Short Reviews [ Elegant Simplicity - 2004 - "Anhedonia" ]

"Anhedonia", the follow-up to Elegant Simplicity's critically acclaimed "Architect of Light" (2002), is already completed and is currently in the process of pre-production. The CD should be released next month. Meanwhile the main man behind the project, multi-instrumentalist and composer Steven McCabe, has sent me the material on CD-R, and I already had time to listen to it. This 72-minute all-instrumental album consists of ten tracks, four of which are about eleven minutes in duration each. The highly intricate and intensive classic Symphonic Progressive with virtuosi solos of guitar and organ at the helm, slow, but tense and distinctly dramatic passages of Mellotron accompanied by heavy guitar riffs, Classical music-related motifs, etc. In short, these are the main features of the long compositions and a few others as well. While Steven's distinctive style of songwriting is immediately recognizable, the music is often heavier, darker and, at the same time, more classically influenced than ever before. Nevertheless, romanticism and melodicism that are so typical of Elegant Simplicity are still available too, and are especially evident on the shorter pieces, one of which is a little chamber suite. Along with "Palindrome" (2001) and the aforementioned "Architect of Light", "Anhedonia" is definitely one of the most mature and interesting albums by the band, whose audience might be enlarged this time by lovers of the Mellotron. Keep an eye on the band's website so not to overlook the release of it.

Vitaly Menshikov: September 25, 2002