Enid, The: Journey's End

I have to admit I am a relative newcomer to The Enid. In fact I recently reviewed Dust, their last offering and that was the first time I heard the band's music. That in itself is hard to believe as Robert John Godfrey formed the band way back in 1974, or thereabouts but they did not call themselves The Enid right away, that took a couple of years. Now, I like to think of myself as a well-rounded listener of all things progressive rock; classic prog, fusion, progressive metal, avant-prog, you name it. When a band such as this, with such an immense discography passes me by I have to wonder why. I really have no good answer for that except to say you can't hear everything. Such is the case with this band. That being said, it's better late than never as I really enjoyed Dust. That blending of orchestral rock and classical music makes for a wonderful mix.

Journey's End was originally released in 2010, a quick follow up to Arise and Shine the previous year. That album marked the end of a ten year break for the band. Journey's End is a concept album about the very real possibility of the human species destroying the planet and escaping to a distant world.

"Terra Firma" kicks off the album with a steady drum rhythm as chanting vocals and the rest of the band join in. The keyboards provide spacey elements but they are mostly quiet and subtle here adding to the build ups gradually. One gets the feeling this band is all about emotion, the slow layering of sounds and the cinematic beauty of the music. The imaginative vocal arrangement deserves special mention as well. With "Terra Nova" the keyboards and effects are moody with a darker tone initially. The waves of pastoral keyboards lighten the sound and the guitar carries a lovely tone. Delicate piano ends the piece in an understated way. The next track "Space Surfing" really picks up the pace offering huge orchestral crescendos, swaths of space induced keyboards and more hard rock elements. This one certainly has a trippy vibe. "Malacandra" is the longest track and probably the album highlight for me. Classically inspired orchestral rock music defined by huge swells of orchestration and cinematic grandeur, heavy rock riffs and shifting soundscapes between the pastoral and heavier prog. The catchy vocals give the song that added hook.

I really am impressed with The Enid. They are as classy a band you will hear in progressive rock right now. They have a new album coming in 2017 and I for one can't wait!

Track Listing:
1. Terra Firma (7:17)
2. Terra Nova (5:29)
3. Space Surfing (6:16)
4. Malacandra (12:38)
5. Shiva (7:56)
6. The Art of Melody – Journey's End (5:20)

Added: February 2nd 2017
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
Score:
Related Link: Band's Official Site
Hits: 1756
Language: english

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