THE BLACK CODEX (EPISODES 1-13)

Largely instrumental double Overture takes its time, clocking at 15 minutes. And sets ... what exactly? I'm not so sure, but at least the tone for this album, which is an eclectic mix of more than a dozen instruments (starting with Gregorian monks-like chanting in the intro, before morphing into the cello part, which in a minute moves onto an instrument (at 2:10, cimbalom perhaps?) which you don't hear often. I can continue forth, but you get the idea. It reminds me of many movie/video games instrumental soundtracks, which I like in general, so there's that.

The rest is more of that, big mix of various influences, for example it reminds me bit of a soft Haken sound without the metal parts in "Fairground" part, but after all, both stories takes place partly in a circus.

I am not that good at understanding what concept albums are about, storywise. I can understand the words, phrases, but poetry was never my strong suit. But even I can understand that the fairytale calm rhythm of the music which lasted until the "A Dot on the Horizon" is gone and the story ends in ... cliffhanger perhaps? To be continued on the second disc?

Waltz (or -like) rhythms ("Beneath the Surface", but elsewhere too) help to set the mood too. With the first tones of "Flight of Columbo", the thing that was on my mind was "cheesy", but ti turns somewhat better. Adventurous would be better description perhaps.

At times, personified by my example of "House Behind the Hedge" would, musically, remind me Tim Bowness (especially Schoolyard Ghosts release) or even Steven Wilson from his projects.

And it continues thorough the 95 minutes, taking inspirations here and there, pushing together its narrative (which I don't understand, but that's fine, it still feels good).

Though some could also say that large swathes of some tracks sounds like a PG-13 version of Dracula (using "eastern" like music instruments). You decide, though for me it works both ways. 3.5***, so rounded up.

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