BEARDFISH – The Void

Inside Out [Release Date: 27/08/2012]

What on earth are they feeding musicians in Sweden? Maybe an odd question, but one can’t ignore the number of prominent Prog Rock/Metal bands that hail from the ancient lands of Thule!

It was almost a year ago that Pain Of Salvation released their amazing opus “Road Salt Two” and literally a month between the last The Flower Kings and Kaipa albums seeing the light of day and we are once again in a presence of another amazing effort from a Swedish outfit.

The band in question is the Progressive Rock/Metal quartet Beardfish and the album whose review you are about to read is a ten track gem entitled “The Void”.

When I bought the band’s previous album “Mammoth” last year, I did so solely on the strength of a review by a fellow journalist and was truly rewarded by the band’s ‘metallic’ take on Yes- and King Crimson-influenced musical ideas.

This inspiring approach has been further developed in the ten new compositions on offer, helping Beardfish stand out as some of the few modern day Progsters whose music can be equally appealing to fans of the genre, both old and new.

Melody plays a big part here, but when these four lads decide to test their instruments, they do so with both confidence and gusto, leaving no doubt as to their impressive musical pedigree.

Following a short narrative intro the listener is introduced to a the massive Dream Theater-influenced riff of “Voluntary Slavery” – a six and a half minute varied piece that provides enough space for the members of the band to stretch their Progressive muscles. You might be thinking that Beardfish are a Stoner/Doom band after listening to the mighty riff in “Turn To Gravel” but the great collaboration between Robert Hansen (bass) and Rikard Sjoblom (vocals/keyboards) in the amazing “They Whisper” proves that nothing has inspired the music of this band more than early/mid 70s Prog Rock of the highest quality.

Both “This Matter Of Mine” and the instrumental opus “Seventeen Again” find the band testing the limits of rhythmical manipulation while the highly melodic “Ludvig & Sverker” clearly operates in “Yes” musical territory. The closing part of the album contains material that is both inspiring and impressive with “He Already Lives In You” featuring more groovy-sounding 70s riffs while the sixteen (!) minute “Note” presents an array of different influences from Jazz to orchestral music, in a way that is reminiscent of the mighty Savatage.

The closing composition of the album, namely “Where The Lights Are Low”, features a very impressive Southern Rock sounding guitar melody, adding an extra ingredient to this already unbelievably mouth-watering musical dish.

There have been many bands over the years who have attempted to bring together the worlds of Progressive Rock and Metal closer together but only a handful have managed to position themselves in such a place where they can serve both genres equally and successfully.

Simply put, “Void” is an amazing musical effort: an album that is both accessible and technically challenging – an album that will provide many hours of top quality entertainment to those who are as attracted to melodic interludes as much as they are to syncopated discordant guitar riffs.

Beardfish’s career is currently following an upward trajectory – brace yourselves and enjoy the ride!

John Stefanis

Rating: ****1/2 (4.5/5.0)

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