ProgressoR - Detailed Reviews - Decadence (Russia, Arkhangelsk) - 1999

Decadence (Russia, Arkhangelsk) - 1999 - "Nekton's Dreams"
(58 min, Demo CD)

Prologue. Being the Official Representative of "Musea Records", our work is quite easy in comparison with the Company's Distributors, etc. However, I hope you understand it's impossible to work with such a serious thing as distribution, when the "line-up" of our more or less good reading site is just (yes) a couple of absolute enthuziasts. From 9 am to 6 pm - it's time for the main work, for pay, etc.etc. The rest evening time (usually until about 9:00, but by no means not every day) we dedicate to work on our site or on our album, which is still not completed for three years (though, its MP3s you can hear here . Our wages are dismal, and of course for our "side-work" we receive nothing. "Rock-Front"... In any case, we are happy to support Progressive Rock - the best music of the 20 Century.

Now I am glad to present a Russian Progressive Rock Band from Arkangelsk - the Unofficial Capital of the Russian North. Progressor and all the band members are very glad that President of Musea Bernard Gueffier enjoyed this album. And this is a truly unique work. We salute you, the very first Russian band to join Premier World Progressive Rock Label "Musea"!

The album.

1. Nekton's Dream opens with an angelic voice of Julia Vikman, but this theme is quickly changed by heavy, aggressive riffing guitars, varied keyboard passages and stronger vocals. The following moves change each other as if in a kaleidoscope, after the five second of synthesizer flashes the basic vocal theme comes in, then virtuostic guitar solos engage in a battle with diverse guitar riffs, followed by the interplays between unique bass lines and fast guitar solos. Nearer to the end a beautiful soft basic vocal theme completes the picture.

2. Dream 1 shows in the beginning interesting duels between varied keyboard passages and bass solos; a bit later a word of its own adds electric guitar. Themes change with the help of nice piano passages in pseudo-pauses between the musical pictures. A speedy, not heavy theme led by softly sounding electric guitar. Arrangements and solos created by guitar (except for a bits of piano). Although themes change regularly, the basic tempo remains the same until the middle of the song, when after a few heavy guitar/bass riffs begins the next speedy piece with excellent work from each musician, though the front arrangements as always on this album are created by electric guitar. Lots of virtuostic solos, some openly psychedelic moments, heavy powerful riffs... The next move features guitar along with bombastic drumming, nice interplays, bass and synthesizer. Exceptionally original and virtuostic arrangements and interplays between all instruments powerfully and effectively complete this song.

3. Dream 2. Julia sings a typical Russian melody of sorrow. Then the guitar flageolettes, bass attacks and powerful synth solos develop the next instrumental move. After the short beautiful interplays between paino, synth and bass follow more powerful structures, including the same piano and synthesizer, but also heavy riffing guitars, powerful drums and fuzz-bass. Next musical picture is very interesting with the unusual "marshy" effects, created by synth and bass. Short singing in the end.

4. Dream 3. Bass and solo-guitar begin slowly, but they quickly find a way to fast musical races with complex guitar and bass solos and interplays on the field of quite heavy overall sound. As usual, lots of varied themes, changes of moods and tempos, and a prominent role by guitar. High technical level is a credo of each musician. Next interplay is powerful, though changed by fine classical acoustic guitar passages and a bit later by fluid sorrow guitar solos. Nearer to the end the ubiquitous guitarist (nobody can stop him!) again feels ready to show "all the best" from Progressive Metal.

5. Dream 4. Solemn sounding guitar, extra drumming, witty vocals and very clever bass attacks - this is the beginning of Dream 4. Move 2: very nice slow guitar solo, nice vocals, playing with no chords, after which quite long and interesting piano passages changes by crying guitar solos - really, as if each solo is crying differently. For the first time in the long history of Russian Rock and Pop music I hear not the pieces of Russian folk music, but the elements, I would say, of the Russian soul coming directly from inside the soul - in vocal and bass lines. Nearer to the end of this exceptional song heavy theme is back with the mind-blowing arrangements, created by an incredible combination of interplays between guitar and bass. Powerful synth chords and guitar solos sound in the end.

6. Dream 5. Beautiful piano interludes, nice really Russian vocals, full of light sorrow, bass and electric guitar soft solos... And again, really Russian singing, full of Northern sorrow... Just nearer to the end of this 5-minutes song guitarist didn't endure, and the rest of this wonderful Art Rock ballade was "eated" (with the taste, though) by lots of diverse themes, arrangements and solos by electric guitar and traditionally powerful rhythm-section.

7. Dream 6. Heavy guitar riffs, lots of changes of moods and tempos in the beginning - this is a familiar picture of this comlex and ambitious album of real Progresive Rock. Each song from this album contains so many diverse themes that "stories" of musical developments of each of them cannot show their real grandeur. And this composition is composed in the same structural key, but how can I convey all this beautiful diversity of themes, arrangements, solos, interplays, changes?.. Now I feel that with such "usual" description in detail I cannot paint here a vivid, true picture.

8. Dream 7. OK, this one is quite different from the majority of the album songs, and I can describe it more or less right. It plays quite smooth - from slow to midtempo, mostly based by piano arrangements into the accompaniment of vibraphone/guitar interplays. The sound of piano is slow and sad... very beautiful. Yeah, it really reminds me of Dream 5, when guitar becomes the prominent instrument in the last part. The same picture in Dream 7. After the change of basic theme the endless crossed (to be honest, very good, as always) electric guitar virtuostic solos sound until the end.

Summary. Exceptionally original album, incredibly virtuostic performance. Mind-blowing, fantastically composed arrangements, excellent and unique lyrics- these are the main characteristics of this masterpiece from Russia. In spite of lots of quite heavy electric guitar, the endless guitar arrangements and solos, this is not an album of Progressive Metal. Guitar builds a unique structure, and trying to describe the stylistics of "Nekton's Dreams", I cannot find anything special, except "the guitar based Classic Symphonic Art Rock with some elements of pure Progressive Metal". Obviously, I should add here: a masterpiece.

VM. January 16, 2000