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Rating: I don't know how many would put a Pendragon album in their year's top 3, a band that's certainly not renowned or in the media spotlight… But if the ranking is drawn up by a self-confessed progger, then it all becomes terribly normal!
Joking aside, Pendragon has released a truly brilliant and inspired album both for ideas and melodies. Known among the prog audience essentially as a neo-progressive band inspired by the '70s and '80s, they have had the courage to leave their past behind and reinvent themselves in the new millennium, producing albums even fresher and more inspired than those made in the past; after the symphonic, dreamy, and romantic neo-prog of the '90s, they attempted a more electroacoustic path with “Believe” and then moved towards a harsher sound with metal influences with the subsequent “Pure” and especially “Passion”.
“Men Who Climb Mountains” confirms the band's desire to experiment and refresh prog. The sound is always quite harsh and rich in new sounds; this time, however, they have tried to avoid the metal incursions and focus on contaminations close to the alternative rock of Radiohead and Anathema while still maintaining a dark sound at times even reminiscent of Tool. Nevertheless, there is a very heartfelt melodic vein, with really poignant openings, as well as a more or less recognizable Pink Floyd influence in certain moments.
The introduction is entrusted to “Belle Âme”, where the melody is immediately highlighted, thanks to brilliant guitar arpeggios and a subtle yet intense voice. It's just the prelude to the following “Beautiful Soul”, which not only translates its title into English but also reprises its refrain; here, however, the sounds are harsher, and there is a small space also for Clive Nolan's particular electronic sounds. “Come Home Jack” has a beautiful and long intro made of guitar with echo effects, delightful organ carpets vibrating in the central part, and even parts of guitar in full alternative rock style with almost grunge effects, if we want to exaggerate. “In Bardo” is more atmospheric and crystalline than ever, supported by its delicate keyboard line with Nolan adding precious “beeps”, as well as by delicate acoustic arpeggios; there is a beautiful distorted synth solo that for cadence and acidity almost brings to mind that of “Any Colour You Like” by Pink Floyd, as well as a beautifully shaded finale with piano and drum virtuosity (offered by the new member Craig Blundell).
Then comes the moment of the album that personally moves me the most: it is the excellent ballad “Faces of Light”, a track that seems more than ever indebted to the latest Anathema, both for its relatively simple piano and guitar lines as well as vocal lines, the presence of a female voice and its crescendo melody; personally, I would compare it to “Dreaming Light” but also found a resemblance with “Fix You” by Coldplay (impossible not to recognize such similarity in the central guitar attack but also the organ finale seems taken from there and moved to the end).
“Faces of Darkness”, on the other hand, presents a more aggressive sound but without exaggeration and electronic experiments that here reach their peak. “For When the Zombies Come” is more Radiohead-like than ever: those glided almost “whining” effects that permeate the track clearly recall “Subterranean Homesick Alien” from “OK Computer”.
“Explorers of the Infinite”, however, according to the undersigned, represents the lowest point of the album; an absolutely pleasant piece, it has a very good intro with very beautiful acoustic phrases and even a reverb that would make one think of a theremin (is it really a theremin???), but apart from the intro, the piece feels verbose, one almost gets the impression that the melodies revolve too much around themselves, repeating and resulting in being not very dynamic; it's not a mark against it, but more was expected from the longest piece of the album. An excellent closure with “Netherworld”, slow and relaxed, with soft keyboard carpets and once again vibrant organ carpets; here too there is the female voice and a light but acidic and rich solo synth effect.
Reaching the conclusion, we are definitely satisfied with the final product; an inspired album rich with interesting ideas that confirms the excellent moment of the British band. Truly one of the best prog releases of the year. And the amazing thing is that this moment of grace and inspiration of the band comes after thirty years of career played; in practice, Pendragon went from being in the '90s the classic example of a band generally criticized for being too indebted to old prog (which isn't even true) to being one of those bands refreshing the scene and also a promise for the prog of the future. Hats off!
2014 has been a really positive year for record releases, and we hope that 2015 will bring us more great records!
