NINE SKIES

"Sweetheart Grips" is the second studio album by French prog band Nine Skies. The title refers to the use of soldiers in World War II to place a photo of their loved ones on the butt of their pistols. This gives the album a beautiful, evocative title, but behind that lies the true concept of this twelve-song double album. "Sweetheart Grips" is about a young soldier who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. The question comes to surface of course whether the album is not heavy, very heavy.

Well, there are enough fresh moments in this neo-prog to counterbalance the dark passages of this album. These dark passages occur largely during the singing and recitation of some poems from a distant past. There are also some sound fragments added here and there, such as in opener Vestige in which, in addition to some war sounds, we are also confronted with a crying woman. In the ensuing Burn My Brain, the beautiful voice of the then new singer Alienor Favier is heard where she vocally adapts a poem by Lord Byron. The song is excellent neo-prog towards Marillion with great guest contributions from Graig Blundell (Steven Wilson, Steve Hackett, Frost) on drums and Clive Nolan (Pendragon, Arena) on keys.

On this album, variety trumps. While the privately sung Catharsis (Part II) by Eric Bouillette is a beautifully rumbling song with a lot of acoustic guitar and atmospheric keyboard playing, The Thought Traider is a heavy song with fierce Tracy Hitchings-like vocals and a jewel of a guitar solo from the fingers of Bouillette. The dark Alone (Sweethearts Grips Intro) is very different in atmosphere. It is based on a poem by Edgar Allan Poe and has beautiful piano playing by Alexandre Lamia. The last part of the song shows that Nine Skies really knows how to play excellent symfo. By the way, I was sitting upside down in my chair when I first heard the song because the poem that is recited there was also used by the band I used to play in. The first CD closes with the beautifully sung title track by Riccardo Romano (RanestRane). It is an emotionally epic that in turn has a large part in the kaleidoscopic character of the whole.

"Sweetheart Grips" is with discs of 36 and 30 minutes respectively the shortest double CD I know. Fortunately, Cd2 continues the line of the first disc effortlessly. There are again strong guest contributions where it should be noted that the keyboard playing of Pat Sanders (Drifting Sun) in Soldiers Of Shame is more than sublime. That the variation on this disc is also good is evident from the nice sax in Somewhere Inside Mankind. The air always vibrates a bit when the organic instrument emits its sounds. A special song on this CD is Tyrant Or Nothing where the acoustic guitar and the fantastic bass work of Bernard Hery get all the points. Hery's playing on the entire album is a feast anyway. I'm used to a lot but Hery is top of my list. Hear him excel in the instrumental Flowers of Pain. Incomparably beautiful. The album closes with the again instrumental Isolation. The violin in it contributes enormously to the sinister atmosphere that the band wants to create here. The still tones of the piano at the end are so penetrating that you are at least flattened.

"Sweetheart Grips" may consist of two short CDs, but the music that the French band plays here keeps you in its grip for 67 minutes. Forbidden to knock off.

Orginally posted on www.progenrock.com

My lucky number is 9 and skies are always beautiful, from early in the morning until late at night, wherever you are. In that respect, the name of the French prog band Nine Skies really appeals to me. And besides that the music of this band from Nice is nice as well.

My large excitement for the band made me decide to review all their albums and publish them as a special on Prog & Rock. It is initially about four albums, but any future work will just join in of course.

Let's start at the beginning. Nine Skies is founded in 2013 by keyboardist Anne-Claire Rallo and guitarist/pianist/violinist Eric Bouillette with the aim of playing music with some metal. Together with a number of befriended guest musicians, a demo-like EP is made. The progressive rock as can be heard nowadays, is still at progress at that time. Little by little, the band sound shifts from metal-like music to prog and eventually Nine Skies grows into a nine-piece. These 9 musicians have brought a huge amount of styles and influences with them and without falling musically into a lavish rattle box, the band knows how to create a beautifully eclectic unity.

"Return Home", their debut album released at the end of 2017, brilliantly shows how all those styles come together in the transparent band sound. Nine Skies makes a mixture of Camel and Marillion-like prog with elements of world music, jazz, folk, classical and psychedelic rock. To achieve that, you regularly hear things like piano, acoustic guitar, floaty keys, fusion-like bass work and exuberant guitar solos in Rothery style.

