Parhelia: Celestial Horizons

Parhelia formed in Dublin, Ireland in 2005 and were originally a four piece. I was unfamiliar with the band until hearing their latest album titled Celestial Horizons. The band now consists of two members; Greg Clarke (guitars, keyboards, effects) and Cathal Rodgers (bass, keyboards). Their music fits comfortably within the post rock style with guitar being the dominant instrument. Keyboards are mostly used to colour the background scoundscapes.

I think having only two members suits the style, kind of minimalistic with lots of repeating chord progressions, dual guitar lines and nicely crafted melodies. Sure this music doesn’t vary huge amounts from track to track but if you just let yourself immerse in the melodies, that is where the strength of this album truly lies.

The atmospheric post rock of “A Lonesome Journey� is a prime example of what you will hear throughout the disc; catchy guitar riffs, a general moody atmosphere and fine melodies. The band inject slight pace changes so as not to become too samey. The sustained guitar riffs in the title track, supported by background keyboards has a latter-day Anathema-like sound. The riff progressions are really quite addictive. “Olympus Mons� starts very mellow, almost distant sounding and takes its time building on those flowing layered guitar riffs and brilliant melodies. “Open Heart� and “Stars Align� feature more nice melodies, especially the arpeggio guitar in the latter. The catchy riffs continue through to the final track “Closing Chapter� where the guitar encapsulates those earworm qualities.

This album is not about solos and incredible musicianship, its more about flowing melodies, atmosphere and sustained rhythm guitar riffs that managed to hold my interest, even though the repeated patterns are a major part of the band’s sound. Celestial Horizons is a well-crafted album and well suited for anyone interested in the post-rock genre. Recommended.

Track Listing:
1. A Lonesome Journey
2. Celestial Horizons
3. Olympus Mons
4. Open Heart
5. Stars Align
6. The Veil of Truth
7. Maps of Meaning
8. Closing Chapter

Added: July 29th 2020
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
Score:
Related Link: Band @ Bandcamp
Hits: 945
Language: english

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