AGENESS

This Finnish four piece band was founded in the early Nineties, in 1992 Ageness released their debut CD Showing Paces, followed by Rituals in 1995 and Imageness in 1998. Then it became very silent until 2009 when Ageness released their fourth album entitled Songs From The Liar's Liar. The band featured three original members: Tommy Eriksson (vocals, keyboards and guitars), Kari Saaristo (drums and percussion) and Jari Ukkonen (bass guitar), along Speedy Saarinen (guitars and vocals) and guest musicians Matti Kervinen (from other Finnish bands Kataya and the interesting Pax Romana) on keyboards and backing vocals and Jukka Kulju on the distinctive Hammond organ (in the track Liar's Liar).

To me this strong fifth album sounds as a kind of 'Art-rock-opera' with a lot of variety, good musical ideas, an excellent rhythm-section, lots of harder-edged guitar work, wonderful keyboard play (including an important role for the Mighty Tron) and, last but not least, inspired vocals with a slightly theatrical undertone at some moments. The climates range from mellow with twanging guitar, warm vocals and tender piano or a sound collage to a tight up-tempo rhythm with fiery guitar and propulsive drums or bombastic with emotional vocals and lush keyboards.

My highlight is the long final composition Liar's Liar: it starts dreamy with beautiful piano and vocals, followed by a compelling atmosphere and then, there is a few minutes silence minutes, concluded with a splendid final section featuring a heavy and bombastic climate with intense Mellotron violins, biting guitar, thunderous drums and powerful vocals, very exciting!

This final Ageness album is their best effort and interesting for fans of symphonic rock, neo-prog and Seventies Art- rock (elements of Bowie and Queen).

My rating: 3,5 star.

While this album may sound derivative in many ways of 80s Marillion and even Peter Gabriel, it should be remembered that this came very early in the game and debuted the same year as Marillion's landmark "Script For A Jester's Tear." And despite some obvious similarities, SCARAB somehow managed to meld together successfully aspects of 70s Genesis, 80s Peter Gabriel solo albums, Marillion and some tracks suspiciously sound like they took a cue from 80s Genesis with "Abacab" type progressive pop making its way into the more bombastic symphonic tracks. As well as the obvious influences emerging from the Genesis inspired pack, there are clear Kansas aspects from the ubiquitous violin that ranges from simple symphonic touches to full-out attacks once let off its leash. The acoustic guitar passages have a ring of early Steve Hackett as well. I can detect some quirky Styx type energy infused in the mix as there is an infusion of the late 70s prog pop style interspersed with the more progressive rock touches.

SCARAB was quite energetic for this time in the emerging neo-prog era and that's what appeals to me the most. While some have an issue with the vocals, i personally don't find them to be so impenetrable as they have a unique charm all their own albeit attached to the neo-prog type of emerging sound of the era. True that better examples of the newly developed symphonic prog over the decades had emerged but i really love the quirky touches and the instrumentation of the band's sharp tightness which executes the over-the-top Genesis qualities of their different band developments from pastural symphonic prog to full-on prog pop. There are brilliant keyboard riffs, gentle pastural acoustic sweeps and a very competent approach to the percussion which is often lacking in the neo-prog world where more often than not it's on automatic pilot. Add the sensual violin and viola elements and this is a compelling early neo-prog album. There are also moments that remind of bands like Rush in not only a Geddy Lee type of goofy yelp but in the song structures themselves. SCARAB managed to create a diverse album that never stagnates throughout its playing time. I'm a fan of this one.

This SCARAB album was originally released with 9 tracks on vinyl but was later released in 1995 as an Ageness album titled "Scarab: The Album & Live At Tavastia Club 30.6.1983" on CD with extra tracks that included six bonus tracks of live performances at the Tavastia Club. While this may not go down in history as the most original offerings of the early neo-prog developments, i personally find it a rewarding album in the terms of delivery. While there is no doubt that Genesis is the prime mover of influential shakers, i have personally always favored the second generation of Genesis worshipers over the band themselves in the big picture (not to say that Genesis didn't have outstanding albums of course). SCARAB simply created a brilliant album that went somewhere Genesis abandoned as they favored pop over prog. Whether this rates as high in your world or not, neo-prog fans should definitely check this one out.

