Forgotten Suns
Snooze
© 2004 Forgotten Suns (634479057670)
CD OUT OF STOCK for re-production. Expect long delays.
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Melodic Progressive Rock/Metal from Portugal; an album full of epic compositions and deep lyrics.A remarkable story put on a record...
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***SENSES track won the 1st prize at Hungarian Progressive Rock Club Award for best progressive song 2005***
After a four year hiatus, Portuguese foremost neo-proggers Forgotten Suns are finally back. And in great style, I may add!
During this period, the band experienced some member changes and released a demo (Fiction Edge II) that served to open a window of what was to become their new full length release - Snooze.
A conclusion that immediately pops up is that Forgotten Suns has taken this time out to successfully and carefully mature and settle a very specific own sound, very much within the Neo-Progressive / Melodic Prog-Metal stylings.
In fact, the music presented in Snooze shows us a band that has grown as a sole entity, where its members interact and interplay exquisitely and are able to create strong melodies (though quite simple) and excellently construct some slightly more complex tracks.
Drifting away from the obvious Marillion and Dream Theater leanings so well documented in their debut Fiction Edge 1, Forgotten Suns has gained the confidence and tightness necessary to develop a very personal sound.
Taking Linx vocalizations as an example, he has been able to set himself a very unique style, as he sings in a peculiar (and not the most logic) way that works to perfection. The way he "attacks" the music is very unique, for he seems to draw "angular" entrances, as he interprets the music in a different way than it would be expected by the neo-prog habitué listener. And the mere fact Linx has chosen not to take the most obvious approach and has instead strive (successfully) to conceive an individual singing style, is enough to add a lot of bonus points to Snooze and raise the interest of the overall result in an exponential way.
The bass lines, provided by Johnny have been thought and crusted to perfection in the music, and they do form a very strong rhythmic section with J.C.Samora's drumming.
Ricardo Falcão provides the guitars, and he does shine its way throughout the album. Mainly influenced by Rothery and Guilmour in the more emotional solos and Petrucci when settling the more metallic riffs and solos, still he does it in a metamorphic way that enabled him to (also) create his own style.
The album opens its first cd (it is a double one) in a powerful way. As Dreaming of Reality swirls in a crescendo, set in the threshold of Neo and Prog Metal, the band is really only starting to unveil the potentialities of the sound they have developed during their 4 year long "oblivious" status. When Senses make its entrance, you begin to comprehend the melodic sense of the band, its matured architecture and the excellent way all the instruments interplay. While Linx "echoes" himself during the chorus lines, the guitar is shadowing solos behind and the keyboards lay tapestries. This track was chosen for the video and the bands promotion (in a shorter version), though this longer version is much more complete, for it features one of the longest and best keyboard solos of the album. Sometimes it occurs to me that this (and some other moments in this album) are close to Clepsydra, but I really think Forgotten Suns have produced more concise music here, and have exploited most successfully the melodious harmonics between guitar and vocals.
Strange Affair with the Night starts calmly and works its way to the end in a sort of crescendo, with energy discharges thrown in the mix. The guitar soloing sweetens up the calmer part of the track with the same ease it emotionally inflames the final moments.
If there is one track here that has really surpassed my most optimistic expectations for this band, that's Dream Killer !
During almost 20 minutes, this track strengthens the very high hopes I lay upon this band. It is the track where Forgotten Suns are most successful in displaying the real ability of theirs. Both in musical construction and playing capacity, Dream Killer is a monster! Despite the large amount of directional and tempo changes, they are all done with precision and with very good taste. The band also uses vocal layers at some points in the track, which sound like cherries in top of the cake. Though the whole Dream Killer is awesome, there is one little detail (in the middle of many) that really convinces me of this bands thoughtfulness: by the minute 7:50, there is a very small guitar solo just after a vocal line that is just perfect and comes to prove the evolution on the bands attention for details. This is the best track FS have ever done, and one of the finest ever in this genre, IMO.
After the first (Floating Spirit Dimension) of three small interludes (the other two in the second cd), the band experiences some more acrobatic moves. Pay the Price is also heavier, sometimes close to Dream Theater venues. It is, nevertheless, the weakest track in the album.
