After the strong releases of Hans Spitzen - About Time (see review) and E.D.O. - The Past Is A Foreign Country (see review) we can welcome this year another excellent release coming from the Northern parts in the Netherlands. I am referring to the new album made by Leap Day titled When Gravity Wins. The bands seventh studio album on which you can hear for the first time their brand new lead singer Roelof Beeftink. He is the follow up to Hans Kuypers who sang on their predecessor Treehouse (2021, see review). On all earlier studio albums the lead vocals were taken care of by Jos Harteveld. But this was many, many moons ago. The current line up of Leap Day features the earlier mentioned Roelof Beeftink (lead and backing vocals), Gert van Engelenburg (keyboards, backing vocals), Eddie Mulder (guitar, backing vocals), Koen Roozen (drums),Harry Scholing (bass guitar) and Derk Evert Waalkens (keyboards, backing vocals, trumpet, percussion). Together they created one of the best Leap Day albums ever! Or as Derk Evert Waalkens wrote on his Facebook page: "What a beautiful album this has become! When Gravity Wins embodies everything Leap Day stands for: layered compositions, captivating melodies, and that elusive melancholy that gets under your skin. Six new pieces that together form a journey from light to shadow, from tension to stillness. The band sounds more mature, closer, and more adventurous than ever. Each song draws you into the world of Leap Day, where emotion, imagination, and musicality converge. And as surely as gravity exists, this album will draw you in." I guess I could not agree more. The band says that When Gravity Wins tells of the moments when dreams collide with reality, when the gravity of life pulls us back down to earth. It is an album about the struggle between control and surrender, about falling, accepting, and stubbornly rising again. The six songs together form a journey from digital chaos to human reflection. When Gravity Wins is an album on which all tracks are connected with each other by the use of a special sound fragment in between those tracks. I will tell you why it is one of the best Leap Day albums ever by going through all of the six excellent compositions separately. Lyric wise and music wise. Six excellent compositions which were written by D.E. Waalkens/A.F. van Loo and G. van Engelenburg. VOID. The title is an abbreviation of Voices Over Infinite Disputes. The song sketches the digital vacuum we live in: a world full of opinions, noise, and endless discussions. In the storm of words and images, humanity loses direction and stillness. Void is about that emptiness, not just the absence of sound, but also the loss of meaning in a time when everyone speaks, but few listen. Music wise the album and first track starts with the first vocal parts of the bands new lead singer. His raw and hoarse voice is followed by Supertramp kind of keyboard parts. They come back several times. A real strong opener which is mainly an up tempo tune. It ends with a strange sound which might be coming from a geiger counter. But I am not sure! Viral Cage. A harrowing look back at the COVID period. Fear, isolation, and uncertainty gripped the world, but beneath the surface, there's also hope: the realization that even in isolation, connection remains possible. The song itself is a strong instrumental played again in the the typical Leap Day way. Meaning lots of strong guitar and synthesizer parts. Many solos included! It starts with a voice message about the precautions which has to be taken because of Covid 19 when you are entering a building. Some of the musical parts reminded me of Kayak. Also this track ends with a strange sound which is difficult to explain. Maybe it is a geiger counter followed by the sound of a winter storm. Related to the the next track! Winter. A poetic ode to love that endures in the cold of loss. Inspired by Erich Segal's Love Story and the poetry of Elizabeth Barrett Browning (a part from Sonnet 22), the song speaks of loyalty, memory, and the warmth that burns even in the quietest times. This song about the coldest season of the year is an excellent ballad. Most of all played on the piano. It contains beautiful trumpet parts which made me think about Big Big Train. You can also enjoy excellent fretless bass parts and strong emotional vocal parts. The song ends by the sound of an airplane. Falling Star. Based on the Belgian parachute murder, a dramatic story of jealousy, betrayal, and the destructive power of possessiveness. The shooting star symbolizes the person who burns too brightly and therefore falls, but also the beauty hidden in that moment of ruin. The same airplane sound continues at the start of this rather mellow tune. Once again you can enjoy excellent guitar and synthesizer solos. Also here fantastic vocal parts can be enjoyed. The song ending with a clock ticking. Which has everything to do with the next tune. Wrinkles. An intimate and fragile song about aging and transience. The longer your clock is ticking the more wrinkles you get. Every wrinkle tells a story of love, struggle, loss, and fulfilment. It is a gentle tribute to the passing of time, without fear or regret. On this tune you can enjoy again the typical Leap Day sound most of all provided by the guitarist. Keep special attention to the beautiful acoustic guitar parts which go over into a beautiful climax. Containing fantastic guitar and synthesizer solos. The track ends with the sound of the waves. Related to the next piece of music. Pride Before The Fall. The album's monumental finale, inspired by the legend of Stavoren. A musical epic about pride, greed, and the price of excess. What once symbolized wealth disappears into the depths, but leaves behind an echo of insight. Yes indeed the first real epic released by the band! Nearly 23 minutes of the most insane progressive rock possible. It starts with an almost three minutes long bombastic up tempo intro. Mainly performed on the synthesizers and guitars. What follows contains excellent mellow and up tempo parts in which you can enjoy again the best guitar and keyboard parts possible. A real must to hear if I may say so. The album and the bands first epic ends again with the sound of the waves. And the seagulls can be heard as well! Ending the song and the album in a fantastic way! The band has once again outdone itself with the music found on this fantastic album. The chemistry between the long-standing musicians and their new singer works perfectly. The result is clearly evident after listening to this beautiful and exciting album. I can't imagine any progressive rock fan who wouldn't be captivated by these six magnificent compositions. Therefore, I highly recommend this album to anyone who continues to enjoy our musical style. Fans of neo-progressive rock, retro prog, crossover prog, or whatever you like to call it, dive into this album. I guarantee you won't be disappointed. For me, it's undoubtedly one of the musical highlights of 2025. Perhaps for you too! ****+ Henri Strik (edited by Dave Smith) Where to buy? |
