Echolyn
Echolyn (II)

4.0
excellent

Review

by menawati USER (94 Reviews)
October 27th, 2012 | 29 replies

Release Date: 2012 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Echolyn return after a seven year hiatus to deliver a rather low key effort which manages to capture the essence of traditional symphonic prog while still retaining its modern sensibilities.

After a long wait of seven years since 'The End is Beautiful' American symphonic prog group Echolyn finally released this self-titled double album in 2012. It seems rather odd that this was released as a double album since the music could have easily been crammed onto a single release. Maybe the band are trying to cash in but let us give them the benefit of the doubt and assume that it is an attempt to satisfy vinyl fans who crave a retro double-album experience and are willing to pay over the odds for the privilege.

Things get underway in a very promising fashion with the 17 minute 'Island'. Bold guitar riffing and retro synths dominate the aural landscape as we are plunged into a symphonic panorama of deviating rhythms and transient melodies that recall the prog rock spirit of the early 70's. Ray Weston's voice complements the shifting arrangements perfectly. The band have been compared with Gentle Giant in the past but there is now a very mature and individualistic essence to their music as if they have absorbed their influences fully and have tucked them away in a safe place. Unfortunately the captivating spell of the opening track is broken immediately with 'Headright' which finds Echolyn delving into straightforward pop prog. The song exhibits a standard verse/chorus structure replete with harmless melodies, irritating hand-claps and sentimental vocals.

The opening salvos belie the general personality of this album which is one of low key restraint and subtly building atmospheres. 'Some Memorial' embraces the more progressive side of their nature with aplomb. Some of the textures and Weston's vocals in particular sound reminiscent of Hogarth era Marillion and the arrangements veer from heavy symphonic rock to starker more reflective passages. 'Past Gravity' pulls us back down to earth with some delicate acoustic guitar and piano but builds into a soaring ballad with Brett Kull's hollow guitar lead weaving a spell around Weston's striving vocals. 'The Cardinal and I' greets the listener with a dark and foreboding quality that is totally out of character with the rest of the album. Kull is in fine form on here delivering a wah drenched burst of guitar but the song soon calms down into a structure which mirrors much of what pervades the rest of the album with it's constrained approach.

If there is one criticism I would level at this album it is that the tempo and general feel can become rather monotonous during the first few listens. Throughout the middle section of the record one can be left yearning for something more up-beat and immediate. If you give the album time to grow however the subtle and quite austere atmosphere that dominates the music becomes more and more compelling. While not quite approaching the heights of their earlier classics this album is still a worthy addition to Echolyn's discography. Let's hope we don't have to wait another seven years for the next one.

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