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Trollheart · 05-09-2012, 10:46 AM

Terra incognita: a line in the sand --- Roswell Six --- 2010 (ProgRock)

A good while ago I reviewed Roswell Six's first album in this series --- well, their first album really, of which this is both second and, to date, last --- “Terra incognita: beyond the horizon”, explaining how the two make up a unique project which seeks to fuse the novels of Kevin J. Anderson with the music of progressive rock and metal. I promised we'd review the second album, and now, admittedly five months later, here we are, and how things have changed for volume two!

First off, there's no Erik Norlander, who so superbly helmed the first album. Due to other musical commitments Norlander was unable to participate, nor was his wife, so no Lana Lane sadly. Other people who performed on the first album are similarly conspicuous by their absence, in particular John Payne, James LaBrie and Gary Wehrkamp, but they're ably replaced by the likes of Sass Jordan, Michael Froese and Steve Walsh, with original vocalist Michael Sadler happily still with us. The album is this time around devoid of any keyboards (possibly due to Norlander's non-involvement: he is the king of keys, after all, and drove the signature sound of the first album), with rich orchestration taking the place of synthesisers.

It opens with dramatic orchestral bassoon, maybe, then a full section as the title of the album is sung and “Barricade” blasts out with power and energy, and though I'm not sure who takes the vocal line as information is relatively sketchy, and there are so many vocalists on the album, I don't think it's Sadler, whom I've heard before. This voice is rougher, not entirely to my liking but anyway. The orchestra rattles along as the track continues, with a real cinematic sense of scope, quite a hard rocker to start off the album with some great guitar from Henning Pauly, ably taking on the duties performed by Shadow Gallery's Gary Wehrkamp last time out.

I think it's Sadler then who takes the vocals for “Whirlwind”, with a very Rush-like sound circa “Caress of steel” --- I wish there was a way to get the liner notes to or more information on this album, as it really is quite scarce what's out there. Anyway, this is a mid-paced rocker with a lot of guitar, and I don't hear any involvement from the orchestra, very much a rock/metal song than a symphonic or even progressive one. The orchestra is back in full force though for “The crown”, with some more frenetic guitar from Pauly, and the introduction of vocals from Sass Jordan, channeling Janis Joplin at times, a rougher voice than Lane's, but perhaps better suited to this sort of song.

As ever, with a concept album you really need the notes to get the idea, and in this case where we're actually conceptualising a novel, it seems obvious that to get the most out of this album you really need to have the book and have read it, neither of which I have. So I can't guide you through the storyline, though I can tell you this album is based on the second of Anderson's “Terra incognita” novels, “The map of all things”. Seems Pauly looks after all instrumentation on this album (apart from, obviously, the orchestra) in a similar vein to Daniele Liverani on his “Genius: a rock opera” trilogy, playing guitar, bass and drums, as well as adding backing vocals. Impressive.

There's a break from the uptempo, racing rock for a ballad, and Sadler is back on vocals for “Loyalty”, his voice gentle and yet powerful, with some lovely guitar from Pauly, and perhaps the piano is his too, or maybe it's part of the orchestra, I don't know, but the song mostly rides along on its soft melody. There's a really intense little guitar solo from Henning Pauly, then the orchestra are back in force for “My father's son”, an ominous, urgent beat permeating the song and giving a sense of desperation and danger, hard guitar from Pauly adding to the panic. I have to say, I don't really like this track, but “When God smiled on us” is a lot better.

A pretty heavy track, it's replete with screaming guitars and churning chords, with Sadler back on vocals, and a kind of blues rhythm, then Jordan is back for “Need”, the second ballad on the album. Not as restrained or quiet as “Loyalty”, but still a slow song with a nice line in guitar and some very nice bass too. Jordan sings a bit more gently here this time around, sounding a little like Tina Turner, of all people, with a jazzy twang to her voice. It's followed by another rocker, again with a single title, and I think it's Steve Walsh on vocals for “Spiral”, an intense, heavy, dramatic tale of the desire for revenge --- ”You killed our fathers/ So we killed your sons/ How can you claim/ You're the innocent ones?” --- and with backing vocals from Sass Jordan in almost Clare Torry mode, a fine emotional solo from Pauly on the guitar, then “Battleground” reintroduces the orchestra for the only instrumental on the album.

A big, brooding, heavy monster of a track, it's helped along by frantic and intense guitar from Henning Pauly, tremendous work by the strings section of the orchestra, pounding drumming adding to the feel of a battle being fought, ending in “Victory”, the album's closing cut. With a real sense of the calm after the storm, it's guitar led, but in a laidback and upbeat way, celebratory, as you might expect with a title like that. Sadler takes the vocal for this final track, and Pauly can't it seem stay restrained for long, as he has to let out his joy and exultation with some blistering solos and runs. There is a note of doubt though as the song and the celebrations go on: ”Victory! Victory! Is this victory?”

I think I was more impressed with the first album. Whether that's due to the absence here of some of the major players, or the fact that there was a lot more keyboard work on the album, or whether I'm just confused now as to the storyline, this one didn't hit me as square between the eyes as did the first. Nevertheless, it's a fine effort and a good follow-up, just a pity they couldn't have assembled the whole team again, but then, that's rock and roll, I guess. Whether there'll be a third album or not is uncertain, but if they manage it, I really hope they can get back together the team that produced “Beyond the horizon”, as I feel they are the best combination to really nail this whole concept down.

TRACKLISTING

1. Barricade
2. Whirlwind
3. The crown
4. Loyalty
5. My father's son
6. When God smiled on us
7. Need
8. Spiral
9. Battleground
10. Victory

Suggested further listening: uh, “Terra Incognita: beyond the horizon”...?

