After their previous effort Endless Journey from 2005, I was very pleased to notice a gradual progress in Pi2 with their melodic and accessible progrock sound. This Spanish band formed in 1998 and last year they released this new CD entitled Silent Running, their fourth studio-album. And again I notice a step forward in their musical development, even a huge one! The alternating and long opener Welcome To The Circus starts mellow with dreamy piano runs, soaring flute-Mellotron and a bit melancholical vocals (somewhere between Alan Parsons Project and Peter Gabriel solo), halfway there‘s a flashy synthesizer solo and then cascades of varied guitar solos, from bluesy to jazzrock inspired by the two guitar players and the keyboardist who also plays guitar-what a joy! Next the track L13 that carries us away to Prog Heaven: compelling symphonic rock featuring moving guitar runs (with hints of Andy Latimer and Jan Akkerman) and a strongly built-up synthesizer solo, all supported by lush keyboards, especially a choir-Mellotron-like sound-goose bumps. Then Pi2 puts on her ‘Camel-coat’, like on their previous albums, in Credo: a very warm sound with howling guitar and soaring Hammond organ, followed by a fluent synthesizer solo with propulsive guitar riffs, I love the dynamics! The next composition is The Acid Rain (close to 10 minutes) in which we can enjoy wonderful work on guitar and keyboards. In the following song Bad Guys, the atmosphere is more in the vein of progressive pop, delivering a catchy rhythm guitar but in the end the climate turns into 24-carat symphonic rock with sensitive electric guitar, choir-Mellotron and synthesizer flights. Finally the epic title track (25 minutes) that delivers lots of flowing shifting moods and great moments with strong build-ups and exciting finales with moving guitar solos, sensational synthesizer runs, supported by lush keyboards, and again we are in Prog Heaven! Unfortunately, after this captivating and compelling final part faded away, it’s followed by a hidden track that contains sounds and a long drum solo- what a waste of time and not really a way to end this beautiful album. But we can use the STOP button before this hidden track starts so I would like to end in the style this new Pi2 album deserves: recommended to all symphomaniacs and neo-progheads (early Marillion lovers to be more specific)-a big hand for Spanish formation Pi2! **** Erik Neuteboom (edited by Robert James Pashman) Where to buy? |
