Adventure is a Norwegian band Prog, formed in 1995 by guitarist Terje Flessen and keyboardist Odd-Roar Bakken. Since 2000 they have released four albums, Last of which “New horizons” released January 25, 2019 via Apollon Records / Artemis. The album consists of 10 tracks plus two bonus tracks, mixed by Terje Craig at Craigtones Studio and mastered by Jacob Holm Lupo. The album begins with “Slow fanfare” a short instrumental intro with a slow synth melody that says the title Remember a fanfare. “Destiny,” the first real track of the album starts immediately with a Heavy direct and incisive sound, with a vocal is interpreted by Myran. The structure of the song is simple but impactful, a good opener, suitable for inserting the listener to the record, good phrases by Hammond and the guitar solo. The later “Horizons” of more than 7 minutes is a song with different tempo changes, of Myran and Hopen vocal that alternate to perfection. Compared to the previous one, it is a more expressive personal piece, with a less direct rock more worked, especially in the second part where the intensity also increases. “Eirene (Goddess of Peace)” returns on more Heavy sounds, but this time more Prog than the first track. The less incisive vocal in the first part, regaining power in the next part, noteworthy is the instrumental moment with a beautiful guitar and synth phrasing. The song is worked with time changes that make things more interesting, in the end the Jethro Tull style flute insert embellishes the song. In “You belong” after an intro in classic rock style, the track turns, assuming Folk Prog characters, the melodies are of high level, and in the instrumental parts are interesting the inserts of keyboard guitars. The only flaw of the piece is the vocal parts, which are not very incisive with respect to the music, and in any case a well elaborated and pleasant track. “With tears in their eyes” is a short piece on a pastoral sound with acoustic guitar and flute, a pleasant interlude. “Lighthouse” after a short guitar and synth intro in evidence, the track turns into a pastoral with an excellent flute solo. Enter the vocal on a slow rhythm, alternating parts sung to instrumental moments. With the entry of the electric guitar the song acquires power becoming darker, another guitar performs a good solo. As the minutes pass, the intensity increases, accelerating in an instrumental moment on which a synth solo is drawn. The tones are darker and the track well-developed with constant time changes, better the vocal test, sometimes operatic. “Here to stay” is one of the shorter tracks, in a Heavy style, with influences from Blues-Rock, in the first phase of the song. A sudden change transforms it into an accelerated rock with a female voice and a brief reminder of classical music in the middle. “Nothing will change” is another of the shorter tracks, closer to Pop and Rock, unlike the more Heavy or Prog songs, the voice here does not offer a good proof. However, the whole track turns out to be a bit weak. The song “In search of (a new life)” presents Pop features again, the voice offers a better proof, also supported by the female one. Unfortunately like the previous one it is not very incisive and this change of course in the final is not at the level of the initial tracks and impoverishes the album. “For the fallen,” is an interlude with piano and spoken voice, before the last track “Refugees.” It starts with a solid sound with mellotron and flutes, the vocal melodies return to the Prog territories, to the instrumental part a good guitar solo. Better than the final tracks, closer to the sounds of the beginning of the album, wouldn’t it have been better to insert from the place of the last two? A record that for long stretches offers a good product, sometimes Heavy in others softer, the sounds of keyboards and the structure of the tracks are good. In the final tracks, it becomes more and more symphonic, and then flows into Pop, losing the valuable characteristics heard at the opening point, however, a good job, definitely recommended for lovers of groups like Uriah Heep and Atomic Rooster, of which they remember the setting with hammond and harsh sounds.
Tracklist
1. Slow Fanfare (2:03)*
2. Destiny (4:27)
3. Horizon (7:05)
4. Eirene (Goddess of Peace) (6:04)
5. You Belong (4:22)
6. With Tears in Their Eyes (1:53)
7. Lighthouse (8:45)
8. Here to Stay (3:30)
9. Nothing Will Change (3:02)
10. In Search of (5:01)
11. For the Fallen (1:45)
12. Refugees (6:41)*
Lineup
Kjell Myran / Lead Vocals
Elen Cath Hopen / Lead and Backing Vocals, Keyboards
Terje Flessen / Electric and Acoustic Guitars
Odd-Roar Bakken / Keyboards
Terje Craig / Bass, Vocals
Alf-Helge Lund / Drums, Percussion
With:
Atmasukha Ananda / Piano
Kine Wallum / Flute
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