Crossover Prog Review: Gazpacho-Fireworker

Release Date: September 18, 2020

Label: K Scope

Website

Gazpacho hail from Norway and was formed back in 1996. The release under review is the 11th studio album from the band, Fireworker, and the debut was released in 2003, Bravo. I have liked this band for several years after hearing a track on a sampler CD and have enjoyed their music immensely.

Briefly, they are one of the few bands that seem to be able to generate majestic atmospheric soundscapes, where the quiet (and even silent) moments are as important to the overall effect of the music as the superb skills of the musicians.

The band has been relatively settled, with Jan Henrik Ohme (vocals), Thomas Alexander Anderson (keyboards), and Jon Arne Vilbo (guitars) all original members of the band, who were then joined by Mikael Kromer (violin/mandolin) and Kristian Torp (bass) as guest musicians on the album No 3, Firebird, in 2005 and band members on the next release, album No 4, Night, in 2007. Finally, Lars Erik Asp (drums) appears in the band on the album No 6, Missa Atropos, in 2010 and that band has remained constant in the intervening years.

Fireworker is a 5-track album with a total playing time of just over 50 minutes (50:23), with track 1, “Space Cowboy,” the longest on offer at 19:41 minutes and track 2, “Hourglass,” the shortest at 4:15 minutes.

Gazpacho has a tradition of producing albums that fuse various situations, from deep philosophical questions to the intricacies and complexities of the human mind. Isolation was the key on earlier albums, Night and Missa Atropos, dramatic scenarios on Tick Tock and Soyuz, and theological /scientific questions on Demon and Molok.

Fireworker deals with an entity that inhabits everyone and ensures that it survives from generation to generation and can, at times, control our actions. The entity is known by several names, Fireworker, Lizard, or Space Cowboy. The entity exerts control by rewarding or punishing the individual. So, you will have gathered this is not a light-hearted musical album, but it is a wonderfully atmospheric piece of work.

The opening track, “Space Cowboy” (19:41) is a stunning piece of music by the band. Starting very simply with the superb voice of Jan Henrik Ohme, backed with subdued bass, piano, and violin, setting the scene before the band moves up a notch around the 2-minute mark. The track moves on with changing tempo from time to time. Around the 5-minute mark, a choir appears which is a warning to the individual not to get closer to the entity within. The lyrics are in a pre-language, so no easy to follow lyrics. The track then swings from Jan Henrik led atmospheric vocals and music, back and forth to the choir. Around the 13-minute point, the band moves into a more hard-hitting passage.

I will admit that this opening track did take me several listens, as well as checking the band’s explanation of the track on Facebook, before the sheer magnitude and power of the opening 19+ minutes hit home. Not the easiest track to open the album with, but when you “get it,” it is superb. A track that makes you work hard to understand it.

The next three tracks, “Hourglass” (4:15), “Fireworker” (4:41), and “Antique” (6:24) are shorter and easier to get into while continuing the atmosphere generated by the opening track.

“Hourglass” is more up-tempo with superb piano in the opening portion and a church-style organ passage before the choir re-entering. The stunning, haunting violin played by Mikael, the superb piano passages, and those crystal-clear Jan Henrik vocals make “Hourglass” and excellent 4+ minutes.

The title track, “Fireworker,” is a quite different style of a track which simply rips along, from the violin enhanced early passages, through the vocals and allows the band to flex those musical muscles. Tempo changes drive the track towards its finale which sees the song simply fade away.
“Antique” continues the gentle atmospheric soundscape with the band in superb form, little bass lines, exquisite drumming, superb piano, and guitar, all contributing behind that powerful vocal. The violin has another great passage just after 3 minutes and then moves behind the vocals, bass, drums, and keyboards as the song finishes.

The final track, “Sapien” (15:22) has a keyboard and drum intro before the rest of the band pitch in and the vocals enter just after a minute. The melodic vocal weaves its way along before becoming more forceful around the 2:30 minute point. The haunting melody drifts along, almost as a touchstone as the track progresses. Around the 5:15 minute, the band leaves a keyboard and Jan Henrik’s voice to continue the story, then return under a minute later. A gentle piano and synth passage follows and the vocals re-enter. This passage is an excellent example of how to produce an atmospheric soundscape. The musicians make it seem so simple, but they are experts at this style. The tempo rises slightly before leaving just the drums, bass, and piano to continue to build the atmosphere. At 11:00 minutes, those beautiful vocals reappear and start to carry the track towards the finale. Returning to a previous theme, the band set about completing this superb soundscape. Sparse instrumentation behind the vocals slowly builds and the track starts to fade just before the 15-minute mark.

Fireworker is simply a majestic album that requires several listens and a fair bit of work on the side of the listener, but I would suggest that the listener spends the time and makes the effort. The reward will be the full appreciation of a superb piece of work by a group of dedicated, and very skilled, musicians.

Jim “The Ancient One” Lawson – Prog Rock Music Talk Staff
November 12, 2020

Tracks:
1. Space Cowboy (19:41)
2. Hourglass (04:15)
3. Fireworker (04:41)
4. Antique (06:24)
5. Sapien (15:22)

Gazpacho, The Kings of Atmospheric and Affective Rock, Return With New Album 'Fireworker' Due For Release on Kscope on September 18th

(photo credit: Nina Krømer  / www.ninafoto.net / @nina_kroemer)

Gazpacho, The Kings of Atmospheric and Affective Rock, Return With New Album Fireworker Due For Release on Kscope on September 18th

For nearly twenty years, Gazpacho have reigned as the kings of atmospheric and affective art rock. That’s certainly no small feat, as the subgenre is full of wonderfully moody, ornate, and emotional artists; yet, none of them manage to achieve the same level of exquisite baroque resonance and hypnotically introspective weight as the Norwegian sextet. As a result, they never fail to provide awe-inspiring examinations of the human condition, and their latest observation, Fireworker, is no exception. It is undoubtedly among their greatest achievements, as well as one of the most profound pieces of music you’ll hear in 2020.

LISTEN TO THE TITLE TRACK “FIREWORKER” HERE

Conceptually, the album follows the band’s tradition of blending grand philosophical quandaries, stimulating literary leanings, and haunting personal turmoil. In a way, it acts as the culmination of the themes and techniques that’ve decorated earlier collections, combining the fatalistic isolation of Night and Missa Atropos; the ill-fated narrative drama of Tick Tock and Soyuz; and the hefty theological/scientific contemplations of Demon and Molok. Beyond that, its central premise (that humanity has always been controlled by an infallible and omniscient creature determined to propagate at any cost) means that Fireworker comes across like the overarching umbrella under which all of its predecessors occur.

Keyboardist Thomas Andersen elucidates: “There’s an instinctual part of you that lives inside your mind, separate from your consciousness. I call it the ‘Fireworker’ or the ‘Lizard’ or the ‘Space Cowboy.’ It’s an eternal and unbroken lifeforce that’s survived every generation, with a new version in each of us. It’s evolved alongside our consciousness, and it can override us and control all of our actions.” In order to get us to do what it wants, he clarifies, the “Fireworker” will silence the parts of our mind that feel disgust or remorse so that we’re unable to stop it. The conscious part of our mind, Andersen notes, will actually “rationalize and legitimize” those thoughts and actions so that we never discover the beast behind-the-scenes. No matter how we feel about ourselves in terms of identity, accomplishments, and value, we’re all just vessels—or “Sapiens”—that the creature uses until it no longer needs us. “If you play along,” Andersen explains, “It’ll reward you like a puppy and let you feel fantastic; if you don’t, it’ll punish you severely.” 