The initial recordings of the comeback album featured also Matti Kervinen (Pax Romana, Kataya, etc... plus a producer and a record company man) who had distributed Ageness albums in Finland. A guitarist and an organist had departed. Guitarist Speedy Saarinen had guested on Rituals (1995), now he completed the new quartet line-up and also took care of mixing the new album. Compared to earlier stuff, Songs from the Liar's Lair feels somehow more mature. Perhaps it demands more time to sink on the listener, and the highlights don't stick out as instantly as before , also because this is more even in quality. -- Hey, wait a minute, the final track ended long ago but the CD keeps spinning... A hidden track, what else. I can't say I'd enjoy this habit a lot (the worst case must be on Marillion's This Strange Engine) and I bet I won't care to wait for this one, an energetic rocker, on later listenings.

The relatively quiet and brief opening instrumental suddenly bursts into powerful, almost attacking 'Martial Arts'. It's the longest track at nearly ten minutes but not among my favourites. The title song -- by the way lyrics mention the X-File agents Mulder and Scully -- is pretty gorgeous with several [neo] prog hallmarks, wide dynamics, solo parts and, most of all, lots of emotion. These elements are present throughout the album. The production (by the band) is very good if slightly on the dark end of the spectre, and and there are no weak tracks. Recommended if your'e into bands such as PENDRAGON and IQ, even if the early Ageness have disappointed you with Genesis-imitations and the nasal vocals of Eriksson, which aren't as nasal any more.

The leading man Tommy Eriksson (composing, keyboards, vocals) has a very distinctive voice comparable to Peter Nicholls of IQ. Especially the keyboards are audibly Tony Banks influenced (think of Genesis from A Trick of the Tail to the 1983 eponymous album). Other likely associations from these tightly performed, accessible songs include the 80's synth period of RUSH, and SAGA. The 32-second opening track is just a sonic vignette for synths and a voice sample. 'Forever Returns' is a bold and catchy prog rocker that SAGA might have done in their prime. Weak 'Chainsaw Murders' is hardly progressive at all. 'Freeways' feels like a cross between an average SAGA song and Fish-era MARILLION at their most commercial. Curiously the synth pattern in the quieter section resembles the one in Marillion's 'The Last Straw' ("we live our lives in private shells...", you know?).

'Polyphemus' also gives an association, as it begins with similar soft guitar chords as RUSH's 'Red Barchetta', but this composition manages to build less predictable progressive edge, and sounds pretty interesting compared to preceding mediocre songs. 'Hidden Space' is one of the highlights, a relatively slow song with melancholic depth and a fine acoustic guitar appearance. 'Take Us All' with an acoustic guitar riff in its core is a bright nice song, feeling slightly similar as Marillion's 'After You'.

'Silent Partners' dives into shady dramatics and offers surprisingly many cool prog details in less than 5 minutes. Following a little bit silly black humour song 'Problems' - another Marillion association! - , 'Ritual II (Renaissance)' is exactly what the album needed at this point: a classically oriented acoustic guitar solo. A pity that it lasts only 59 seconds... The 10-minute 'Mortal Wings of Sin II' is a sequel to a Scarab track, and a definite prog highlight here.

Sure, the influences and even some direct resemblances can be heard here and there, but Ageness also proves to have a personality of their own in this finely produced and mostly quite enjoyable Neo Prog album.

In the next decade AGENESS belonged to the small bunch of Finnish prog revivalists. At the time the prog association Colossus was founded too. Since the band's roots are unquestionably in SCARAB whose frontman and composer was the keyboardist-vocalist Tommy Eriksson as well, it makes very much sense that Scarab's studio and live recordings from 1983 were released on CD with the words 'Two Vintage AGENESS Recordings' printed on the cover. "Just recently it became in to my knowledge that the value of the original vinyl version (only a few copies left) has risen to unbelievable heights", Tommy writes in the liner notes. I'm very glad I finally got the chance to hear this brave chapter in the Finnish prog history.

