SOMATERIA SPECTABILIS

Behind the name KING EIDER we can find two Dutch musicians:Derk-Evert Waalkens,who has been member of several not well-known Dutch bands and handles all keyboards/drum programming and backing vocals,and Hans Gerritse,member of NICE BEAVER and guitarist/bassist on this album.The two men are helped by Dirk Pomp on drums and and Rinie Huigen (ex-Cliffhanger, now Knight Area) and Eric Holdtman on vocals.KING EIDER-''Somateria spectabilis'' is nothing more than the official terminology of a duck of the Arctic Sea.

The album was released in 2005 and most part of it is dominated by instrumental sections,while it has also some well-crafted vocal parts.Starting from the instrumental work,the album is filled with vintage/lush keyboard sounds created by the inspired use of mellotron and the organ (intense GENESIS memories),all of them nicely balanced with the modern use of synths and the delicate piano parts.Guitars are ranging from ultra-melodic parts in the vein of CAMEL to almost jazzy/bluesy-like sections in FOCUS' traces with strong doses of symphonic/classical rock (sometimes fellow natives CODA come to mind).As for the vocal tracks,they are quite accesible in nature with really nice musicianship,good grooves and not perfect but nevertheless decent singing,not unlike a style of progressive rock in the realm of SPOCK'S BEARD or MAGIC PIE.''Somateria spectabilis'' is covered with superb melodies,even some dark soloing (both guitars and keyboards),a clear production and a grandiose vintage feeling and should easily appeal to any prog fan,from the classic 70's nostalgic to the modern prog rock newcomer.A tasteful recommendable release that deserves a 3.5 star rating!