Coma Rossi

Welcome once again to The Closet Concert Arena fellow progheads!  Spring finally has a solid grasp on the calendar and the prog garden is beginning to bloom!  This week the search for all things prog leads me back to my good friends at Progressive Gears Records; many a wonderful band on this label.

This week the  GPS is set for Bengaluru, India as I explore the sounds of Coma Rossi and their eponymous debut release.  I will admit there is a bit of excitement for me as I have not found much in the prog garden by way of India and I'm eager to check out new growth on fresh acreage...

The opening cut "Mirage" conjures up some remarkable imagery as the curtain is drawn back...you are standing ocean side; it's dark, cold, and a haunting sound calls to you.  Guitars and drums work their way into your head as you feel yourself being pulled underwater, carried by the tide.  Vocals put you at ease and you just sink into it all.  Coma Rossi fills the canvas with streaks of darkness...the top notes run from Dream Theater to the fringe of Haken. 

Traveling deeper into the sound I find "Jomolungma Is Far Away."  Continuing down the dark corridor Coma Rossi embarked on earlier, your mind begins to relax just as the tension starts to ratchet up.  Guitars lay down a groove with the keyboards smoothing out the rough edges, lulling you into a sense of peace before methodically turning up the heat.  I pick up slight hints of IQ on this cut along with aromatics of Violent Attitude If Noticed.  I'm beginning to sense there are many layers to this band and a desire to explore them starts to overtake...

Liner Notes...hailing from Bengaluru, India, Coma Rossi was originally formed in 2014.  The current lineup is Tom Borah on vocals, Udayan Kashalikar on bass and vocals, Gaurav Govilkar on guitars, Juby Thomas on keyboards, and Anupam Panda on drums. Four years from incarnation to initial album release may seem like a long time, but Coma Rossi made the wait worthwhile.  While there have been lineup changes (a reality for many a band), Gaurav and Udayan worked diligently to find fellow musicians who shared their passion for creating atmospheric, moody textures in music.

Coma Rossi signed with Progressive Gears Records in December 2018--the very day they released this album!  The pedigree seems solid and with PGR behind them Coma Rossi should reach a wider audience across the prog garden.

My third selection for review is "Stillborn."  For me this song has a more traditional, melodic Indian vibe. The drums are a solid foundation on which emotional guitars share the attention with keyboards...and Tom's vocals are absolutely beautiful.  When the fervor explodes in a manner reminiscent of Atomic Rooster, you sense a bit of sorrow tinged with determination; they decide their own fate.  Coma Rossi may hover in the darker, more subdued corners of the prog garden, but this song bursts with alternating rounds of energy mixed with a subdued passion.

Learn more about Coma Rossi at Progressive Gears.  You can purchase the album at their Bandcamp  or Bigcartel website.  Of course you can also connect directly with Coma Rossi on Facebook and
Twitter @comarossimusic.  

The musical interlude this week is the band's first single from the album, "Turn Back Time."  Close your eyes as the song begins; the sun is rising on a gorgeous day.  Vocals rain down gently as the drums mingle with soft spoken keyboards and smooth guitars to create an absolute burst of sunshine and hope.  Coma Rossi showcase an ability to reach beyond expectations with this cut; the sound is so full yet so melodic and poignant you feel yourself being absorbed into a wave of emotion sweeping through your headphones. Feel free to play this one a few times and allow it to fill your mind and spirit...  

                      

As the sun sets and the moon glow warms your inner spirit, Coma Rossi settles in your soul.  I hope this album captured your attention and you feel renewed; few bands today are capable of such a wide range of emotion with their song writing and performing.  While the dark hues can be dark and murky, the bright spots are wide open and filled with life, emotion, and passionate outbursts that can be joyous and extreme.

But now our time together winds down and the search for all things prog must continue the journey...until next week...