Enid, The: Dust

'Welcome to Broadway.' That is the feeling I had upon first hearing The Enid's latest album Dust. This is the first time I have actually heard the band after reading so much about them.

First a little history. The Enid was formed way back in the '70s by Robert John Godfrey (Barclay James Harvest). Their first album In the Region of the Summer Stars was released in 1976 followed by their sophomore effort Aerie Faerie Nonsense in 1977. The band was quiet for a few years in the early thousands but since 2009 have regularly released albums culminating in the disc I now hold before me.

The current band members are Joe Payne (lead vocals), who has recently parted ways with the band, Robert John Godfrey (keyboards, orchestral arrangements), Max Read (choir, vocoder, programming), Jason Ducker (guitar, bass), Nic Willes (bass, orchestral percussion), Dave Storey (drums) with Dominic Tofield (drums on "Someone Shall Rise") and Zachary Bullock (keyboards on "Monsters").

The disc opens with "Born In The Fire" where orchestral elements create high drama along with Queen-like guitar harmonies. "Someone Shall Rise" is a little mellower however the bombast returns building to a climax near song's end. Again, Innuendo-era Queen is a solid reference point. "Monsters" is a gentler piece traveling back and forth between dreamy acoustics and slightly heavier elements while "When The World Is Full" really has a show tune feel mixed with Brian May style guitar.

I found Dust to be an intriguing and surprising listen and quite distinct from the progressive music I typically listen to. This isn't a band that holds anything back and whether or not the prog audience will resonate with Dust will be a matter of taste. I personally feel Dust has the ability to bridge the gap between classical, musical and progressive music in a catchy and melodic way and earns an impressive four stars.

Track Listing:
1. Born In The Fire (8:00)
2. Someone Shall Rise (5:11)
3. Monsters (5:25)
4. 1000 Stars (7:01)
5. When The World Is Full (5:11)
6. Trophy (6:00)
7. Heavy Hearts (5:31)

Added: October 10th 2016
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
Score:
Related Link: Band's Official Site
Hits: 1819
Language: english

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