in search of its soul and distilled notes. , intense dreamlike sensation. "Dance of the Mountain People" starts with a cello, finally the tortured violin, a few xylophone notes and a redundant and hypnotic tune, at one moment gypsy laments, at another gypsy sounds then a passing flamenco tune, then choirs, a captivating white and finally an airy, fruity guitar solo accompanied by the eternal violin for a Dantesque ending à la BELIEVER.

"Shamaniac" changes at first glance with a heavy riff, a hard rhythm that could be found in DREAM THEATER to better leave room for the magical, melancholic and enlightened violin, a musical oxymoron in itself; it is a musical universe which is offered with long walks in the arid steppes, the chiseled, nervous, energetic violin giving a punchy and dynamic air and takes the guitar on unsuspected tracks: title in 'replay' here to immerse yourself in the magical air provoked, the convolutions drowning us a little more in a dreamlike phonic maze bordering on classical, I even find some notes of "Forbidden Games". "Telling Brow And Tongue Root" raises the level a little further with a calm intro, intense spleen, then a violin-guitar association, the rhythm adds it with a martial air of the drums to give new and enjoyable empirical moments. "The Summit Part II" and the longest title with a violin once again highlighted, well supported by his colleagues, a title that is difficult to dissect: I find flamenco again in the style of AL DI MEOLA, post in the style of GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR, quite a bit of the BELIEVER sound when they used the violin; the violin brings prog breaks, takes pride of place with devastating solos, the violin brings hypnotic and captivating moments; at this moment I feel more and more the connection with the story of the explorer waking up on an island, alone and having to persevere, fighting not to sink into uncertainty and resignation; What follows is a long quest towards the belief of rediscovering the humanized world. When we talk about choosing your best Cds if you were on a desert island, the island is there! "Currents" closes the album's journey with a piano ballad on a calm tune, a few notes to rest from the long journey that you will undoubtedly take.

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Posted Monday, December 11, 2023 | Review Permalink

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