LALU: Oniric Metal

Lalu

Oniric Metal

© 2005 Lion Music (6419922001257)

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Progressive Metal

tracks

1 Yesterdayman
2 Wolven Eyes
3 Windy
4 Night In Poenari
5 Moonstruck (The Soulish Element)
6 Timestop
7 Starwatcher
8 Potboy: The Final Fantasy

notes

Lalu is a new heavy progressive music project in the vein of acts like Dream Theater, Evergrey and Sun Caged. Keyboardist and band leader Vivien Lalu (Hubi Meisel) has gathered a killer line up for this debut release, entitled Oniric Metal, with Joop Wolters on guitar, the mighty Ryan Van Poederooyen (Devin Towsend Band) on drums, Martin LeMar on vocals and Russell Bergquist (ex-Annihilator) on bass. Oniric Metal combines excellent production values with strong melodies and exciting dynamics.

reviews

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  • Lalu - Oniric Metal
    author: Mikolaj Furmankiewicz

    A French keyboardist had good exemplars during his youth, since his parents played in a progrock band Polene. The very first instrument he picked up was obviously keyboard, but he started playing the guitar in further time as well. Vivien came back to his beloved keys during studies. Serious adventure with music was started by joining the progressive group - San Warden (its name was changed for Mind's Orchard). Vivien also composed the music for a singer - Hubi Meisel, founded a project Shadrane and was a guest player on Joop Wolters' and Evenlight's albums. A recording session for Vivien's first solo release was proceeded with a participation of the likes: Ryan van Poederooyen (drums; Devin Townsend), Russell Bergquist (bass; Annihilator), Martin LeMar (Tomorrow's Eve; vocals), Joop Wolters (guitars; aRABESQUE), Lars Eric Mattsson (guest guitar solo) and Alex Argento (guest keyboard solo). Some listeners get annnoyed when they are informed that the main composer of music is a keyboard player. You can rest assured! Vivien doesn't "revel" as much as Vitalij Kuprij or Janne Wirman. The keys are very important instruemnt, but they are mainly the background to emotional Martin LeMar's vocal parts. When a German vocalist sings higher a bit, it makes me think of Brendt Allman's style (Shadow Gallery). Vivien's music is full of anxiety and tension. There are, like in movies, successive musical action's turns and sudden accelerations included in melodious solos by Joop Wolters. A Dutch guitarist plays two or three more complex solos, but beside it he isn't distinguished over other musicians. The intense sound wall can be hard to learn by badly practised listeners to progressive metal. I do enjoy choirs in "Night In Poenari" which resemble these ones from Evergrey's track called "Nosferatu". It's atypical that Vivien doesn't play solos. Those ones are performed by a guest virtuoso - Alex Argento who showed his abilities in "Timestop". There is almost twenty-minute "Potboy" waiting for us at the very end. It is a humorous accent inspired by a computer game called Final Fantasy. I rememember the review in which I have read that Vivien's music is "soothing and full of splendour". I must admit that movie atmosphere of "Oniric Metal" takes us to anoter world in which we want to stay. That CD gained "album of the month" in "Rock Hard" (June 2005) and "Virtuosa" magazine (Issue 7). My professional colleague and the latter magazine's editor, Nick Hinton wrote in his review: "Vivien Lalu has put back some well-needed inspiration into what is becoming a stale progressive metal scene". I am not as enthusiastic as my Dear Friend from England, but I always respect other people's opinions (if they don't threaten them of course). Also, I like new age elements plaited with instrumentally rich material. I am pretty sure that "Oniric Metal" will rivet the attention of Hubi Meisel's and Vanden Plas' devotees. There were announced Vivien's second album titled "Temporal", so we will have an opportunity to familiarize with his new ideas in a short time.

  • Melodic, progressive, dynamic and more rockin' than you!
    author: Scott Mosher

    Almost a 5-star release. This is a GREAT CD from that malodorous french ivory tickler, and all round funny guy, Vivien Lalu. Cool guy, great musician, keen sense of humor... Smelly Metal indeed. I"m still digesting the CD, but I can say without pause that 'Yesterday Man' is one of my favorite tracks of 2005, without a doubt.

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