
Orotoro is a project combining Progressive Rock/Metal with Psychedelia and Stoner, conceived by French artist Lew Tyler. The third and new album “Ikigai” was released on October 20, 2024 and contains five long tracks including an epic over 12 minutes long, unlike the previous ones a solo work by Lew. The title-track “Ikigai” opens the album, immediately immersing us in the album’s sound with distorted guitar riffs that also offer good solo cues. A solid rhythm section enriched by tempo changes and with deep, load-bearing bass lines that give body to the track while the guitar works on the melodies. The vocals are a real strong point, dynamic and intense, interpreting the lyrics with quality, alternating with the instrumental sections with the guitar in evidence. An energetic and engaging opener that mixes Progressive Rock and Psychedelia with forays into Stoner. The artist explores more Psychedelic sounds in “Kaizen” without losing its attitude to Heavy riffs and modern Heavy Rock sounds. More delicate and with lysergic atmospheres, it offers another excellent vocal test, with dynamic and incisive singing following the development of the song’s theme. The guitar takes centre stage with good Psychedelic textures and heavier, distorted riffs, and then in the second half offers a solo cue as sharp as a blade. The vocal returns, taking us to the conclusion. “Temples In Sand” is a 12:230 minute epic track that opens with distorted guitars and a psychedelic intro full of effects. As the track progresses, Lew develops an intense track between Prog and Psychedelic Rock, managing to bring the retro atmospheres into a modern and distinctly personal context. The singing is very warm and expressive and leaves more space for the long and intense instrumental textures that enhance the artist’s compositional and performing technique on all instruments. An excellent track that exploits the long duration to develop the central theme through quality ideas and passages, between lysergic atmospheres and more Progressive moments. A scratchy electric guitar intro opens “Pyramids,” developed over Psychedelic and Heavy Prog sounds that merge. The rhythm section is granitic and features a deep, load-bearing bass line, an added value along with the intense vocals. A track full of pathos and with an enveloping vocal that alternates with the electric guitar blasts. A masterpiece that enriches the already excellent tracklist of this work. The album ends with “The Blue Mountain,” which has a darker atmospheric sound than its predecessors. Percussive, monolithic drumming and a loud bassline characterise the rhythm section on which Lew weaves intense, incisive vocals with refined guitar solo inserts. A track that shows the artist’s heavier side with fine instrumental and vocal parts that accompany us towards the end of the disc through this Psychedelic and Acid jam. This is the third chapter in the band’s discography, this time practically a solo album by Lew Tyler, which brings out all his compositional and performing technique. An intense tracklist, with long tracks and instrumental textures interwoven with intense vocal parts, mixing classic Progressive and Psychedelic Rock sounds with a fresh and modern personal touch. A recommended listen for lovers of Heavy Prog and Heavty Psych sounds, with long and refined instrumental textures with the guitar as the protagonist and dynamic and expressive vocal parts.
Tracklist
01. Ikigai (06:19)
02. Kaizen (05:26)
03. Temples In Sand (12:20)
04. Pyramids (08:01)
05. The Blue Mountain (07:10)
Lineup
Lew Tyler / Everything
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