Like Night, Fireworker is a single “trip” broken into five chapters but meant to be appreciated all at once. This time, however, Gazpacho’s recurring protagonist is investigating the labyrinthian hive of his own psyche to engage in a Bergman-esque confrontation with the “Fireworker.” This journey is even represented by the Wimmelbilder cover, which, as usual, was designed by collaborator Antonio Seijas and depicts “the billions of neurons that create the cave of the mind”.

Fireworker declares its mesmeric dominance right away via “Space Cowboy,” a side-long suite whose ominous lyricism (“The parasite / That lives in me / Murders words / From where I stop / And it breathes in / We’re biting our tail / The cycle begins”) is but one of many reasons why it’s among Gazpacho’s greatest compositions. From its heartbreakingly delicate first movement and chaotic centerpiece, to its mournfully symphonic penultimate phase and thunderous outro, it is a masterpiece onto itself, cementing how vivacious, evocative, and imaginative Gazpacho remain after all these years.

From there, the sequence remains just as seductively eccentric and beautiful. In particular, “Hourglass” is a gorgeous piano ballad that evokes March of Ghosts in its fusion of welcoming melodies and gentle orchestral flourishes. That then make way for the feisty layers and catchy hooks of the band’s first single and title track “Fireworker.” Fittingly, “Antique” takes over with angelic mystery and the album closer “Sapien,” echoes the dynamic range and epic scope of “Space Cowboy,” resulting in an awe-inspiring finale that envelops you in luscious arrangements and poignant existential realizations.

Naturally, Gazpacho’s career has been full of great performances and glowing praise. Outside of issuing three superb live LPs (2010’s A Night at the Loreley, 2011’s London, and 2015’s Night of the Demon), they’ve played festivals such as Be Prog! My Friend, Night of the Prog, Midsummer Prog Festival, and Cruise to the Edge, where they delighted audiences alongside exceptional brethren like iamthemorning, Anathema, Pain of Salvation, Caligula’s Horse, Riverside, The Neal Morse Band, and Steve Hackett. Unsurprisingly, their records have been met with similarly enthusiastic reception; for instance, their previous statement, 2018’s Soyuz, earned superlative accolades from publications such as PROG, Echoes and Dust and Louder than War.

Fireworker is truly life-changing experience, so you would be wise to turn off all of the lights, clear your mind as best you can, and prepare to meet the Fireworker.




FIREWORKER tracklisting
1. Space Cowboy [19:43]
2. Hourglass [04:15]
3. Fireworker [04:41]
4. Antique [06:24]
5. Sapien [15:22]

Fireworker will be released on Kscope on 18th September, on CD, a gatefold 2LP on 180g black vinyl  (3 sides audio, 1 side art etching) and digitally (digital pre-orders receive the title track “Fireworker” as an instant download) and is available to pre-order HERE (https://gazpacho.lnk.to/Fireworker)

GAZPACHO LIVE

Sadly, due to the current covid-19 situation the band’s European and UK dates scheduled for October 2020 have been postponed to October 2021, but as the band didn’t want to disappoint their fans Gazpacho are planning to play Fireworker in its entirety via a livestream, alongside a Q&A about the concept plus will play a few favourites from their repertoire. Details of the streaming event and the rescheduled tour will follow soon

In the meantime, they suggest, you should internalize the record as much as possible to eventually “research your own ‘Space Cowboy.’” Anderson adds: “It’s an attempt at a safe way of looking at something highly dangerous because the animal does not understand music or poetry. We’re trying to outsmart it by writing around it, as music can go places words can’t and there’s a magic to it all.”

Gazpacho are:
Thomas Andersen – keyboards, programming
Jan-Henrik Ohme – vocals
Jon-Arne Vibo – guitars
Mikael Krømer – violin, additional guitars
Kristian “Fido” Torp – bass
Robert R Johansen – drums

Follow Gazpacho online:
https://www.facebook.com/Gazpacho.Official.BandPage
https://www.instagram.com/gazpachoband
www.gazpachoworld.com

FOR MORE HI-RES IMAGES TO DOWNLOAD FOR MEDIA USE www.kscopemusic.com/media/gazpacho

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Gazpacho, The Kings of Atmospheric and Affective Rock, Return With New Album 'Fireworker' Due For Release on Kscope on September 18th

(photo credit: Nina Krømer  / www.ninafoto.net / @nina_kroemer)

Gazpacho, The Kings of Atmospheric and Affective Rock, Return With New Album Fireworker Due For Release on Kscope on September 18th

For nearly twenty years, Gazpacho have reigned as the kings of atmospheric and affective art rock. That’s certainly no small feat, as the subgenre is full of wonderfully moody, ornate, and emotional artists; yet, none of them manage to achieve the same level of exquisite baroque resonance and hypnotically introspective weight as the Norwegian sextet. As a result, they never fail to provide awe-inspiring examinations of the human condition, and their latest observation, Fireworker, is no exception. It is undoubtedly among their greatest achievements, as well as one of the most profound pieces of music you’ll hear in 2020.

LISTEN TO THE TITLE TRACK “FIREWORKER” HERE

Conceptually, the album follows the band’s tradition of blending grand philosophical quandaries, stimulating literary leanings, and haunting personal turmoil. In a way, it acts as the culmination of the themes and techniques that’ve decorated earlier collections, combining the fatalistic isolation of Night and Missa Atropos; the ill-fated narrative drama of Tick Tock and Soyuz; and the hefty theological/scientific contemplations of Demon and Molok. Beyond that, its central premise (that humanity has always been controlled by an infallible and omniscient creature determined to propagate at any cost) means that Fireworker comes across like the overarching umbrella under which all of its predecessors occur.

Keyboardist Thomas Andersen elucidates: “There’s an instinctual part of you that lives inside your mind, separate from your consciousness. I call it the ‘Fireworker’ or the ‘Lizard’ or the ‘Space Cowboy.’ It’s an eternal and unbroken lifeforce that’s survived every generation, with a new version in each of us. It’s evolved alongside our consciousness, and it can override us and control all of our actions.” In order to get us to do what it wants, he clarifies, the “Fireworker” will silence the parts of our mind that feel disgust or remorse so that we’re unable to stop it. The conscious part of our mind, Andersen notes, will actually “rationalize and legitimize” those thoughts and actions so that we never discover the beast behind-the-scenes. No matter how we feel about ourselves in terms of identity, accomplishments, and value, we’re all just vessels—or “Sapiens”—that the creature uses until it no longer needs us. “If you play along,” Andersen explains, “It’ll reward you like a puppy and let you feel fantastic; if you don’t, it’ll punish you severely.” 

Like Night, Fireworker is a single “trip” broken into five chapters but meant to be appreciated all at once. This time, however, Gazpacho’s recurring protagonist is investigating the labyrinthian hive of his own psyche to engage in a Bergman-esque confrontation with the “Fireworker.” This journey is even represented by the Wimmelbilder cover, which, as usual, was designed by collaborator Antonio Seijas and depicts “the billions of neurons that create the cave of the mind”.

