FIRST STAGE ZOLTAN

Unique keyboard-based Electronic/Space Prog trio from London, born in 2010 through the collaboration of brothers Andy and Matt Thomspon and drummer Andrew Prestidge.All three were experienced musicians, coming from notable bands, for example Matt Thompson was a long-time member of the Avant Rock act Guapo plus Andy runs the ''Planet Mellotron'' website.Having a collection of vintage keyboards, Andy decided to put them in use via Zoltan and in 2012 the first album of the trio ''First stage Zoltan'' was launched in vinyl and CD formats by the Cineploit label.

A nice example of dark, emphatic and cosmic Electronic Prog, ''First stage Zoltan'' is primarly led by the powerful keyboards of Andy Thompson, complemented by the drum beats of Prestidge and the decisive, marching bass lines of Matt Thompson.The use of analog synthesizers, Mellotron and spacey electronics along with the sinister, cinematic soundscapes can only be found in the old albums of GOBLIN, with whom the English trio can be best compared to.The album has a strange, rhythmic pulse, an odd electronic enviroment and a certain tense towards experimentation with double and triple keyboard and electronic manifests, broken in different variations with either bombastic or more hypnotic deliveries, but the result is always grandiose and highly atmospheric.No Classical influences or jazzy flirting, although the mighty Mellotron provides some nice orchestral tunes.This is linked more to the Horror Film soundtracks of GOBLIN or the close-connected LIBRA with just a dash of acoustic guitars, as the whole thing has been left in the hands of Andy Thompson and his mood for neurotic, haunting keyboard lines.''Black iron prison'' is a bet for the trio, offering some 14 minutes of continuous electronic experiments and keyboard flashing, the result is not always convincing, but the material is definitely impressive and atmospheric with loose segments and cosmic orientations in the vein of German EM.

For fans of Goblin, Electronic and Soundtrack Music.Ferocious keyboard masturbations of the analog era, balancing between structure and experimentation.Good and recommended stuff.