CD review GAZPACHO ‘Soyuz’

(9/10) Norwegian progressive sound architects Gazpacho are prepared for releasing their newest studio album entitled “Soyuz” in May this year. “Soyuz” follows the 2015 release “Molok” and offers again a firework of sounds from beginning to end.

The Norwegian sextet convinces again with extraordinary soundscapes and big melody lines. The combination of both, together with high musical skills, lead to 48 minutes of progressive rock music that shows the entire beauty of this genre.

Kept in a bit of a melancholic undertone songs like “Soyuz One”, the epic “Emperor Bespoke” and calm “Fleeting Things” stand the entire spectrum of Gazpacho’s sound. Each of the eight tunes has so much feel weaved in, with the music being the emotional carrier of a story that comes with each of the tunes too.

Gazpacho decided to go for a holistic approach that includes more the only music. The band builds a story around their releases and it’s the newest treat that comes with the philosophical thinking of beautiful moments that can’t be kept. “Soyuz” is the capturing of different stories, all living up to the mentioned theme, which they have in common. The doomed space capsule Soyuz is one of the stories, also being the name-giver for the entire album, while it’s “Sky Burial” that addresses the Tibetan Buddhist funeral practice. These are just two examples out of eight chapters that are all worth to dive into.

“Soyuz” is art rock with an inclusive approach. Music, lyrics and sound go together in a collaborative way, leading to a beautiful sonic journey that offers a lot for ears and mind. “Soyuz” stands for the complete picture of Gazpacho’s music, songs that stand-out by their emotional depth and musical perfection. Gazpacho- and prog-rock fans welcome this release already and I can recommend it too; also for fans that normally prefer music to be loud and heavy.

(9/10)

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