All compositions written by S. Kornilov and arranged by Horizont.
Recorded in Moscow, 1988, by A.Vetr.
Prologue.
A complex philosophy, full of dark and gloomy idioms, covers "The Portrait of a Boy", the second and, unfortunately, the last Horizont album, from the first to the last note. It will be quite correct to mention now that "Side A" of the band's previous
album is like a northern yet bright sun in comparison with this cold nocturnal music, as if taken from a mad genius's nightmare.
The album.
I think, the "side-long" title-track of this album is one of the most complex and intricate "epic" instrumentals ever created in the Progressive Rock genre. The freaking conglomerations of strange and unusual, often atonal, sometimes as if illogical (maybe, ill logical?) musical structures (you have never heard before) with a wide-variety of 'hidden things' - that's what, in my view, would be the most correct description of A Portrait of a Boy suite. Other compositions are practically of the same 'musical quality': complex and intricate arrangements, a dark and sometimes
even sinister sounding of each piece are the things that are typical for this album as a whole. But, despite the fact that with such epithets like 'dark' and 'sinister' "A Portrait of a Boy" can justly be compared to the famous Univers Zero's "Heresie" album, Horizont's music is, however, not as sinister as in "Heresie". Although both
these works have also the same stylistic roots (see Summary), "A Portrait of a Boy" is probably the only 'RIO album' which was (specially) performed with electric instruments only, and so - this is probably the only 'RIO album' which sounds so futuristically and, perhaps, urbanistically. More. While using the vocalizes is the most rare thing concerning RIO in general, their presence here - with a very specific sounding which, at the same time, always meets a 'current' musical situation looks simply wonderful, and so - much more than just defensible. Two parts of Horizont's famous "451 Fahrenheit Ballet“ (one and a half-hourly conceptual work, based on Ray Bradbury's self-titled novel and performed tens times during the band's live shows, was probably their most fascinating work ever), whose complete recording was irretrievably lost, shine on the album like diamonds.
Summary. It is probably obvious for most our visitors that ProgressoR
contains, perhaps, the largest‚ collection' of reviews dedicated to a kind of music, whose abbreviation RIO has already become a common noun (whereas, at least the original meaning of Rock In Opposition lost its topicality and urgency already many years ago). So I'd want you to believe me if I conclude this review with the next words. "A Portrait of a Boy" represents the most unique manifestation of RIO and one of the most interesting works in this genre you've ever heard, as well as myself up to now. But unlike those RIO and RIO-related works that have been created by mixing of quite diverse progressive styles such as Symphonic Art Rock, Jazz Fusion and avant-garde, "A Portrait of a Boy" is a (Russian) 'RIO-child' of pure Classic Symphonic Art Rock. For an experienced music lover it won't be too hard to reach the conclusion that all these "freaking conglomerates of strange structures", typical for the album on the
whole, work, however, in the full conformity with the laws of Harmony originated from the European School (of Classical Music). Thus, not only those into the RIO, including the "adventurous", but also all the other ("traditional", but experienced) Prog-lovers
will find a great pleasure listening to this wonderful album both presently and in many years later, as this music is nothing but a real Classic for the Future. ("Boheme Music" production.)
