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Review:
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On this new album by the exciting USA progrock formation
I notice more variety and less emphasis on a bombastic vintage
keyboard sound, just take a look at the huge amount of guest
musicians, especially the The Gallows Orchestra, The Section
Quartet and The Kung-Pao Horns. Due to their contributions
Bigelf sounds like The Brian Setzer Orchestra (brass in
Blackball) and ELO (omnipresent violin sound in Gravest
Show On Earth and The Game). And often Cheat The Gallows
delivers a tribute to Classic Rock Bands, I notice hints
of Marc Bolan (Superstar), Black Sabbath (Blackball, Race
With Time and Hydra), The Beatles (Money, It’s Pure Evil),
The Doors (Blackball) and Pink Floyd (Race With Time). But
Bigelf succeeds to sound like Bigelf because of the way
they blend their distinctive elements like the compelling
atmospheres featuring strong vocals (with that cynical undertone),
heavy guitarwork (I love those fat Black Sabbath inspired
riffs) and a lush Mellotron sound, especially on The Evils
of Rock & Roll (fiery guitar solo), The Game, the dynamic
and alternating Race With Time (delicate Floydian slide-guitar
and sensational interplay between powerful guitar and intense
violin-Mellotron) and Hydra (great break with synthesizer
flights and heavy guitar riffs). The two dreamy tracks are
very tastefully arranged: flute-Mellotron, fiery guitar
and an orchestra in Money, It's Pure Evil and acoustic rhythm-guitar
with choir-Mellotron along a wonderful, very moving guitar
solo in the emotional No Parachute. The long final composition
Counting Sheep is their most ambitious work, it sounds like
a mini rock-opera with lots of shifting moods and captivating
musical ideas, Bigelf in its full splendor as a progressive
rock band and for sure Bigelf has progressed on Cheat The
Gallows!
www.progwalhalla.com
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