Izvođač: Deluge Grander
Izdavač: Samozaložba
Izdanje: 2009
Trajanje: 53:49
Ocjena: 4.3/5
Deluge Grander relativno je mlad američki sastav koji predvodi klavijaturistički majstor Dan Britton. Sastav je nastao 2005. u Baltimoreu, a već u rujnu sljedeće godine objavili su svoj prvijenac pod naslovom “August in the Urals”, koji su kritičari lijepo prihvatili. Manje od tri godine nakon tog izdanja Deluge Grander počastili su nas novim albumom – ovaj put nazvanim “The Form of the Good”.
Dan Britton i dalje ostaje vođa postave, jer je većinu materijala napisao on i ima najveću ulogu u sviranju. Ali bez ostalih članova ovo izdanje ne bi bilo toliko vrijedno poštovanja. Već je na prvom albumu bilo dosta gostiju koji su dodali nekoliko doista lijepih instrumentalnih dionica, no ovaj je album u tom pogledu još raznolikiji, a gosti glazbi dodaju dodatnu simfonijsku nijansu i čine je još veličanstvenijom.
Iako ih obično svrstavaju među simfonijski rock, moglo bi se reći da Deluge Grander stilski djeluju kao mješavina simfonike i nekih avangardnih pristupa. Klavijature u najvećoj mjeri nedvojbeno daju simfonijsku notu, osobito izvrsnom upotrebom orgulja, mellotrona i klavira, no Britton na istim instrumentima zna biti i prijeteći i avanturističkiji te te podsjeti na najveće trenutke King Crimson (osobito kad je riječ o mellotronu), a povremeno i na Magmu (određeni dijelovi na klaviru). Riječ je dakle o vrlo primamljivoj kombinaciji dvaju prilično oprečnih polova u progresivnom svijetu (iako su neki drugi sastavi već radili slične stvari), a mogućnost da se ta dva pola spoje na pravi način takva je da ti sline cure na sve strane. Sve postaje još slasnije kad čuješ glazbu koja ispunjava sva obećanja – savršeno spajanje simfonike i avangarde.
Netko bi mogao pomisliti da će, budući da je na albumu toliko gostiju, sam sastav biti donekle zasjenjen. No čim se začuju prve note “Before the Common Era”, postane ti jasno da su te brige bile neutemeljene. Dan Britton i dalje je glavni čovjek sa svojom obiljem klavijatura. Ne svira baš u maniri Wakemana ili Emersona. Njegov je stil mirniji i uglađeniji, možda čak u duhu Tonyja Banksa. Katkad me njegove linije podsjećaju na Magmine, osobito na klaviru. Ostali članovi lijepo prate Brittonovu viziju. Najuočljiviji je gitarist, koji odsvira nekoliko odličnih solo gitarskih melodija i teških rifova. I ritam sekcija je vrlo kompaktna. Posebno me impresionirao bubnjar Patrick Gaffney. Njegov stil te povuče u skladbu, a to ne bih rekao za baš svakog bubnjara. I gosti na albumu su važni. Zborski aranžmani su lijepi, a povremeno i jezoviti (podsjećaju na vokalne dionice na albumu Elixirs sastava Guapo), dok gudači i ostali instrumenti dodaju još više simfonijskog prizvuka.
Kao što sam već rekao, Deluge Grander pokušavaju miješati simfonijsku i avangardnu stranu progresivnog rocka. To im sjajno polazi za rukom, naravno i uz pomoć brojnih uzora. Osobno čujem dosta elemenata Yes, Genesis i Kansas što se tiče simfonijskog dijela, a King Crimson kad je riječ o eksperimentalnijoj strani. Kao što sam već rekao, čujem i određene elemente Magme u glazbi, ali možda tu malo pretjerujem. Kako god bilo, kakav god cilj Dan i ostatak postave bili zadali, meni sve zajedno djeluje doista dobro.
