The Periferic record label is becoming a box of surprises. From After Crying’s irruption in the international progressive scene in the mid 90s, when they already had published three albums, the label has released big works like "Nostradamus" and the "Official bootlegs" of Solaris, Attila Kóllar's "Musical witchcraft", Julius Dobos's "Mountain flying" and many more. The first album of the Rumblin' Orchestra was released some years ago under the title of "Spartacus", getting good reviews from the specialized press, and recently they have published a second CD, The king's new garment.
The music of this band is delightful, a symphonic marvel of great quality. The sources of their sound can be found in classical music, mainly the romantic and contemporary period, and the more orchestral Emerson, Lake & Palmer. It is difficult to make comparisons to current bands, and we should use our imagination, which can be fun. Most of the followers of progressive rock know After Crying’s music, an explosive mixture of classic music, folk, jazz and the prog rock of King Crimson and ELP. Starting from here, let us largely eliminate the references to jazz and the dark tortuous sound of the band of Fripp, and let us emphasize the orchestral sound and references to Emerson. The result would be a music closer to the sound of the Rumblin' Orchestra, a jewel for the senses and something that I recommend you to listen as soon as possible. Making reference to musicians and instruments is good to make an idea of the music that the band offers. Béla Ella (keyboards) is the visible head of the group, who interprets and composes all the pieces, while the lyrics are composed by Rozália Farkas. This should not make you think that this is eminently vocal music, just the opposite, there are vocal fragments, but very limited, just a 5% of the whole musical experience of this album. The remaining members of the band are Dániel Ella (oboe), Beatrix Ella (flute), Miklós Ella (violin), Kitti Ella (violoncello), Attila Ella (trombone) and Jusztin Szabó (drums, percussion and bass). It is clear that this is a family of musicians with great class and category and whose objective is to offer a music exulting dynamism, with enormous instrumental splashes and voluptuousness. The list of collaborators is long: László Hetsch (guitar), György Demeter and Ildikó Szosznyák (vocals), Zoltán Gaál and Sándor Csávics (trumpets) and Béla Gyenes (saxophone). We can also hear a choir with eight components. The work, of 72:21 minutes of duration, begins with a long suite that is a jewel of progressive rock. Indeed, "The king's new garment - suite" (18:23) presents multitude of musical atmospheres, from classic sounds to folk music and Emersonian sounds. This song already makes clear that the instrumental work is superbly arranged in this album, and that the multiple combinations of keyboards, oboes, choirs, trumpets and other instruments cannot give us more than wonderful moments. The second piece, significantly titled "Overture fantasy" (9:34) is another jewel, a symphonic marvel that evolves around a completely classic pattern and in which we are able to enjoy instrumental interplay's of high level amongst the piano, keyboards, flutes and oboes. Next, "Awakening" (4:27) is almost classic music, a beautiful and delicate interlude full with melancholy and solitude close to the more symphonic After Crying. An absolute jewel. "Over the clouds" (5:43) moves into a more dynamic and progressive sound, with constant crossings of the instruments and a great variation of atmospheres and orchestrations. "Dance suite" (10:12) remits us again to the classic world, with excellent interventions of the keyboards and a good work in the tempo of the song. "Big run" (8:36) is a good topic of clear Emersonian reminiscences ("Tarkus") and one of the reasons that this work doesn't have the maximum grade, as it is of less interest and originality than the rest of the pieces. The seventh track, "Merry-go-round" (5:09) returns us again to the symphonic road with a great -very dynamic work- of all the instruments. "The king" (8:35) is another weaker track being more banal and unrelevant, in spite of presenting a good rhythm and speed. Is it just a coincidence that it is the piece with most vocal moments? Maybe the Rumblin' Orchestra music is wrapped perfectly without them? The work concludes with "Farewell" (1:42), autumnal and classic as few. It seems evident that this is the road that the group should follow, since it allows to develop all their potential.
An excellent album that opens up new opportunities of development to progressive rock. I recommend you to hear this album earnestly, with the sureness that you will buy it then. A great band and an enormous music flow that will burst the specialized scene at any moment.

Jaume Pujol