Fireworker declares its mesmeric dominance right away via “Space Cowboy,” a side-long suite whose ominous lyricism (“The parasite / That lives in me / Murders words / From where I stop / And it breathes in / We’re biting our tail / The cycle begins”) is but one of many reasons why it’s among Gazpacho’s greatest compositions. From its heartbreakingly delicate first movement and chaotic centerpiece, to its mournfully symphonic penultimate phase and thunderous outro, it is a masterpiece onto itself, cementing how vivacious, evocative, and imaginative Gazpacho remain after all these years.

From there, the sequence remains just as seductively eccentric and beautiful. In particular, “Hourglass” is a gorgeous piano ballad that evokes March of Ghosts in its fusion of welcoming melodies and gentle orchestral flourishes. That then make way for the feisty layers and catchy hooks of the band’s first single and title track “Fireworker.” Fittingly, “Antique” takes over with angelic mystery and the album closer “Sapien,” echoes the dynamic range and epic scope of “Space Cowboy,” resulting in an awe-inspiring finale that envelops you in luscious arrangements and poignant existential realizations.

Naturally, Gazpacho’s career has been full of great performances and glowing praise. Outside of issuing three superb live LPs (2010’s A Night at the Loreley, 2011’s London, and 2015’s Night of the Demon), they’ve played festivals such as Be Prog! My Friend, Night of the Prog, Midsummer Prog Festival, and Cruise to the Edge, where they delighted audiences alongside exceptional brethren like iamthemorning, Anathema, Pain of Salvation, Caligula’s Horse, Riverside, The Neal Morse Band, and Steve Hackett. Unsurprisingly, their records have been met with similarly enthusiastic reception; for instance, their previous statement, 2018’s Soyuz, earned superlative accolades from publications such as PROG, Echoes and Dust and Louder than War.

Fireworker is truly life-changing experience, so you would be wise to turn off all of the lights, clear your mind as best you can, and prepare to meet the Fireworker.




FIREWORKER tracklisting
1. Space Cowboy [19:43]
2. Hourglass [04:15]
3. Fireworker [04:41]
4. Antique [06:24]
5. Sapien [15:22]

Fireworker will be released on Kscope on 18th September, on CD, a gatefold 2LP on 180g black vinyl  (3 sides audio, 1 side art etching) and digitally (digital pre-orders receive the title track “Fireworker” as an instant download) and is available to pre-order HERE (https://gazpacho.lnk.to/Fireworker)

GAZPACHO LIVE

Sadly, due to the current covid-19 situation the band’s European and UK dates scheduled for October 2020 have been postponed to October 2021, but as the band didn’t want to disappoint their fans Gazpacho are planning to play Fireworker in its entirety via a livestream, alongside a Q&A about the concept plus will play a few favourites from their repertoire. Details of the streaming event and the rescheduled tour will follow soon

In the meantime, they suggest, you should internalize the record as much as possible to eventually “research your own ‘Space Cowboy.’” Anderson adds: “It’s an attempt at a safe way of looking at something highly dangerous because the animal does not understand music or poetry. We’re trying to outsmart it by writing around it, as music can go places words can’t and there’s a magic to it all.”

Gazpacho are:
Thomas Andersen – keyboards, programming
Jan-Henrik Ohme – vocals
Jon-Arne Vibo – guitars
Mikael Krømer – violin, additional guitars
Kristian “Fido” Torp – bass
Robert R Johansen – drums

Follow Gazpacho online:
https://www.facebook.com/Gazpacho.Official.BandPage
https://www.instagram.com/gazpachoband
www.gazpachoworld.com

FOR MORE HI-RES IMAGES TO DOWNLOAD FOR MEDIA USE www.kscopemusic.com/media/gazpacho

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Gazpacho, The Kings of Atmospheric and Affective Rock, Return With New Album 'Fireworker' Due For Release on Kscope on September 18th

(photo credit: Nina Krømer  / www.ninafoto.net / @nina_kroemer)

Gazpacho, The Kings of Atmospheric and Affective Rock, Return With New Album Fireworker Due For Release on Kscope on September 18th

For nearly twenty years, Gazpacho have reigned as the kings of atmospheric and affective art rock. That’s certainly no small feat, as the subgenre is full of wonderfully moody, ornate, and emotional artists; yet, none of them manage to achieve the same level of exquisite baroque resonance and hypnotically introspective weight as the Norwegian sextet. As a result, they never fail to provide awe-inspiring examinations of the human condition, and their latest observation, Fireworker, is no exception. It is undoubtedly among their greatest achievements, as well as one of the most profound pieces of music you’ll hear in 2020.

LISTEN TO THE TITLE TRACK “FIREWORKER” HERE

Conceptually, the album follows the band’s tradition of blending grand philosophical quandaries, stimulating literary leanings, and haunting personal turmoil. In a way, it acts as the culmination of the themes and techniques that’ve decorated earlier collections, combining the fatalistic isolation of Night and Missa Atropos; the ill-fated narrative drama of Tick Tock and Soyuz; and the hefty theological/scientific contemplations of Demon and Molok. Beyond that, its central premise (that humanity has always been controlled by an infallible and omniscient creature determined to propagate at any cost) means that Fireworker comes across like the overarching umbrella under which all of its predecessors occur.

Keyboardist Thomas Andersen elucidates: “There’s an instinctual part of you that lives inside your mind, separate from your consciousness. I call it the ‘Fireworker’ or the ‘Lizard’ or the ‘Space Cowboy.’ It’s an eternal and unbroken lifeforce that’s survived every generation, with a new version in each of us. It’s evolved alongside our consciousness, and it can override us and control all of our actions.” In order to get us to do what it wants, he clarifies, the “Fireworker” will silence the parts of our mind that feel disgust or remorse so that we’re unable to stop it. The conscious part of our mind, Andersen notes, will actually “rationalize and legitimize” those thoughts and actions so that we never discover the beast behind-the-scenes. No matter how we feel about ourselves in terms of identity, accomplishments, and value, we’re all just vessels—or “Sapiens”—that the creature uses until it no longer needs us. “If you play along,” Andersen explains, “It’ll reward you like a puppy and let you feel fantastic; if you don’t, it’ll punish you severely.” 

Like Night, Fireworker is a single “trip” broken into five chapters but meant to be appreciated all at once. This time, however, Gazpacho’s recurring protagonist is investigating the labyrinthian hive of his own psyche to engage in a Bergman-esque confrontation with the “Fireworker.” This journey is even represented by the Wimmelbilder cover, which, as usual, was designed by collaborator Antonio Seijas and depicts “the billions of neurons that create the cave of the mind”.

Fireworker declares its mesmeric dominance right away via “Space Cowboy,” a side-long suite whose ominous lyricism (“The parasite / That lives in me / Murders words / From where I stop / And it breathes in / We’re biting our tail / The cycle begins”) is but one of many reasons why it’s among Gazpacho’s greatest compositions. From its heartbreakingly delicate first movement and chaotic centerpiece, to its mournfully symphonic penultimate phase and thunderous outro, it is a masterpiece onto itself, cementing how vivacious, evocative, and imaginative Gazpacho remain after all these years.