Od svih sastava koji su pokušali prijeći granicu između simfonijskog rocka i avangarde, Deluge Grander jedni su od najboljih. Sviraju svoj vlastiti stil, koji nije ni previše eksperimentalan ni previše simfonijski. Jaz između žanrova prelaze bez poteškoća i isporučili su dobar album koji će privući ljubitelje simfonijskog progresivnog rocka, kao i one koji vole avanturističkije stilove. Kad bih sudio samo po ovom albumu, rekao bih da su Deluge Grander jedna od najboljih postava koje to pokušavaju i mogu se samo nadati da će i dalje stvarati tako inteligentnu glazbu koja te natjera da se pošteno zamisliš.
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Deluge Grander is a relatively young American band led by keyboard wizard Dan Britton. The band was formed in Baltimore in 2005 and in September the following year they already released their debut effort, entitled “August in the Urals”, to much critical acclaim. Less than three years after the debut, Deluge Grander honour us with another album, this time called “The Form of the Good”.
Dan Britton still remains the band leader, as he wrote most of the material himself and has the biggest instrumental role on his keyboards. However, without the rest of the band this would not be such a noteworthy effort. Although there were quite a few guests already on the first album, adding some fine instruments, this album is even more diverse in that respect and the guests add an additional symphonic flair to the music and make it more majestic.
Stylistically, you could say that, although mostly classified as a symphonic band, Deluge Grander seem like a mixture of symphonic stylings and some avant-garde approaches. The keyboards definitely give a touch of the symphonic at most times, with great use of organ, the mellotron and piano, but Britton can be menacing in a more adventurous manner on the same instruments, making one think of the great moments of King Crimson (especially the mellotron use) and even Magma (certain electric piano segments are reminiscent). This is a very intriguing combination of two quite opposite poles in the progressive world (even though some other bands have done the same), but the prospect of fusing these two poles correctly is mouth-watering. It becomes even more appealing when you hear the music, which is everything it promises to be – the perfect fusion of symphonic and avant-garde.
You might think that with all these guests on the album, the core of the band would be slightly overshadowed. But the moment you hear the opening notes of “Before the Common Era”, you become aware that those worries were unfounded. Dan Britton is still the main man with his multitude of various keyboards. He’s not a Wakeman or Emerson character. His style is much more subdued and refined, perhaps even reminiscent of Tony Banks. Sometimes his lines remind me of the lines in Magma’s music, particularly the electric piano bits. The rest of the band fits well with Britton’s vision of the music. The most notable element is the guitarist, who comes up with some great solo melodies and some heavy riffs. The rhythm section is extremely tight. I am particularly impressed with Patrick Gaffney, the drummer. His drumming really draws you in and I don’t say this for many drummers. The guests on the album are very important as well. The choral arrangements are beautiful and haunting (reminiscent of Guapo’s work on Elixirs), while the strings and other additional instruments add a more symphonic flavour.
As I already mentioned, Deluge Grander try to fuse together the symphonic and avant-garde sides of progressive rock. They do this superbly, but you can still see certain influences coming through. I for one hear some elements of Yes, Genesis and Kansas on the symphonic front and King Crimson when it comes to the more experimental side. As I said before, I also hear certain elements of Magma in the music, but that might be stretching it a bit. In any case, whatever Dan and the rest of the band set out to do, it works extremely well for me.
From all the bands that I’ve heard attempt this same crossover between experimental music and symphonic progressive rock, Deluge Grander are one of the best. They play their own style, which is neither too experimental neither too symphonic. They bridge the genre gap effortlessly and have produced a fine album that will appeal to fans of symphonic progressive music, as well as fans of more adventurous styles. If I were to judge solely on the strength of this effort, I’d have to say that Deluge Grander are one of the best in the game and I can only hope they keep producing such intelligent and thought-provoking music.
Postava
Dave Berggren – gitare
Dan Britton – klavijature
Brett d’Anon – bas
Patrick Gaffney – bubnjevi
Gosti: Nathan Bontrager – violončelo, Frank d’Anon – zbor, Brian Falkowski – klarinet, flauta, saksofon, Heather MacArthur – violina, Jose Luis Oviedo – truba, N. Aaron Pancost – trombon, Kelli Short – oboa, Megan Wheatley – vokal
Produkcija
Deluge Grander
Popis skladbi
1. Before the Common Era (5:22)
2. The Tree Factory (14:08)
3. Common Era Caveman (6:26)
4. Aggrandizement (19:12)
5. The Form of the Good (8:41)
