Summary of history:
A few new members including a new vocalist. It took them a long time to finish this one. Was it worth the wait?
The album:
NWC is the imposing opening of this album. Especially the sublime chorus with the repetitive female backing. The band seems more broad in sound. Not just classical prog mixed with King Crimson, but
also rap, pop and world music have been incorporated into a cohesive song. And some Dvorak used to good effect too (his great New World Symphony, one of the few classical pieces I love).
Invisible Legion is a long track, opening broodingly with percussive keyboards and a small chamber orchestra. A string build-up here, like King Crimson in Morricone's Once Upon A Time In The West. Powerful
stuff. The song ends in filmic bombast, something which could be used in future Bond movie (and this is not meant in derogatory fashion).
Oh wait, the final few minutes consist of low volume excursions. Very dynamic this. Quirkiness comes in on Face To Face. Flowing orchestrated melodies on
wind instruments. I always tend to think of Ravel when I hear this type of stuff. There is more variation than that tho. The guitar lines are quite sharp here. A marching orchestral hymn, with some great sweeping melodic material and the ghost of ELP wandering round.
Welcome On Board is a spooky one with great female vocals, a bit in the line of Ileesha Bailey with Karda Estra. There is also something estranging about them, the rhythms are quite modern and one might be tempted to think of Portishead in a way. The male vocals barge in for a fast sung loud chorus. Very catchy.
Paradise Lost is another rather short track with somber cello from Pejtsik, based on parts of Dvoraks From The New World.
Remote Control is a vocal track again, with symphonic bombast on a rhythm track. It is striking how much horn playing the music of After Crying includes. Now people might think back to Sussudio and
get the wrong impression. This I guess is the way ELP couild have done it, when they had orchestras coming along on their tours. Maybe this is even the way they should have done it, with a good vocal melody riding throughout the varied big band bombast. After a few news messages (especially the one from the Creator is nice) riding on Dvorak again, we come to a jazzy funky part where I am even
reminded of the Jacksons. Hmm. But the guitar work is quite different again. It does tend to meander and the sax as well. Melodically I thought I heard some KC there as well, the music becomes quite
a bit louder and involved later on.
Next up is Technopolis. This one opens with spoken word and soft keyboard effects. I am thinking of early Vangelis here, Antarctica or Chariots of Fire. More and more the modern beats creep in. The second part is classical oriented progressive in the line of
early Renaissance, but without modern elements (in the keyboards).
The middle part of the album is certainly more experimental than the first few songs.
Globevillage At Night is a short interruption with keyboards, Bone Squad is an orchestral and tense piece. Actually, it may be that After Crying should start making Hollywood action movie soundtracks. They do have that grandioseness in their music.
Wanna Be A Member? opens with Ozrics style keyboards and rhythm. The 'bible rap' lies underneath the guitar, making it less apparent. My idea is that this is intentional. The second part is sung by the women vocalist.
Secret Service is a fifteen plus minute epic. It opens quietly enough with dreamy piano and soft spoken melodic vocals. The chorus is a melancholy one. The vocal part is quite a long one, with not much change in it. It does include snippets of King
Crimson's Easy Money weaved in. Right after we move into a folky passage with light acoustic guitar. The next passage includes elements of Ravels Bolero. Jazzy moody piano reigns next as we slowly move through this long track. After the ten minute mark rhythms set in, but the music stays subdued. The vocals set in again, melodic as ever. Then Ravel set back in again, but this time a bit louder and more dissonant. The orchestral parts are great again,
very emotional too, followed by strong Crimsonesque guitar work.
Farewell is a short rhythmic track with moody electronics and somber lyrics. Life Must Go On is the very optimistic opener. Frolic really. Later the by now typical Crimson and classical influences
set in and add speed to the track.
Conclusion:
A great new album from After Crying. After the fantastic four opening tracks, the band moves in more experimental directions at times, but the melodies stay good, although less on the foreground. The playing is impeccable, the singing is good (the English could be improved upon in places). The music is also new, in the sense that the cohesive combination of ELPish plus Crimsonesque progressive rock with a larger than life big band sound is a new one to me. A rewarding album and certainly worth
anyones attention.

Jurriaan Hage