I was deeply touched by the dark and grave tone of voice of singer Thomas Hook on the album Focus Or Blinders (1993), the second album made by the American progressive rock band Ancient Vision. I liked that album very much so I decided to buy their debut album also, but The Vision (1991) did not have the same impact on me than Focus Or Blinders. Guitarist and keyboardist Thomas May writes excellent music strongly based on the music made by the great progressive rock bands of the seventies. However, it would not be fair to call him a copycat, because the band doesn’t really sound like Yes, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Genesis or Pink Floyd. That is another reason why I like Ancient Vision so much: being original and yet strongly related to the seventies. Sometimes, when I listened to the albums, I thought how great it would be to hear new material from this band. Then suddenly, unexpectedly, Ancient Vision released their first album in fifteen years! Lost At Sea still has that same tone of voice performed by Thomas Hook. Mastermind Thomas May is still present; he is responsible for all the music, the lyrics and the storyline. This time also keyboard player Joseph Allen puts his stamp upon the new album. Together with Thomas May, he signed for all the fine arrangements and the production of the album. Mario Bart provided the cover artwork. He also made the adventurous cover for Focus Or Blinders. The cover of Lost At Sea strongly refers to the album concept, the storyline in the booklet and more or less to the previous album. However, the record’s concept is not very easy to understand. It deals with the story of mankind, contemporary confusion and the struggle for power through religious or political actions. The whole story has been divided into four sections consisting of eight tracks. Compared to the previous albums, the music has not changed that much over the last fifteen years. It is still influenced by the prog rock music of the seventies, but this time Ancient Vision added female vocals, mandolin, balalaika and saxophones. Don’t expect many solos on electric guitar or synthesizer. In fact, the music doesn’t need those solos to make it a fantastic release. It is not an easy trip, but if you give the music some time to settle down in your brain, you will perhaps discover the beauty of Lost At Sea. I sincerely hope that we don’t have to wait another fifteen years for their fourth album. *** Henri Strik (edited by Peter Willemsen) Where to buy? |
