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Moongarden has turned into a very interesting progrock
band since their debut album entitled Moonsadness from 1994
although this new album (2009) is only their sixth studio-album
in 15 years. On their previous effort Songs From The Lighthouse
(2008) we can enjoy a varied progrock sound (embellished
with instruments that range from Grand piano to cello and
tablas), strong, very distinctive vocals and majestic Mellotron
layers. So how about Moongarden one year later on this new
album? -
On A Vulgar Display Of Prog (65 minutes, 8 songs) again
Moongarden invites us on an interesting and captivating
musical journey, these guys play progressive rock in the
true meaning of the word. The one moment it’s bombastic
Seventies symphonic rock (in the vein of 70-77 Genesis)
with lush Mellotron and a powerful guitar sound or mellow
with dreamy vocals and ambient keyboards (Demetrio And Magdalena)
, the other moment we can enjoy an ‘Eighties Queen synthesizer
sound’ (Mdma) or a heavy guitar wall with rap-like vocals
(Compression), what a stunning variety! And I am absolutely
delighted about the interplay between the guitars and keyboards,
goose bumps in Aesthetic Surgery (howling guitar with choir-Mellotron),
Wordz & Badge (exciting duel between aggressive guitar riffs
and choir-Mellotron) and Demetrio And Magdalena (again howling
guitar with bombastic choir-Mellotron). At some moments
Moongarden also sounds mellow and warm with a strong emotional
undertone like in Aesthetic Surgery with a tender piano
and melancholical vocals (“I am an artist, not God”).
Those vocals are an important part of Moongarden their
distinctive sound with a lot of emotion and expression,
a pretty unique voice in the current progrock! -
Although this music is not always my cup of tea, I
am impressed, 15 years after their debut album Moongarden
are still alive and progging!
www.progwalhalla.com
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