From there, the sequence remains just as seductively eccentric and beautiful. In particular, “Hourglass” is a gorgeous piano ballad that evokes March of Ghosts in its fusion of welcoming melodies and gentle orchestral flourishes. That then make way for the feisty layers and catchy hooks of the band’s first single and title track “Fireworker.” Fittingly, “Antique” takes over with angelic mystery and the album closer “Sapien,” echoes the dynamic range and epic scope of “Space Cowboy,” resulting in an awe-inspiring finale that envelops you in luscious arrangements and poignant existential realizations.

Naturally, Gazpacho’s career has been full of great performances and glowing praise. Outside of issuing three superb live LPs (2010’s A Night at the Loreley, 2011’s London, and 2015’s Night of the Demon), they’ve played festivals such as Be Prog! My Friend, Night of the Prog, Midsummer Prog Festival, and Cruise to the Edge, where they delighted audiences alongside exceptional brethren like iamthemorning, Anathema, Pain of Salvation, Caligula’s Horse, Riverside, The Neal Morse Band, and Steve Hackett. Unsurprisingly, their records have been met with similarly enthusiastic reception; for instance, their previous statement, 2018’s Soyuz, earned superlative accolades from publications such as PROG, Echoes and Dust and Louder than War.

Fireworker is truly life-changing experience, so you would be wise to turn off all of the lights, clear your mind as best you can, and prepare to meet the Fireworker.




FIREWORKER tracklisting
1. Space Cowboy [19:43]
2. Hourglass [04:15]
3. Fireworker [04:41]
4. Antique [06:24]
5. Sapien [15:22]

Fireworker will be released on Kscope on 18th September, on CD, a gatefold 2LP on 180g black vinyl  (3 sides audio, 1 side art etching) and digitally (digital pre-orders receive the title track “Fireworker” as an instant download) and is available to pre-order HERE (https://gazpacho.lnk.to/Fireworker)

GAZPACHO LIVE

Sadly, due to the current covid-19 situation the band’s European and UK dates scheduled for October 2020 have been postponed to October 2021, but as the band didn’t want to disappoint their fans Gazpacho are planning to play Fireworker in its entirety via a livestream, alongside a Q&A about the concept plus will play a few favourites from their repertoire. Details of the streaming event and the rescheduled tour will follow soon

In the meantime, they suggest, you should internalize the record as much as possible to eventually “research your own ‘Space Cowboy.’” Anderson adds: “It’s an attempt at a safe way of looking at something highly dangerous because the animal does not understand music or poetry. We’re trying to outsmart it by writing around it, as music can go places words can’t and there’s a magic to it all.”

Gazpacho are:
Thomas Andersen – keyboards, programming
Jan-Henrik Ohme – vocals
Jon-Arne Vibo – guitars
Mikael Krømer – violin, additional guitars
Kristian “Fido” Torp – bass
Robert R Johansen – drums

Follow Gazpacho online:
https://www.facebook.com/Gazpacho.Official.BandPage
https://www.instagram.com/gazpachoband
www.gazpachoworld.com

FOR MORE HI-RES IMAGES TO DOWNLOAD FOR MEDIA USE www.kscopemusic.com/media/gazpacho

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Norwegian Art-Rock Prog Ensemble Gazpacho to Release New Studio Album Soyuz

Norwegian Art-rock progressive outfit Gazpacho are set to release their brand-new studio album Soyuz through Kscope on 18th May 2018.

Known for their distinctive art rock that balances tense and beautiful arrangements, sinister and soulful melodic lines, Gazpacho's Soyuz furthers their experimental output. To launch Soyuz the band have revealed their first single “Soyuz One”. Watch the video here:

A band who are used to seizing headlines with bizarre stories, including The Independent (UK) branding Molok as “An album that could destroy the world”, Gazpacho have a holistic approach to the album writing process, imbuing each with a captivating concept. The themes of Soyuz were born from the idea of how beautiful moments pass and cannot be “saved for later”, so within Soyuz are interconnected tales of people and lives “frozen in time”. Taking inspiration from a multitude of eras and subject matters, including the doomed Russian space capsule Soyuz and its iconic captain Komarov; the Tibetan Buddhist funeral practice in “Sky Burial”; the inclusion of the oldest recording of the human voice from 1860 and the Hans Christian Andersen inspired “Emperor Bespoke”.

Recorded at Krypton Planet & St. Croix Fredrikstad in Norway, engineered by Thomas Andersen, Kristian Torp and Mikael Kroemer, mixed by John Rausch and mastered by Sonovo Mastering's Thor Legvold. The artwork, designed by painter Antonio Seijas, is inspired by Russian Cold War colours and fonts from the Soyuz One flight era.

Soyuz Tracklisting 
1. Soyuz One
2. Hypomania
3. Exit Suite
4. Emperor Bespoke
5. Sky Burial
6. Fleeting Things
7. Soyuz Out
8. Rappaccini

Soyuz will be released on CD / LP and digitally (with pre orders receiving “Soyuz One” as an instant download) and is available to pre-order: http://smarturl.it/GazpachoSoyuz

Gazpacho have confirmed they will be taking Soyuz on the road this summer with a series of headline shows and an appearance at Be Prog! My Friend Festival in Barcelona, with more dates to follow

Soyuz Tour 2018
24/05 – NL -  Maastricht, Muziekgieterij,
25/05 – NL-  Uden, De Pul
26/05 – NL-  Zoetermeer, De Boerderij,
28/05 – UK - London, The Dome
31/05 – DE - Aschaffenburg, Colos-saal
01/06 - DE - Cologne Die Kantine,
02/06 – NL – Leeuwarden, Neushoorn,
23/06 – NO – Oslo, John Dee
30/06 – ESP – Barcelona, Be Prog Festival
For tickets see www.gazpachoworld.com



Gazpacho are:
Jan Henrik Ohme (vocals)
Thomas Andersen (keyboards, programming)
Jon-Arne Vilbo (guitars)
Mikael Krømer (violin, mandolin)
Kristian Torp (bass)
Robert Risberget Johansen (drums & percussion)

Follow Gazpacho online:
https://www.facebook.com/Gazpacho.Official.BandPage
www.gazpachoworld.com

Kscope: 1st floor, 52 Lisson Street, London, UK NW1 5DF

Press inquiries (North America): Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Norwegian Art-Rock Prog Ensemble Gazpacho to Release New Studio Album Soyuz

Norwegian Art-rock progressive outfit Gazpacho are set to release their brand-new studio album Soyuz through Kscope on 18th May 2018.

Known for their distinctive art rock that balances tense and beautiful arrangements, sinister and soulful melodic lines, Gazpacho's Soyuz furthers their experimental output. To launch Soyuz the band have revealed their first single “Soyuz One”. Watch the video here:

A band who are used to seizing headlines with bizarre stories, including The Independent (UK) branding Molok as “An album that could destroy the world”, Gazpacho have a holistic approach to the album writing process, imbuing each with a captivating concept. The themes of Soyuz were born from the idea of how beautiful moments pass and cannot be “saved for later”, so within Soyuz are interconnected tales of people and lives “frozen in time”. Taking inspiration from a multitude of eras and subject matters, including the doomed Russian space capsule Soyuz and its iconic captain Komarov; the Tibetan Buddhist funeral practice in “Sky Burial”; the inclusion of the oldest recording of the human voice from 1860 and the Hans Christian Andersen inspired “Emperor Bespoke”.