Above all there is the vocal input that leaves its mark, although the music has quite a lot of instrumental passages. This is shaped by two different lead singers, Alexandre Boussacre and Freddy Scott. The two of them give shape to the main characters who are present on this concept CD. In that respect, the sounds is very reminiscent of the albums of the German band Fuchs where there are also two lead singers present. There are certainly similarities both vocally as musically.

The Nine Skies album is about life in the big city, about the absurdities of our current world and the way we learn to live with it. Musically, there are ten songs that frame this concept. The title track Return Home opens with the mysterious sounds of an opening door and someone's footsteps. These sink into a melancholic piece with piano, guitar and vocals by Boussacre. Some distorted guitar chords bring life to this excellent song. The result is a piece full of delicious basses, crackling drums, dizzying keyboards and furious guitar tones likewise Camel.

Favorite songs that pass by are the jaunty Season Of Greed and the somewhat theatrical Roses Never Hatch sung by Scott.

Nine Skies knows how to assemble the perfect package. In addition to the sparkling character of the music, there are always a few colored pencils such as violin, saxophone or flute. Beautiful in that respect is The Blind Widower where a whole box of Caran d'Ache is used to create a delicious piece of jazz rock. With the whimsical The Slight Snake and the slightly subdued Dust In Town, the band brings some industrialization to the pallet. Both songs are a bit reminiscent of Eloy in terms of atmosphere. Nine Skies never really misses the mark.

Songs like the instrumental The Blind Widower (Part II), the quiet Time For Them To Go and the incomparable closing track A Way Back continue the good line of the album. But that's not all. In 2018, the album was released as a Special Edition with four bonus tracks. These songs are alternative versions of tracks that are also on the regular album but sound here in a shorter, instrumental variant. Those who are a fan of a lot of violin can count themselves rich, Everyone by the way.

"Return Home" is an impressive album in every way. Nine Skies is a fascinating band. You don't hear them that often.

Orginally posted on www.progenrock.com

Beauce is a geographical region in central France. This area also is referred to as the granary of that country because of its agricultur. Enough of master Dick, over to your blinking prognaut.

We write October 26, 2019. In the concert hall of the French town of Pierres, all the progfans from the wider Beauce area come together to enjoy the music at a small festival with an international line-up for the seventh year on a row. Respectively on the stage there is room for Nine Skies (France), Clepsydra (Switzerland), Albion (Poland) and Mystery (Canada). Quit a lot to swallow.

On June 4, 2021, the CD "Live @ Prog En Beauce" is released with the performances of Nine Skies that afternoon. The album, which sounds like a kind of official bootleg, shows an incredible amount of adrenaline. Music is not a sport otherwise you would say Les Bleus played a home game. The passion drips off, it is for flag and country so to speak.

The album contains ten tracks, eight actual songs and two speeches. The songs are from the two studio albums of the band at that time and they are played in a mixture. The debut "Return Home" is represented with four songs and the strong successor "Sweetheart Grips" as well. These eight songs clearly show Nine Skies is an excellent band despite the poor sound quality. Anyone who can listen beyond the bootleg-like sound will hear some great prog. However, it is difficult not to be blown away by the vocals of Aliénor Favier. She delivers quit a lot.

In addition to a number of excellent musicians, it is very nice Nine Skies has access to two leading multi-talents: Eric Bouillette (guitar, keys) and Alexandre Lamia (keys, acoustic guitar).

As on the studio CDs, their actions are neatly framed by the moody keyboard chords of Anne Claire Rallo and for the main part lead guitar playing of David Darnaud. Everyone asserts himself emphatically and bassist Bernard Hery and drummer Fab Galia are having a great time as well.

The first two songs, Burn My Brain and Return Home, radiate unvarnished the adrenaline level of the music. Many music lovers will be confronted with an inner split between sound and music.

A major instrument change takes place when Season Of Greed presents itself. Eric Bouillette starts playing keys and Alexandre Lamia takes up the acoustic guitar. David Darnaud still plays fantastic lead guitar. What follows next are the instrumental Catharsis and the over ten-minutes Sweetheart Grips, which unfortunately allows the overpowering vocals to dominate a little too much. With her nasal voice Aliénor Favier has enough qualities which will suit better in a gothic or metal band. In any way, she has the looks for it (on YouTube the entire performance can be seen).

The band continues strongly with Soldiers Of Shame and Fields Of Perdition. As closure there is the beautiful A Way Back (Return Home Part II).

