Darrel Treece Birch is on a red hot roll as far as music is concerned. Last year we presented two reviews to you that this keyboard virtuoso, one was his solo album No More Timeand the one he did as a member of Nth Ascension with In Fine Initium. In 2017 we see Darrel Treece Birch return with his other band Ten with Gothicaand now his new solo album Healing Touch. Darrel Treece Birch has absolutely no lack of substance when it comes to creative license is concerned and it is demonstrated by the quick turn around between releases. Darrel Treece Birch is a flowing fountain and well spring of melodious bliss.
Unlike 2016’s offering No More Time, Darrel Treece Birch decided not to have multiple guest musicians and go it all alone. Another difference with Healing Touch is it is not the conceptual piece that No More Time was. Do not be fooled however, Healing Touchis one serious exotic and melodic safari through the soul of one Darrel Treece Birch. There are 10 new songs that are all instrumentals yet they each have their own individual identity while remaining on point to the main spiritual objective that becomes the common theme throughout Healing Touch. Without any lyrics, Darrel Treece Birch manages to convey subjects of life and faith quite eloquently with just instrumentals. To date Healing Touch is perhaps Darrel Treece Birch’s most diverse album.
God’s Prescription immediately sets a cool smooth mood for the listener of the album. It sets a mood like one is transported into a futuristic world of electronic jazz fusion. This sounds like it may in fact be 25 years ahead of its time. It is certainly a soothing track in that Darrel uses more atmospheric theory to transport the listener into the world he intended them to be. Some of the electronica atmospheres subside to a more traditional jazz fusion rhythm section and soon both of the sum of the parts gel into a perfectly balanced melody. The track even provokes visions of the future which is a testament to Darrel Treece Birch’s forward thinking and sometimes groundbreaking work. There are many elements to this track that also remind me of Kraftwerk meets Alan Parson’s Band. Even more so this track represents a celestial element as well.
From The Mouth in many ways keeps with the subject of faith, hope , healing and love. It opens up with some seriously heavy synth work along with a beautifully deep bass and drum rhythm section that is not always synth manufactured. It gives the most seasoned listener the truth appearance that every instrument was recorded prior the synths and keyboards. Although the futuristic mood is still there, this track takes upon itself some very heavy elements of jazz fusion, especially in the context of the rhythm section. The rhythm section takes on a very 1970’s mood with fuzzy elements serving as a main feature. This lending a heavy Pink Floyd influence about it.
Cast It Out starts out with a wall of synths that hearkens back to the later 1970’s Kraftwerk style meets the earlier 1980’s Buggles. Darrel Treece Birch certainly puts on the first of a few keyboardist music and theory clinics with this one. He is always venturing out into territory that easily keeps him from being pigeonholed into one style and Cast It Out is a perfect example to this. Cast It Out is also a serious departure from what we have been use to hearing in Nth Ascension and Ten, Darrel’s other musical outlets. The track eventually levels out to a more conventional progressive hard rock song that eventually ends with some very beautiful progressive rock atmospheres.
Re-Boot sees Darrel Treece Birch channel heavy elements to the late great Keith Emerson with the production mind of a Alan Parsons. It also leaves a very heavily ELP influence as far as atmospheric soundscape structures. The guitar work is very ‘Floydian’ in nature leaving void or filler for the sake of having a complete song. The rhythm section is very well balanced and subtle leaving the guitar and keyboard stringed section much room to breathe and thrive within the songs own identity and purpose.
The Fruits Of The Spirit opens up with beautifully orchestrated sounds of nature in harmony with radiant wind chimes. This track from the first note already transport the listener in a state of tranquility and peace. This is also a very intricate track where it appears that the keyboard is distributing various chord progressions of the other instrumental interests throughout the duration of the track. This track is a soothing balm perfectly arranged to keep the listeners attention in the album.
The Stand opens up like a whirlwind with a very windy atmospheric effect generated by the synth’s. It is soon followed up by a beautiful rhythm section with some more ‘Floydian’ guitar soundscapes. The pure fusion approach to this track is yet another departure from some of the normal work we are used to hearing from Darrel. His experimental side truly knows no boundaries. This track in particular explores a more avant – garde side to Darrel Treece Birch that I honestly never knew was there.
The Release reminds me a lot of Arjen Luccasen’s Ayreon work , specifically the Actual Fantasy album. This is very heavily rooted in the electronic orchestral chord progression. When the other instruments such as the lead guitar and drums come in they are immediately highlighted and allowed to breathe throughout the composition. It is almost a melodic play on words in that there is a play on various chord progressions and deeply instrumental rhythm sections that would make Tangerine Dream and Kraftwerk blush. This track truly lives up to its namesake in that Darrel Treece Birch appears to open up yet another level of musicianship.