Recorded at Krypton Planet & St. Croix Fredrikstad in Norway, engineered by Thomas Andersen, Kristian Torp and Mikael Kroemer, mixed by John Rausch and mastered by Sonovo Mastering's Thor Legvold. The artwork, designed by painter Antonio Seijas, is inspired by Russian Cold War colours and fonts from the Soyuz One flight era.

Soyuz Tracklisting 
1. Soyuz One
2. Hypomania
3. Exit Suite
4. Emperor Bespoke
5. Sky Burial
6. Fleeting Things
7. Soyuz Out
8. Rappaccini

Soyuz will be released on CD / LP and digitally (with pre orders receiving “Soyuz One” as an instant download) and is available to pre-order: http://smarturl.it/GazpachoSoyuz

Gazpacho have confirmed they will be taking Soyuz on the road this summer with a series of headline shows and an appearance at Be Prog! My Friend Festival in Barcelona, with more dates to follow

Soyuz Tour 2018
24/05 – NL -  Maastricht, Muziekgieterij,
25/05 – NL-  Uden, De Pul
26/05 – NL-  Zoetermeer, De Boerderij,
28/05 – UK - London, The Dome
31/05 – DE - Aschaffenburg, Colos-saal
01/06 - DE - Cologne Die Kantine,
02/06 – NL – Leeuwarden, Neushoorn,
23/06 – NO – Oslo, John Dee
30/06 – ESP – Barcelona, Be Prog Festival
For tickets see www.gazpachoworld.com



Gazpacho are:
Jan Henrik Ohme (vocals)
Thomas Andersen (keyboards, programming)
Jon-Arne Vilbo (guitars)
Mikael Krømer (violin, mandolin)
Kristian Torp (bass)
Robert Risberget Johansen (drums & percussion)

Follow Gazpacho online:
https://www.facebook.com/Gazpacho.Official.BandPage
www.gazpachoworld.com

Kscope: 1st floor, 52 Lisson Street, London, UK NW1 5DF

Press inquiries (North America): Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Norwegian Art-Rock Prog Ensemble Gazpacho to Release New Studio Album Soyuz

Norwegian Art-rock progressive outfit Gazpacho are set to release their brand-new studio album Soyuz through Kscope on 18th May 2018.

Known for their distinctive art rock that balances tense and beautiful arrangements, sinister and soulful melodic lines, Gazpacho's Soyuz furthers their experimental output. To launch Soyuz the band have revealed their first single “Soyuz One”. Watch the video here:

A band who are used to seizing headlines with bizarre stories, including The Independent (UK) branding Molok as “An album that could destroy the world”, Gazpacho have a holistic approach to the album writing process, imbuing each with a captivating concept. The themes of Soyuz were born from the idea of how beautiful moments pass and cannot be “saved for later”, so within Soyuz are interconnected tales of people and lives “frozen in time”. Taking inspiration from a multitude of eras and subject matters, including the doomed Russian space capsule Soyuz and its iconic captain Komarov; the Tibetan Buddhist funeral practice in “Sky Burial”; the inclusion of the oldest recording of the human voice from 1860 and the Hans Christian Andersen inspired “Emperor Bespoke”.

Recorded at Krypton Planet & St. Croix Fredrikstad in Norway, engineered by Thomas Andersen, Kristian Torp and Mikael Kroemer, mixed by John Rausch and mastered by Sonovo Mastering's Thor Legvold. The artwork, designed by painter Antonio Seijas, is inspired by Russian Cold War colours and fonts from the Soyuz One flight era.

Soyuz Tracklisting 
1. Soyuz One
2. Hypomania
3. Exit Suite
4. Emperor Bespoke
5. Sky Burial
6. Fleeting Things
7. Soyuz Out
8. Rappaccini

Soyuz will be released on CD / LP and digitally (with pre orders receiving “Soyuz One” as an instant download) and is available to pre-order: http://smarturl.it/GazpachoSoyuz

Gazpacho have confirmed they will be taking Soyuz on the road this summer with a series of headline shows and an appearance at Be Prog! My Friend Festival in Barcelona, with more dates to follow

Soyuz Tour 2018
24/05 – NL -  Maastricht, Muziekgieterij,
25/05 – NL-  Uden, De Pul
26/05 – NL-  Zoetermeer, De Boerderij,
28/05 – UK - London, The Dome
31/05 – DE - Aschaffenburg, Colos-saal
01/06 - DE - Cologne Die Kantine,
02/06 – NL – Leeuwarden, Neushoorn,
23/06 – NO – Oslo, John Dee
30/06 – ESP – Barcelona, Be Prog Festival
For tickets see www.gazpachoworld.com



Gazpacho are:
Jan Henrik Ohme (vocals)
Thomas Andersen (keyboards, programming)
Jon-Arne Vilbo (guitars)
Mikael Krømer (violin, mandolin)
Kristian Torp (bass)
Robert Risberget Johansen (drums & percussion)

Follow Gazpacho online:
https://www.facebook.com/Gazpacho.Official.BandPage
www.gazpachoworld.com

Kscope: 1st floor, 52 Lisson Street, London, UK NW1 5DF

Press inquiries (North America): Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Progressive Rock Review: Gazpacho-Molok

Release Date: 23^rd October 2015

Label: KScope

Website

Originally appearing back in 1996 the Norwegian band, Gazpacho, has gone from strength to strength and has now released studio album no 9, Molok. The debut album, Bravo, appeared in 2003 and the band has released an album every 1-2 years since, so have maintained a steady output of excellent material. Molok follows on fairly quickly from the critically acclaimed, Demon, from 2014, and takes the band another step up on the progressive ladder.

The band line-up has been amazingly consistent since the original core members of Jan Henrik Orme (vocals), Jon-Arne Vilbo (guitars) and Thomas Anderson (keyboards and programming) started out and then added Michael Kromer in 2001 (violin and mandolin), Kristian Torp in 2005 (bass) and Lars Erik Asp in 2010 (drums). This line-up has been present on the last four studio albums.

Molok has been described by Thomas Anderson as “Molok is about a man somewhere around 1920 that decides wherever anyone worships a god, they always seem to be worshipping stone in one form or another. Whether a grand cathedral, the stone in Mecca or even Stonehenge, god seems to have been chased by his worshippers into stone, never to return. This harkens back to Norwegian folk myths, where if a troll was exposed to sunlight, it would turn to stone, but also reflects the way god has been incommunicado for a very long time.” This sounds like very profound material, so what does the album actually sound like?

Molok is a 9 track release (on CD, but 8 tracks on vinyl) with a total running time of around 45 minutes (44:37). The final track, “Molok Rising,” is the longest track on offer at just less than 10 minutes (9:38) in length with track no 3, “Beta Kiss,” the shortest on the album at 2:45 minutes.

The opening track on Molok is “Park Bench” (6:44) which begins with a drum beat setting the scene. Jan Henrik Ormes’ voice enters, instantly recognizable to all Gazpacho followers. There is the characteristic minimalist instrumentation behind the voice with a piano motif, keyboard theme and then the violin makes an entrance. The atmosphere produced on this opening track is nothing short of majestic. As the voice builds and retreats, the background shifts almost imperceptibly, but the sheer power that seems held back by invisible forces constantly threatens to be unleashed. The amazing ability of the band to generate such controlled atmospherics has to be admired. The band then work as a tight unit to take the track out.

