TRACK LIST:
1. Intro 1:48
2. Jazz from Mars 3:55
3. Black Stone 3:31
4. Silk Road Suite Part 3 4:15
5. Red Desert 3:42
6. Denaturation 3:05
7. Sandstorm 4:17
8. Milky Way 3:23
9. Low Gravity 5:04
10. God of War 4:31
11. Cosmos Circus 3:21
12. Two Moons 1:31
LINE UP:
Not stated
Prolusion.
Polish artist Robert Kropop is a musician I don't really know all that much about, besides that he is from Poland and that he has been releasing music as a solo artist since back in 2015. He has three solo albums to his name so far, and the most recent of these is called "Jazz From Mars". This album was self-released by Kropop in the spring of 2023.
Analysis.
While the title of the album indicates that music with more of a basis in jazz might be what's in store for the listener here, that isn't exactly the case. While quite a bit of different musical landscapes are explored on this production, for my sake I'd say that this is a production that primarily exists on the border between progressive hard rock and progressive metal. With a few side steps along the way.
Following an elegant atmospheric laden opening cut we are served with the title track, and in this case we do get a composition that comes with a bit of a jazz rock feel to it for sure, with elegant gliding guitar solo surges and an expressive supporting bass line as core features, and a little bit of a blues vibe here and there too.
But from that point and on this production revolves around somewhat different sound aesthetics. This all instrumental album starts alternating back and forth between parts with more of a hard rock orientation and a bit more of an intense metal style as the core features, with various degrees of flowing and elegant guitar solo runs placed on top. Alongside the ebb and flow between the often only subtly different style orientations we also get alterations in pace and intensity, which does add a progressive element to songs that otherwise probably would have been considered more straight forward blends of hard rock and metal.
On a couple of the songs here Kropop makes use of exotic tones and timbres with something of a Middle Eastern flavor, and due to that creating landscapes with a more mesmerizing touch in a manner not too far removed from what you hear on a classic song such as Led Zeppelin's 'Kashmir'. On the other end of the scale a song like 'Denaturation' strikes me as being a bit closer to the kind of landscapes a band like Judas Priest might have desired to explore when operating in a more progressive spirit. In between we get a creation like 'Red Desert', which for me was a truly charming number of the kind where the inspiration from Black Sabbath just cannot be accidental. Up to and including the guitar solo.
The standout track on this album for me comes towards the end of the album with the more bombastic 'God of War', a composition that revolves a bit more around a progressive metal oriented style and with the aforementioned exotic sounds and timbres playing a vital role throughout. Otherwise I note that the more delicate conclusion on this album, 'Two Moons', is just about the perfect song to choose to calm matters down after a tight and vibrant run through guitar riff and guitar solo driven landscapes.
Conclusion.
Robert Kropop's latest studio album is a solid and well made creation that explore accessible music that alternates between progressive hard rock and progressive metal, but with perhaps a bit more emphasis on the hard rock and metal elements than the more progressive aspect of the matter. As such this is a production that should fare really well among hard rock fans and heavy metal fans alike, as well as being an interesting album to explore for those with an interest in accessible instrumental progressive hard rock and metal. It is a solid and well made album in my book, and one I would imagine should have a fairly broad general appeal.
Progmessor: April 2023
The Rating Room
