Pulsar is a band originally from Sardinia in Italy that offers Progressive sounds with forays into Sludge. The new self-produced album “Origins Of Life” is scheduled for release on February 12, 2022 and contains 7 tracks in concept form. The theme of the disc is the geological eras before the appearance of man on earth, with the music emphasizing the Prog side of the band. The album opens with “Quadrivium” characterized by a soft intro of guitar arpeggios and a deep vocal, the keyboard inserts give a markedly Prog touch to the song. The track is enriched with tempo changes with the intensity that increases with the passing of the minutes, with forays into the harder music, always of a Progressive matrix. Energetic and with a massive sound, it recalls the sounds of the Heavy Prog bands of the early 70s, with excellent keyboard textures and hard guitar riffs that alternate with more symphonic passages. Atmospheric sounds open and a spoken voice “Cambrian War” characterized by a long intro which then develops with guitar and percussion. The keyboards are an added value of the sound, which with a change turns into a Prog track with an elaborate rhythm and a warm and expressive vocal. The continuous tempo changes allow the band to mix heavier strokes with softer ones, managing to transport the atmosphere of the 70s to the present day with their personal touch. In the finale it increases the intensity with a good guitar solo in Prog Metal style that leaves room for another one of very engaging keyboards. “Embryonaut” starts with the sounds of water and a dreamy piano, for a softer intro with rhythmic drumming, and then becomes more elaborate with the entry of the keyboards. Here too the intensity increases with the passage of the song, energetic and engaging with scratchy guitar riffs and a driving bass. The chorus stays in the mind and the instrumental section in the middle shows a more symphonic side of the band’s sound. In the second part, in continuous change, the piece changes between accelerated and softer sung parts, showing a good compositional and executive technique, closing with an intense solo at the end. We are in the middle of the album with “Diseaseme” a track with melancholic sounds, full of pathos and with a first part in the form of a ‘song’. The second part leaves room for a more elaborate instrumental section with valuable keyboard orchestrations in the background, and then closes with the last vocal verse. The shortest track on the album “Apex Dominant” with its 3:30 duration is a concentrate of energy and power. Granitic guitar riffs, a massive and tight drumming proposing a more Heavy sound enriched by continuous tempo changes. Also offered as a video on YouTube, this song is very well structured, with high-level keyboard and guitar intertwining and thick technical instrumental parts. Here we are at the first part of the final suite “Thunder Lizard Caravan (Part I)” characterized by an intro with deep sounds on which the electric guitar is inserted. The second half of the song recalls the more symphonic sounds of the 1970s Prog, and then in the final instrumental section increase the intensity and close in crescendo with valuable intertwining between guitar and keys. The suite ends with the second part “Thunder Lizard Caravan (Part II)” which begins with a hint of electric guitar, and then leaves room for a single keyboard. In the central part the band releases all its energy concluding the part played, the song and the disc instead end with atmospheric effects reminiscent of the wind. A good listening that mixes the harder sounds of the prog with the more symphonic ones, with elaborate textures and good mixes of guitar and keyboard. The rhythm session is solid with massive drumming and driving bass lines, while the vocal is damic and expressive, best interpreting the various phases of the album. A listening recommended for lovers of the hardest Prog sounds, a band that manages to transport the atmosphere of the early 70s to the present day with a personal touch, creating intense and engaging tracks.
Tracklist
01. Quadrivium (8:11)
02. Cambrian War (7:04)
03. Embryonaut (6:54)
04. Diseaseme (5:03)
05. Apex Dominant (3:30)
06. Thunder Lizard Caravan (Part I) (9:00)
07. Thunder Lizard Caravan (Part II) (6:00)
Lineup
Away / Guitar, Vocals
The Urge / Bass
Rach / Keyboards
Iorad / Drums
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