In 2025, UK-based progressive rock duo Riffstone managed to release two albums: Richard III (see review) and Sanctuary Sky (see review). Something that very few acts achieve. But now another year has passed, and guess what? They've done it again. Their second album of 2026 is a reality; after first releasing Mythical Creatures (see review), here is Great Journeys. I can already hear most people thinking: Doesn't this come at the expense of the musical quality? That can only be determined by going through the album with you and seeing if the two multi-instrumentalists Colin Powell and Dave Allen have once again produced music of a high progressive rock standard. As is usual with these gentlemen, every album is based on a specific theme or concept. This is once again the case. This specific album focuses entirely on the spirit of human exploration, taking listeners through cinematic progressive rock soundscapes that detail historic expeditions, famous travel routes, and extreme geographical frontiers. You can say that the duo creates highly immersive, atmospheric concept music once again. This time around the album spans a total length of 75 minutes across 9 concept-driven tracks. Let's now delve into the those tracks individually. The Orient Express: Written and performed by Colin Powell. Inspired by the luxury long-distance train service. The album opens brilliantly with atmospheric soundscapes of chugging steam engines and vibrant horns, instantly transporting the listener into a bygone era of elegant travel. Beautifully done if I may say so. The tempo of the train is also the tempo of the song at the beginning, as this changes to a somewhat calmer pace later on. It is as if the train is running at an adjusted speed to provide passengers with a more comfortable ride. Musically, the song is kept somewhat simpler than what we are used to from Riffstone. It is certainly not bad musically, but there are no real standout moments on guitar and keyboards. Although the guitar parts that showcase the central musical theme certainly sound beautiful. The song seems to have been written more for release as a single. The Silk Road: Written and performed by Dave Allen & Colin Powell. Explores the ancient network of Eurasian trade routes. This already sounds much better than the opener. Powerful guitar parts can be heard. However, this song is also somewhat simpler in structure, but there is more to experience musically than its predecessor. Furthermore, this is once again a song that could be released as a single due to the beautiful vocal parts that are easy to sing along to. The Eastern musical influences audible throughout the entire song are truly beautiful. Himalayas: Written and performed by Dave Allen & Colin Powell. Centers around the monumental mountain range. The musical fireworks are only just really starting now with this amazing instrumental prog piece. Keith Emerson organ and synthesizer-like parts can be heard. But also beautiful duo guitar parts sounding in the speakers on the left and right. Superbly done. Genesis and Mike Oldfield can also be identified as musical references. It is a real treat throughout the entire song and showcases the familiar Riffstone sound as we know it from their previous albums. Strong melodies rooted in seventies prog, infused with a modern musical impulse. Camino De Santiago: Written and performed by Dave Allen & Colin Powell. Follows the historic pilgrimage route in Spain. Captures a grueling thousand-kilometer spiritual pilgrimage. The duo has really hit their stride and continues with another beautiful piece of music. The guitar intro on both electric and acoustic guitars is done very tastefully. Beautiful Mellotron parts can also be heard. At times, you can once again hear some influences from the aforementioned Genesis. But it is especially the musical ending that makes a huge impression. Listen to the amazing church organ sounds combined with the beautiful guitar solo. Truly very impressive and majestic. South Pole: Written and performed by Colin Powell. A 12-minute epic dedicated to Antarctic exploration. The song begins with Tangerine Dream-like synthesizer bass lines. This is followed by melodic atmospheric passages that transport you to the chilling snowstorms and icy wind. A beautiful, quieter track that meanders along nicely but still manages to captivate until the end. The Voyage Of The Beagle: Written and performed by Dave Allen & Colin Powell. Nods to Charles Darwin's famous scientific expedition. The tempo picks up a bit, but the musical quality remains very high once again. This is how we want to hear it. Once again, beautiful twin guitar parts can be heard in combination with very attractive keyboard parts. Mariana: Written and performed by Dave Allen & Colin Powell. Dives deep into the secrets of the ocean's Mariana Trench. Once again, a nice melancholic track. Beautiful keyboard contributions can be heard, over which great parts are played on the acoustic guitar. The synthesizer solo pushes the music even more in the direction of progressive rock. Red Horizon: Written and performed by Colin Powell. A 13-minute tracking focusing on space exploration and reaching Mars. A track that starts as a film soundtrack unfolds into a driven symphonic piece with beautiful Mellotron-like parts. Reminiscent of the Moody Blues and King Crimson. In your mind, you see the Mars Rover driving through the red sand to discover the planet, just as the listener must discover the music of this track. The Maps Are Fading To White: Written and performed by Colin Powell. A melancholic, reflective finale about returning home. This track ensures the album has a worthy closing piece, as is fitting for every album. After all, this is naturally the song that sticks with you the most, as you hear it last. A quiet closing piece, played mostly on the piano with some keyboards for accompaniment. After listening to the 9 tracks, it is not difficult to determine that the frequent release of new material has not come at the expense of the music's quality. On the contrary, it is once again of exceptionally high quality, even though I had to get used to the first tracks, which sound somewhat simpler on first listen. Both gentlemen are very capable of safeguarding the musical quality. Compliments for that. So, without beating around the bush, it is simply clear that here is another delightful album to listen to that will particularly appeal to fans of seventies prog. This does not mean that fans of current prog can skip this album. No, there are plenty of contemporary musical elements to be found in Riffstone's music. So, every lover of progressive rock must listen to Riffstone at least once to be able to say that they are an enrichment to the contemporary prog scene. In summary, what can be said about Great Journeys is that Powell and Allen made a highly acclaimed, 75-minute cinematic concept album that masterfully bridges symphonic progressive rock with historical storytelling. The album is a musical celebration of history's most iconic explorations, voyages, and routes and therefore highly recommended to everyone! **** Henri Strik (edited by Tracy van Os van den Abeelen) Where to buy? |