“The Masters Voice” (4:08) picks up the atmospherics from the word go. The plaintive voice is backed by a gentle electric guitar and a choir which leads into a stunning section led by the bass and drums, with the piano generating more of the simple, but fascinating, themes. This is a slow building track which moves along with the voice, more of the electric guitar and a little more intensity to the music, when without warning it drops away to almost silence before re-entering and building, before ultimately, exiting.

Track 3 is a very different style of track. “Bela Kiss” (2:45) is an up-tempo folky toe-tapper which also has Stian Carstensen on accordion. This is a short track which highlights the folk charm which is never too far away from the surface on any Gazpacho release.

Back to the atmospherics with the next track up, “Know Your Time” (6:07) which starts with a longer introduction of bass, drums and keyboards as it slowly builds to the entrance of the vocals, almost 1:30 minutes into the track. The vocals are crystal clear and there is a little more of the gentle electric guitar carrying the music along. Around the 2:30 minute point you become aware of the presence of the piano theme in the background as the music flows effortlessly along. A deeper, darker section starts up around the 3:40 minute mark which allows more guitar and piano to come to the fore. The track is escorted out by some stunning violin playing by Michael.

There is a piano start to “Choir of Ancestors” (4:44) before being joined by Jan Henrik and the rhythm unit of bass and drum move the track along. A “distant” voice appears around the 1:30 minute mark and this is followed by a choir, which builds behind the lead voice, with the drums appearing impatient to be moving quicker. This all leads to a guitar led “wall of noise,” but for Gazpacho that is a fairly subdued level. This track is another example of how to generate atmosphere within a short piece of music. The track ends with the sound dropping away and a little more of the “distant” voice.

Next up is a trio of shorter tracks, all within the 3-4 minute timescale. First up is “ABC” (3:26) which is a very melodic up-tempo track and this is followed by “Algorithm” (3:10) with an almost jazzy styled feel to it initially before it settles into a shorter slice of atmospherics, with some vocalization, but no words. The last of the trio, “Alarm” (3:54) is another up-tempo chunk of music highlighting piano and keyboards with superb vocals from Jan Henrik. Piano themes abound both in the background and leading the piece as the track progresses.

The final, and longest, track on Molok, “Molok Rising” (9:38) is the albums’ tour de force. The introduction of the track is very simple but generates a majestic atmosphere as the track builds with, seemingly, the minimum of effort. This track highlights the fantastic ability the band possesses enabling them to paint amazing aural landscapes without losing the minimalistic feel to the music. Piano, keyboards, guitar, mandolin, bass, drums and violin interact so perfectly and seamlessly.

Molok is a stunning album and easily achieves the maximum star rating that its’ predecessor, Demon, garnered. This is a superb example of the stunning atmospheric music that can be produced by 6 musicians who are acutely sympathetic to each other. Do not expect shredding guitars, thundering drums and blistering vocals on a Gazpacho album, as the band have everything down to a fine art and generate something very special each and every time they enter the recording studios.

This is an album that further cements Gazpacho as a unique band in modern progressive music. My advice is made very simple by Molok, and that is, get out there and buy it. There have been a few albums that I have given the accolade, “one of the best releases in 2015” to, and Molok can now be added to that list.

5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Park Bench, Choir of Ancestors, Molok Rising

Tracks: 
Park Bench
The Masters’ Voice
Bela Kiss
Know Your Time
Choir Of Ancestors
ABC
Algorithm
Alarm
Molok Rising

Jim “The Ancient One” Lawson-Sr. Reviewer Prog Rock Music Talk

December 21, 2015

Review Provided By Prog Rock Music Talk

Progressive Rock Review: Gazpacho-Molok

Release Date: 23^rdOctober 2015

Label: KScope

Website

Originally appearing back in 1996 the Norwegian band, Gazpacho, has gone from strength to strength and has now released studio album no 9, Molok. The debut album, Bravo, appeared in 2003 and the band has released an album every 1-2 years since, so have maintained a steady output of excellent material. Molok follows on fairly quickly from the critically acclaimed, Demon, from 2014, and takes the band another step up on the progressive ladder.

The band line-up has been amazingly consistent since the original core members of Jan Henrik Orme (vocals), Jon-Arne Vilbo (guitars) and Thomas Anderson (keyboards and programming) started out and then added Michael Kromer in 2001 (violin and mandolin), Kristian Torp in 2005 (bass) and Lars Erik Asp in 2010 (drums). This line-up has been present on the last four studio albums.

Molok has been described by Thomas Anderson as “Molokis about a man somewhere around 1920 that decides wherever anyone worships a god, they always seem to be worshipping stone in one form or another. Whether a grand cathedral, the stone in Mecca or even Stonehenge, god seems to have been chased by his worshippers into stone, never to return. This harkens back to Norwegian folk myths, where if a troll was exposed to sunlight, it would turn to stone, but also reflects the way god has been incommunicado for a very long time.” This sounds like very profound material, so what does the album actually sound like?

Molok is a 9 track release (on CD, but 8 tracks on vinyl) with a total running time of around 45 minutes (44:37). The final track, “Molok Rising,” is the longest track on offer at just less than 10 minutes (9:38) in length with track no 3, “Beta Kiss,” the shortest on the album at 2:45 minutes.

The opening track on Molokis “Park Bench” (6:44) which begins with a drum beat setting the scene. Jan Henrik Ormes’ voice enters, instantly recognizable to all Gazpacho followers. There is the characteristic minimalist instrumentation behind the voice with a piano motif, keyboard theme and then the violin makes an entrance. The atmosphere produced on this opening track is nothing short of majestic. As the voice builds and retreats, the background shifts almost imperceptibly, but the sheer power that seems held back by invisible forces constantly threatens to be unleashed. The amazing ability of the band to generate such controlled atmospherics has to be admired. The band then work as a tight unit to take the track out.

“The Masters Voice” (4:08) picks up the atmospherics from the word go. The plaintive voice is backed by a gentle electric guitar and a choir which leads into a stunning section led by the bass and drums, with the piano generating more of the simple, but fascinating, themes. This is a slow building track which moves along with the voice, more of the electric guitar and a little more intensity to the music, when without warning it drops away to almost silence before re-entering and building, before ultimately, exiting.

Track 3 is a very different style of track. “Bela Kiss” (2:45) is an up-tempo folky toe-tapper which also has Stian Carstensen on accordion. This is a short track which highlights the folk charm which is never too far away from the surface on any Gazpacho release.

Back to the atmospherics with the next track up, “Know Your Time” (6:07) which starts with a longer introduction of bass, drums and keyboards as it slowly builds to the entrance of the vocals, almost 1:30 minutes into the track. The vocals are crystal clear and there is a little more of the gentle electric guitar carrying the music along. Around the 2:30 minute point you become aware of the presence of the piano theme in the background as the music flows effortlessly along. A deeper, darker section starts up around the 3:40 minute mark which allows more guitar and piano to come to the fore. The track is escorted out by some stunning violin playing by Michael.

