Detailed Reviews [Flight 09 - 2004 - "Human Nature"]

Prolusion. Flight 09 has existed since 1983 and is the oldest and the most fruitful band in Uzbekistan. Their first two international releases, "Rifflection" and "Forbidden Lullabies", were out in 2002 and 2003 respectively, via the US Neurosis label. The band has recently completed their fourth album, titled "Signs of the Water". Meanwhile, here are some notes of their third CD, "Human Nature", from the catalog of Moscow's MALS Records, whose principal interests lie in reissuing Prog from all over the world under license.

Analysis. After reaching the international audience back in 2002, Flight 09 is active as never before, working at the breaking point of their possibilities. The band stably creates one new album per year, although all the musicians have day jobs and must maintain their families. "Human Nature" can easily be viewed as the further, logical development of the style the band founded on "Forbidden Lullabies". While only a few of the songs from the latter album resided in obvious progressive tendencies, a well-balanced synthesis of Hard- and Art-Rock is predominant on the new one. Well, One Night Without You and My Dream, following each other right in the middle of the CD, can hardly be viewed otherwise than symphonic Prog-Metal, and the closing number, When the Sleeper Wakes Up, is quite peaceful in its entirety. In any case, only one song here: Watching Your Soul doesn't suit the album's general conception and, thus, it was used as a bonus track (though some would have certainly put it at the very beginning). This is a true Hard Rock killer, both powerful and inflammatory, but it's poor in progressive features, unlike any of the other songs. Dear readers! I don't recognize any nepotism in anything that concerns creation. I would have not been supporting Flight 09 or anyone else if they weren't worthy of that. Only excuse these guys their accented English.

Conclusion. "Human Nature" is musically a monster, and I believe some of you already had the opportunity to make sure that my words are sincere. It also needs to be said that this is a real, full-fledged CD, with expanded booklet and excellent artwork. I hope it will be properly distributed, worldwide.

VM: Agst 17, 2005