SYMPHONIC WORLD

Japanese 'progressive hardrock' band Novela was very popular in their own country and between 1980 and 1987 they made many albums. The line-up on their first albums included known Japanese progrock musicians Terutsugu Hirayama (later he founded Teru's Symphonia) and keyboard virtuoso Toshio Egawa (later Gerard and Sheherazade). This CD is a compilation of their early albums with the focus on the longer and more symphonic compositions.

1. Letticia (11.09) : This track alternates between dreamy (warm vocals and tender piano), mid-tempo rock (heavy electric guitar riffs and sensational synthesizer flights) and bombastic (majestic violin- Mellotron eruptions).

2. La Songerie (13.49) :It starts very compelling with a bombastic climate featuring wonderful, very moving Mellotron waves and slow but powerful drum beats, goose bumps! Then the moods shifts from mellow (coloured by acoustic guitar, piano and harpsichord) to swinging (nice duet from piano and violin- Mellotron) and splendid bombastic eruptions with violin-Mellotron. After a short Spanish guitar solo the composition ends with a great 'grand finale' delivering wonderful Mellotron and a sensitive electric guitar solo, the final minute contain moving waves from the choir-Mellotron, again goose bumps!

3. Reminiscence (16.57) : A typical Novela 'epic 'progressive hardrock' song: bombastic keyboards, classical orchestrations, harder-edged guitarwork, lots of spectatulcar synthesizer flights and some mellow parts with dreamy vocals.>p>4. Requiem - Part 2 (7.11) : A beautifully build- up piece, from a slow rhythm with wonderful violin-Mellotron and sensitive electric guitar to gradually more bombastic featuring bass pedals, howling electric guitar and bombastic keyboards.

5. Terra (5.02) : Another typical short Novela track: up- tempo progressive hardrock delivering fiery electric guitar, slow synthesizer runs and a bit screamy Japanese vocals.

6. Dream The Paint (5.23) : A mellow song with first soaring strings and acoustic guitar and then a blend of sparkling piano, sensitive electric guitar and warm vocals.7. The Dawn Of... (7.09) : A great final track that features the great tension between the heavy and bombastic side of Novela: harder- edged guitarplay and spectacular syntehsizer runs blended with dreamy guitar work, classical orchestrations and a final part with howling electric guitar, moving violin- Mellotron waves and dynamic drums, very compelling!

If you are up to spectacular keyboard work and the distinctive Japanese vocals (strange sound, high-pitched and sometimes a bit screamy), this is exciting progrock!