Dark angel --- The Reasoning --- 2008 (Comet)
This band have an impressive pedigree, with ex-members of both Magenta and Karnataka in the band, and the mighty Steve Rothery of Marillion legend guesting on their first album. This is their second, and it's the first time I've heard from them. The Reasoning have only been together since 2005, but to date have released five albums --- well, four, if you consider one was an acoustic offering --- with their last hitting the shelves last year. They are somewhat unique in that they employ no less than three vocalists (take that, Von Hertzen Brothers!) and so are able to create some mesmeric vocal harmonies on the music they produce.
The album opens on quite an It Bites style keyboard and guitar melody as the title tracks kicks it off, but then harder guitars and orchestral keyboards amp up the drama, with some nice piano sprinkled across the tune. This settles down into a nice acoustic guitar piece, very early Marillion indeed, which is then taken up by electric guitar, and it's two minutes into the track before we hear any vocals, the first coming from Rachel Cohen, joined then by one of the guys, either guitarist Dylan Thompson or keyboard man Gareth Jones, the overall sound very pleasing on the ears. Strangely enough, Rachel's voice reminds me of Leslie Dowdall from Irish band In Tua Nua, same sort of warm restrained quality that can surely break out in anger or passion when required. Nice almost acapella vocal harmony to finish and we're into "Sharp sea".
Not surprisingly this has some nice rolling waves, thunder and wind sound effects before it gets going, and in fairness they take up almost a minute of the seven and a half run before low synth comes in and then hard guitar from Thompson blasts across the melody. Again it's over two minutes before Rachel's voice enters the fray, and again it's on the back of laidback acoustic guitar. Other vocals join and supplement hers, while the guitar gets tougher and the percussion ramps up. There's some lovely wailing keyboard which reminds me of Arena at their best and some fine guitar from Thompson with a great little solo, quite Gilmouresque. The vocal harmonies work particularly well here. A lovely solitary guitar chord ushers in "How far to fall" and this appears to be the first ballad. Interestingly, it's one of the guys who takes vocal duties here, the song itself swaying along on a sort of bluesy/waltzy rhythm with some snarling guitar that doesn't seem at all out of place.
It kicks up the tempo about halfway through, leading to an excellent keyboard solo from Gareth Jones and some fine piano too, then it relapses back into ballad territory and takes us into "Serenity", a short, less than two minute workout on acoustic guitar and mandolin for Dylan Thompson, adding in some nice piano licks and running to some sort of backing track I can't quite make out, some report or something. I think it may be NASA, something to do with the moon? Not sure. Anyway it's a nice little almost-instrumental and goes into "Call me God?", which is a heavier, more dramatic piece than anything since the opener, with snarling keyboards and chiming guitar then breaking into an almost heavy metal chugalong as we hear the first and perhaps only vocals from Gareth Jones, who is one hell of a good singer himself. Great choral vocals backing a really rocking track with a lot of power and energy and bringing in Rachel on the second verse where she then harmonises with Gareth. "In the future" then seems to be another ballad, though from what I've heard of this band the song could easily change direction. It's Dylan back on vocals with Gareth harmonising. Lovely chingly guitar and what surely must be mellotron?
Sort of stayed the same but I don't think I'd class it as a ballad, as such. Some very neoclassical piano fooled me into thinking "Absolute zero" was one, but I don't feel it going that way, more mid-paced really, and with Dylan this time harmonising with Rachel and I think Gareth. Some lovely synth work and a rising guitar line with a beautiful little almost Spanish guitar solo, though unfortunately it doesn't last long. Boo. "Breaking the fourth wall" though does seem to be heading down the ballad road, with a lovely duet between Rachel and Dylan, gorgeous piano and some really strong guitar, but the main strength of this song is the powerful double harmony of the two leads. One of the best tracks on the album for me. The closer then is the epic, over nine minutes and it starts on chimy, almost ominous piano and ticking percussion, with slightly heavier piano joining the melody and some sound effects. Heavy guitar then blows everything away as the drums really kick in, and "A musing dream" gets started. Upbeat keyboards and staccato drumming with again over two minutes before the vocals come in.
It's Dylan Thompson with little touches from Rachel, the tempo of the song increasing and settling into an upbeat tone with guitar and squealy keys leading the melody. Rachel takes over the main vocal about six minutes in, on the back of rather nice acoustic guitar and some trumpeting low keyboard from Gareth, what could be harmonica and then a soaring laidback little guitar solo as the song approaches its end. Well into the seventh minute then it picks up again and gets faster, the guitar again leading the attack alongside some dextrous keyboard work from Gareth Jones. There's a good vocal harmony to end but then it rather abruptly and disappointingly just comes to an end, which I feel weighs against it, and sadly colours my final impression of the whole album.
TRACKLISTING
1. Dark angel
2. Sharp sea
3. How far to fall
4. Serenity
5. Call me God?
6. In the future
7. Absolute zero
8. Breaking the fourth wall
9. A musing dream
If The Reasoning remind me of any other band it's Touchstone, and I was very impressed by them. They haven't been around too long in relative terms, but what they lack in longevity they've more than made up for in output. Having heard this album I'm more than ready to hear more of their material, and believe they could be only a short step away from taking the crown as one of the best new prog rock artistes of the last five or so years. Their multi-vocal approach definitely gives them an edge, and unlike many other bands of this ilk (Touchstone included) they don't seem to make the possible mistake --- at least, on this album --- of trying to write songs that are too long and complicated, with "A musing dream" a mere (!) nine minutes and change.
Playing to their strengths: always a good way for a band to ensure they go far. And on the basis of this album, I see the future for The Reasoning being quite bright indeed, and expect they will in fact go far.