Release Date: 1st
April 2014
Label: Kscope
Formed back in 1996 by childhood friends, Jon-Arne Vilbo
(guitars, programming) and Thomas Anderson (keyboards, programming, producer),
then Jan-Henrik Ohme (vocals), and later by Michael Kromer (violin, guitar, programming,
co-producer), Kristian Torp (bass guitar) and Lars Erik Asp (drums,
percussion), with the last three joining the band in 2001, 2005 and 2010
respectively.
The band initially released their material via the
internet which allowed them to maintain full time jobs, but also release an
album every year, over which they had complete control. With a growing fan base
and an excellent output, Gazpacho signed to Kscope in 2010 and all subsequent
releases appear on this label.
Demon is
basically a 4 song album based on, what the band refer to as, “the mad
ramblings left behind by an unknown tenant in an apartment in Prague.” The
discovered manuscript seemed to form a sort of diary in which the author
claimed to have discovered the source of an “evil presence” in the world. Some
of the entries seem to indicate this unknown author had lived through the ages
searching out this “presence.” The band felt that this seemed a terrific idea
to use as the basis for a concept album, and ultimately it has taken two years
to complete.
Although described as a 4 “song” album, there are, in
effect 8 tracks, as some tracks have multiple parts. Demon has a total running time of around 45 minutes with the
shortest track on offer, “The Wizard of Altai Mountain” clocking in at 4:52
minutes and the 3 parts of the final track, “Death Room,” the longest, with a
playing time of 18:44 minutes.
Gazpacho is a band filled with musicians that are masters of the art form referred to
as “less is more,” in that they do not feel the need to overlay masses of
instruments on tracks, nor do they try to play several hundred notes every
second. The brilliance of this band is that at times they strip everything back
to the bare minimum, but still provide a fantastic aural tapestry that the
listener becomes inextricably woven into from start to finish.
The opening sequence, “I’ve Been Walking Pt 1 a+b” (9:46)
is a superb example of stripped back, but deeply intense musicianship. The
plaintive voice of Jan-Henrik together with a solitary piano starts this track,
with “dark” strings building behind the voice. A short wall of sound
accentuates that plaintive vocal before the track merges into acoustic guitar
and strings, before dropping further into the stripped back mode, with the
voice backed by gentle sounds. A slow building of sound behind carries the
track into the second phase with a piano and a “descending” violin. A choir can
be heard away in the distance over the superb solo piano passage before the
guitar, bass and drums move things up a notch. Just after 8 minutes, the sound
of the cello, together with a solo violin is all that can be heard, painting a
scenario of loss and desolation (at least to me), and this takes the opening
sequence out. An amazing piece of music to start this album, which makes the
listener want desperately to hear what the rest of the album holds.
The shortest track, “The Wizard of Altai Mountain” (4:52)
is more of an up-tempo styled track, but is still sparse in its composition,
led along by that powerful emotive voice, before an accordion picks up behind
the voice and then around the 2:30 minute mark, the song changes into a sort of
accordion band, entertaining a crowd, with an amazing violin passage over the
top of everything. Cue then the return of a more solemn accordion piece as it
ends on an ambient note.
A return to “I’ve Been Walking Pt 2 a+b”, (12:30) is
possibly more atmospheric than Pt 1. Voices, piano, muffled drums and bass
carry the song along painting amazing aural landscapes as it moves almost
serenely along until there is a little more urgency creeps in. Suddenly the
music is replaced by an old “scratchy” vocal recording which moves into a piano
passage and then a return to the full band sound, prior to the “normal” vocals
reappearing. A short burst of the “scratchy” vocals merges into the superb
violin/piano combination which leads into the second phase, and although very
sparse, the atmosphere generated is almost electric. This is a stunning track
which slowly gives way to the final track of the album.
The tour de force of this album must surely be “Death
Room Pt 1, 2 and 3” (18:44), which starts very differently with some industrial
noise and a repeated 3 note riff that is maintained in the background. Add in
some “sawing” violin which weaves in and out, and the stunning atmospherics
generated by this phase are almost beyond belief. Every so often there is the
return of the superb piano behind the voice, almost like a “security blanket.”
There is an almost choir-like soulful backing behind the voice at times. Bass
rumblings move the track into its second phase and there follows an amazing
violin passage together with strings which seems to flow and fit the track so
well. The entry into the third phase of the track has another beautiful piano
passage behind the voice and then a passage of piano with a guitar away in the
distance. Bass rumbles herald the move to the finale and a return to the
industrial noise that began the track, escorts it out.
This is the type of album that once it has finished you are
required a moment or two to ponder over the enormity of its achievement. It is
a truly stunning album that all Gazpacho fans are likely to go into raptures
over, but new listeners to the band should give the album several plays, as it
is very definitely a “grower.”
Demon is
a very dark, atmospheric, engaging album that achieves all it set out to do.
The band realize that aural soundscapes can be produced in what appears to be a
very simplistic form, but this requires superb musicianship and a deep
understanding of what they are trying to achieve.
My advice is to listen to this album several times and
then make a space for it on the CD shelf.
Demon gets both the “One to Buy” and “The Experience will last Forever”
stickers on the cover.
5/5
Stars
Key
Tracks: The Wizard of Altai, Death Room Pt 1, 2 and 3
Tracks:I’ve Been Walking Pt 1 a
I’ve Been Walking Pt 1 b
The Wizard of Altai Mountain
I’ve Been Walking Pt 2 a
I’ve Been Walking Pt 2 b
Death Room Pt 1
Death Room Pt 2
Death Room Pt 3
Jim “The Ancient One” Lawson-Sr. Reviewer Prog
Rock Music Talk
May 30, 2014
Review
Provided By Write A Music Review
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