Frequency Drift were formed in 2007 around the German keyboard player Andreas Hack. After Personal Effects (part one) (2008), Personal Effects (part 2) (2010) and Ghosts (2011) they now released Laid To Rest to become 'one of the insider's tips' of the German prog rock scene. However, they seem to have no sound of their own. They almost sound like a cover band playing excerpts of all the bands and artists that influenced them, like Enya, Clannad, Anathema, Mostly Autumn, Iona and Karnataka, just to name a few. At least I heard many influences of many bands. The CD has been produced very well and the diversity of the instruments like flute, clarinet, harp and violin have been beautifully placed and layered in the mix, just like the vocals, although the drums and guitar riffs deserved a more dominant place. The female vocals are mostly unintelligible − what kind of broken English is this? − and they just go on and on and on... Just like all the other things go on and on. Some tracks last for fifteen minutes or more and go on and on and on! There's nothing progressive about it, nothing special and in addition: I heard it all before and much better. From this album I can't get goosebumps at all, not even the smallest ones, despite the fact that Frequency Drift describe their music as cinematic and atmospheric. Only a couple of times I had a brief moment of sheer happiness, when the nervous and dominant violin was replaced by an unexpected brilliant guitar solo! Altogether, I don't understand why most (German) reviewers are so excited about this CD. Then again, what can't be understood must be admired. **- Gert Bruins (edited by Peter Willemsen) Where to buy? |