All in all, "Live @ Prog En Beauce" is a turbulent album that will evoke the necessary mixed feelings. Well, who doesn't want them to come up with a fantastic double CD with a DVD added to it?

Orginally posted on www.progenrock.com

On a certain day bands have the need to do something different than usual. Sometimes they seek refuge in an acoustic album on which a number of songs are played in a light-hearted version, often in a live setting. The French band Nine Skies has opted for a more daring approach as the album "5.20" released in 2021, consists entirely of acoustic new studio work.

That idea shows courage and that is commendable to say the least. In fact, only the music itself can throw a spanner in the works. Surely you don't believe that yourself? Knowing Nine Skies, you can expect music where taste and skill are of paramount importance. I am happy to take you for a tour along the tracks.

With Colourblind the album starts beautifully. This song, which has many nuances with its great pastel shades, sets the pleasant tone of the album in an undeniable way. It's always nice to be put on the right foot from the beginning of an album. Subtle playing on the acoustic guitar and nice parts of saxophone suit us, but it is mainly the new singer Achraf El Asraoui who stands out. His voice fits wonderfully into the music. As if you hear a cello with vocal cords, El Asraoui sound is low and emotional. All this evokes on a warm layer of keys, strings, bass guitar and drums.

In the first minutes of the subsequent Wilderness, the atmosphere is quite cheerful. El Asraoui is joined by singer Aliénor Favier. Their voices fit well together and that is a great benefits to this song. The composition, divided into three pieces, delves into a subdued intermediate piece and then, as a kind of reward, a beautiful solo by Steve Hackett on his electric guitar follows.

Beauty Of Decay, on the other hand, is a beautiful instrumental piece of acoustic guitar music. Alexandre Lamia's playing here has similarities with the style of Anthony Phillips or Eddie Mulder if you will. Partly due to the Moroccan origin of El Asraoui, the intoxicating Golden Drops goes towards world music, a beautiful song to which Eric Bouillette has added some sinister violinsounds. Above The Tide sounds pretty folky and so all the ingredients that are mixed on this album are called, he said.

Wrong, the music occasionally has an elusive jazz feel and because a small string section is also used sometimes you can hear classical music at these moments. Wherever they are, the musical interpretations are beautiful. Take, for example, the piano in the instrumental song Dear Mind and the typical Nine Skies song Achristas or take the flute part that guest player John Hackett has added to The Old Man In The Snow. Pure indulgence. Porcelain Hill, sung by Damian Wilson, should be mentioned in that context. With his intense voice he knows how to give a melancholic touch to the song which is his trademark. The closing track, however, is the biggest beauty of the album. Smiling Stars, the title covers it all. Every time I hear "5.20" I get a smile on my face and there are stars sparkling in my eyes.

Orginally posted on www.progenrock.com

With "The Lightmaker," the French prog band Nine Skies delivers their fourth studio album, and one thing is certain: among fans of neo-prog with harder elements, opinions will hardly be divided. The album exudes so much class in terms of compositional richness and musicality that the choice to be lyrical about it is obvious. Additionally, "The Lightmaker" stands out as a special tribute to co-founder Eric Bouillette, the talented multi-instrumentalist who passed away in 2022. Everything aligns perfectly on "The Lightmaker": the artwork, the compelling concept, the superb sound quality, and above all, the impressive guest list featuring names like Adam Holzman, Marco Minnemann, John Mitchell, and Kristoffer Gildenlöw. Nothing is isolated; it's the complete package that captivates. There are very few contemporary albums that make such a powerful impact as this one.

Let's first examine the album's concept. It tells the story of Rudy, who is living his 1001st and final life. The album follows various phases of his existence from the perspective of different characters and their self-reflections. These will undoubtedly provoke thoughts about the human condition, or at least that is the intention.

All these narratives come through well in this eight-track piece. Opener An Fánai is structurally different, though not in atmosphere. This instrumental intro with its Celtic title immediately gives the album a mysterious glow, highlighted by Alexandre Lamia's acoustic guitar playing.

In the following two tracks, The Explorer and The Dreamer, the band from Nice delivers full-bodied neo-prog with a Marillion-like vibe. Especially noteworthy are the expressive vocals of Riccardo Romano (RanestRane) and Martin Wilson (Grey Lady Down, The Room), respectively. Beyond these delightful guest contributions, it's particularly the pounding drums in The Explorer and the wildly appealing guitar solo at the end of The Dreamer that put you in a jubilant mood. No, in fact, every note, every harmony is a rich treat.

