Holy Lamb is a historic Progressive Rock band from Latvia, formed in 1991 and with five albums to their credit since then. The new album “Minefield Promenade” was released on November 06, 2024 and contains 5 unghe tracks ranging from over 6 to over 10 minutes in length. There are also guest appearances on horns and vocals on the album. The opener “Still Afloat (At Sea of Missed Opportunities)” is the longest on the album, an epic track over 10 minutes long. An intro with a melodic vocal and elaborate guitar and keyboard textures over an intricate rhythm section characterise the first part of the track. Technical passages evolve the theme of the piece, with the guitar playing virtuoso solo interventions, and then with a change open up into a fresh and modern Progressive Rock. A technical and engaging track, full of quality cues, in line with modern releases and the evolution that the genre has had. Without losing their personal touch, the band immerses us right from the start in the pleasant sounds that have characterised their style for over 30 years. The interweaving of sung parts and instrumental sections is interesting and well constructed, enhancing both the songwriting and the band’s performing technique, all enhanced by the horns. Acoustic guitar and flute gently open ‘Minefield Promenade,’ creating dreamy atmospheres through refined phrasing. The rhythm section enhances the song with continuous tempo changes that allow the elaborate Progressive textures to develop with forays into Jazz, Symphonic with a retro touch that permeates the sound, bringing the atmospheres of the golden era into a modern context. The long duration of the piece is exploited to enhance the characteristics of the artists, who create intense and sophisticated phrasing between guitar, keyboards. Largely instrumental, the track increases in intensity as the minutes pass pleasantly, incorporating more heavy riffs and sonorities in the second part, with the guitar protagonist of valuable solo inserts. “Joy Galore” is a modern progressive track with symphonic traits that match the complexity of the textures created by the keyboards and guitar. The rhythm section is granitic, giving a heavier touch to the sound and enriching it with tempo changes and odd times. The vocals are intense and expressive, interpreting the lyrics with pathos and adding incisiveness to the sound. Another excellent track, which keeps the intensity of the tracklist high and continues to explore Progressive Rock sounds in line with today’s releases but with that personal touch characteristic of the band. Dreamy piano atmospheres open “Disintegrate into Nothing (including Lake of Rage and Integrate into Something).” Long the title and long the track too, exceeding 10 minutes in duration and offering symphonic sounds in the opening with fine lead guitar work intertwined with the keyboard background. The retro reminiscences here are more pronounced, taking us back in time with this pleasant and delicate prog theme. In a continuous musical crescendo, the band incorporates more Rock elements with forays into 70s-era progressive with pompous keyboards and wind interventions to embellish the sound. The album ends with the shortest track “The Third Decade,” which is still over six minutes long. A delicate, dreamy intro evolves into an elaborate track reminiscent of the UK sounds of the early 70s in its sound. Fine bass lines give the track body, the drumming is elaborate and the guitar intertwines with the keyboards to create intense phrasing. A good mixture of classic and modern sounds, linked by the band’s personal touch, which leaves us wanting to listen to this work again in the future. A band that offers mature listening, bringing all their experience to bear to deliver an intense and elaborate tracklist full of quality ideas. A well composed and performed sound, solid and elaborate, combining classical and modern sounds thanks to the band’s technique, which is enhanced for the entire duration of the disc. A recommended listen for lovers of Progresive Rock sounds with intense vocal parts interwoven with long instrumental sections embellished with woodwind inserts, one of the best releases of 2024.
Tracklist
01. Still Afloat (At Sea of Missed Opportunities) (10:40)
02. Minefield Promenade (08:21)
03. Joy Galore (08:29)
04. Disintegrate into Nothing (including Lago di Rabbia and Integrate into Something) (10:07)
05. The Third Decade (06:45)
Lineup
Gustavs Pauna / Drums, Percussion
Aigars Červinskis / Bass Guitars, Lead and Backing Vocals
Juris Rāts / Keyboards
Ansis Markauss / Electric and Acoustic Guitars, Backing Vocals, Kokle, Orchestrations Additional Treatments
Aleksandrs Voļperts / Electric and Acoustic Guitars
Special Guests:
Ieva Pudāne / Piccolo
Jānis Porietis / Trumpet
Ieva Parša / Vocals
Deniss Paškevičs / Saxophone & Flute