The second cd starts with another great song: Struggle. Like in Dream Killer, there is a lot of small pieces put together in a very satisfactory way. Working as a perfect collage of different approaches. Once more, you can also conclude about the bands evolutionary path towards maturity since their debut release...
The bridge Death starts the calmer part of the album, followed by the emotional and introspective Angels Embrace. Here the melodies are kept pretty simple but effective. It is a song filled with beautiful piano passages and female/male vocalizations. There is a popish feel to this music, and a slight commercial vibe, but again done with extreme good taste. The imagery I would associate to this music is that it feels like capturing black & white butterflies and drawing them with colorful palettes...
The final Final Sentence is even more contemplative, as the band turns acoustic and Linx vocals turn more predictable but still excellent. Some vocal lines from Fiction Edge 1 are used here, during the vocal multi-layering games, by the same time the song turns somehow more energetic and expansive.
In a style that has been growingly becoming tedious due to repetition of washed out strategies and approaches, Forgotten Suns comes to prove that there can still exist refreshing ideas and swell music in Neo-Prog. They have surpassed the reminiscent era with success and are now tightly constructing their own path. One that promises us much more great music.
Snooze is, for me, the strongest candidate for Album of the Year in the Neo-Prog category. I really haven't heard anything better (for this specific sub-genre) than this one in the last couple of years. And if you like melodic, uncompromised Prog with mild (but absolutely necessary) pretentious moments, please wake up for Snooze!
reviews
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Amazing progressive rock from Portugal!
author: Dag FjellbyThis isn’t the kind of music you’ll often come across. This is really outstanding! I’d like to call it a “Masterpiece” because it’s very close. These guys from Portugal really know how to put together an outstanding progrock CD. The album is well produced, the sound is great and the band plays like Gods. Not much more to say than; this is bloody brilliant! Top score – Highly recommended!
Outstanding neo-prog.
author: Stuart AllieThis is a superb example of modern neo-prog. This DOUBLE CD(!) is wall-to-wall quality material. Other reviewers have covered the album in detail, so let me just add my voice by saying that this is a truly fantastic album. My only complaint is that their first album is out of print :)
Masterpiece of Neo-Prog Rock
author: Hardy (wolfram.e)What a fantastic Neo-Prog record from this portuguese Band. There is every thing in their music, what the great bands like GENESIS, YES or SUPERTRAMP makes them so popular in the seventies. And when you like such new records as DARK MATTER from IQ, TESTIMONY from NEAL MORSE, KEYHOLDER from KAIPA or THE MUSIC THAT DIED ALONE from THE TANGENT this record is a MUST HAVE for you. I know, just for me, this record is one of my favourites of the year 2004. - ABSOLUTE HIGHLY RECOMMENDED !!!
Masterpiece of Neo-Prog Rock
author: Hardy (wolfram.e)What a fantastic Neo-Prog record from this portuguese Band. There is every thing in their music, what the great bands like GENESIS, YES or SUPERTRAMP makes them so popular in the seventies. And when you like such new records as DARK MATTER from IQ, TESTIMONY from NEAL MORSE, KEYHOLDER from KAIPA or THE MUSIC THAT DIED ALONE from THE TANGENT this record is a MUST HAVE for you. I know, just for me, this record is one of my favourites of the year 2004. - ABSOLUTE HIGHLY RECOMMENDED !!!
