ELEONORE

Considering the whole discography THE BLACK NOODLE PROJECT is not easy to catch for one prog music genre. The predecessor album 'Play again' was dominated by psychedelic elements - mainly caused by atmospheric mid-tempo songs with modest guitar work and compelling keyboards. This time reduced to a four-piece project (missing the keyboards) plus a new drummer they provide an album with the emphasis on guitar focussed heavy art rock - the psych proportion takes a backseat. You are coming across hard riffing guitars all over here - sometimes reminding of Steven Wilson.

But first of all - the album is telling a story and we are becoming aquainted with Eleonore, an orphan girl which is seeking for the land where her dreams will come true. This is adapted from a fairytale written by guitarist/vocalist Jérémie Grima. All the song titles are expressing a special state of mind and the lyrics are offered on a CD extra track in french and english language. The opener Sorrow is one of the longer tracks with twin guitar and Anathema leanings. The song would not fit to be highlighted normally - but only if you ignore this sorrowful psychedelic intermezzo provided with a melancholic touch which lets me really pay attention. Probably meant as a transition from the previous style - and true - you really have to search for something like that 'til the last song. Hope is trying to express an optimistic mood and convinces with good vocals whereas the depressive Fear starts with a dumb tone sounding like an echoed bass drum. The song is dominated by bass player Anthony Létévé afterwards.

And then Awareness begins to rock like hell expressing something like a spirit of optimism probably, musically near to metal in parts because of the heavy riffing guitars. This holds basically for the next songs. However - the closing Deliverance shines because appearing as an epic within the epic (or closing the epic) nearly expressing the whole album in a concentrated manner. A mellow song predominantly with floating parts headed by the acoustic guitar and the bass - but also provided with some heavy impressions of course.

'Eleonore' is not that spectacular - a quite good album with alternating elements - heavy and melancholic ambient. The psychedelic proportion has become a lot more discrete and deep-rooted fans of this genre should be attentive.