Nine Skies' sound is more than ever a swing between fragile and bombastic passages, a weave of tingling acoustic guitars, atmospheric keyboard sounds, and melodic explosions. The somewhat gritty atmosphere up to this point really finds its meaning in the following tracks.

With The Chaotic, the band ventures out. Furious guitar playing with plenty of melody colors the landscape, bordered by sharp guitar chords and dissonant vocals. There's also a radio play-like passage with spoken word by Laura Piazzai (Imaginaerium). It all sounds amazing, and then keyboardist Adam Holzman makes the track legendary with a swirling solo. It's impressive how themes from earlier steer the solo, a class act completed by a tumultuous guitar. After this intense track, there's a brief respite with Kristoffer Gildenlöw in The Lost. However, don't be mistaken. The track builds itself into a piece full of grim hallucinations. With Interlude: The Wanderer, featuring a 50-piece choir crammed into the studio, Nine Skies lets you truly calm down for a moment. It's beautiful.

In the last two tracks, Nine Skies truly surpasses themselves, not least due to the fantastic guest contributions. Singer Charlie Bramald gives a theatrical twist to the folky The Haunted. It sounds surprising and captivating, my favorite album track. I say this while class drummer Marco Minnemann and prog God John Mitchell in The Architect play the roof off and the band's regular singer Achraf El Asraoui also surpasses himself. "The Lightmaker" has so much to offer that you're almost spoiled before the disc finishes spinning. Rarely so good, this concentrated chunk of passion.

Originally posted on www.progenrock.com

It is always a difficult decision as to whether to maintain a band when a key person leaves or sadly passes away, and I am sure there were many discussions as to what to do when multi-instrumentalist Eric Bouillette passed away way too young. He was also the most high-profile member, having been involved with multiple other bands as well, but it is nice to be able to report that Nine Skies have not only kept going but have returned with a very enjoyable album indeed. It is a concept, telling the story of Rudy who is living his 1001st and final life and is retracing some of his existences through different characters and he reflects on these.

They have dispensed with saxophones, so Laurent Benhamou is no longer with the band, but the rest of Nine Skies are the same as on '5.20'. They have again used guests, but this time around they have used multiple singers, and since the recording have brought in a new lead vocalist themselves in Charlie Bramad (who here provides lead on "The Haunted"). There is less instrumentation and diversity than previously, and now we often have keyboards providing a backdrop for other instruments to rest against. This has actually given the band a new lease of life and their guitars are more to the fore, moving even more deeply into neo-prog. The highlight for me is "The Dreamer", featuring Martin Wilson on vocals. Martin is of course a founder of The Room, which at one time included Eric, but I remember seeing him many times back in the Nineties fronting Grey Lady Down and here the band take a back seat and allow his emotional vocals to take centre stage, quite reminiscent of Credo. The guitar is plaintive and just right, providing the cut through.

I do hope this album gives the band enough confidence to record the next one without any guests as I would really like to hear them fully on their own, as I have no doubt there is no need for the additional help and with a new lead singer and a tour booked let us hope that is indeed the case. Even with everything the band has been going through, this is their fourth album in just six years and long may that work ethic continue. This is a very slick and well-produced neo prog album, given life with some wonderful fretless bass, keyboards providing the supporting role, complex drum patterns, guitars cutting through and vocals which are always to the fore. For those who think "neo" is a lesser form of prog need to listen to this and enjoy.

If you are at all like me, you will feel a special anticipation from the first moments that The Lightmaker unfolds before your ears. You are taken by the hand and guided through a majestic journey of a lifetime as nine different voices share their experience and lessons with you, though they are actually the same person: Rudy, who has lived 1000 different lives, and is now on his 1001st and last. What has he learned? What will he share?

The kinds of profound emotions and musical scenery is, as you can imagine- vast, varied and heartfelt. The several different lead singers and indeed each member of the band have reached deep into their souls as this album marks an important turning point for Nine Skies. It's the first album created since the untimely departure of Eric Bouillette. He was a pillar in the band- doing songwriting and performing guitars, piano, keyboards and violin, but the remaining members are bravely forging ahead. If he is able to hear the results in the hereafter where he may reside, I'm convinced he is delighted with the results.

