REGENERATION

There are times when one can get solid evidence about the amazing talents that lurk out there unknown and underrated, just begging to be acknowledged. IQ's Mike Holmes has never won any prog guitarist poll and probably never will. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed the Lens' debut album released in 2001 but containing decade old material that frankly even instrumentally surpassed some recent IQ stuff. So I was greedy getting my hands on this one , allegedly containing all new material and the wait was well worth it , the overall mood is tremendous right from the Floydian sax of the opener (Man, is sax really sensuous or what!!!) "Choosing a Farmer Part 4", a mesmerizing aquatic soundscape that exhilarates on a plethora of levels (sonically stupendous, attractively mellow yet powerful and highly evocative) . The pedal is kept firmly pushed on the breezy follow up, a synth romp of the finest ilk, expertly propelled by former IQ drumster Paul Cook (never knew he was that technical!). Yes, there are strong hints of Genesis (Hackett in particular) and Floyd as well as a slight Hawkwind vibe (the booklet rightly mentions that illustrious space rock band and its huge influence on music). Case in point , the heroic "Dreams" clocks in at 10 minutes + and provides one hell of a joyride that would make Captain Dave Brock drool with envy , a blastoff loaded with unremitting booster rocket drums , propelled by some adamant bass and wobbly synths, all fueled by some massive mellotron bursts , I mean, ?.WOW! Nice floating synthesizer passage straight from the classic German school of electronica and you see what I mean. Frankly, stupendous! Whispered accented words ("Follow Me") combine with luminous sequenced slivers of sonic genius that all lead back into a bruising Hawk soundfest maelstrom. A classic for all times. "Sequential" is exactly that, a continuation of the same theme but in a slightly gentler vein, where bubbling synth patterns and waves of 'tron coalesce in sublime harmony, a trance delight. "Full of Stars" reverts to the cosmic journey, a kaleidoscope of sounds and effects that inspire and illuminate the spirit, neither boring nor even clichéd, a pulsating rhythmic feast that is accomplished by a clear sense of melody and not just banal atmosphere, Holmes letting his axe fly and soar majestically liberally peppering the universe and then infusing some stellar rough organ and slithering electronic swirls to the mix. The short but delicious "A Little Robot Juice" retains lush rhythmic mechanics, swerving synths scouring the melodic horizon, preparing the groundwork for a gentle electric guitar foray that rekindles the bygone Hackett spirit but in a more obscure fashion. Simply delightful! "Slowdown" lays down, like the title clearly implies, a serene atmosphere where vocals are in the listener's mind, a seasoned expanse from a quality musician whose reputation remains highly underrated, a seriously talented multi-instrumentalist, producer and overall prog guru.

Easily one of the finest instrumental prog albums in my rather massive collection. One I intend to regenerate often.....Bravo! 5 High Intelligence Novas

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