Verulium: Herald The New Age

Possibly the most difficult task at hand when coming to know Verulium is discovering who this band actually are. A little (or actually quite a lot) of online digging, reveals the name of ex-Outstation guitarist Steve Blakeley as the lynchpin, but even with a beautifully presented CD in digi-pack, a separate lyric booklet, stickers, signed postcard, info sheet and a bandcamp page, finding out if anyone else was involved in this endeavour has thus far proved beyond me.

And that’s a shame, because anyone involved (and apologies to Steve if it he alone), should be keen to have their name associated with an album that sits neatly in the realm of gentle symphonic prog. Latter day Asia, but with less guitar, would be something of a comparison but there’s a more classical root here, with the vintage sounds - both in terms of structure and the slightly disappointingly lo-fi production - tempering what could have been quite a bombastic interpretation. The album, Herald The New Age, is cleverly paced, with the beginnings of “Awake Now� suggesting a calm, controlled journey - an aspect kept in place throughout - although things certainly ebb and flow keenly on a voyage that can veer from passionate and gently driven, to ethereal and mystical.

Aside from the production, which really is an issue at times, especially in the uneven separation between instruments, the vocals from whoever may be providing them, are a little uneven. When backed by some synth-chorals, they suddenly come alive, but isolated, they are never quite so sure footed. That said, “Riding On The Edge Of Eschaton� shows good intentions and its strangely Western styled themes are an interesting diversion.

Time has helped me break down some of the less polished aspects of this debut from the mysterious Verulium, and yet, there’s no denying that a more lush sound could have elevated this release by quite some distance. However, the intentions are unquestionably good and while sometimes a little dense in presentation, so too are the performances. Let’s not be so shy about who is involved next time!

Track Listing
1. Awake Now
2. Herald The New Age
3. Faith Revive The Light
4. Ascend Through the Smoke To The Heavens Above (1-Division)
5. Ascend Through the Smoke To The Heavens Above (2-Regrets)
6. Ascend Through the Smoke To The Heavens Above (3-Reflection)
7. Riding On The Edge Of The Eschaton
8. Marching
9. Kingdom Come

Added: June 16th 2021
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Verulium @ bandcamp
Hits: 951
Language: english

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