There is a piano start to “Choir of Ancestors” (4:44) before being joined by Jan Henrik and the rhythm unit of bass and drum move the track along. A “distant” voice appears around the 1:30 minute mark and this is followed by a choir, which builds behind the lead voice, with the drums appearing impatient to be moving quicker. This all leads to a guitar led “wall of noise,” but for Gazpacho that is a fairly subdued level. This track is another example of how to generate atmosphere within a short piece of music. The track ends with the sound dropping away and a little more of the “distant” voice.

Next up is a trio of shorter tracks, all within the 3-4 minute timescale. First up is “ABC” (3:26) which is a very melodic up-tempo track and this is followed by “Algorithm” (3:10) with an almost jazzy styled feel to it initially before it settles into a shorter slice of atmospherics, with some vocalization, but no words. The last of the trio, “Alarm” (3:54) is another up-tempo chunk of music highlighting piano and keyboards with superb vocals from Jan Henrik. Piano themes abound both in the background and leading the piece as the track progresses.

The final, and longest, track on Molok, “Molok Rising” (9:38) is the albums’ tour de force. The introduction of the track is very simple but generates a majestic atmosphere as the track builds with, seemingly, the minimum of effort. This track highlights the fantastic ability the band possesses enabling them to paint amazing aural landscapes without losing the minimalistic feel to the music. Piano, keyboards, guitar, mandolin, bass, drums and violin interact so perfectly and seamlessly.

Molok is a stunning album and easily achieves the maximum star rating that its’ predecessor, Demon, garnered. This is a superb example of the stunning atmospheric music that can be produced by 6 musicians who are acutely sympathetic to each other. Do not expect shredding guitars, thundering drums and blistering vocals on a Gazpacho album, as the band have everything down to a fine art and generate something very special each and every time they enter the recording studios.

This is an album that further cements Gazpacho as a unique band in modern progressive music. My advice is made very simple by Molok, and that is, get out there and buy it. There have been a few albums that I have given the accolade, “one of the best releases in 2015” to, and Molok can now be added to that list.

5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Park Bench, Choir of Ancestors, Molok Rising

Tracks: 
Park Bench
The Masters’ Voice
Bela Kiss
Know Your Time
Choir Of Ancestors
ABC
Algorithm
Alarm
Molok Rising

Jim “The Ancient One” Lawson-Sr. Reviewer Prog Rock Music Talk

December 21, 2015

Review Provided By Prog Rock Music Talk

Progressive Rock Review: Gazpacho-Demon

Release Date: 1^stApril 2014

Label:    Kscope

Website

This was an interesting album to receive for review as I had been listening to it, and playing tracks on the radio show for a few weeks beforehand. Gazpacho, a progressive art rock band from Norway, has just released Demon, which is the 8th studio album to have been released since their debut album, Bravo, issued back in 2003. Regular readers of my review will have probably picked up on the fact that I am not comfortable with the constant need to squeeze a band into a particular labelled box, such as neo-prog (?) etc, but one critic described Gazpacho in a way that I find just a little bit over the top. The band were said to be “classical, post ambient, nocturnal, atmospheric, neo-progressive, folk, world rock, which should explain why I prefer to simply call it all, progressive rock.

Formed back in 1996 by childhood friends, Jon-Arne Vilbo (guitars, programming) and Thomas Anderson (keyboards, programming, producer), then Jan-Henrik Ohme (vocals), and later by Michael Kromer (violin, guitar, programming, co-producer), Kristian Torp (bass guitar) and Lars Erik Asp (drums, percussion), with the last three joining the band in 2001, 2005 and 2010 respectively.

The band initially released their material via the internet which allowed them to maintain full time jobs, but also release an album every year, over which they had complete control. With a growing fan base and an excellent output, Gazpacho signed to Kscope in 2010 and all subsequent releases appear on this label.

Demon is basically a 4 song album based on, what the band refer to as, “the mad ramblings left behind by an unknown tenant in an apartment in Prague.” The discovered manuscript seemed to form a sort of diary in which the author claimed to have discovered the source of an “evil presence” in the world. Some of the entries seem to indicate this unknown author had lived through the ages searching out this “presence.” The band felt that this seemed a terrific idea to use as the basis for a concept album, and ultimately it has taken two years to complete.

Although described as a 4 “song” album, there are, in effect 8 tracks, as some tracks have multiple parts. Demon has a total running time of around 45 minutes with the shortest track on offer, “The Wizard of Altai Mountain” clocking in at 4:52 minutes and the 3 parts of the final track, “Death Room,” the longest, with a playing time of 18:44 minutes.

Gazpacho is a band filled with musicians  that are masters of the art form referred to as “less is more,” in that they do not feel the need to overlay masses of instruments on tracks, nor do they try to play several hundred notes every second. The brilliance of this band is that at times they strip everything back to the bare minimum, but still provide a fantastic aural tapestry that the listener becomes inextricably woven into from start to finish.

The opening sequence, “I’ve Been Walking Pt 1 a+b” (9:46) is a superb example of stripped back, but deeply intense musicianship. The plaintive voice of Jan-Henrik together with a solitary piano starts this track, with “dark” strings building behind the voice. A short wall of sound accentuates that plaintive vocal before the track merges into acoustic guitar and strings, before dropping further into the stripped back mode, with the voice backed by gentle sounds. A slow building of sound behind carries the track into the second phase with a piano and a “descending” violin. A choir can be heard away in the distance over the superb solo piano passage before the guitar, bass and drums move things up a notch. Just after 8 minutes, the sound of the cello, together with a solo violin is all that can be heard, painting a scenario of loss and desolation (at least to me), and this takes the opening sequence out. An amazing piece of music to start this album, which makes the listener want desperately to hear what the rest of the album holds.

The shortest track, “The Wizard of Altai Mountain” (4:52) is more of an up-tempo styled track, but is still sparse in its composition, led along by that powerful emotive voice, before an accordion picks up behind the voice and then around the 2:30 minute mark, the song changes into a sort of accordion band, entertaining a crowd, with an amazing violin passage over the top of everything. Cue then the return of a more solemn accordion piece as it ends on an ambient note.

A return to “I’ve Been Walking Pt 2 a+b”, (12:30) is possibly more atmospheric than Pt 1. Voices, piano, muffled drums and bass carry the song along painting amazing aural landscapes as it moves almost serenely along until there is a little more urgency creeps in. Suddenly the music is replaced by an old “scratchy” vocal recording which moves into a piano passage and then a return to the full band sound, prior to the “normal” vocals reappearing. A short burst of the “scratchy” vocals merges into the superb violin/piano combination which leads into the second phase, and although very sparse, the atmosphere generated is almost electric. This is a stunning track which slowly gives way to the final track of the album.

The tour de force of this album must surely be “Death Room Pt 1, 2 and 3” (18:44), which starts very differently with some industrial noise and a repeated 3 note riff that is maintained in the background. Add in some “sawing” violin which weaves in and out, and the stunning atmospherics generated by this phase are almost beyond belief. Every so often there is the return of the superb piano behind the voice, almost like a “security blanket.” There is an almost choir-like soulful backing behind the voice at times. Bass rumblings move the track into its second phase and there follows an amazing violin passage together with strings which seems to flow and fit the track so well. The entry into the third phase of the track has another beautiful piano passage behind the voice and then a passage of piano with a guitar away in the distance. Bass rumbles herald the move to the finale and a return to the industrial noise that began the track, escorts it out.