The opener 'Day of Doom' starting with a wind effect is aptly titled as one immediately senses the dark drama in the music. The sound reminds the 80's commercial hard rock, with an emphasis on organ-oriented keyboards and the addition of violin & viola. KANSAS of this era may sound similar to some degree. The GENESIS influence is not quite as obvious as on the Ageness output, but it comes audible here and there. And I bet the "musical box" in the lyrics of 'Asylum 32' refers to no other than Genesis. That track gives a big role to the violin, though mostly in a riff approach.The short and tight 'Haze and Visions' feels at first like a very straight-forward rocker, but it's not without a prog attitude either. 'Dor-en-Dor' offers more Genesis-reminding complexity and Banks-y keyboards. By the way, Eriksson's vocals remind a lot of IQ's Peter Nicholls!

The brief album's compositions get better towards the end. The minute-long 'Sand Finale' is the only instrumental, and the tracks after it have a deeper and more mature atmosphere. Maybe we should talk about an EP or mini-LP because without the 7-minute, originally excluded 'Mortal Wings of Sin I' (a highlight, no doubt) the vinyl has been approximately half an hour long.

If Marillion's debut was very strikingly against the contemporary pop/rock especially in the epic song structures, Scarab's music stays a bit closer to the slightly poppy, hard edged rock of its time, but without sacrificing the totally unfashionable progness. They definitely were pioneers who were swimming against the tide. For an advanced prog listener this hardly offers anything new but it has stood the test of time better than I expected.

It's interesting to note that the live set (recorded in Helsinki's Tavastia, June 30th 1983) offers six other tracks. They're quite similar in style with the studio tracks, but sadly the sonic quality really could be better. Anyway they are a welcome addition already for the curiosity value alone. 3½ stars!

With ''Rituals'' Ageness tried to move away a bit from their strong GENESIS influences and came up with a happier, more accesible and personal style, which would reflect on the mass of groovy parts, the melodic guitar solos and the AOR-flavored synthesizers of the album.They sounded closer to acts such as FINAL CONFLICT, TIMELOCK or TRISTAN PARK, giving emphasis on pleasant synth lines, powerful singing, edgy guitar solos and leads and more compact song structures with less symphonic flourishes and more straight performances, despite the fact that the tracks were generally longer.Compositionally they remained at a very good level with extremely tight playing, great choruses and memorable themes, having an excellent bassist in the line-up and offering some very powerful and passionate music.However the unexpected twists, the GENESIS-inspired symphonic lines and the more professional executions of ''Showing paces'' are missing from this album.Lots of dramatic textures are absent and the focus in here is on positive, energetic pieces with convincing keyboard and guitar melodies.The second half of the album though comes closer to Ageness' previous attempt with more flexible compositions, featuring acoustic lines, flashy keyboard solos and eventually some well-crafted, dramatic atmospheres.

A bit of a let down compared to Ageness' impressive comeback, but ''Rituals'' is still an album to be appreciated by the whole Neo Prog community and fans of the more accesible side of Progressive Rock due to its solid and memorable material.Recommended.

And what a great comeback this is by Eriksson and his new bandmates.''Showing paces'' is extremely clever Neo Prog with plenty of catchy tunes, memorable melodies, interesting instrumental parts and a heavy GENESIS atmosphere,though in its modern version.The overall style holds similarities with bands such as IQ, PALLAS and FINAL CONFLICT,that means Ageness switch from melodic vintage Symphonic Rock to powerful heavier Neo Prog with good riffs and bombastic atmospheres.Eriksson is the undoubtful leader of the effort, both with his flashy performance on synths and his GABRIEL-esque voice tone, supported by a second keyboard player named Jari Laasanen.The rest of the band supports in a fantastic way as well,with the great guitarist Vesa Auvinen filling the sound with nice riffs and melodic solos and the rhythm section being very solid.The way the band offers these GENESIS-inspired delightful retro tunes with the good use of even acoustic parts and then heads for some fiery rockier moments is simply outstanding and a great proof og Ageness' talent.Still the average production and some cheesy synths parts could have been treated some improvement.Notice also the smart auto-biographical ''Revelation'' song, composed by Eriksson and borrowing the GENESIS tune from ''I know what I like'', of how he came in touch with Progressive Rock with even references to Marillion,Twelfth Night and Rush.

An amazing comeback from the old Scarab leader and his new outfit.''Showing Paces'' is a must-have for any Neo Prog fan out there,but also a great addition for fans of Melodic Rock,Retro Prog and Symphonic Rock.This is propably how Genesis would have sounded if trying to carry their sound through the 80's.Highly recommended.