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
03 Masters of Illusion (02:39)
On the far west reaches of your mind all of the things you've done so far
Will come to you for evermore and I am here to make sure
Lightning strikes right between your eyes
As you walk the plank for all those lies, for all those lies
I'm not the welcome guest but the price must be paid and I'm here to stay
I'm the master of illusion the master of disguise
Making worlds disappear right before your very eyes
Everyday I hide away in honesty and discipline
No good to anyone least of all myself
I can always pull a neat trick from the hat
Breaking all the rules and treading on the fools
Kick out the weak with the Rollers and the pools
I follow the river of gold as it flows and will always be at your side
Offering a hand that holds the future to your dreams
But I stay when I know I should go
I'm the master of illusion a master of surprise
Ready to pounce on the weak and the weary should they dare close their eyes
Milking those with needs who'll never see the woods for the trees
Everyday I hide away in honesty and discipline
No good to anyone least of all myself
I can always pull a neat trick from the hat
Breaking all the rules and treading on the fools
Kick out the weak with the Rollers and the pools
I follow the river of gold as it flows and will always be at your side
Offering a hand that holds the future to your dreams
But I stay when I know I should go
Standing face to face daggers drawn at dawn
You dreamt of kings and queens
You were only a pawn in the patchwork quilt of life
Thrown in the ring to fight
The serpent on the left of me the lamb stands to the right
Standing face to face daggers to the death
Like a thief in the night
Stealing your last breath
Hypnotised by sorcery
Mesmerised by treachery
You have the heart you have the will
But does your conscience fight you still?
Misdemeanour it was only by default that you got this far
The road ahead is a path of hot coals dragging you back to the start
For he that has the wisdom will see throught the masquerade
Now the cold winds blow
Where there was once only warmth
As the day comes to an end and I must go
Take my hand one last time
Hold it so close to your faint heart
Part of me is dying with you
I can't stay anymore
The book is closed
As the cold hail rains down on you
And your whole life flashes right before your very eyes
So it comes as no surprise I sympathise
But I can't let you go my childhood friend
And as your final hour comes to the fore
A light as bright the sun penetrates my eyes
I'm the master of illusion a master a disguise
And you won't fear the world anymore...
08 The Voyager (08:07)
Long winding road where will you lead me?
As far west as man can go before he starts heading east
San Francisco, but where from there?
Out on the ocean where the dreamers go
Where the moonlight dolphins play
'cos I know where my spirit's free
I know where my destiny takes me
I know where my spirit's free
Into the heart of America
Into the arms of a new world
Into the heart of a new world dream, and free
And Thursday's child has got a long, long way to go
And Thursday's child has got a long, long way to go
And Thursday's child has got a long, long way to go
For those who seek shall be those who find
To push back the boundaries forever for mankind
The boy who made his mark in the world today
So spread your wings and fly away
Copper green Victorian looking out to sea
The first footsteps in India is where my ship takes me
I'm a wandering stranger just trying to find some answers for me
I know where my spirit's free
Into the heart of America
Into the arms of a new world
Into the heart of a new world dream... and free
I put my hand to my head and I look to the sea and think
Thursday's child has got a long long way to go
20 A Man of Nomadic Traits (08:23)
I am a man of nomadic traits
A Bedouin of wandering fate
To cross the deserts to the sea
Where my soul becomes the sea and me
At times a bird at times a child
Sometimes animal sometimes wild
Ruled by numbers by figures and by facts
To free the self made prison
From the darkness and the rats
At times a bird at times a child
Sometimes animal sometimes wild
I am a man of nomadic traits
And Bedouin sisters are saving me
You reap what you sow
And in time don’t you know
When wisdom comes to call
If there’s nobody listening at all
And so this story has no end
Man’s search for true enlightenment
Where others see reality
Is a mirage that I clearly see
I sometimes wonder who’s right and who’s wrong
In this crazy world I don’t belong
I am a man of nomadic traits
And Bedouin sisters are saving me
You reap what you sow
And in time don’t you know
When wisdom comes to call
If there’s nobody listening at all
I am a man of nomadic traits
And wandering fate though people’s lives
Be strong and wise
Look with kind and gentle eyes
21 Paintbox (04:21)
Painting pictures of a thousand different paths
We sketch an outline of a love that hopes to last
Casting a wand over imaginary hopes
And close our eyes so we don't fell the ebb and flow
And paintbox you are my only hope
Of covering the faded past and starting out once more
With a fortune in new colours new hopes to inspire
I paint the path I want to take and paint a life of fire
Marking out our lives full of different plans
Excitedly we hold the key to change our hearts and hands
We climb the hill to see if green fields lie beyond
Only to realise they've faded now and gone
And paintbox you are my only hope
Of covering the faded past and starting out once more
With a fortune in new colours new hopes to inspire
I paint the path I want to take and paint a life of fire
Painting pictures of a thousand different paths
We sketch an outline of a love that hopes to last
Casting a wand over imaginary hopes
And close our eyes so we don't fell the ebb and flow
And paintbox you are my only hope
Of covering the faded past and starting out once more
With a fortune in new colours new hopes to inspire
I paint the path I want to take and paint a life of fire
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