OMNI

Antony Kalugin has created a NeoProg concept album with the help of one of the finest lineups of Progressive Rock Hall of Famers. Two long inter-connected suites are the result.

A) "OMNI Part 1" (23:03) 1. "Omni Overture" (2:37) Why? Why did Antony decide to use Genesis' Duke opening to open this album? It's too blatant, even though it does expand upon the flow and direction of the original, but then it comes back to the pulsing "Duke's Travels" section before going Phil Collins with the blasts from the "horn section. (8.8.75/10) 2. "Storyteller (Part 1)" (4:29) interesting 1980s NeoProg with Richard Sinclair in the lead vocals and on the fretless bass while Michel St-Pere provides the New Wave guitar chords and sounds. (Think The Fixx's Jamie Oren-West, Simple Mind's New Gold Dream, or Re-Flex's "The Politics of Dancing" for the sound Michel uses). John Hackett's flute is notable but dismissive. When Michel starts to step up front for the lead guitar work at the end we are reminded of his power as a NeoProg guitar player. (8.875/10) 3. "Whispers from the Past" (3:28) 4. "The Spark" (5:45) the music continues as Salva's Per Malmberg steps up to the lead microphone. He sounds so much like someone from the late 1970s or early 1980s--someone quite distinctive (and good). Maybe the lead singer from the Canadian band PAYOLA$ ("Eyes of a Stranger"). (9.25/10) 5. "Masterplan" (5:18) 6. "Mirror of Souls" (1:24)

B) "OMNI Part 2" (22:42) 7. "Unchained" (5:44) beautiful and emotion-wrenching NeoProg is fronted by amazing performances from Mystery vocalist, Jean Pageau, and Inside The Sound guitarist, Max Velychko. Has the torch been passed from Marco Glühmann to Jean Pageau as the reigning greatest prog vocalist and that of the greatest NeoProg guitarist from Michel St-Pere to Max Velychko? (9.3333/10) 8. "The Cards We Play" (8:26) Antonin Kalugin, John Hackett, Richard Sinclair, Marco Glühmann, and Michel St-Pere: has there ever been a better "all-star" lineup? 'nuff said. (18.25/20) 9. "You and I" (3:52) nice NeoProg with Bartosz Kossowicz performing the FISH-like lead vocal with some real searing lead guitar work from Michel St-Pere. (8.875/10) 10. "Storyteller (Part 2)" (4:38) the final sounds like with Richard Sinclair, Bartosz and Antony sharing the multi-part lead vocal duties. Rather nice--even beautiful and emotive--if not innovative. (9.125/10)

Total Time 45:45

Despite not owning this album and, therefore, not being able to hear all of its songs (three songs covering ten minutes of the album's nearly 46 are unavailable for previewing on the album's Bandcamp page), I am going to post this review.

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of progressive rock music and a fine example of lush, high-quality modern NeoProg from one of prog's most prolific composer-musicians.

To put it into one word: BRAVO! Antony Kalugin has made one of his finest albums, and considering his excessive but always pretty inspired productivity that's amazing. In fact, I have, for some time, had a somewhat tired feeling for the endless flow of Kalugin/Karfagen/Sunchild releases in recent years, and I wasn't expecting to be truly impressed anymore. Gladly I was wrong. Omni has a unique identity among Kalugin's works, partly it's because of the international stellar cast of prog musicians, but also musically there's a breath of fresh air. Not that anything heard here wouldn't already be rather familiar from Kalugin's output. But the energy, dynamic balance, melodic power, indeed everything, has reached perfection on this symphonic and suitably pop-sensible and highly emotional neo prog album.

The whole flows extremely naturally and seamlessly. Two of the ten tracks, 1 and 6, are instrumentals that bookend the first suite (Omni Part 1 has six and Part 2 four pieces, and I'm glad they are separated on the CD display). The first guest vocalist is Richard Sinclair (Caravan, Hatfield and the North), the finest voice of Canterbury prog. Haven't heard of him in ages, so this is a very nice surprise.

On 'Whispers from the Past' Antony duets with Olha Rostovska, backed by Bartosz Kossowicz from the Polish neo prog scene (Collage, Quidam). This song reminds me of the atmospheric, calm songs of the later-day Steve Hackett. The more upbeat song 'The Spark' is sung (+ on guitars and bass) by Per Malmberg from Salva, unfamiliar to me. His tight voice has a shade of 80's pop, Tears For Fears and Midge Ure of Ultravox. The brief, moody second instrumental features Antony's keys, John Hackett's flute and Daniel Ilyin's electric violin.

The vocalist on the emotional 'Unchained' is Jean Pageau from the Canadian neo prog band Mystery. The flute opens the next passionate song sung by Marco Gluhmann from the German neo act Sylvan. Kossowicz offers lead vocals on 'You and I'. And on the final, serene piece Antony duets with Richard Sinclair.

Omni is a gorgeous, epic neo prog album that I believe a dedicated listener of the genre will greatly enjoy.