PETRICHOR

Band of Rain first grabbed my attention with their album, "Dust of Stars". I really loved how they created atmospheres that would evolve with these almost dark and sometimes eerie moods. Yet there were moments of beauty and as well borderline insanity. It seems that album was a new sound for the band as older albums had a somewhat different style, though still good music.

Last year, Messieurs Chris Gill and Micha Steinbacher released an album independently of the Band of Rain catalogue under the Gill Steinbacher Project moniker entitled "Sven Gali". The atmospheric charm of the "Dust of Stars" album was still present. So with these albums to enjoy, I looked forward to the announcements of a forthcoming album in 2020, "Petrichor".

If I understand correctly, "Petrichor" sees a new band assembled for Band of Rain. I am under the impression that older recordings were largely to the credit of Chris Gill and that Micha Steinbacher joined sometime before "Dust of Stars". Older Band of Rain albums also featured a female vocalist. For this release, the band consists of Chris Gill - guitars, Jon Camp (Renaissance) - bass, Robert Web (England) - keyboards, Rick Hambleton - drums, and Matthew Cory (Emperor Norton) - vocals. Two members here really stand out on the album: Jon Camp for his ubiquitous, deep, chunky bass, and Matthew Corry for his unusual high, almost opera- meets-Renaissance-period vocal style.

The music on the album stays true to the recent band of Rain sound with compositions that move slow and steady, the drums typically keeping a steady beat while the bass roves and churns out its expressive groove. The keyboards and guitar create the atmosphere that is sometimes ominous and forbidding, other times ethereal and atmospheric but often moody and brooding. Matthew Corry's voice soars over the music. It's not a voice you'd immediately take to, I think, and honestly at first I was a little disappointed not to hear the female vocals of the previous albums or more instrumental tracks like on "Dust of Stars". But after a few listens, I began too hear how unique Corry's voice is and felt it did suit the music most of the time. I say most of the time because there are a couple of places where I question what the lyrics are supposed to be about ("Save lives, save money"?) or where the vocals are lost in the mix somewhat. But though I think it was a bold move to use Corry's vocals, the result is unique and appreciable after a bit.

One track that stands out for me is "Tupelo" which features more heavier guitar riffs and more power behind the music but later morphs into an almost southern rock style with a Band of Rain approach. It's also an instrumental track.

This album didn't immediately grab me as "Dust of Stars" or "Sven Gali" did. I read in a couple of other reviews the observation that as this is a new band and a new version of Band of Rain, there is as yet gelling and cohesion between the members. In a way, this was a kind of test album. "Let's see what we've got between us!" But with subsequent listens I have come to enjoy the album more. That building of moods and shifting of atmospheres still signifies this as a Band of Rain album. If this is a case of a band learning to create music together and heading towards greater things, then I am eager to hear where they go next.

"Petrichor" is certainly something different from the majority of modern prog band approaches and worthy of checking out if you like music that is not busy but instead takes you on a journey over landscapes of ancient, fallen civilizations and misty autumn forests, rivers, and rocky escarpments. This is mood music with an eerie edge and at times there is a tension lurking beneath the smooth flowing surface. Not quite an "excellent addition to any prog rock music collection" but better than just "good but non-essential".