Album review: VANDEN PLAS – The Ghost Experiment, Illumination

December 9th, 2020 by jason

Frontiers [Release date 04.12.20]

Vanden Plas are something of an institution in their native Germany, and indeed increasingly in the wider world. The Ghost Experiment, Illumination is their 12th studio album.

So many Progressive Rock bands succumb to Must Have A Concept Syndrome, suffocating the songs and the music with an impenetrable storyline.

Vanden Plas are an exception. Illumination, the second part of The Ghost Experiment, is where the album’s high concept Frankenstein plot reaches a complex, but satisfying resolution.

As with all Vanden Plas material, events are woven through fabulously musical compositions and compelling, expressive arrangements. Key tracks in the story, ‘The Lonely Psychogen’ and ‘Fatal Arcadia’, are both provocatively tense.

The harmonies are powerful and punchy. Andy Kuntz’s voice frequently scales vocal skyscrapers and stays there, buoyed by multi layered instrumentation that frequently drifts between driven hard rock, and high pressure power metal. Impressive.

The dramatic ‘When The World Is Falling Down’ opens with a bit of Chopin, or it could be John Williams, who knows nowadays? With ‘Under The Horizon’ it sets the scene. Vocals, keys, guitars, bass and drums all play significant roles … this is equal opportunity Progressive Rock, and storytelling on a grand scale.

A world within a world, one that frequently reflects the members’ involvement in musicals and drama down through the years, including works by literary giants, Alexandre Dumas and Wolfgang Holbein. They coat the choruses with a thin veneer of operatic grandeur, just enough to add a sense of theatre.

And like all skilled storytellers, they counter the drama with softer, more thoughtful moments. Like weaving piano and strings through the sombre passages of ‘Black Waltz Death’, then kicking it up through the gears in order to grasp a climactic conclusion. The thirteen minute ‘Ouroboros’ cleverly repeats and expands on this approach, as the protagonist recognises his genesis and his potential fate.

Many music critics, even those who’ve long admired the band, wondered if they could rise to the challenge of writing and recording this sequel. Illumination shows us a band who have met that challenge head on, delivering 8 heavy duty progrock tracks that sound fresh, exciting and … yes, interesting. ****

Review by Brian McGowan

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Next session: Sunday 1 December

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 3 November 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 29 October 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024

ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)

Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)