| CD REVIEW The Divine Baze Orchestra |
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Band : The Divine Baze Orchestra Like its predecessor Once We Were Born,… this disc is a strong effort from a still-evolving band with a knack for smoothly blending technicality, originality, atmosphere and melody...and another knack for doing some experimental minimalistic themes. Comparisons have been (and no doubt will again be) drawn to Atomic Rooster, Uriah Heep and Deep Purple and though elements of those bands can certainly be heard in Divine Baze Orchestra’s music, the comparison isn't really accurate, these Swedes are closer to psych Canterbury prog (VDGG, Caravan, Jade Warrior) than they are to heavy organ rock. Opener “It came from the stars…” is a an instrumental introductory piece with strong cinematic influences. "They rise" really starts off the album with a good example of the direction DBO is taking, combining complex and melodic leads drenched in emotion with Heep-ian keyboard lines and melodic interludes. Nods to Pink Floyd can be found on “The cellar” with a frightening pace and especially in the long horror-esque narration.. Likewise, “What musn’t be spoken” oozes with ‘nothing is quite what it seems’ behind the brooding riffs that will draw instant comparisons to “Black ju-ju”-era Alice Cooper. Lush soothing vocals and ethereal guitar and keyboard passages enrapture the listener in a serene peacefulness on the magical “Lastly, lament” . Not every song works perfectly, unfortunately. The crooning and the Faith No More slapping on “Flow/unity” completely lost me. Dead But Dreaming, like its predecessor, is an album that requires a degree of intellectual commitment from a listener and multiple play-throughs to fully grasp everything that's going on in the music. 88/100 Cosmicmasseur. |