Rafael Pacha and Kimmo Pörsti, whom we already know from The Samurai Of Prog project, have joined forces on a new album. Titled “Views From The Inner World,” it was released on October 18, 2022 via Seacrest Oy and contains 10 tracks with several guest appearances. The album opens with “Ventolera Prelude,” an introductory track that immediately highlights the album’s prog imprint of tempo changes and elaborate guitar and keyboard textures. The following “Watch the Stars” is characterised by refined synth cues in the opening part, developing interweavings with the guitar. The rhythm section is solid with load-bearing bass lines, with the warm and expressive vocals interpreting the lyrics with passion. An intense track, which in the sung parts becomes more delicate with acoustic guitar arpeggios, while in the instrumental sections it shows a more energetic facet of the project’s sound. Precious duets between guitar and keyboards characterise the second part, offering a Symphonic Prog with markedly personal traits. “Jubilation” is a track with positive melodies, where in the opening part the synth stands out, intertwining with the guitar over a solid rhythm section. The tempo changes are an added value, as are the guitar and keyboard textures that give the song many sound solutions. A mixture of retro traits and the modern, personal touch of these artists skilled in blending different genres and styles. Long instrumental phrasings and solos with a high quality Progressive feel, where compositional and performing techniques give life to an exceptional track. More electronic synth sounds open “Under a Cloudless Sky” and then develop the track with instruments and sounds between Folk and Prog. Very interesting is the mixture of traditional instruments with those more characteristic of Rock, and then in the central part it gives way to a markedly Progressive section. The tempo changes make it possible to fuse tradition and innovation, creating an original track where technique and positive melodies blend with such quality. The keyboards drive the melodies of “Matkakuume” intensely duetting with the guitar, while the sometimes intricate rhythm section gives solidity to the track. Symphonic prog played at the highest level, with well-constructed tempo changes, solos where each artist offers technique and quality, another beautifully crafted track. “Leap in the Dark” opens with delicate arpeggios and dreamy atmospheres to which is added the warm female vocal. The intensity increases as the minutes go by and all the instruments join in, creating a sound that is at times pompous in its Prog matrix with slight forays into Folk. In the second part, a guitar solo is inserted before the sweet vocal returns and closes with the last verses and arpeggios of the opening theme. Percussion and keyboards join Rafael‘s arpeggios in the delicate “Shadows of Lost Memories,” one of the album’s shorter but nonetheless very intense tracks. Piano notes open “The Man Who Walked Home,” a track with more melancholic features, enriched by continuous tempo changes and an oriental touch. The horns add an extra quid to the sound, offering both melodies and beautifully crafted solo inserts. A track that makes us travel simultaneously to the East and through the more technical sounds of Prog, a band that never ceases to amaze. The album’s longest track “Ventolera” immerses us in the band’s more symphonic sounds with refined guitar and keyboard interlacing. A very engaging succession of solos, tempo changes and more delicate openings with a dreamy section in the middle section. The second part develops with solo guitar and keyboard interlacing in a musical crescendo that takes us to the finale. The album ends with “Alone Against Tomorrow,” a delicate track with excellent background keyboards and arpeggios and sweet female vocals. Dreamy atmospheres permeate the track, which shows a more delicate facet of the band’s sound, with a very intense solo in the final part, ending with guitar and keyboard arpeggios. The projects in which these artists participate always manage to offer high quality albums, combining technique, symphonic traits and their marked personal touch. This record release is also very intense and full of ideas, another masterpiece added to the long list of albums released by these excellent artists. Unlike its predecessors, it is predominantly instrumental, with the vocal parts dynamic, warm and intense. A recommended listen for all lovers of prog sounds, with the valuable addition of horns and traditional instruments, a tracklist of excellent quality from start to finish.
Tracklist
01. Ventolera Prelude (1:04)
02. Watch the Stars (6:52)
03. Jubilation (4:58)
04. Under a Cloudless Sky (5:41)
05. Matkakuume (4:54)
06. Leap in the Dark (6:27)
07. Shadows of Lost Memories (3:16)
08. The Man Who Walked Home (8:44)
09. Ventolera (8:55)
10. Alone Against Tomorrow (7:09)
Lineup
Kimmo Pörsti / Drums & Percussion, Keyboards
Rafael Pacha / Electric & Acoustic Guitars, Bass, Keyboards, Lyre, Mandolin, Viola da Gamba, Electric Violin
With:
Ruben Alvarez / Electric Guitar
Marek Arnold / Soprano Saxophone
Marco Bernard / Shuker Bass
Olli Jaakkola / Flute, Soprano Saxophone
Jan-Olof Strandberg / Bass
Ariane Valdivié / Vocals
John Wilkinson / Vocals
[…] [REVIEW] […]