The Expanse starts off with the illusion of a music box playing tender little wind chimed melodies. This transports the listener into a melodic fantasy realm. The rhythm section shines through deeply. Both the stringed sections and rhythm sections are in a perfect harmonious persuasion. The track builds layer upon layers as it maintains its uplifting objective. This track has a heavy science fiction aesthetic working through is various passages and intricate chord progressions.
No Fear Here basically continues in the tradition of The Expanse and The Release. It is both heavy on the keyboard atmospheres and the unorthodox rhythm sections tat keep hooking the listener. There are some elements of classic rock keyboards much like Keith Emerson meets Rick Wakeman at the crossroads of modern fusion.
God’s Medicine opens up with a immediate guitar solo. This is yet another unconventional and surprising element of Darrel Treece Birch’s approach on this album. This is also some very beautiful classically rooted atmospheric fusion. In its isolation it brings absolution and proper closure to Healing Touch.
Although this one took me a little longer than expected it was well worth the time invested in it. This is well worth the investment to any progressive rock or instrumentalist fans collection. Healing Touch has many personalities and dimensions to it. Darrel Treece Birch really took many risks and chances with this one. Darrel Treece Birch’s Healing Touch gets 5/5.
The promoters of RoSfest are excited to announce that Hungarian band Special Providence has been signed for the 2018 edition of the Rites of Spring Festival, and will appear as the third band on Sunday, May 6th.
Special Providence has had a successful history going back to 2004. They remained something of a secret for many years, with their first three albums “Space Cafe” (2007), “Labyrinth” (2008) and “Soul Alert” (2012) released through Hungarian label Hunnia Records. “Soul Alert”, regarded as being a true quality release, started a positive buzz that raised their stature and leads to name recognition. The momentum continued with the release of their fourth album, “Essence of Change” in 2015, when this production was issued by noted progressive rock label, Giant Electric Pea. A fifth album, “Will”, is set to be released in October 2017.
Special Providence has made a name for themselves as being experts at combining jazz, fusion and progressive metal. A band of this kind where the word Progressive is spelled with a capital P. Technically skilled, but also with a deft touch towards creating a strong feel, a good flow and a captivating atmosphere in their compositions. Special Providence is a seasoned live and recording band, and we know that their set will impress our audience. Hungarian progressive rock may not be all that well known in the US, but that interest will rise after 2018 edition of RoSfest.
iNFiNiEN has just released the single ‘Off the Tracks’ as a Free Download from their upcoming album ‘Light at the Endless Tunnel’ to be released tomorrow.
(Music by iNFiNiEN & Justin Carney; Lyrics by Chrissie Loftus & Tom Cullen)
Track Listing
AYA (Music by Matt Hollenberg; Lyrics by Chrissie Loftus)
Oasis (Music and Lyrics by Chrissie Loftus)
Off the Tracks (Music by Matt Hollenberg, Lyrics by Chrissie Loftus)
Bottom of the Food Chain (Music by Jordan Berger and Chrissie Loftus, Lyrics by Chrissie Loftus)
Light at the Endless Tunnel (Music by Matt Hollenberg, Lyrics by Chrissie Loftus)
Love for Yourself (Music by iNFiNiEN, Lyrics by Chrissie Loftus)
Worth The Wait (Music and Lyrics by Chrissie Loftus)
If I Were A Song (Music and Lyrics by Chrissie Loftus)
If You Were A Song (Music by iNFiNiEN, Lyrics by Chrissie Loftus)
Existence (Music by Jordan Berger, Lyrics by Chrissie Loftus & Jordan Berger)
iNFiNiEN Is:
Jordan Berger: Electric and Upright Bass, Background Vocals, Additional Percussion
Tom Cullen: Drums and Percussion
Matt Hollenberg: Guitars, Bulbul Tarang, Tabla, Moog Minitaur
Chrissie Loftus: Vocals, Piano, Keyboards, Organ and Additional PercussionOrchestrations on “Brand New”,
“If I Were a Song” and “If You Were a Song” by Jon Salmon
iNFiNiEN Chamber Orchestra:
Mark Allen – flute, clarinet
Jordan Berger – double-bass
Mary Bryson – harp
Monique Canniere – violins
Maura Dwyer – violin, cello
Gloria Galante – harp
Christen Hooks – viola
Andriana Markano – viola, violin
Ben Mulholland – French horn
Bob Quaile – oboe
Rebecca Schlappich – violins
Andrew Weber – cello
Album Production Notes
Produced by Jay Levin
Mixed by Rob Shaffer
Recorded and Engineered by Rob Shaffer and Jeff Hiatt
Additional production by Matt Hollenberg and Rob Shaffer
Additional recording by Jay Levin and Sean Svadlenak
Mastered by Jeff Hiatt and Sean Svadlenak
Recorded and mixed at Turtle Studios, Philadelphia
About iNFiNiEN
Philadelphia based Experimental Progressive band. Exotic tonalities and thick chords mixed with Jazz, African, Balkan, Pop, Rock and Indian Music.
