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Review:
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In another of prog's ongoing mysteries, celebrated guitarist
Steve Rothery of Marillion fame waited almost 30 years to
finally record an outright solo album (The Willow Tree was
more of a project than anything solo). So it goes without
saying that his long awaited instrumental debut "The Ghost
of Pripyat" was met with great trepidation and required
patience until it finally got distributed properly. True
treasures are worth waiting for and this splendid release
falls certainly in that category. When I read that Yatem
Halimi was the bass player, I got even more excited as his
clever playing on Panic Room's two latest masterpieces really
grabbed my attention. Having the prolific Steve Hackett
and the genial Steve Wilson join in only heightens the quality,
as the two have obviously many technical traits in common
with Mr. Rothery. Throw in second guitarist and co- composer
Dave Foster of Mr. So & So, as well as the recent Legend
line-up only increases the drama. Keyboardist Riccardo Romano
of Italian band Ranestrane discreetly colors the scenes
with some atmospheric renderings while drummer Leon Parr
holds the rhythmic fort. In the old glory days of prog,
there were the three Steves (Howe, Hackett and Hillage),
now we have another trio with one returning member (Rothery,
Hackett and Wilson).***
For those who do not follow history, a massive nuclear
catastrophe befell the town of Pripyat in the Ukraine, back
when it was part of the crumbling USSR in April 1986. The
nuclear power plant at Chernobyl malfunctioned due to a
variety of human and systematic errors that caused a massive
meltdown of the reactor core. The town once boasted a population
of 49,400 and today is entirely abandoned, a ghost town
of epic and tragic proportions, a monument to human stupidity.
This is a soundtrack for the ages, a remembrance of human
frailty and arrogance in trying to harness powers that are
perhaps too slippery to control. The entire disc is a pure
delight to listen to, even though the material is influenced
by the gravest of tragedies, the players demonstrate an
incommensurable aptitude to express sorrow, desolation and
fear. The stupendous interplay between the two axemen, the
delicate keyboard tapestry, as well as the pulse are of
the very highest order. Each of the 7 tracks, though all
unique in sound and texture, seem to blend into an overall
impression of intense inspiration, generally in the more
mellow, atmospheric mode I happen to adore , with occasional
bursts of cosmic energy (no not nuclear!). As befitting
Rothery's style, his solos are deeply poignant affairs,
never overtly complicated or extended beyond need, giving
the other players enough room to dribble, pass and even
volley when prompted.***
"Morpheus" easily sets the vaporous tone that will
permeate the entire work, leaving Master Hackett himself
to bewitch the unsuspecting fans with his exemplary restraint
and musical mind, his thrilling solo a burning glow of utter
beauty, class and mastery at its finest. Reflective, diaphanous
and highly panoramic, the electric flow is one of meticulous
bravery.***
The excellence of the compositional skills are beyond
the norm, exuding mature and insightful arrangements, emotionally
drenched soloing from the master himself on tracks like
"Kendris" that have a slight East European flavor, outright
blow outs such as on the raunchy "Old Man and the Sea" (solo
by SW) and the colossal "White Pass", where Rothery's enchanted
guitar dances into the mountainous twilight. This last one
in particular is a very powerful cut, mindful of Dutch instrumental
band Odyssice (that Bastiaan Peeters is a killer guitarist),
chock full of minute bejeweled details that will make your
head spin, from crystalline licks, volume pedal trickery
to searing , scouring axe majesty.***
On a whirlwind track like "Yesterday's Hero", the core
(pun intended) sentiments are expressed with a kaleidoscopic
pirouette, urgent and desperate. Though beginning with oozing
delicacy, shifting into mellow inner drive as it's steered
by a moody guitar streak, there is an immediate sense of
gentle persuasion in the glittering technique. The slow
build-up then evolves into a more buzzing affair, a solo
that defines Rothery, a spiraling, passionate and exploratory
guitar rant that is utterly brilliant, almost Floydian in
delivery.***
The high point is attained on the shimmering "Summer's
End", a suave, silk and velvet composition that starts out
as a hot and humid little affair and then gradually morphs
into this tectonic conflagration of sound that inspires
trembling delirium, egged on by a roiling Hammond organ
rant, propulsed by Parr's solid bashing, while Halim keeps
things grounded and level. The at times raging and exuberant
solos are simply extraordinary.***
The lush title track is perhaps the most intriguing
as it relates directly to the topic, a delicate and intricate
duet of acoustic guitars that paint a rather bucolic atmosphere,
with Foster coughing up a slick and complex riff, with that
slight Eastern feel once again, interwoven with the churning
organ. The groove settles in and Steve is ready to glide
over the mid-section with his insistent licks, I was almost
momentarily reminded of an instrumental Allman bros Band.
There is a sense of unforgivable sadness and melancholy
that behooves an abandoned and atomized city, with disfigured
stray dogs yelping their solitude for no one to hear. The
despair and the finality of it all come through clearly
with Steve 's guitar weeping tragically.***
Fans of old and new Marillion are obvious targets but
any instrumental guitar fan needs to check this delicious
effort out and linger in its perfect musical glory.***
5 radioactive phantoms***
(Thomas
Szirmay)
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