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Review:
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I am a bit shy. Shy because this is my first review,
and shy because no one has yet to review this magnificent
work. But because this work is so magnificent, and nobody
seems to be aware of it, I am compelled to speak. Get out
your headphones; dust them off and put them on. The only
way to listen to Face Of Our Fathers is to shut out all
distractions and immerse yourself in the flow of the sound.***
This is a most beautiful work. I am an unabashed classical
music snob and an arrogant proggie. Face Of Our Fathers
may not be the culmination of the prog art form, but it
approaches the fulfillment that I envision. It combines
intricate theme variations by numerous combinations of instruments
with compelling ensemble vocalizations. Over the span of
about an hour, themes are woven throughout to tell a story
of expectations, burdens, love, and tragic loss.***
If you are familiar with Mattis Sorum's first work,
"A Sleeper's Awakening", then you know the promise shown
in that work. Face Of Our Fathers is a far more mature,
more focused work. One disc is sufficient to reveal Sorum's
powerful vision. While I gave Sleeper three stars (I think),
Face deserves five stars. Maybe a half star deduction because
of some fuzzy production. His development as a composer
is clear. Where Sleeper rambled, Face is sharply focused
on the development of both the story and the musical themes.***
I do not mean to lay down a track by track description
of this work. I doubt my competence to adequately do so.
There is just so much going on in this work. A theme is
stated, then picked up by various instruments, and developed
around other themes and instruments: layer upon layer, instrument
upon instrument, one in your left ear, the other in your
right. This may not be a classical sonata form presentation,
but it comes close. This is more than a concept album; it
is a single work with movements. Symphony is the word that
comes to mind.***
The first track, entitled The Wasteland, epitomizes
all that is extraordinary about this work. A clean theme
is presented by acoustic guitar, while in the background,
a clergyman lays to rest a father and his son. The theme
is expanded into electric, and the vocals establish the
conflict that forms the basis of the work. One generation
lays expectations upon the next, which that next generation
finds onerous but does its best to live up to. The Wasteland
powerfully lays out the competing plot themes as expressed
by the musical themes of the work: Father's expectations,
Mother's fears, Son's best intentions, and Lover's lament.
These are motifs that repeat throughout the work.***
The fourth track, The Ghosts Start Dancing, is probably
my favorite. A fairly simple theme is expounded, developed,
and varied. Instrument is laid upon instrument, and vocal
upon vocal. This track features what I find to be one of
the most compelling vocalizations of the work. The son has
taken a wife, or at least a love, and she mourns his absence
as he goes to a war that is forced upon him. She hates the
war that takes him from her, and longs for word of him.
In turn, he laments his absence but feels it necessary;
more, he is proud of what he does. While I find the story
to be compelling, I easily lose track of the sung words
as a form of communication, and find the tonal interplay
of the vocals to be singularly rewarding. God's greatest
instruments, as a well known syphilitic head banger once
observed. The vocals do sweep me away, particularly the
female vocals. Crank the volume a bit. "Oh, the rain fills
my hand, but brings me no word of foreign lands."***
When the seventh and final track is reached, a multitude
of themes have been woven and are now explored and expanded.
This 12 minute piece draws together all the disparate elements
of the story into a final tragic conclusion featuring some
of the most compelling vocals of the work and without doubt
the best musical variations. When it finally ends, I find
myself almost breathless.***
This work is an excellent example of what, in my opinion,
progressive rock can be. While it is not a perfect example,
it comes close enough. After all, this is only Mattis Sorum's
second work. It did take Beethoven nine tries to get it
right. (OK, OK, his third try was pretty damn good. And
he had a few other nice ones.) I eagerly await Sorum's next
opus.***
Those who, like me, love the work of Ayreon or PX should
with out doubt find this work and buy it. IMHO, Sorum challenges
them. If you think Phideaux's Seven may be the best album
of the year, you must hear this one before passing judgment.
This work is as complex and compelling as anything done
by Lucassen or Phideaux, or more. It is certainly darker
and not as airy and simple as Seven. This work approaches
what prog rock can be as a serious art form. It goes beyond
being only an essay of how one generation inherits the baggage
of the previous. It is a beautiful work of music, of art.
It is brilliant.***
This work is a valuable addition to every prog collection.
Five stars for composition and vision. Minus a half star
for fuzzy recording.**
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