As a big Yes and Steve Hackett fan, plus Opeth, I felt right at home with this album. The Alan Parsons Project-style of featuring different vocalists was a brilliant move and contributes to the album's profound narrative. There's plenty of excellent musicianship here as well. Bass guitar-wise there's some lovely fretless work as well as a 3 string chord/fingerstyle bass solos like on The Wanderer. Guitar-wise there is are plenty of acoustic steel-sting passages featuring soothing and beautiful chord parterns and progressions, as well as tons of tasteful electric guitar sections and some great, and occasionally epic solos. The keyboards and synths feature prominently as well, layered throughout including a remarkable and iconic solo in Chaotic. The drums also fit so well into all of the songs- as everything does, in this gorgeous and well-mixed album.

It is at once epic and modest, and I predict this album will find its way into the hearts of many fans of the progressive rock genre. It's a new high water mark for prog in 2023.

Nine Skies came together little by little; rock, pop, progressive, jazz, neo-prog on Marillion and an orientation for a clean, singular musical community; This 4th album with the story of Rudy living his 1001st last life, his experiences and reflections on the human condition; the idea of giving voice to a different singer; choice which poses the problem of the very essence of the group

'An Fanai (Intro)' says it all, guitar arpeggio on an icy wind, symphonic approach. 'The Explorer' with Riccardo des Ranestrane excels on vocals; a basic riff taking the listener on the wrong foot on a two-tone title, mixing melody and progressive development with Eric's dry guitar. 'The Dreamer' Martin on vocals, you have to get used to different voices; soft, symphonic, digression with Alexandre's melancholy solo; voice-over break before the melodic piano reprise; like the surf of a wave crashing against the bank; a sound reminiscent of many neo groups from the 90s with a superb guitar solo. 'The Chaotic' compulsive explosion the album begins; from a jumbled monolithic sound we arrive at today's prog as I see it; aggressive drums, drawer breaks; Arnaud assisted by Laura having played on 'Imaginaerium' in voice-over; a sublime break from Adam the keyboard of Sir Wilson comes setting fire; its sharp, chaotic sound in which you never get bored; I find Zio's creative madness there with one last good guitar solo.

'The Lost' Tibetan gong, vocals by Kristoffer over a guitar arpeggio; a dark, rocky melody; the voice is suddenly warm with a heavy dark rise, a good point which makes me feel like I'm listening to another group; finale to the grandiloquent Devin Townsend.'The Wanderer (Interlude)' that's all said here too; bass and choir of 50 members for a celestial interlude where the angels remain entangled. 'The Haunted' with Charlie de Zio for a melodic track drawing on Arena interweaving with modern prog like Pendragon second version; expressive solo break connecting the atmosphere a little before a second Genesisian and the crystalline guitar arpeggio; final ethereal piano narrative. 'The Architect' with this ultra-low vibration bringing the guitar arpeggio, we feel Alexandre's touch; Achrah the official singer finally asks himself, why didn't he provide all the voices? Captivating melodic title, the high voice reminding me of Michael from Saga; oriental, Andalusian variation, superb in any case and a purely symphonic prog metal title; the singular phrasing break then a well-calibrated heavy riff, Marco Minnemann's hit, delicate synth notes; a second sinister break introduces an instrumental section with John Mitchell launching a perfect solo.

Nine Skies chose a multitude of singers, which makes prog rock burst with the succession of voices and musical themes.

A collection of six uniquely individual full-length songs and two short instrumental expressions, all expressly (and quite skillfully) composed with the intention of representing several archetypical roles or conditions common to the human experience.

1. "An Fanai (Intro)" (2:46) wind noises. Weave of picked acoustic guitar and glockenspiel-like instrument slowly fade in to take over. Nicely melodic yet interestingly discordant at key moments. Fades out on the other side of the pan (right). (4.5/5)

2. "The Explorer" (6:13) opens like a sensitive SATELLITE song with church organ and sensitive male voice singing before the full band bursts into a complex weave of full progginess. At 1:30 all bombast ebbs away leaving delicate piano, synth wash, and eery female vocal "swipes" while Riccardo Romano continues singing in his perfect voice. At 2:30 Riccardo amps up his voice: a very smooth and effective (and kind Peter Gabriel-like) transition. At 3:15 the full band jumps back in for a bit but then disappear for some guitar and strings behind Riccardo's delicate, plaintive voice. At 4:28 an instrumental shift occurs into a more rhythmically-diverse motif while Riccardo also adapts before jumping into full voice with the band's re-amping in the beginning of the sixth minute. This is a very polarized song, dynamically, but, for some reason, it works. I think Riccardo's skill and proficiency is the key to that. A very well composed and realized song that reminds me of the passionate story of Breton's SEVEN REIZH's four-part rock opera about the magical stonecutter Enora in the land of Ys. My second favorite song on the album. (9/10)