05-09-2012, 10:46 AM	#1227 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Terra incognita: a line in the sand --- Roswell Six --- 2010 (ProgRock) A good while ago I reviewed Roswell Six's first album in this series --- well, their first album really, of which this is both second and, to date, last --- “Terra incognita: beyond the horizon”, explaining how the two make up a unique project which seeks to fuse the novels of Kevin J. Anderson with the music of progressive rock and metal. I promised we'd review the second album, and now, admittedly five months later, here we are, and how things have changed for volume two! First off, there's no Erik Norlander, who so superbly helmed the first album. Due to other musical commitments Norlander was unable to participate, nor was his wife, so no Lana Lane sadly. Other people who performed on the first album are similarly conspicuous by their absence, in particular John Payne, James LaBrie and Gary Wehrkamp, but they're ably replaced by the likes of Sass Jordan, Michael Froese and Steve Walsh, with original vocalist Michael Sadler happily still with us. The album is this time around devoid of any keyboards (possibly due to Norlander's non-involvement: he is the king of keys, after all, and drove the signature sound of the first album), with rich orchestration taking the place of synthesisers. It opens with dramatic orchestral bassoon, maybe, then a full section as the title of the album is sung and “Barricade” blasts out with power and energy, and though I'm not sure who takes the vocal line as information is relatively sketchy, and there are so many vocalists on the album, I don't think it's Sadler, whom I've heard before. This voice is rougher, not entirely to my liking but anyway. The orchestra rattles along as the track continues, with a real cinematic sense of scope, quite a hard rocker to start off the album with some great guitar from Henning Pauly, ably taking on the duties performed by Shadow Gallery's Gary Wehrkamp last time out. I think it's Sadler then who takes the vocals for “Whirlwind”, with a very Rush-like sound circa “Caress of steel” --- I wish there was a way to get the liner notes to or more information on this album, as it really is quite scarce what's out there. Anyway, this is a mid-paced rocker with a lot of guitar, and I don't hear any involvement from the orchestra, very much a rock/metal song than a symphonic or even progressive one. The orchestra is back in full force though for “The crown”, with some more frenetic guitar from Pauly, and the introduction of vocals from Sass Jordan, channeling Janis Joplin at times, a rougher voice than Lane's, but perhaps better suited to this sort of song. As ever, with a concept album you really need the notes to get the idea, and in this case where we're actually conceptualising a novel, it seems obvious that to get the most out of this album you really need to have the book and have read it, neither of which I have. So I can't guide you through the storyline, though I can tell you this album is based on the second of Anderson's “Terra incognita” novels, “The map of all things”. Seems Pauly looks after all instrumentation on this album (apart from, obviously, the orchestra) in a similar vein to Daniele Liverani on his “Genius: a rock opera” trilogy, playing guitar, bass and drums, as well as adding backing vocals. Impressive. There's a break from the uptempo, racing rock for a ballad, and Sadler is back on vocals for “Loyalty”, his voice gentle and yet powerful, with some lovely guitar from Pauly, and perhaps the piano is his too, or maybe it's part of the orchestra, I don't know, but the song mostly rides along on its soft melody. There's a really intense little guitar solo from Henning Pauly, then the orchestra are back in force for “My father's son”, an ominous, urgent beat permeating the song and giving a sense of desperation and danger, hard guitar from Pauly adding to the panic. I have to say, I don't really like this track, but “When God smiled on us” is a lot better. A pretty heavy track, it's replete with screaming guitars and churning chords, with Sadler back on vocals, and a kind of blues rhythm, then Jordan is back for “Need”, the second ballad on the album. Not as restrained or quiet as “Loyalty”, but still a slow song with a nice line in guitar and some very nice bass too. Jordan sings a bit more gently here this time around, sounding a little like Tina Turner, of all people, with a jazzy twang to her voice. It's followed by another rocker, again with a single title, and I think it's Steve Walsh on vocals for “Spiral”, an intense, heavy, dramatic tale of the desire for revenge --- ”You killed our fathers/ So we killed your sons/ How can you claim/ You're the innocent ones?” --- and with backing vocals from Sass Jordan in almost Clare Torry mode, a fine emotional solo from Pauly on the guitar, then “Battleground” reintroduces the orchestra for the only instrumental on the album. A big, brooding, heavy monster of a track, it's helped along by frantic and intense guitar from Henning Pauly, tremendous work by the strings section of the orchestra, pounding drumming adding to the feel of a battle being fought, ending in “Victory”, the album's closing cut. With a real sense of the calm after the storm, it's guitar led, but in a laidback and upbeat way, celebratory, as you might expect with a title like that. Sadler takes the vocal for this final track, and Pauly can't it seem stay restrained for long, as he has to let out his joy and exultation with some blistering solos and runs. There is a note of doubt though as the song and the celebrations go on: ”Victory! Victory! Is this victory?” I think I was more impressed with the first album. Whether that's due to the absence here of some of the major players, or the fact that there was a lot more keyboard work on the album, or whether I'm just confused now as to the storyline, this one didn't hit me as square between the eyes as did the first. Nevertheless, it's a fine effort and a good follow-up, just a pity they couldn't have assembled the whole team again, but then, that's rock and roll, I guess. Whether there'll be a third album or not is uncertain, but if they manage it, I really hope they can get back together the team that produced “Beyond the horizon”, as I feel they are the best combination to really nail this whole concept down. TRACKLISTING 1. Barricade 2. Whirlwind 3. The crown 4. Loyalty 5. My father's son 6. When God smiled on us 7. Need 8. Spiral 9. Battleground 10. Victory Suggested further listening: uh, “Terra Incognita: beyond the horizon”...? __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018 Last edited by Trollheart; 05-09-2012 at 06:40 PM.