The driving force behind the German act Saris is founder Derk Akkerman and the first version of this band dates back to 1981. Since then there have been regular revivals and they have always succeeded in releasing an album. These albums contain a mix of hard rock and prog with always a clearly present role for the keys. As a guitarist, Akkerman has continued to develop and he is really very skilled. From the moment that current singer Henrik Wager was added to the band, a step forward has clearly been taken. Wager was born in the United Kingdom and has a fairly clear, sometimes even a bit sharp, voice that immediately evokes the comparison with Herman Saming, the singer of the Swedish A.C.T., and even the music has some similarities. So no German accent, you can hear his passion for the concept because he is responsible for the lyrics on this album. The already mentioned keys are also played by Akkerman, we also hear none other than Jimmy Keegan on drums, Lutz Günther on bass, Martin Schnella on guitar and Marek Arnold on saxophone. So many well-known names and that pays off because it sounds very good. Project: Off World is Saris' sixth album and certainly their best yet. The concept album starts with the title track and it is immediately clear that we are presented with a professionally made and sounding album with lush keys and alternating leading roles for the vocals, guitar and yes, some saxophone. The melodies are also beautiful and Wager is a very able singer who occasionally forces his voice a bit but on the whole he sings very well. What is also a clear plus, the background vocals are very tasteful and are often used just like the doubling of Wager's voice. If you are less into saxophone, like me, then you have to accept that Marek Arnold is a regular but he is a gifted musician and his parts are mostly very relaxed and accompanying. The already mentioned keys have a very clear place in the mix and ensure that the dynamics and balance are maintained because the guitars sometimes present themselves quite heavily. Despite the minuscule hard rock influences, which were much more present in the past, you never get the idea that you are listening to simple straightforward songs. Saris takes the time to let songs breathe and there are more than enough instrumental passages, which is very important because with more than seventy-three minutes Project: Off World offers quite a long listen. As the beautiful cover reveals, it is about the role of humanity and its, not always positive, influence on the earth and each other, which creates a need to escape and discover other worlds, both literally and figuratively. Political themes, religion and of course the influence of money, it all comes along. The lyrics are definitely worth unravelling because they are well written. The ten tracks are of a very consistent quality but I still want to highlight a few, the short My Pocket is a ballad with a nice guitar solo and here Saris sounds almost American (Styx/Kansas) because of the smooth backing vocals. The more than twelve minutes long Surrounded is the magnum opus of the album for me because of the beautiful melodies and variety. From vulnerable to bombastic with room for solos on keys, guitar, and for a moment, the saxophone again. I have to mention the guitar solo because it is really touching me deeply. This is Saris at its best. Fill Me With Emptiness also starts with a wonderful guitar line and contains those striking choirs again. The second long song is Wish It Away that shows all sides of Saris in just over eleven minutes with a thunderous middle part and jubilant guitar solo. Keegan and Günther are a hell of a rhythm section and they lay down the base for some serious rocking parts without bogging down in metal. It ends with several vocal parts mixed up, after which Wager is allowed to reach for the high notes again. The whole album exudes an atmosphere that you could describe as spacy but with a clear rock foundation. Closing track Time Is Killing Me is not quite the banging finale that this album deserved, it lacks the urgency and depth of some previous tracks, but is lyrically a nice closer. Are the dangers of overkill lurking? The sometimes very sing-along choruses are quite polished and recognizable, Wager sometimes, not often mind you, goes to the limit of what his voice can handle, which sometimes comes across as a bit shouting. However, that edge is what pushes his voice a bit more towards hard rock, a blessing for some, a curse for others. If a band succeeds in convincing me in such a way while a saxophone can be heard quite regularly, it already indicates that Saris has made a very good album. Still, I come up with a cliché, by being a little more critical the album could have been shortened to an hour and it would have even more impact, but that might not have given the storyline enough room so I understand the choice. If you're not afraid of a small hint of hard rock in an otherwise obvious prog album of very high quality then you should really listen to Project: Off World, it simply is a great album. ****- Erik Fraanje (edited by Tracy van Os van den Abeelen) Where to buy? |