Candidate for Neo-Prog-Album of the Year 2004
author: NUNOAfter a four year hiatus, Portuguese foremost neo-proggers Forgotten Suns are finally back. And in great style, I may add! During this period, the band experienced some member changes and released a demo (Fiction Edge II) that served to open a window of what was to become their new full length release - Snooze. A conclusion that immediately pops up is that Forgotten Suns has taken this time out to successfully and carefully mature and settle a very specific own sound, very much within the Neo-Progressive / Melodic Prog-Metal stylings. In fact, the music presented in Snooze shows us a band that has grown as a sole entity, where its members interact and interplay exquisitely and are able to create strong melodies (though quite simple) and excellently construct some slightly more complex tracks. Drifting away from the obvious Marillion and Dream Theater leanings so well documented in their debut Fiction Edge 1, Forgotten Suns has gained the confidence and tightness necessary to develop a very personal sound. Taking Linx vocalizations as an example, he has been able to set himself a very unique style, as he sings in a peculiar (and not the most logic) way that works to perfection. The way he “attacks” the music is very unique, for he seems to draw “angular” entrances, as he interprets the music in a different way than it would be expected by the neo-prog habitué listener. And the mere fact Linx has chosen not to take the most obvious approach and has instead strive (successfully) to conceive an individual singing style, is enough to add a lot of bonus points to Snooze and raise the interest of the overall result in an exponential way. The bass lines, provided by Johnny have been thought and crusted to perfection in the music, and they do form a very strong rhythmic section with J.C.Samora’s drumming. And though the drumming is perhaps the less achieved instrument in the album, it surely have to do with the fact he has only recently joined the band and naturally he’s not as much entwined in the bands sound as the other (long term) members. This does not mean the drumming is not good, it only means that it is kept pretty much in the background, only occasionally finding its way to the spotlight, mainly by means of the percussion appearances. Ricardo Falcão provides the guitars, and he does shine its way throughout the album. Mainly influenced by Rothery and Gilmour in the more emotional solos and Petrucci when settling the more metallic riffs and solos, still he does it in a metamorphic way that enabled him to (also) create his own style. The album opens its first cd (it is a double one) in a powerful way. As Dreaming of Reality swirls in a crescendo, set in the threshold of Neo and Prog Metal, the band is really only starting to unveil the potentialities of the sound they have developed during their 4 year long “oblivious” status. When Senses make its entrance, you begin to comprehend the melodic sense of the band, its matured architecture and the excellent way all the instruments interplay. While Linx “echoes” himself during the chorus lines, the guitar is shadowing solos behind and the keyboards lay tapestries. This track was chosen for the video and the bands promotion (in a shorter version), though this longer version is much more complete, for it features one of the longest and best keyboard solos of the album. Sometimes it occurs to me that this (and some other moments in this album) are close to Clepsydra, but I really think Forgotten Suns have produced more concise music here, and have exploited most successfully the melodious harmonics between guitar and vocals. Strange Affair with the Night starts calmly and works its way to the end in a sort of crescendo, with energy discharges thrown in the mix. The guitar soloing sweetens up the calmer part of the track with the same ease it emotionally inflames the final moments. If there is one track here that has really surpassed my most optimistic expectations for this band, that’s Dream Killer ! During almost 20 minutes, this track strengthens the very high hopes I lay upon this band. It is the track where Forgotten Suns are most successful in displaying the real ability of theirs. Both in musical construction and playing capacity, Dream Killer is a monster! Despite the large amount of directional and tempo changes, they are all done with precision and with very good taste. The band also uses vocal layers at some points in the track, which sound like cherries in top of the cake. Though the whole Dream Killer is awesome, there is one little detail (in the middle of many) that really convinces me of this bands thoughtfulness: by the minute 7:50, there is a very small guitar solo just after a vocal line that is just perfect and comes to prove the evolution on the bands attention for details. This is the best track FS have ever done, and one of the finest ever in this genre, IMO. After the first (Floating Spirit Dimension) of three small interludes (the other two in the second cd), the band experiences some more acrobatic moves. Pay the Price is also heavier, sometimes close to Dream Theater venues. It is, nevertheless, the weakest track in the album. The second cd starts with another great song: Struggle. Like in Dream Killer, there is a lot of small pieces put together in a very satisfactory way. Working as a perfect collage of different approaches. Once more, you can also conclude about the bands evolutionary path towards maturity since their debut release… The bridge Death starts the calmer part of the album, followed by the emotional and introspective Angels Embrace. Here the melodies are kept pretty simple but effective. It is a song filled with beautiful piano passages and female/male vocalizations. There is a popish feel to this music, and a slight commercial vibe, but again done with extreme good taste. The imagery I would associate to this music is that it feels like capturing black & white butterflies and drawing them with colorful palettes… The final Final Sentence is even more contemplative, as the band turns acoustic and Linx vocals turn more predictable but still excellent. Some vocal lines from Fiction Edge 1 are used here, during the vocal multi-layering games, by the same time the song turns somehow more energetic and expansive. In a style that has been growingly becoming tedious due to repetition of washed out strategies and approaches, Forgotten Suns comes to prove that there can still exist refreshing ideas and swell music in Neo-Prog. They have surpassed the reminiscent era with success and are now tightly constructing their own path. One that promises us much more great music. Snooze is, for me, the strongest candidate for Album of the Year in the Neo-Prog category. I really haven’t heard anything better (for this specific sub-genre) than this one in the last couple of years. And if you like melodic, uncompromised Prog with mild (but absolutely necessary) pretentious moments, please wake up for Snooze! A final word for Magic Rope, the label that is releasing their first signed band and album here. They have just started in the rough Progressive business, but with the right foot!
