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YEAR: 2005
STYLE: Symphonic Progressive Rock
FORMAT: FLAC (Image + Log + Cue + Scans + 5% Recovery)
SIZE: 448 Mb
COUNTRY: Canada
THE BAND: Jean-François
Désilets / lead vocals, six string electric bass, taurus moog pedals,
midi pedals, twelves strings acoustic guitar; Denis Jalbert / six
string acoustic & electric guitars, backing vocals; Francis Doucet
/ B3 & C3 Hammond organ Mellotrons, Minimoog, Roland synthetizers;
Yves Jalbert / drums & percussions, backing vocals. This
kind of progrock is the reason why I still love to make reviews after
15 years, what an interesting and varied sound! Hamadryad is a band
from Quebec, the cradle of Prog Archives. Safe In Conformity is the
second effort after their acclaimed debut CD entitled Conservation Of
Mass. The line-up has slightly changed because lead singer/guitarplayer
Jocelyn Beaulieu has left and bass player Jean-Francois Désilets took
over the vocals. After reading the reviews about the first album (which
I haven't heard), I get the idea that Hamadryad is almost another band
on this new album, take a look at those reviews to compare!
Jean-Francois his vocals evoke Peter Gabriel his vocals in a similar
way The Watch does. This Italian band comes more to my mind on this
album but in general Hamadryad their music indeed has strong Genesis
undertones (between Foxtrot and Wind And Wuthering): twanging 12-string
acoustic guitars, Moog Taurus bass pedals and organ work in the vein of
Tony Banks. But don't judge this new promising band as a Genesis clone
because they have their sound but Hamadryad is way from a copycat!
The 11 compositions sound elaborate and varied: great build-ups and
grand finales, fluent shifting moods and lots of exciting soli on
guitar (some wah-wah) and synthesizer. The one moment the music is
mellow with twanging guitars, the other moment it is bombastic, dynamic
or it contains a fiery or even metallish guitar solo or spectacular
work on keyboards, very compelling and exciting. Some examples: the
short piece Sparks And Benign Magic features a wonderful Mellotron and
Moog Taurus bass pedalls sound, One Voice evokes Red-King Crimson era
delivering propulsive electric guitar riffs and dynamic interplay
between drums and guitar and Self Made Man changes from mellow into
bombastic with splendid play on guitar and keyboards. I am very curious
to the development of this very promising Canadian band, HIGHLY
RECOMMENDED!!
http://www.progarchives.com
1. Anatomy of a Dream (5:51)
2. Sparks and Benign Magic (1:05)
3. Self made Men (7:42)
4. Gentle Landslide (0:40)
5. 24 (6:29)
6. Frail Purpose (3:11)
7. Sunburnt (5:13)
8. One Voice (3:31)
9. Polaroid Vendetta (6:41)
10. Alien Spheres (5:59)
11. Omnipresent Umbra (11:43)
The Band:
— Jean-François Désilets / lead vocals, six string electric bass,
taurus moog pedals, midi pedals, twelves strings acoustic guitar
— Denis Jalbert / six string acoustic & electric guitars, backing vocals
— Francis Doucet / B3 & C3 Hammond organ Mellotrons, Minimoog, Roland synthetizers
— Yves Jalbert / drums & percussions, backing vocals
HOTFILE:
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