 

This is the type of album that once it has finished you are required a moment or two to ponder over the enormity of its achievement. It is a truly stunning album that all Gazpacho fans are likely to go into raptures over, but new listeners to the band should give the album several plays, as it is very definitely a “grower.”

Demon is a very dark, atmospheric, engaging album that achieves all it set out to do. The band realize that aural soundscapes can be produced in what appears to be a very simplistic form, but this requires superb musicianship and a deep understanding of what they are trying to achieve. 

My advice is to listen to this album several times and then make a space for it on the CD shelf.Demon gets both the “One to Buy” and “The Experience will last Forever” stickers on the cover.

5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: The Wizard of Altai, Death Room Pt 1, 2 and 3

Tracks:I’ve Been Walking Pt 1 a
I’ve Been Walking Pt 1 b
The Wizard of Altai Mountain
I’ve Been Walking Pt 2 a
I’ve Been Walking Pt 2 b
Death Room Pt 1
Death Room Pt 2
Death Room Pt 3

Jim “The Ancient One” Lawson-Sr. Reviewer Prog Rock Music Talk

May 30, 2014

Review Provided By Write A Music Review

Progressive Rock Review: Gazpacho-Demon

Release Date: 1^stApril 2014

Label:    Kscope

Website

This was an interesting album to receive for review as I had been listening to it, and playing tracks on the radio show for a few weeks beforehand. Gazpacho, a progressive art rock band from Norway, has just released Demon, which is the 8th studio album to have been released since their debut album, Bravo, issued back in 2003. Regular readers of my review will have probably picked up on the fact that I am not comfortable with the constant need to squeeze a band into a particular labelled box, such as neo-prog (?) etc, but one critic described Gazpacho in a way that I find just a little bit over the top. The band were said to be “classical, post ambient, nocturnal, atmospheric, neo-progressive, folk, world rock, which should explain why I prefer to simply call it all, progressive rock.

Formed back in 1996 by childhood friends, Jon-Arne Vilbo (guitars, programming) and Thomas Anderson (keyboards, programming, producer), then Jan-Henrik Ohme (vocals), and later by Michael Kromer (violin, guitar, programming, co-producer), Kristian Torp (bass guitar) and Lars Erik Asp (drums, percussion), with the last three joining the band in 2001, 2005 and 2010 respectively.

The band initially released their material via the internet which allowed them to maintain full time jobs, but also release an album every year, over which they had complete control. With a growing fan base and an excellent output, Gazpacho signed to Kscope in 2010 and all subsequent releases appear on this label.

Demon is basically a 4 song album based on, what the band refer to as, “the mad ramblings left behind by an unknown tenant in an apartment in Prague.” The discovered manuscript seemed to form a sort of diary in which the author claimed to have discovered the source of an “evil presence” in the world. Some of the entries seem to indicate this unknown author had lived through the ages searching out this “presence.” The band felt that this seemed a terrific idea to use as the basis for a concept album, and ultimately it has taken two years to complete.

Although described as a 4 “song” album, there are, in effect 8 tracks, as some tracks have multiple parts. Demon has a total running time of around 45 minutes with the shortest track on offer, “The Wizard of Altai Mountain” clocking in at 4:52 minutes and the 3 parts of the final track, “Death Room,” the longest, with a playing time of 18:44 minutes.

Gazpacho is a band filled with musicians  that are masters of the art form referred to as “less is more,” in that they do not feel the need to overlay masses of instruments on tracks, nor do they try to play several hundred notes every second. The brilliance of this band is that at times they strip everything back to the bare minimum, but still provide a fantastic aural tapestry that the listener becomes inextricably woven into from start to finish.

The opening sequence, “I’ve Been Walking Pt 1 a+b” (9:46) is a superb example of stripped back, but deeply intense musicianship. The plaintive voice of Jan-Henrik together with a solitary piano starts this track, with “dark” strings building behind the voice. A short wall of sound accentuates that plaintive vocal before the track merges into acoustic guitar and strings, before dropping further into the stripped back mode, with the voice backed by gentle sounds. A slow building of sound behind carries the track into the second phase with a piano and a “descending” violin. A choir can be heard away in the distance over the superb solo piano passage before the guitar, bass and drums move things up a notch. Just after 8 minutes, the sound of the cello, together with a solo violin is all that can be heard, painting a scenario of loss and desolation (at least to me), and this takes the opening sequence out. An amazing piece of music to start this album, which makes the listener want desperately to hear what the rest of the album holds.

The shortest track, “The Wizard of Altai Mountain” (4:52) is more of an up-tempo styled track, but is still sparse in its composition, led along by that powerful emotive voice, before an accordion picks up behind the voice and then around the 2:30 minute mark, the song changes into a sort of accordion band, entertaining a crowd, with an amazing violin passage over the top of everything. Cue then the return of a more solemn accordion piece as it ends on an ambient note.

A return to “I’ve Been Walking Pt 2 a+b”, (12:30) is possibly more atmospheric than Pt 1. Voices, piano, muffled drums and bass carry the song along painting amazing aural landscapes as it moves almost serenely along until there is a little more urgency creeps in. Suddenly the music is replaced by an old “scratchy” vocal recording which moves into a piano passage and then a return to the full band sound, prior to the “normal” vocals reappearing. A short burst of the “scratchy” vocals merges into the superb violin/piano combination which leads into the second phase, and although very sparse, the atmosphere generated is almost electric. This is a stunning track which slowly gives way to the final track of the album.

The tour de force of this album must surely be “Death Room Pt 1, 2 and 3” (18:44), which starts very differently with some industrial noise and a repeated 3 note riff that is maintained in the background. Add in some “sawing” violin which weaves in and out, and the stunning atmospherics generated by this phase are almost beyond belief. Every so often there is the return of the superb piano behind the voice, almost like a “security blanket.” There is an almost choir-like soulful backing behind the voice at times. Bass rumblings move the track into its second phase and there follows an amazing violin passage together with strings which seems to flow and fit the track so well. The entry into the third phase of the track has another beautiful piano passage behind the voice and then a passage of piano with a guitar away in the distance. Bass rumbles herald the move to the finale and a return to the industrial noise that began the track, escorts it out.

 

This is the type of album that once it has finished you are required a moment or two to ponder over the enormity of its achievement. It is a truly stunning album that all Gazpacho fans are likely to go into raptures over, but new listeners to the band should give the album several plays, as it is very definitely a “grower.”

Demon is a very dark, atmospheric, engaging album that achieves all it set out to do. The band realize that aural soundscapes can be produced in what appears to be a very simplistic form, but this requires superb musicianship and a deep understanding of what they are trying to achieve. 

My advice is to listen to this album several times and then make a space for it on the CD shelf.Demon gets both the “One to Buy” and “The Experience will last Forever” stickers on the cover.

5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: The Wizard of Altai, Death Room Pt 1, 2 and 3

Tracks:I’ve Been Walking Pt 1 a
I’ve Been Walking Pt 1 b
The Wizard of Altai Mountain
I’ve Been Walking Pt 2 a
I’ve Been Walking Pt 2 b
Death Room Pt 1
Death Room Pt 2
Death Room Pt 3

Jim “The Ancient One” Lawson-Sr. Reviewer Prog Rock Music Talk

May 30, 2014

Review Provided By Write A Music Review