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Review:
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In 1995 The Finnish Progressive Music Association Colossus
was founded, one year later the Colossus Magazine was created
and in 2000 Colossus released the CD entitled Tuonen Tytar,
a tribute to the Finnish Progressive rock bands on the Italian
Mellow Records label (soon after Mellow Records stopped
the collaboration with these projects but fortunately French
Musea took over). It was the start of a serie of so called
Colossus projects: bands from all over the world playing
progressive rock epics around a common theme with vintage
instruments (from Moog, Hammond and Mellotron to Rickenbacker
and Moog Taurus bass pedals) and no programmed drums/drum
machines. During the years Colossus released The Spaghetti
Epic (I, II and III), The Colossus Of Rhodes, Kalevala,
Odyssey and Dante’s Inferno on which we can enjoy cascades
of lesser known and unknown new progrock bands, what a great
effort by Colossus, thanks! Their newest release is the
successor of the first Colossus project entitled Tuonen
Tytar II (2009), this time the focus is not only on known
original Finnish bands like Wigwam, Tabula Rasa, and Kalevala
but also on many lesser known and unknown bands. To my surprise
I read the names of many new Finnish bands/artists I am
not familiar of like Tommy Eriksson, Pax Romana, Kate, The
Phase, Jeavestone, Tkingdkeys, Kumina.org, Piece Of Cake,
Onsegen Ensemble, Scarlet Thread Stringpuree Band and Kosmos
along bands I already knew like Overhead, Ageness, Ozone
Player, Mist Season, Viima and Haikara. An interesting list
to check out, to say the least!
- My impression on this triple CD is that in general
the sound is more influenced by Classic Rock bands like
Led Zeppelin, Cream, Jimi Hendrix and Fleetwood Mac than
the legendary early Seventies symphonic rock bands ELP,
Genesis, Pink Floyd, Yes and King Crimson, due to the omnipresence
of rock guitar work and the importance of emotion and melody
rather than complexity of showing skills, in fact more rock
and blues oriented.
CD-1: On this first CD I notice an important role for
the vintage keyboards: a classical undertone with inspired
Spanish vocals, harder edged guitar and a Hammond organ
solo by Jinetos Negros from Argentina in Atlantis (Nova),
Fender Rhodes electric piano, violin-Mellotron, clavinet
and Korg synthesizers by The Samurai Of Prog in Colossus
(Wigwam), from tender Grand piano with Mellotron and Gabriel-like
vocals to a bombastic finale with fiery electric guitar
and Hammond organ by Tommy Eriksson in Cheap Evening Return
(Wigwam), beautiful Finnish vocals, flute, piano and twanging
acoustic guitar and a final part with violin-Mellotron and
a wah-wah guitar with piano by Overhead in Vuorellaistuja
(Tabula Rasa), warm duo-vocals and excellent keyboards (from
Hammond and Mellotron to Minimoog and church-organ) by Dutch
pride Trion in Vanha Surullinen (Nova) and glorious Mellotron,
swinging Hammond and flashy ARP Pro Solist synthesizer by
Willowglass in Fairyport (Wigwam).
On CD-2 the focus is more on harder-edged guitar work:
a long and intense guitar solo by Ageness in Praying Stone
(Scarab), dual rock guitar, Jethro Tull-like flute and strong
Hammond organ by folk rockers Jeavestone in Delightful (Kaamos,
Hendrix/Cream-oriented guitar with powerful vocals and a
sumptuous synthesizer solo by Tkindkeys in Gryf (Tabula
Rasa), hot percussion, swinging Hammond, powerful Fender
bass and a fiery guitar solo by Kumina.org in Joropo Llanero
(Piirpauke), excellent rhythm guitar and strong vocals by
Piece Of Cake in Boogie Jungle (Kalevala), exciting rock
guitar, splendid Hammond work and a strong bass/guitar duel
by Pinnacle in Paikalliset Tuulet (Finnforest), a propulsive
rhythm-section and mindblowing rock guitar (between Led
Zeppelin and early Fleetwood Mac) by Onségen Ensemble in
Escape From The Storm (Kalevala) and powerful rock guitars
and saxophone by Karmic Jaggernaut in Down To Earth (Made
In Sweden). A pleasant exception is Cristiana Roversi with
Sane (by Wigwam): on this project the known keyboard player
Cristiano Roversi (Moongarden/Submarine Silence) is part
of a four piece band, including members of Finnish bands
Pax Romana and Kataya (see Symforce III festival this year).
We can enjoy a lavish vintage keyboard sound. The climate
alternates between mellow with vocals and flute-Mellotron
and bombastic with majestic Grand piano runs, soaring Mellotron
waves, dazzling Polymoog flights and fat Moog Taurus bass
pedals work, wonderful symphonic rock!
CD-3 delivers a lot of folk elements: a sitar sound
and fiery electric guitar runs by Ozone Players in Kunnes
(Finnforest), a sitar and tables sound with swirling flute
play and a flashy synthesizer solo and sensitive electric
guitar by Equilibrio Vital in Impressions Of India (Jukka
Tolonen) and a folky atmosphere by Kosmos in Takaisin Virtaan
(Pekka Streng & Tasavallan Presidentti). Also worth to mention
are Viima in Uuteen Aikaan (Scapa Flow) with beautiful flute-Mellotron,
Fender Rhodes electric piano, Hammond and warm Finnish vocals
and Scarlet Thread in Tulen Pisara (Fantasia) with high
pitched female Finnish vocals, violin and a raw guitar solo.
And let’s not forget the jazz rock by Mist Season in Pan
(Maru & Mikael) with strong work on saxophone, piano and
guitar. A special word goes to the final composition Yksi
Maa-Yksi Kansa (Haikara) by Haikara (12 minutes bonus track)
featuring a varied sound with strong instrumentation, from
warm twanging acoustic guitar and classical violin to a
jazzy saxophone and rock guitar, topped by fine Finnish
vocals. But my highlight is the first track Gloria Deo (Haikara)
by Heavy Proggers Il Fauno Di Marmo: a lot of interesting,
very flowing shifting moods, from a tender Grand piano intro
to dreamy with acoustic rhythm guitar, swinging with powerful
Hammond organ and propulsive guitar riffs and a heavy mid-tempo
with a tight rhythm-section, in the end the guitarists play
a harder-edged solo with howling runs, accompanied by lush
Hammond organ and a powerhouse rhythm-section. This is a
very promising band!
My conclusion: an interesting project to check out for
the more adventurous progheads and the vintage keyboard
aficionados.
www.progwalhalla.com
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