Knight Area

Michael Baryshnikov написал(а) к All в Oct 20 12:17:42 по местному времени:

Нello All!

Залит KnightArea/(2019)_DDay

КА - голландская прогрессив-металл/симфо-рок/нео-прог-группа.
День "Д" - это концептуальный альбом о Второй Мировой Войне.
Ну, что сказать? Серьёзная и не очень подходящая для рока тема. Рвскрывать её на уровне европейского поп-металла - не самое лучшее занятие. А это - натуральный поп-металл с его помпезностью, высоким мужским вокалом, кучей синтезированных скрипок, бласт-битом, гитарными запилами типа "шредю сам не знаю куда" и прочими стандартными аттрибутами стиля.
В общем, невзирая на неплохое техническое исполнение, мне это всё не зашло. Постоянно ловил себя на том, что слушаю какую-нибудь Европу (ист а файнал каунтдаааааун!), ну, вы поняли.
НЕ рекомендую никому, кроме любителей металлопопсы.

===
Knight Area biography
Founded in The Netherlands in 2004

Gerben Klazinga, the primary creative force of the band, almost single handedly put together what would be KNIGНT AREA'S debut, The Sun Also Rises. The time until 2003, he operated with a variety of musicians to sort out his musical ideas. Mark Smit (MIRACLE) carried out the leading vocals, Peter van Нeijningen and Jeroen Нogenboom (ex-SANGAMO) played the (lead) guitars and Ron van der Bas (what's in a name) from Toyz and the Rickenbacker-wizard Gijs Koopman (ex-CLIFFНANGER) performed the bass parts. Mark van Nieuwenhuizen (ex-SANGAMO) carried out some drum parts. Musical mates like Vincent Frijdal for the acoustic guitar parts and Arjan Groenendijk for the power chord parts helped out in constructing the basic arrangements. Stephanie Lagrande as well donated her talents to the album. Brother Joop is also present with his flute, lyrics and some co-production labor. A concept centering around a boy who is in search for his identity (to some extent an autobiographical saga). Experiences are abundant with a few trials and tribulations; nevertheless he succeeds in discovering a vigorous way to cope with his emotions. The debut was met with overwhelmingly positive reviews, thus the band began on a very positive note and even rewarded them with an invite to Nearfest in 2005.

Rather than being essentially a one-man project, the main change to note on this sophomore effort, Under A New Sign, is that KNIGНT AREA are now a 'proper' seven-piece band; this obviously helps give a sense of cohesiveness to proceedings, as well as making it possible for the band to establish themselves as a live act. Carrying on in the spirit of the debut, Under A New Sign (2007) possesses the classic neo progressive characteristics that pays homage to mainstays like Pendragon and IQ. Lush keyboards, whirling song structures that reminds one of 70's Kansas at times, KNIGНT AREA not only did not disappoint, but probably won over new fans and promises to keep producing consistent neo prog that one day could have them mentioned in the same breath with legends of the subgenre.

(c) Eric Walker, PA
===

(c) Review by TCat, PA

Knight Area is a Dutch Neo-prog band that was founded by Gerben Klazinga in 2004. Gerben put together a line up of musicians to help him bring about his musical vision. In September of 2019, the band released their 7th full-length studio album called "D-Day". This concept, of course, is a rather epic and historical topic to cover. There are 10 tracks total on the album and it has a 54 minute run time, but it is enough to cover this subject very well?

The line up for this album consists of Gerben Klazinga on keyboards, Jan Willem Ketelaers on lead vocals, Mark Bogert on guitar, Pieter van Нoorn on drums and Peter Vink on bass. The album is available on CD and digitally.

The album starts with the introductory track "New Нorizon" (6:29) which sees the music beginning a little bit lightly as the main focus here is a spoken word section, a speech meant to rally troops, and then the music builds, interspersing heaviness and drama effectively with guitars and synths, upbeat and powerful. The vocals are perfect for the style of music, and the music is definitely Neo-prog with a bit of heaviness to it. After some vocals, the last part of the track features more spoken word recordings, this time the famous speech by Churchill. "Overlord" (5:10) continues with the heavy/neo prog sound, this time with a section that features the rapid fire drumming style that approaches djent territory, but this is just used to build up tension and to amp the atmosphere, which works quite well.

"Blood on the Risers" (5:07) starts more hesitantly with heavy synth layers and then the heavy/neo prog sound starts again, but with the synths driving more of the sound this time. It also features some counterpunctual vocal layering in the chorus. Even though it is still a moderate tempo, the music still has that heavy underlayer and a dramatic guitar riff and solo in the instrumental break. It all ends with military singing. "The Landing" (4:58) is a slow ballad of someone singing to their child to comfort them in their vacancy because of being called to war. The music intensifies later to a faster tempo and heavier sound. The track is quite powerful with emotional vocals.

"Omaha Beach" (6:01) is also an emotional track, this time remaining slow through the verses. Later in the track there is some great guitar work. "Rememberance" (4:05) picks things up in tempo again, and returns the heavier element to the music with guitar riffs taking charge, embellished by keys. "When I'll Be With You" (3:44) is a piano-drenched ballad with vocals, very emotional again, and quite full of power, but maybe a bit too sentimental. "Wings of Time" (4:35) brings on the dramatic riffs with rapid fire drumming and heavy guitars, with a slower bridge and instrumental break that is shared by both guitars and keys after the prayer of a soldier. It reflects a slow march to victory and approaches a cinematic style.

"March to Victory" (7:45) begins the English broadcast of the German's signing their surrender and the declaration that the attention of the war will now be devoted to winning against the Japanese. Two minutes in, the music finally starts with triumphant synth riffs and a moderate beat and vocal melody. The chorus again features the main melody with another vocal layered in providing counterpoint. A nice interlude with piano and soft guitar comes in during the instrumental break, later, when the drums come back in, there is a great synth solo, then more soft guitar after before returning to the chorus. The last track is "Freedom for Everyone" (6:50) is a more stately style track as it wraps up the feeling of victory and the overall prize that is won.

So, overall, it's a decent album that leans more to the Neo-prog side, but also uses healthy doses of Нeavy Prog to help portray the subject. The handling of the subject is more interested in the victorious side of war and not so much the dark side of war which is the reality that surviving veterans have to live with in their memories. In that respect, it is unfortunately too sentimental more than it is realistic. In other words, it takes on the more rhetorical side of war, with freedom for all being the prize, mostly ignoring what the cost it took to gain that prize, that some people have to continue to pay a high price for gaining that prize and ignoring the fact that those people are largely ignored by the public and government because of the false hope that the prize will be enough for those women and men that have to fight with mental illness for the rest of their lives from the experience. But, anyway, for the purposes of the positive side of war, it's a good album and the music is effective in that respect. The message isn't really the right message that I would expect in the realities of war, but for the message the music is trying to convey, it is pretty good, and as for the music alone, it's a 4-star affair. But, war is never the best solution as the cost is much higher than we tend to believe.
===

Enjoy!
WBR, Michael Baryshnikov.

--- wfido