I have actually been following the British band Castanarc since their strong debut Journey To The East (1984). The successor to this beautiful album, titled Rude Politics (1988), is also excellent but didn't the reach of level which you can hear on their debut. But what was released after that had actually passed me by, and things became very quiet around the band. Then suddenly After a 24-year quiet period, the band officially returned with the archival collection Water From The Well (2020) and a brand-new studio album, The Sea Of Broken Vows (2021, see review). And now five years later the band is still alive and released Forged By The Sun, in May 2026. Forged By The Sun is a rock-solid album that musically surpasses the previously released comeback album by a wide margin. The band really did their best to make something beautiful out of it. It is a real treat to listen to the three songs on this album with a total length of almost forty minutes of music. It's most of all an album for neo-prog enthusiasts and can be describe as an album that is deeply textured and a mature effort that excels in atmospheric arrangements and melodic pacing. The album most of all stands out for its bold, long-form songwriting and brings a traditional, keyboard-driven progressive sound heavily reminiscent of 1980s neo-prog, but with an upgraded, highly polished production. Thanks to John Spence (he recorded, engineered, mixed, and produced the album) the album sound crystal clear. Like in the eighties core members David Powell (keyboards) and Mark Holiday (vocals) are retaining their signature warm, soothing melodies. Together, they wer responsible for the three beautiful songs that we can listen to on this album. Mark Holiday's voice sounds just as strong as when he started singing with the band. With a voice strongly resembling Phil Collins (Genesis) and the late Dave Cousins (Strawbs), he imbues the music with a profound emotional depth rarely encountered these days. David Powell's beautiful keyboard contribution ensure that the pastoral feel of the early Genesis albums is audible, but he also brings out the delightful prog of the eighties on this excellent album. It is therefore not surprising that Genesis's influences largely dominate the album, but the early work of Marillion is also present. The latter is particularly evident on the title track and album opener. It's the first of the two epics on the album. On this track, the band demonstrates for the first time what they are capable of: musically captivating the listener from beginning to end. They do not hold back on the second epic either. Here, the early work of Genesis comes to the fore even more. What stands out here is the beautiful bass work of Peter Robinson, who sadly passed away far too soon. Fortunately, he was able to complete his contribution to this album on time. His drumming partner on this track and the rest of the album is Charlie Morgan, who delivers beautiful rhythmic parts. The song also stands out due to the beautiful keyboard contribution and the excellent parts by guitarist Neil Duty, whom we remember from his contribution to the aforementioned debut. The album concludes with the beautiful ballad Cue Rain. The pastoral sound of Genesis is present once again, and it is especially enjoyable with your eyes closed. Particularly when the guest guitarist Dave Holley plays his beautiful parts. When mentioning the musical influences of early Genesis and the recognizable neo-prog sound of Marillion with Fish, I have largely indicated what the music resembles. However, I would like to mention another band that leans in the same direction musically. Not that they had any influence on the composition and recording of this album, but rather to give you an idea of what else the music resembles besides the two previously mentioned names. It is very clear to me that fans of Big Big Train will embrace this album as one by this band—a band that is also influenced by Genesis. In addition to the beautiful melancholic and pastoral music, you can also enjoy the stunning cover design created by none other than Mark Holiday himself. With Forged By The Sun, Castanarc has released a fantastic album that I thoroughly enjoyed. While listening to the three beautiful tracks, which sound like early Genesis and Marillion as well as contemporary Big Big Train, I was able to dream away blissfully. And that is really all that is needed to enjoy an album intensely. Therefore, compliments especially to David Powell and Mark Holiday for coming up with such beautiful compositions at their advanced age. Something that few of their contemporaries can achieve. Usually, the musical well dries up when musicians get older. But this does not apply to these gentlemen, who, together with John Spence, have provided one of the musical highlights of 2026. Hats off to them. **** Henri Strik (edited by Tracy van Os van den Abeelen) Where to buy? |