Biography
Philadelphia-born iNFiNiEN combines eclectic musical personalities into a visionary, unified force. Using rock, jazz, soul, world, and classical influences, the quartet plays intricately composed songs with a focus on improvisation. With two albums under their belt the band has found it’s niche as something truly unique within the Philly and National scenes. After playing, touring and writing together for six years, iNFiNiEN has developed their distinctive voice through their consistent dedication to powerful live shows and bold experimentation in the studio. Far from the typical rock band, they explore new territories of sound by using exotic scales, chords, and rhythms. The drums project driving tribal beats, mixing elements of hardcore, funk, and jazz as bass grooves move through a complex and fluidly changing web of pulse. The guitar and keyboard create a wash of texture, deep harmony and colorful melodies while fluid female vocals add a strong emotional element through soulful poetry and deliberatedynamics. Taking cues from all over the music world, their compositions borrow equally from romantic composers like Debussy and Faure; contemporary artists like Bjork, Tori Amos and Radiohead; world music like Indian Classical, African, Middle Eastern and Latin; and even adventurous avant-garde fusion like Mahavishnu Orchestra, John Coltrane and John Zorn. An entity unto itself, iNFiNiEN stirs listeners through a moving musical adventure.
What The Critics are saying about iNFiNiEN
“Calling it “fusion” isn’t even entirely correct, since that smacks of cocktail parties and easy-listening boredom. This is the sublimation of styles, a group of highly trained players sacrificing their training for the sake of something more exciting.”
– Philadelphia City Paper
“iNFiNiEN’s set is dynamic and energizing, with Loftus rolling her head and emoting like a languid seductress. The music is moody, jazzy, lounge-y and dramatic, with dissonant chords resolving into melody and tinkering Middle Eastern sounds. For most of their set, they’re joined by New Orleans saxophonist Kyle Cripps, whose jazzy playing adds another layer to their sonic creations. Their last track, “Perpetual Twilight,” is 10 minutes long, and devolves into a raucous, thrashing collage of sound. It’s the perfect end to a long evening, and I leave feeling like the possibilities for music are truly infinite.”
Peruvian Progressive Hard Rock / Fusion band Flor de Loto release Regression (Official Video) taken their eighth album “Tree of Life”.
Flor de Loto
Alonso Herrera – Lead Guitar and Vocals
Alejandro Jarrin – Bass
Junior Pacora – Wind Instruments,
Charango and backing vocals
Alvaro Escobar – Drums
Pierre Farfán – Lead and rhythm guitar
Marbin The hardest working Chicago based Prog Jam Fusion Band has self released and self produced a new album: GOAT MAN & THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD.
Blessed, promoted, supported and co-distributed by MoonJune.
Marbin Is:
Danny Markovitch : Sax
Dani Rabin: Guitar
Jon Nadel: Bass Guitar
Blake Jiracek: Drums
All songs written, arranged and produced by Danny Markovitch and Dani Rabin.
Recorded at Stone Soup Studio, Maumee, OH, March 21 & 22, 2016.
The music on Marbin’s sixth album, Goatman and the House of the Dead, evokes imagery so vivid it’s easy to imagine this album being a soundtrack to a movie; perhaps a futuristic western. Each one of the nine new compositions tells a story with twists and turns and gives us a glimpse inside the band’s collective mind. The album features saxophonist Danny Markovitch and guitarist Dani Rabin in full throttle, pushing their instruments sonically and technically to new heights. Drummer Blake Jiracek and bassist Jon Nadel also do a tremendous job amplifying and adding depth to the compositions and solos.
Rabin had this to say:
“Throughout our musical journey we carved a path that’s very unique and personal, and each new album was a bigger venture towards the unknown and away from the familiar. I think Goatman and the House of the Dead is a big leap forward in that aspect.”
Markovitch added:
“It was important to us to play the music in a cinematic and orchestral fashion, while at the same time keeping the sound of four musicians playing together. We view music as a reflection of the human experience and try to deliver it unclouded in our albums, as well as in our shows.” For all promotional and booking inquiries, please e-mail by clicking on: marbinmusic
$10 – INSTANT HD DOWNLOAD (24bit/88.2khz – WAV/FLAC/ALAC/MP3)
$15 +shipping – CD digipack includes Instant HD Download (24bit/88.2khz)
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