Welcome once again to the Closet Concert Arena fellow progheads. Coming off the recent review of Morse, Portnoy, George and their cover album trilogy, the search for all things prog continues its "sideways" trajectory. This week I return to the Progressive Gears stable of artists for a listen with Cosmos. The band has two albums available on the Progressive Gears label, so I thought I would review them both...you know; mix it up a little. Toward the end of the review there with be the obligatory link to a website allowing you to purchase the music if you so desire--and hopefully you will so desire. So onward as they say...
Opening the review with two cuts from the "Mindgames" album; first one hit with the laser is "Skygarden." A bit cosmic as the music starts to flow through the headphones--but it doesn't take long for the hammer to drop. Cosmos dances into the metal section of the prog garden--not as deep as Opeth or Dream Theater perhaps, but there is a tinge of Pink Floyd and Transatlantic wafting through the room. The drums hit without beating your ears into submission while the guitar rides a tempo in and out of a mood comprised of chaos, doom, and excitement...yes there is a lot going on here. The vocals are unexpectedly mild, floating across the top.
Next up is "Close to the Edge." I expect many of you did a double-take on the song title; alas, it is not a cover of the Yes classic (but wouldn't that have been interesting?). The piano and bass lead you on a tumultuous journey at sea...Mutiny? Pirates? The vocals wrap themselves around the entire piece, interwoven with the guitar as tension builds and you are drawn deeper into the abyss.
Checking out one more cut from this album; "There Are Millions of Reasons to Carry On." The keyboard opening is a bit on the interstellar side of the spectrum, and the abrupt shift as the drums and bass slide in is smooth like chunky peanut butter--and just as satisfying. The colors on the canvas run dark but begin to blend, releasing a bright swath of energy through the headphones.
Let's move to "The Deciding Moments of Your Life" album starting with "Where is Yourself." This song has strong overtones of Pink Floyd; the tension is built on understated vocals and subtle guitar embraced by the keyboards, and more of that interstellar atmosphere.
Always intrigued by title cuts, I give this one a spin. Cosmos is a band that runs deep with emotion and feeling, and this song serves as the perfect showpiece. I detect faint top notes of Lonely Robot and Deep Energy Orchestra; music to search the inner soul by.
Liner Notes...Cosmos hails from Switzerland and like most up and coming bands, got their sound out to the masses by playing live gigs everywhere they were able. Also like many up and coming bands, internal strife and struggles altered the band's trajectory and derailed their plans. Fortunately nothing fatal occurred and Cosmos is back in the prog garden performing and recording. The current line-up is Olivier Maier on guitars and vocals, Dani Eggenberger on keyboards and vocals, Heiko Garrn on bass, and Tinu Wengi on drums.
This latest incarnation of Cosmos isn't just picking up where they previously left off--they are reinventing themselves in the art rock/neo prog section of the prog garden. With a subtle nod to the standard bearers who came before, Cosmos is carving their own niche in the prog garden and taking a fair amount of acreage to do it.
Moving back to the music with a tune called "When the Bird Flies Down South." The comparisons to Pink Floyd start to take shape with this cut; the grandiose overtones combined with introspective keyboards really strike a nerve. Of course the birds in the opening moments seem to be an homage to Yes...Cosmos does pay respect to those who came before. This song is emerging as one of my favorites from both albums; hitting the canvas with colors that splay bright and bleed to a faded hue. The vocals come through with a haunting realness that penetrate your skull and marinate in your subconscious...relax and take it all in.
Next up is "The Wind in Your Sail." There is something about this song that rings of Dire Straits. Olivier's guitar work combines with Dani's keyboards in a way that is not just beautiful, it is stunningly so. Top notes of Gaillion ride through like a clipper ship sailing majestically across the bay; this song must be heard to be fully appreciated.
You can purchase the band's music at Cosmos and find out more about them at Facebook. You can also check on the entire stable of artists at Progressive Gears on Twitter @ProgGears and Instagram.
The cut posted here is "Contact" from the "Mindgames" album. While the reflection of Pink Floyd throughout this song is unmistakable, listen with an open mind (no pun intended) and let this one wash over you a few times. There is a dark cloud hanging overhead and as the music spills down the guitar hits you first--but as the song continues to fill the headphones you almost feel yourself floating away...
So fellow progheads, another session winds down. Cosmos is a great respite from all the stress that follows you through your day. It's always a pleasant stroll through the prog garden looking for something new; the genre is overflowing with artists and band pushing the boundaries and expanding on what is already here.
Cosmos takes you on a journey across the entire spectrum of the prog garden, and while they spend a lot of time in the space rock arena, they are far from one dimensional. Take some time and listen to both of these albums, letting your mind wander as the music fills your head and takes you on a journey across the prog landscape...taking in that awesome view...until next time...
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