3. "The Dreamer" (8:01) Very beautiful music with all instruments on ultra-delicate mode as raspy-voiced Martin Wilson sings his impassioned story. Nice guitar solo at the three minute mark before things dial down for a spoken word passage. Delicate weave returns for another verse of Dreamer Martin's story. Unfortunately, Martin's impressive edge is lost a bit in the chorus. Another nice lead guitar solo--this one better than the first--in the seventh minute. This actually plays out to the finish. Nice. My favorite song on the album. (14/15)

4. "The Chaotic" (7:21) a little more aggressive, but still quite bombastic music within which doubled up muted voices of two (or more) male voices semi-rap. Then regal stage-acting vocal performance (Laura Piazzai?) fills the third minute before the band returns to filling the sonic field with aggression as the muted men discordantly chant about "ego," "action," "fear," "intrusion" and the like. At 4:19 we tone things down for a sequenced synth track over which pitch- bending synth solos (Adam Holzman?) for a full two minutes--even while the music is ramping back up beneath him in the second minute. Angular chords and rapid fire guitar notes begin the arduous journey of taking us out of the synth world at 6:23 gradually emerging into a full on guitar-fest of hard rock 'n' roll to the finish. A weird and difficult-to- like/enjoy song--though I do appreciate the creativity involved with its conceptualization as well as the extraordinary skills necessary to pull it off. (13/15)

5. "The Lost" (9:19) Singing in a passionate raspy voice as Kristoffer Gildenlow does while riding exclusively over some fairly nondescript Spanish guitar play for almost three minutes is a tough call--especially when you're trying to please the ears & brain of someone like me who doesn't hear words/messages of the lyrics except in terms as another instrument in the mix. In fact, it's not until the seven-minute mark that the band fully commits to a full-metal jacket for the musical style being presented here--and even then the resultant effect is questionable at best. (The loud flange effect in the final minute may, in fact, be the best thing about this song.) (16.875/20)

6. "The Wanderer (Interlude)" (2:00) interesting choice of bass sounds to use within these eerie space-voices and their ghostly vocalise. (4.25/5)

7. "The Haunted" (11:32) Nice relaxed pastoral sound palette for the opening of this, with lots of time given to establishing several of the instrumental hooks, but then things switch completely into solo acoustic guitar picking to back the arrival of singer Charlie Bramald's Geoff Tate/Peter Gabriel voice. Some interesting motifs are inserted here and there giving the music a theatric suite-like feel. Unfortunately, the lyrics really do little to draw me in--do not seem deserving of the Peter GABRIEL/DOROCCUS (Babylon)-like delivery. And the rhythmic patterning of the song is a bit too constant and wavy for me--I find it annoying from the start but then to hear it maintained (even in delicate solo "classical" guitar-like passages) is almost cloying. At 8:45, after the last of these acoustic guitar solo motifs, a spacey atmospheric soundscape is established over which Charlie reads a long poetic passage about how and why he doesn't panic in the face of chaos and stress. This, unfortunately, is, for me, the best part of the song. (17.25/20)

8. "The Architect" (11:32) wonderfully delicate instrumental mix--almost jazzy--beneath Achraf El Asraoui's remarkably nuanced and sensitive vocal over the first 2:40. As the music ramps up into more dynamic realms Achraf's voice keeps pace--continues to be effective. The music looses a bit of my interest in these middle-sections, however, for me, this is the most interesting song on the album for its dynamic diversity, unpredictabilty and wonderful vocal performance. John Mitchell's guitar solo needlessly extended fails because he is not an emotionally-impactful, singer of heart-felt notes; he's a technical wizard, yet there is very little of his technical wizardry in this solo and absolutely none of the David Gilmour-esque magic that one would expect from this length of time dedicated to it. This is what I would call (excuse the pun) and epic fail! My third favorite song on the album. (18/20)

Total Time 58:44

I must say, the match-making of singer/vocalists with each song is quite masterful--especially for "The Explorer," "The Dreamer," and Charlie Bramald's poetry reading at the end of "The Haunted" as well as Achraf El Asraoui's wonderfully sensitive vocal in "The Architect."

