NOMAD

Back in 2017 I was getting for my year end picks and had many albums that I hadn't spent enough time with to offer a true opinion including this one. I spun it once and felt it wouldn't make my list and put it aside until recently. I'm not saying this would have made my list in hindsight but I am saying this music is complex and adventerous enough to require that some time be spent with it to get to know it.

I became a fan of this Dutch five piece with their debut "Excavations Of The Mind" but before I could pull the trigger on the followup "A Dying Man's Hymn" I was stopped in my tracks by a lot of negative reviews. I jumped back in on their next one "A Billion Years Of Solitude" but felt it wasn't quite a four star record.

"Nomad" from 2017 is a 4 star record like the debut in my world. I must admit being very surprised at the layers of sound and the complexity of the music. This is Prog my friends and a challenge at times. I also forgot how heavy they can get and while it all doesn't work I bow in admiration at what they have created here. While the vocals aren't the focus for the most part, even with them there is some very interesting vocal arrangements. Again I can't stress enough that this is an album that needs to be absorbed with many listens.

It ends in a very strong way with the two part "Into Singularity" including the closer which is trippy with a horn over top, so cool, while the first part at 8 1/2 minutes is my favourite on the album. I like the horn on the second part of "Endless Roads" as well. The opener "Wasteland" is fairly heavy at times and I swear I hear clavinet. The title track doesn't always work but again I applaud them for not taking the easy road here and making this difficult. Love the wind blowing on "Dune" makes me think of the art work. Some ripping guitar on "Sun Walker" and the opening electric piano is a treat. Some jerky moments on "Race To The Sun" and elsewhere I'm not into but this one impressed me and I'm pleasantly surprised.

I hope they come back for one more record.