Scarecrow: Scarecrow II

It’s not often I come across Russian Progressive Rock music, in fact it might just be the first time I`ve ever encountered it.

This is, yep you’ve guessed it their second album, and a bold statement it is too, with influences that are very much rooted in 70`s Hard Rock/Heavy Metal.

The opener is a bombastic, orchestral piece that really does hit the sweet spot in terms of setting the scene for what is to come; it’s a lush, almost classical work which really did take me by surprise but in a good way!!

`Blizzard` is an altogether different track with its shrill vocals, and doom laden Sabbath like guitar motif, before going off into a frenetic up tempo number....but hey! It works perfectly.

`Magic Flower` is more of a straight blues workout and again has that Tony Iommi guitar feel to it, and the vocals (as with all the album) are somewhere off into the Stratosphere, with a lot of Robert Plant-isms to be heard.

The likes of `Spirit Seducer` , `The Moors`, and `The Mushroom Wizard` really do draw on the aforementioned influences and are very solid admirable pieces, with `The Moors` being the stand out of the three with its authentic 70`s Heavy Metal musings...these guys must have certainly done their homework when putting this album together.

`The Golden Times` is the first time the album takes a pause. Acoustic Guitar and birdsong give way to a very commercial, even folk inspired sounding track, but the band couldn’t hold out for the whole song and they are soon back to their hard rock stylings.

`The Endless Ocean` really could be anything taken from one of Sabbath`s first four albums. Ominous Guitar and Tubular Bells precede a suitably heavy riff laden song that even incorporates certain jazz elements at times.

This whole album took me pleasantly by surprise and I was treated to a record that has very much both feet firmly planted in the Heavy Metal/Prog of the 1970`s. It’s really well played and arranged, and the production gives the whole shebang a quite authentic 70`s atmosphere to everything. I think I might just go off in search of their debut album, if it’s as good as this offering I`m in for a real treat.

Track Listing
1. The Endless Ocean Overture
2. Blizzard
3. Magic Flower
4. Spirit Seducer
5. The Moors
6. The Mushroom Wizard
7. The Golden Times
8. The Endless Ocean

Added: February 20th 2022
Reviewer: Malcolm Smith
Score:
Related Link: Band @ Bandcamp
Hits: 1073
Language: english

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