B/four stars; an excellent addition to any prog lover's modern music collection.

Album number four for this talented band from Southern France, who found the bravery and the will to soldier on after the unfortunate passing of Eric Bouillette, who was not only a tremendously gifted multi-instrumentalist but also a wonderful person with loads of personality. He will remain eternally forever more in our hearts, for all of us in our global little community. While their earlier recorded efforts were excellent in all facets, this one just blew the roof off the domed arena! The spirituality that emanates from one of life's most traumatic experiences such as the death of a loved one, has always been a source of profound emotion and intense creativity. With this opus, it becomes clear that there surely are nine skies, as there is undoubtedly a seventh heaven. When people new to prog ask me, somewhat mockingly at times, "What is so special about Prog?", my perennial answer through the past half century has always been: It is a soundtrack to a movie that is playing in your mind, where you are the producer, director, and cinematographer, and you decide how if makes you feel". The theme of this ceremonial tribute to life has been studiously expressed by my esteemed colleague Lazland in his astounding review (visit www.lazland.org). There is no room or need for repetition using synonyms. The only thing I would add, is that just reading the various titles of the chosen lives among the 1001 suggested by the expansive Rudy premise, it becomes apparent that each mature individual who has lived (or continues to do so) a full existence , would have at one time or another, been a WANDERER, an EXPLORER, a DREAMER, an ARCHITECT and perhaps would also have been LOST and HAUNTED by the CHAOTIC experience. While paying attention to the story, I could not help being reminded of that Robin Williams movie 'the Bi-Centennial Man', as it also dealt with human eternity and its rather rare limitations. My teammate has done a painstakingly thorough track by track analysis, so I will defer my thoughts and words to his as they run absolutely parallel (it's a spiritual connection!). With well-chosen and seemingly enthusiastic guest vocalists for each track giving their finest performances, each life/track has its own unique inherency, and the ensuing passion and overt intimacy is simply beyond mere utterances. As with all great classic prog albums, the audition is an introspective journey, a surrender to the senses that requires channeling out all the outer distractions and concentrating on the rush of emotions, the adamant warmth of exquisite melodies and the expertise of instrumental adornments that defy the laws of the routine. It takes one to a celestial level that cannot be explained and frankly, should never even be attempted. Anne-Claire Rallo, Alexandre Lamia, David Darnaud, Achraf El Asraoui, Alexis Bietti and Johnny Marter have created a musical masterpiece that every progfan should endeavour to listen to, and surely own as it's a mantelpiece urn of utter beauty. The presence of gifted guests such as Adam Holzman, John Mitchell, Kristofer Gildenlow and Marco Minnemann, as well as incredible singers like Riccardo Romano, Charlie Bramald, Laura Piazzai, Martin Wilson, and Arnaud Quevedo stamps this with dripping crimson wax of quality and will certainly sit at Everest levels in the 2023 prog album lists. Beautiful cover art, pristine sound, a deeply profound story, and great performances will do that without much resistance.

Finally, I only wish to steer the spotlight towards the final two 11-minute plus epics that encapsulate the reason why this recording will go down as one of the very best of the new millennia. The majestic "The Haunted" is an intoxicating lament that is the owner of an off the charts vocal from Charlie Bramald, dripping with unabashed emotion and suave sensation, a crystalline electric guitar lead that scours all nine skies, and some solid atmospheric foundations. The ebb and flow is astounding, what with the mid-section eschewing classic an old school Genesis feel (acoustic pastoral guitar amid the fluttery bucolic canvas), where no panic is to be demonstrated, just wise advice and a sense of overcoming the anguish of fear, verging on a eulogy to the departed. The equally imposing "The Architect" is a solidly built structure of sound and melody, atmosphere, and passion. With the athletic Minnemann on drums and Mitchell on his trusted guitar, Achraf is inspired to deliver a suppliant vocal that also incorporates some pungent narration, as it launches from serene beginnings and detonates into symphonic bombast that gets weightier as the structure solidifies into shape. A moment of shimmering reflection as to verify the status of the construct, Mitchell expressing his inner Hackett with fluid lines that exude grace and elegance, slowly elevating the arrangement into an imaginary upward vortex of ecstasy. I mean, wow! Yes. Stellar like the stars in the universe. Yes, essential like the air that gives life. Don't be a sinner and forego the pleasure of having this marvel at your disposal.

5 Provencal Luminosities