"...this is an album to struggle for the best of the year and certainly is the b
author: SpulitForgotten Suns were never forgotten. They never were, mainly by their fans in his homeland: Portugal. Almost four years after the release of "Fiction Edge I", their debut, here's that stubbornness and perseverance (and, above all else, the taste for music) give some fruits. "Snooze" is here and promises to shake the worldwide prog-community and particularly all the portuguese fans that were almost sleeping under the dark shadow of scarcity of concerts from this band and the agonizing status of progressive music in the land of fado. All over the last years, there were some changes in the band's lineup. Nelson Caetano was replaced by J.C. Samora on drums and Miguel Valadares gave place to Diogo Sottomayor on keyboards, who ended up leaving the band soon after. However, both have given their contribution to this work, being the band now without a full-time keyboard player. The core formed by Ricardo Falcão on the guitar, Johnny on bass and Linx on vocals and keyboards is still firm and loyal to its musical ideas, betting on a neo-progressive style, with some metal brushes and always with a very strong and emotive melodic component. It's a risky bet since we have a conceptual double-CD on hands. The first disc opens with a short but powerful and imponent intro, soon followed by SENSES, the track that was also released as single (although in a shortened version). Right here we can state that the boys are still not willing to just have fun in service. The vocal line is captivating and the chorus very well representative of the whole track, simple and direct, one of those that get stuck inside our head. The track is perfectly filled up, climbing in a spiral fashion and with very solid instrumental arrangements, with the keyboards throwing the track to a higher dimension. We're already on a very high standard! STRANGE AFFAIR WITH THE NIGHT steps in in a moderated regimen, aiming at setting up a cold, nocturnal and city-like atmosphere. The track gets stressed up as time passes, the guitar flourishes in solo style or with strong riffs and the rhythmic section bass/drums shows a nice interplay. Johnny seduces with the smooth and sentimental playing style he applies to the very melodic bass lines. Then comes the greatest epic of this work. DREAM KILLER is another landmark in this young band's career. It has everything that is needed. Ambience, power, imagination and emotion everywhere. Superior arrangements and a well thought-out structure for the 20 minutes this track lasts leave no room for any doubts that these guys overflow talent! PAY THE PRICE closes the first disc. With a simple kind of composition, with fast-paced rhythm, this is a track that easily grabs the listener's attention, creating the necessary tension that invites him to change the disc at the end. STRUGGLE is another jewel in this work. Once again, all that cannot be explained, all that cannot be learned but defines and distinctly signs a music piece is here. Many are the textures, the colors and the drawings that fulfill the 13 minutes, but mainly one can find here a unique sensibility that mixes all this in a very harmonious manner. But we're not done yet. Do you want something to awake (even more) your sentimental side? Close your eyes and...ANGELS' EMBRACE. THE FINAL SENTENCE is really the final sentence to this work. The sentence says that these musicians are condemned to give us many moments of pure joy! Refinement is the motto for a final track that starts based on acoustic guitar but ends up in a touching dramatic apotheosis. And there's more to discover in this work. Concluding, and despite not existing many spots of originality, this is an album to struggle for the best of the year and certainly is the best output from the portuguese progressive history! Also, don't miss the great multimedia section on the second CD. Congratulations Suns! Keep on...keep on doing it!!