Metrognom

[Michael Baryshnikov]

Hello All!

Залит Metrognom/(2006)_Twangyluk

Новое имя на сервере - норвежский прогрессив-рок-коллектив начала 2000-х.
Купился я, конечно, на название.
К сожалению, они, пока что, выпустили только один альбом, и дальнейшей
активности группы не наблюдается.
Группа играет олд-скульный спейс-рок, концептуальный альбом (в лучших
традициях) об инопланетянине прилетевшем на Землю.
Четыре композиции по ~15 минут каждая.
Есть всё, что полагается - меллотрон, дудки, гитары, тейп-эффекты, джаз, рок
итд итп, перечислять долго.
ВЕСЬМА ВЕСЬМА РЕКОМЕНДУЮ!

===
Metrognom biography
METROGNOM is a progressive ensemble from Norway, not the brightest, so far, to
dazzle and intrigue, still interesting and powerful as long as progressive
rock, in all its modern condition, is regarded as an endless treat of music,
mixed styles or rock fever.

The band was formed in 2002 (in the Norwegian city Bodo), but only recently did
they achieved to sum up a debut (and a line of first compositions), one not
very similar with everything modern prog and "new rock" enlists, thus keenly
special. The core line-up of METROGNOM was made of five artists: Ole Ivar
Jorgensen as guitarist and Mellotronist, Kriss Stemland as keyboardist, pianist
and organ player, Steffan Hundstad on bass, Stig Rune Holien as drummer and
Arne Wikstrom as saxophonist. Hundstand left however, right after the
recordings were finished, being replaced by Lars Einar Christensen. Keyboardist
and electronic effects mixer Jakob Arntzen is regularly invited to play with
the rock quintet, at live occasions. Also notable is that Jakob Arntzen and Ole
Ivar Jorgensen formed a side project called Mouches Volantes, which bares the
same swish as METROGNOM.

The band's list of influences and similarities in music, rock and prog can be a
bit overwhelmingly denoted, practically used or negligently connected with
what's the flame and the texture of the musical fiber (when, in fact, such
mentions tend to disconnect it from METROGNOM's own value and stand-up
precision. Nevertheless, it looks like a basic and biographical fact, plus,
sometimes, it helps to see the modern (or retro) prog vitality that this
ensemble uses or appends under its "new art". METROGNOM itself states
influences from the mighty GENESIS, KING CRIMSON, GENTLE GIANT, CAMEL or from
AKASHA and GOBLIN. Surprisingly, they also seem amazed enough by the difficult
art of GROBSCHNITT, HOST, COSMIC JOKERS, NOVALIS or PULSAR, so to name them as
well. This said, music sounds sometimes so differently, that critics and
impressions rate "Twangyluck" as a modern rock fusion, via OZRIC TENTACLES, old
sense space rock, a la PINK FLOYD or HAWKWIND, heavy alternative, as in
something close to PORCUPINE TREE, concentrated pop rock, likewise WHITE
WILLOW, or a sparkling symphonic hum, thinking quite many times of WOBBLER.

Deep or dizzy, METROGNOM plays in "Twangyluck" rock, jazz, jam, space and pop
belted under the sign of a conceptual, purely instrumental and extremely
concentrated composition. There are only four pieces, but they're all epic and
rarely have a constant rhythm and pleasure. The band could have a special
weakness for electronic or smoky keyboard (and electric sound) effects, but,
mainly, everything is a forceful arrangement of vintage and greedily new
keyboard melodies. Emotions get less insinuated than those moment of pure
riffing and improvisation, still everything is based on a concept of striding
expressions. "Twangyluck" becomes a difficult album when it faces a sum of
themes and synthesized composition, a strange art when its heaviness also bears
the remark of a scorching empty sensibility pash, and a popular progressive
music, once some conceptual ideas are washed away by weird blends and unresting
agitations.

A band that's worth checking out, METROGNOM is, with little doubts, a
progressive musical grease.
(sources include reviews on the album "Twangyluck", plus official bio notes)

(c) Victor "Philip" Parau, PA
===

(c) Review by Mellotron Storm, PA

METROGNOM were a five piece band out of Norway releasing this one album back in
2006. It's a concept album about our alien friend Twangyluck and his
adventures. We get four long tracks over 64 1/2 minutes. Guitar, bass, drums,
keyboards and horns are the main instruments but lots of synths including
mini-moog as well as some mellotron and theremin. There's even these Akai
synthesizer woodwinds. The guitarist would go on to run a record label while
the keyboardist became a session musician and the horn player became a Producer
and DJ. Man this is a good album. I'm surprised I didn't discover this back
when it came out but this one is pretty obscure. Almost all instrumental save
for Twangyluck's words here and there. My top two are the opener and closer.

"Max Planet (Incl. The Sudden Turbulent Landing Procedure" opens the
proceedings with beeping sounds and our alien talking in a mono-toned voice as
all aliens do. Guitar takes over at 1 1/2 minutes riffing away as drums, organ
and a full sound follow. Nice. What's even nicer is the section that follows
led by the sax. Just this beautiful melodic section that will be replaced by
the guitar and full sound as themes are repeated. Love that interlude after 9
minutes, so interesting and enjoyable then it kicks back in before 12 minutes.

"Ten Peppermint Butterflies In A Ray Of Moonlight" like the opener is 14
minutes long and those are the two shortest tracks on here. A quiet start but
it kicks in fairly hard after a minute with guitar and drums as the synths
shoot off everywhere. The synths turn melancholic and I like this better. It
settles right down after 4 minutes with relaxed sax leading the way before it
turns punchy with a full sound. Acoustic guitar only 12 minutes in then it
turns dark late to end it. "Opening Ceremony To The Troll's Seventeenth Olympic
Games" builds then settles but check out when it kicks in before 8 minutes. Oh
my! Love that bass then the tempo picks up. Another calm before ending hard
with some nasty organ.

"Tellus Will Tell Us It's Will" is the 21 1/2 minute closer. Man this one is
all over the place including the start with those strange sounds as we hear
thunder in the distance. The synths sound like wind and then the guitar starts
to rise out of this after 2 minutes. Great sound a minute later with the sax,
drums and more. Check out the bass, drum, organ section after 5 1/2 minutes to
after 8 minutes. Love that section. Organ only after 9 minutes then the drums
join in. Guitar follows and it will soar bringing FLOYD to mind. Nice drum work
after 15 minutes and then synth woodwinds after 18 minutes as it continues to
shift and change.

The one I highly recommend. Just so much here that I enjoy. A huge surprise to
be honest.
===

Enjoy!
WBR, Michael Baryshnikov.