ROKUS TONALIS

Fresh, uplifting, dark and brilliant take on modern symphonic rock stylings from Russian keyboard luminary Dimitri A. Loukianenko, who handles most of the instrumentation on this acrobatic first album. Loukianenko's visions exhilarate with blistering lines of piano, delirious meters, haunting melodies, cold passages, compelling atmosphere, weird humor, sound effects, colors previously unseen and directions previously untaken which, in prog rock, is an accomplishment indeed. Also on hand is plenty of screaming organ, cosmic synths and virtuoso playing, invoking the flair of Keith Emerson with the sophisticaton of McCoy Tyner.

Unlike contemporary syn-phonic composers such as Jordan Rudess, Loukianenko brings a worldly elegance to his music which is immediately recognizable on the stunning 'Prima'. Constant movement is Loukianenko's forte, with sudden rushes of emotion, furious lines of tortured piano, synth washes, drums racing to keep up, changes of direction completely uncalled for but perfectly timed, and unforeseen tumbles before getting back on track. It all adds up to the best symphonic rock album of 2007 (so far) and one of the finest debuts in prog history. 'Secunda' takes on a slighly more melodic and traditional synth rock structure but still challenges with polymeters and crystal-clear production. The album is consistently reliable and progressive throughout, as heard in the disturbingly beautiful 'Tertia'.

If Aviva's 'Rokus Tonalis' is any measure, the Russian and Eastern European progressive scene is not only alive but kicking, and ushering in a bold voice of exceptional artistry we should all be keeping a close eye on.