Record Reviews
1 Review Found. Use search to find more reviews or follow the links in the review text.
  | MALADY ~ TOINEN TOISTA
SVART 145 (Barcode: 6430065583417) ~ FINLAND ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 2017 Released: 2018
This is the second album by Finnish Progressive Rock group MaladyFind albums by this artist, which consists of guitarist Tony BjorkmanFind albums by this artist, vocalist / guitarist Babak IssabeiglooFind albums by this artist, drummer Juuso JylhanlehtoFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Ville RohiolaFind albums by this artist and bassist Jonni TanskanenFind albums by this artist. Several guest musicians also take part in the recording. The album presents five original compositions, co-composed by the group members, with lyrics (in Finnish) by Jylhanlehto.
The music is a direct continuation of the glorious days of Finnish Prog from the late 1960s and 1970s, as if the clock stopped for almost five decades and started again in 2010s. The classic characteristics of the Finnish Symphonic Prog are all here; beautiful melodic themes, expanded instrumental passages, layers of Nordic sound vistas and a general ambience of mystery imagination. The sound and the structure of the compositions are kept exactly in the same manner like those of the original Prog period, which luckily saves the group from the dreaded Neo-Prog mannerisms, and creates a contemporary reflection of the Prog tradition.
The performances are all elegant and intelligent, preserving a coherent group sound and sparing the listener the redundant solo doodling, which is the curse of most Neo-Prog albums. The decision to credit the music to all the group members is also a reflection of the same motivation. Malady wants to put out a unique group sound and musical aesthetics, rather than a collection of individual statements.
In spite of the fact that Prog is an a priori limited idiom, Malady is a great example of the possibility to make innovative and intelligent music, which is timeless and beautiful, and a proud continuance of the tradition, both of Prog in general and the superb Finnish legacy of the idiom.
Malady is one of several Finnish Prog groups active today and they are all well worth checking out. But this album easily achieves the "instant classic" merit and every true Prog lover´s collection wouldn´t be complete without it!
| | Updated: 21/09/2021Posted: 13/10/2020 | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
|
