EARTH'S SECRET ENGINE

One of the most powerful things about progressive music at its finest is the ability for bands to provide us with sounds and atmospheres that resonate deep within us but at the same time provide surprises for us. Well the new release from Pagan Harvest "Earth's Secret Engine" has certainly provided a dramatic turn of events for those who are familiar with the band's back catalogue. It heralds a gargantuan leap from the captivating darkness of previous release "Sacred River" to a feeling of refreshing light. The familiar deep vocal tones of former vocalist Jon Bickley have been replaced in the main by the ethereal female vocals of Sam Walker and this is where the journey has moved on for this progressive folk band.

It begins with the choral harmonic reverie sounds of the title track "Earth's Secret Engine" which rolls refreshingly along at a delicate stately pace. As with everything on this release, the core of the song is uncomplicated but the band's execution takes the simplicity to a far more affecting level of intrigue. Memories of Pink Floyd's 'The Great Gig In The Sky' come to mind with the beautiful vocals from Sam Walker towards the end of the track with a great vocal workout as she weaves the song towards a soaring conclusion with some surging crescendos.

'Push The Plough' is a folk tinged social commentary on the struggles to feed the world's growing population by using farming techniques which are taking a lasting toll on the ground and environment. It momentarily transports the listener into the bleak landscapes that future generations could face with some Led Zeppelin 3 style acoustic strumming from Lawrence Reed. Pin sharp and very melodramatic throughout. On 'One More Notch' there is a spine shivering warning articulated about the perils of traffic volumes sending us to the apocalypse. Starting with a spoken word intro the song shows a great example of how the band combine straightforward songwriting with subtly layered arrangements with a very pleasant heart rending melody. Underpinning it all is some fine bass playing and rhythmic drum playing from Steve Daymond and Ellie Daymond respectively which really comes through when the track is listened to on some quality headphones.

At the heart are some lush keyboards on 'Nature Ascending'. It is a minimalist piece of music which is delicate and emotional as the various instruments merge seamlessly to support the song admirably. However you just cannot escape the hypnotic underbelly of the keyboards which carry you along with the track. Alongside the title track 'Damascus' is one of the standout numbers. It is intricately crafted and an instrumentally dexterous offering with a hint of commercialism. Tempo wise it is perfect yet it is elaborate in terms of playing and arrangement.

'Nature's Song' is split across three sections all wrapped in a tapestry of percolating ambience. Maintaining a gentle pace, including an underlying keyboard sound which at times is reminiscent of The Doors. It all merges seamlessly with a delicacy of touch and a sense of nature's beauty. 'The Last Cock Crew' is a carefully written almost stripped down number bringing the main album to a close. However there are a couple of bonus tracks, 'Fun Rides' and 'Vultures', included on the disc to round everything off quite nicely.

The production throughout the disc is very well balanced allowing the listener to easily pick out all the component parts with neither the vocals or individual instruments dominating proceedings to the detriment of the music.

Pagan Harvest have provided a contemporary twist on a genre that so many mainstream music fans find hard to swallow. For this they should be praised. Ambitious and challenging?..Yes. Their topical lyrics should make us all think about the world we live in whilst we immerse ourselves in this fine release.