[Review] Bastian Per – Epic Journey

Bastian Per is a new Argentinian artist in the Prog scene, with a fresh sound that mixes influences from the masters of the genre with AOR traits with a truly personal character. The debut album “Epic Journey” released on April 12, 2019 consisting of 10 tracks is a meeting between the aforementioned genres with a touch of Metal and melodic traits. The album opens with “Defying synergy” which starts with a powerful guitar riff close to the Prog Metal classics, a massive rhythmic session and good layers of keyboards. The vocal is precise and expressive adding quality to the song that develops between accelerated and high-level melodic openings. The guitar guides the sound with the keyboards that stand out creating a great atmosphere. “Whisper in the silence” begins with a melancholic guitar arpeggio and then develops a mid tempo with a warm vocal. With a change, the Aor component comes into play, giving a more melodic touch to the song that in constant change is pleasant and smooth even if less elaborate than the previous one with a good guitar solo insert in the end. “Dream paralysis” opens with another guitar arpeggio and a rhythmic drum to return to a heavier ground, even if the Aor component softens the tones. The keyboards always create an excellent duet with the guitar and the bass is solid and load-bearing. The vocal part is also of a high level here, alternating melodic moments with choruses and warmer ones, in the end the intensity increases with a more accelerated closing with the double pedal of the drum. “Beginners luck” after an intro with atmospheric effects a powerful riff with almost Stoner tones immerses us in a powerful song with rapid changes and fast forays of alternating guitar and keyboards. The theme is well developed and with numerous tempo changes, entirely instrumental is a test of the band’s good inventive techniques, one of the best songs on the album. After the power of the previous track “The blunder” it dampens the tones with acoustic guitar and melodies and calmer rhythms in the first part. With a change the song darkens and transforms with energy between symphony and Metal / Aor with that Prog touch that never hurts, the crescendo ending is of excellent level. “Confrontation” begins with a melancholic theme both in the melodies and in the vocal offering one of the best vocal tests of the album, both clean and with effects. Here, too, heavier openings alternate with more melodic moments with quality and the guitar is intertwined with melgio with keyboard melodies, another good song. “Second chance” is a more elaborate and constantly changing track with an intricate rhythmic session. An engaging song that mixes all the stylistic influences of the band with a truly personal touch between past and present, to listen and listen again. “Anxiety break” is a calmer and more acoustic song where the keyboards that guide the melodic part are highlighted, the acoustic guitar and the voice make this song pleasant and smooth. “Mystic island” begins with atmospheric noises from the forest, and then an imposing Prog theme comes into play with the main keyboards, the guitar alternates acoustic moments with electric riffs and the tempo changes are of a high standard. For all lovers of Progressive music with Aor veins this is a truly excellent song that closes in crescendo. The last track of the album “Epic Journey” gives the title to the album and starts with power between distorted guitars and organ in pure Heavy Prog style. A change slows down and takes us to the central section with a dreamy piano and then starts again with energy and in the second part approaches Metal with a double pedal and an excellent guitar solo at the end. A band that offers a quality debut with a personal sound, mixing influences from the major modern and non-modern Prog groups with Aor veins and almost unique melodic traits. The technique is good and the disc very smooth and varied in its tracks, never banal and with really interesting ideas. Recommended for all lovers of modern Prog sounds, pending the second act which, as far as heard here, will certainly be a confirmation for this new band.

Tracklist

1. Defying Sinergy.
2. Whispers in the Silence.
3. Dream Paralysis.
4. Beginners Luck.
5. The Blunder.
6. Confrontation.
7. Second Chance.
8. Anxiey Break.
9. Mystic Island.
10. Epic Journeyù

Lineup

Sebastián Prosperi / Guitars, Drums
Mariano Barreiro / Vocals
Martin Sokol / Bass
Gabriel Kohout / Keyboards

Bastian Per |Official Website|Bandcamp|Facebook Page|Instagram|Spotify|

Author: Jacopo Vigezzi

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *