Prog supergroup Cosmic Cathedral, consisting of Neal Morse (Transatlantic, Neal Morse Band), Chester Thompson (Genesis), Phil Keaggy & Byron House, released the album “Deep Water.” Released on April 25, 2025 via InsideOut Music, it contains 13 tracks, nine of which make up the album’s title-track suite. The album opens with “The Heart of Life,” a 13-minute-plus epic track that immediately immerses us in the album’s sounds, letting us discover the band’s different musical trajectories. Throughout the long duration of the track, the band explores and mixes Symphonic Prog and more elaborate passages, enhancing the technique of the artists involved. The vocals are dynamic and expressive, in the style to which Neal has accustomed us, with interpretations full of pathos. An intense track, with a solid and elaborate rhythm section and excellent guitar and keyboard breakdowns that equally share the space in the solos inserts. A more delicate passage, “Time to Fly,” is an intense track with pleasant intertwining of male vocals and female choral parts. The sound deviates somewhat from prog, but still offers fine guitar solo inserts and elaborate textures with a jazzy touch in the middle part. The vocal returns for the last stanzas that take us to the finale, including a Symphonic touch of keyboard. The shortest track on the album, “I Won’t Make It,” is a reminder of Neal Morse‘s music as a soloist. An intense singer-songwriter style track, with a pleasant orchestral backdrop and Neal‘s intense vocals. “Walking in Daylight” is a track that takes us back to the band’s more Progressive sounds, with a Jazzy touch to embellish the composition. A rhythm section with funky bass lines, well-constructed tempo changes and interesting instrumental parts between Prog, Jazz that enhance the band’s technique. Refined guitar and keyboard interludes accompany us throughout the middle part, then return to the opening theme and with the last vocal stanzas accompany us to the finale. We come to the final epic suite, the title track “Deep Water Suite,” divided into 13 parts for a total of over 38 minutes of music. The melody of the vocal refrains immediately comes to mind for those who heard the single anticipating the release. Each band member brings their own personal style to the sound, from Chester‘s Jazzy touch to the drumming, which with Bryon‘s solid and elaborate bass lines create a granitic rhythm section. The vocals add a melodic touch to the sound, while in the instrumental parts Neal‘s keyboard skills and Phil‘s guitar skills are enhanced. Like every supergroup album, it created a lot of expectations before its release, which in my opinion were fully met. It is a mature work, which succeeds in incorporating and enhancing the personal style of each artist involved, for over 71 minutes of beautifully crafted Progressive Rock. A recommended listen for lovers of both classical and modern Progressive sounds, with Symphonic and Jazzy passages.
Tracklist
01. The Heart of Life (13:35)
02. Time to Fly (6:53)
03. I Won’t Make It (3:55)
04. Walking in Daylight (8:55)
05. Deep Water Suite I: Introduction (3:02)
06. Deep Water Suite II: Launch Out, Pt. One (4:37)
07. Deep Water Suite III: Fires Of The Sunrise (4:04)
08. Deep Water Suite IV: Storm Surface (2:40)
09. Deep Water Suite V: Nightmare In Paradise (6:57)
10.Deep Water Suite VI: Launch Out, Pt. Two (1:50)
11.Deep Water Suite VII: New Revelation (5:14)
12.Deep Water Suite VIII: Launch Out, Pt. Three (1:48)
13.Deep Water Suite IX: The Door To Heaven (7:50)
Lineup
Neal Morse / Keyboards, Guitars, Vocals
Phil Keaggy / Guitars, Vocals
Bryon House / Bass
Chester Thompson / Drums and Percussion
