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(Görgess le az angol verzióhoz! - Scroll down for the english version!)
Az Aeon Zen a szívem csücske. A 2009-es, egészen zseniális debüt óta rajongójuk vagyok, és követem a csapatot. Bámultam Rich Hinkset, aki egy lélegzetelállító progresszív rock/metal lemezt írt meg és játszott fel szinte teljesen egyedül, olyan színvonalon, olyan igényességgel, amely a színtér régi nagy ikonjainak is becsületére vált volna. Bizony, még ma is eltátom a szám, mikor a lejátszóba kerül. A második lemez nem lett talán annyira tigris, valami mágikus kémia hiányzott, vagy nem is tudom… Pedig Hinks arra is remek dalokat írt, de valahogy mégsem állt össze a kép. Lehet, hogy csak meg akarta mutatni, képes az A Mind's Portrait szintjének megugrására, és a görcsös bizonyítási vágynak egy érzésem szerint elkapkodott lemez lett az eredménye. Ettől függetlenül imádom a Face-et is, vannak rajta kiugró momentumok, de nem annyira kerek egész, amennyire a debüt (Mindkét lemezről írtam a rockvilag.hu-n egyébként) Most pedig itt a harmadik mű, amelyért - végre! – ismét LEMEZKÉNT tudok rajongani.
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| Aeon Zen (b-j): Shaz billentyűs, Matt Shepherd gitáros, Rich Hinks gitáros/basszer/énekes, Steve Burton dobos, Andi Kravljaca énekes |
Mindenesetre túl vagyok már jó pár hallgatáson, és
leszögezhetem, az Enigma az eddigi legváltozatosabb korong, amit készítettek.
Kezdve a post-rockos (továbbmegyek: God Is An Astronautos) hatású, lemeznyitó
Enter The Enigmával, folytatva a sort a prog/”djent”/szimfo-sláger Divinity-n (a
refrént akár a pár évvel ezelőtti Dimmu Borgir is írhatta volna, még az ének
dallamvezetése is picit olyan Simen-es)és a jazzes-fúvós Seven Hills-en át
egészen a líraian, nyugisan kezdődő, majd egy málházós death metalos riffel
bemérgesedő Eternal Snowig minden dal egy külön történet, külön karakterrel,
külön hangulattal.
És még nem is szóltam az ugyanúgy ezerszínű, mégis
hagyományosabb dalokról! Óriásit énekel Kravljaca az intró utáni Artifical
Soulban például (az Eternal Snowban is visszaköszön később ez a dallammenet,
némileg nyugisabb zenei környezetbe ágyazva). De a Warning ambientes kezdése
sem éppen szokványos. Vagy ott a Turn To Ash, ami egyfajta visszautalás az első
albumra, legalábbis én így érzem. A záró Downfall pedig ugyanolyan minőségi zúzda,
mint a Demise volt a debütön. A lemez legjobb kórusa viszont szerintem a
bónuszként pakolt Survivalban van. Ezerfelé tekeredő, kicsit Dream Theaterösen
kavargató bevezető után tisztul ki a dal, Kravljaca pedig igazán szárnyal a
refrénben.
A felvételeket ismét Rich Hinks irányította, ő volt a
producer, a hangmérnök, valamint a keverést és a masteringet is ő végezte.
Egyértelműen vezére a csapatnak tehát még mindig. Viszont most vannak teljes
jogú társai is, akik érzésem szerint rengeteget dobtak az Aeon Zenen. Igazi
csapatként működik a gárda, és a kettes lemez turnéján rendesen össze is értek.
Ez nagyon hallatszik, a Face-hez képest jelentős a különbség. Hinks most
bizonyította be igazán, hogy zseni.
9
Tracklist
I must tell you right away: Aeon Zen hold a very special place in my heart. I've been a fan and a follower of theirs ever since the absolutely tremendous debut they made. I watched Rich Hinks totally blown away by the fact that he wrote a breathtaking progressive rock/metal album - and he performed it, almost alone, instrument by instrument with such quality and passion that would do justice even to the legendary, grand icons of the scene.
The second album named The Face Of The Unknown was not growling like a tiger that much as the first one, maybe the magical chemistry was not that perfect, I don't really know... even though Rich Hinks again wrote excellent songs, the picture somehow was not fully complete. Maybe Aeon Zen just wanted to show that they are able to surpass A Mind's Portrait and the sole will to prove this led to a recording that just was not as perfect. This fact put aside, I simply LOVE Face as well, it has its grand moments, it just is not that special, complete experience as a whole. And now we have the third album here, and - oh yes! - I can love it again as a totally awesome, complete recording!
Rich Hinks did what I was hoping for since the days of old - he finally formed a complete band out of a project. Maybe this is the reason I feel the new album is alive, that it is kicking. Aeon Zen generally consists of the people who contributed in the tour of The Face of The Unknown. It is a special joy to me that Andi Kravljaca, who only got several of the songs previously became the full-time singer of the band, so he can really try to prove his mettle. And does he?
Absolutely: never have such themes been sung on an Aeon Zen album before! It is a well known fact that Rich writes all the Aeon Zen songs, and - truth be told - I don't know how much freedom in terms of singing he gave to Andi. After having listened to Enigma quite a few times now, I can tell you for sure, that this is the album with the most variations Aeon Zen made. After the post-rocky (or even "God Is An Astronaut-y") album-opener, Enter The Enigma, we get to hear a prog-"djent"-sympho epicness, Divinity (the chorus part of which could have been produced by Dimmu Borgir some years ago as well, even the vocals are a little bit "Simen-ish") and a jazzy experience, Seven Hills we arrive at a song with a poetic, softly starting track which eventually hardens in with a death metallic riff (Eternal Snow). It is a fact that each and every song is a different story with a different character, a different feeling.
And I haven't even mentioned the more traditional, yet still thousand-coloured songs! Kravljaca gives one of his best performances in Artificial Soul (the melody of which returns in Eternal Snow in a different, somewhat more relaxed musical environment). The ambient start of Warning is also not something we hear a lot while listening to other bands! And there is Turn To Ash, which is - in my opinion - some sort of link to the first album. The closing song, Downfall is a high quality destroyer - not unlike Demise on the debut. However, the best chorus of the album is in the bonus-track, Survival, I think. After an intro that twists and twists into a whirl that can remind us of Dream Theater the song clears out and Kravljaca simply blasts the listener away in the chorus.
I was waiting very, very much to get my hands on the third Aeon Zen album, and I cannot express how very happy I am that after the somewhat maybe a bit rushed Face of the Unknown Hinks came back with a brilliant album - finally as a "real" band. But we may not forget about the guests either, Jonny Tatum returns again with some other excellent musicians coming into the battle formations: Nate Loosemore (Lost In Thought) and the Norwegian Atle Pettersen (Supremacy, ex-Aspera, ex-Illusion).
Recordings were again done by Rich Hinks, he was the producer, the sound engineer, mixing and mastering is his work again. He is without question, the mastermind and leader of Aeon Zen. This time, however, he has his full-time companions, and I think this benefits the music. They act as a great team (they also had the time to learn to play together brilliantly during the tour of the second album). This is clearly audible - the jump from the already great Face is high. People, after Enigma it is now official: Hinks is a genius!
9
Tracklist
9
Tracklist
- Enter The Enigma
- Artifical Soul
- Divinity
- Seven Hills
- Warning
- Turned To Ash
- Still Human
- Eternal Snow
- Downfall
- Survival (Bonus Track)
I must tell you right away: Aeon Zen hold a very special place in my heart. I've been a fan and a follower of theirs ever since the absolutely tremendous debut they made. I watched Rich Hinks totally blown away by the fact that he wrote a breathtaking progressive rock/metal album - and he performed it, almost alone, instrument by instrument with such quality and passion that would do justice even to the legendary, grand icons of the scene.
 |
| Aeon Zen |
Rich Hinks did what I was hoping for since the days of old - he finally formed a complete band out of a project. Maybe this is the reason I feel the new album is alive, that it is kicking. Aeon Zen generally consists of the people who contributed in the tour of The Face of The Unknown. It is a special joy to me that Andi Kravljaca, who only got several of the songs previously became the full-time singer of the band, so he can really try to prove his mettle. And does he?
Absolutely: never have such themes been sung on an Aeon Zen album before! It is a well known fact that Rich writes all the Aeon Zen songs, and - truth be told - I don't know how much freedom in terms of singing he gave to Andi. After having listened to Enigma quite a few times now, I can tell you for sure, that this is the album with the most variations Aeon Zen made. After the post-rocky (or even "God Is An Astronaut-y") album-opener, Enter The Enigma, we get to hear a prog-"djent"-sympho epicness, Divinity (the chorus part of which could have been produced by Dimmu Borgir some years ago as well, even the vocals are a little bit "Simen-ish") and a jazzy experience, Seven Hills we arrive at a song with a poetic, softly starting track which eventually hardens in with a death metallic riff (Eternal Snow). It is a fact that each and every song is a different story with a different character, a different feeling.
And I haven't even mentioned the more traditional, yet still thousand-coloured songs! Kravljaca gives one of his best performances in Artificial Soul (the melody of which returns in Eternal Snow in a different, somewhat more relaxed musical environment). The ambient start of Warning is also not something we hear a lot while listening to other bands! And there is Turn To Ash, which is - in my opinion - some sort of link to the first album. The closing song, Downfall is a high quality destroyer - not unlike Demise on the debut. However, the best chorus of the album is in the bonus-track, Survival, I think. After an intro that twists and twists into a whirl that can remind us of Dream Theater the song clears out and Kravljaca simply blasts the listener away in the chorus.I was waiting very, very much to get my hands on the third Aeon Zen album, and I cannot express how very happy I am that after the somewhat maybe a bit rushed Face of the Unknown Hinks came back with a brilliant album - finally as a "real" band. But we may not forget about the guests either, Jonny Tatum returns again with some other excellent musicians coming into the battle formations: Nate Loosemore (Lost In Thought) and the Norwegian Atle Pettersen (Supremacy, ex-Aspera, ex-Illusion).
Recordings were again done by Rich Hinks, he was the producer, the sound engineer, mixing and mastering is his work again. He is without question, the mastermind and leader of Aeon Zen. This time, however, he has his full-time companions, and I think this benefits the music. They act as a great team (they also had the time to learn to play together brilliantly during the tour of the second album). This is clearly audible - the jump from the already great Face is high. People, after Enigma it is now official: Hinks is a genius!
9
Tracklist
- Enter The Enigma
- Artifical Soul
- Divinity
- Seven Hills
- Warning
- Turned To Ash
- Still Human
- Eternal Snow
- Downfall
- Survival (Bonus Track)
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