Enchant
Juggling 9 or Dropping 10

The Enchant is a hard prog band definitely not dazzling but very solid. After a beginning that followed the footsteps of decidedly melodic neo-prog, well-structured and still lacking in hard elements, which led to the production of the excellent debut album "A Blueprint Of The World," and after the rather similar "Wounded" and "Time Lost" (already featuring more evident hard elements) the Enchant attempted to simplify their sound structurally, aiming for something that is closer to the song format yet also heavily influenced by modern hard rock. The foundations for the new sound were already present in the previous "Break," and with this "Juggling 9 Or Dropping 10", the change is further reinforced.

What we face is an album undoubtedly with very accessible melodies, where the song format gains more ground, abandoning the more complex structures of the early records, and where there is a strong hard rock component that, however, does not make the album "heavy" and allows it to be listened to even by those who are not fond of heavier genres. This simplification of the structures proves to be fundamental in this regard. But the progressive approach cannot be said to be absent, although it seems to play a somewhat marginal role compared to the past. Nonetheless, the offering is undoubtedly of quality; the songs sound immediate without losing the refinement that often can be lost with immediacy; hard rock riffs alternate with refined guitar touches, bass lines absolutely of good level, and caressed by soft keyboard backgrounds, an instrument that rarely launches into solos but excellently crafts its sounds.

Among the tracks that strike me the most, I mention the opener "Paint The Picture" with its lovely initial guitar-keyboard passage, its hard riffs in the chorus, and its beautiful acoustic verses, as well as the following "Rough Draft", where I appreciate the guitar touches in the verses; "Colors Fade" must also be mentioned for its sunny and "summery" melody, its beautiful electronic passages that intervene at moments, and its very elegant acoustic intro/outro; the work of all the instruments in "Juggling Knives" is excellent, where the musicians' technique is, almost as an antithesis, at the service of a relaxed melody (notable the initial bass); on an emotional level, I think no song beats "What To Say", where guitar and keyboard and a slow, calm rhythm guide a melancholic track, a soundtrack for a cloudy day, left to one's thoughts.

The whole album keeps good levels throughout its 12 tracks, although it might be judged a bit prolix at certain points, and it concludes with a little acoustic track titled "Know That" (a reprise of "What To Say") which proves that even in a minute and a half, a small gem can hide.

Overall, a well-made album, one of the band's best. It might not be an absolute masterpiece, but I'd say it's definitely worth a listen. Recommended especially to those who love well-crafted melodies but do not appreciate the musicians' self-indulgence, preferring refined compositions that aim for easy listening.