2006-03-09
Canvas Solaris began as a very differently sounding band, with more extreme leanings, and a vocalist as well; they have moved into a far more progressive and fusion oriented direction, losing the vocals in the process.
How much you’d enjoy their new album depends on several things, first, if you are able to listen and enjoy instrumental music, since that is what the band creates; second, you have to be a prog fan, a fusion fan, or just a musician who can appreciate the band’s considerable playing ability, other than that – you may find yourself a bit bored.
The band, consisting of three members that share the guitar, keyboards, drum and bass parts, creates music which is complex, thought provoking and well crafted as any other prog-fusion band out there, what I also liked about this album is their sense of diversity, and a will to experiment, which is easily evident in “Vaihayasa”, the third track.
While the album starts off with what is most definitely a prog metal track, it goes into more 70's prog oriented ground with “Horizontal Radiant”, the second track, the playing here is top notch, and the use of instruments which are typical to prog comes off as highly original.
The track I mentioned, “Vaihayasa”, has a more ethereal, ethnic sound to it, such unique percussion instruments as Tabla and Moroccan Clay Drums are used, and it veers off the prog music area into a very different sphere.
There isn’t too much I can write to describe every separate track, but the move from Prog to Fusion and Jazz is done effortlessly and doesn’t sound forced, though there are definitely some aggressive riffs and ideas in the album - as a whole its quite a laid back effort.
The way to listen to this is to sit down comfortably with earphones and appreciate the thought that was put into the music.
Alon Miasnikov
