Hailing from Finland comes this very adventurous intrumental progressive rock band Scarlet Thread, whose second album Valheista Kaunein (on Musea), is an exciting brew of prog, fusion, and folk styles. Featuring two guitarists, bass, drums, violin, and flute, comparisons will certainly be made to Kansas, KBB, Jethro Tull, Gentle Giant, Solaris, and the Mahavishniu Orchestra, but for the most part Scarlet Thread have a pretty fresh and invigorating sound. First and foremost, there's plenty of "rock" in their sound, which you can certainly hear in the crunchy guitar riffs and aggressive violin on "Vaeltava", as well as the complex and driving opener "Tahtojen Taistelu". Amidst the funky yet meaty guitar riffs of "Jumalanpilkkakirves" are some intricate rhythms and wild flute & violin passages, while "Aatoksia Kivusta" is like a gorgeous marriage of the Dixie Dregs and The Mahavishnu Orchestra. The Finnish flavor is all over each and every piece here, as well as a drop of Celtic and Renaissance flair, giving the whole album a really rich and rustic feel. Things never dig too deep into the folk influence, but it's there, and the same can be said for the fusion, hard rock, and prog elements. The music never goes too far into any of these styles, but it's a great combination of them all.
Valheista Kaunein was a wonderful surprise, and a real sleeper as far as instrumental prog albums go here in 2006. If you haven't yet discovered this gem, make sure you contact the folks at Musea and experience this great little band.
Track Listing
1 - Tahtojen Taistelu (4'09)
2 - Valheista Kaunein (4'55)
3 - Vaeltava (5'04)
4 - Jumalanpilkkakirves (4'37)
5 - Valon Lähettiläs (5'02)
6 - Aatoksia Kivusta (4'09)
7 - Haarasilta (2'30)
8 - Levoton Sielu (6'12)
9 - Kunnes Kuolema Meidät Erottaa (6'18)
Printer Friendly Page
Send to a Friend
