Orgia Pravednikov - "For Those Who See Dreams Vol. 1"
(Electroshock Records 2010, ELCD 062)
Orgia Pravednikov - "For Those Who See Dreams Vol. 1"
(Electroshock Records 2010, ELCD 062)
From Aural Innovations #42 (May 2011)
Now this is really different for the Electroshock label. Orgia Pravednikov (which translates to Orgy of the Righteous) is a guitar/bass/keyboards/drums/flute Russian quintet who play accessible song oriented progressive rock with a metallic edge. The music has a decidedly romantic quality and at their most potent the band mix anthem rock infused Prog with chunky metal guitar. The band have been together since 1999, have several albums to their credit, and according to their web site play frequent concerts.
The album is a high energy tour de force of ten songs. Among the highlights is Hymn, which blends orchestral Prog with flute, [keyboard produced] trumpet and blazing metal guitar. Doctrine of Wisdom is a roller coaster ride of whimsical rhythmic twists and turns. The Catcher in the Rye is a mixture of anthem rock and Spanish conquistador themes. Across Thin Ice is one of my favorite songs, with its powerhouse guitar and rhythm section, gorgeous strings and keyboards, and heart wrenching delivery. The penultimate song, which is only titled in Russian, took me by surprise because it has those growling unintelligible vocals you hear on so much modern metal, but the music sounds kind of like early Kansas. A strange but very cool combo.
Though this isn't the kind of music I typically listen to I have to credit these guys with top notch musicianship and complex compositions that they manage to delivery in a manner that is accessible to all. I'll bet they're a hot live act.
For more information you can visit the Electroshock Records web site at: http://www.electroshock.ru
Visit the Orgia Prevednikov web site at http://www.orgia.ru (it's in Russian so look for the little flags to get it in English).
Reviewed by Spaceman33