EIMA review

[Ghost]

Hey guys,

Sorry for being so absent for a pretty long time, but personal life hasn't been so great and I've also been busy trying to find a new job. I however couldn't let this opportunity pass up and write my review of EIMA, in similar fashion to what I wrote for Ghost Circus' 'Across The Line'. Hope you guys enjoy it.

Ghost

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Frost*
Experiments In Mass Appeal Review

The gentle rhythm of a heartbeat in the background signals in a familiar track, but there are subtle changes to the first version that was released during the Frost* tour of Europe in 2008. You could say the mix is not only much, much clearer but more prominent. Experiments In Mass Appeal signals in the album like nothing else could; the emotion in the lyrics, the melody slowly evolving into the hard edged chorus leading to the build up at the very end of the song, which raises the hairs on the back of your neck. You can't help but be sad at the end of the song, not only due to the emotional ending but also because it ended. The song is a collection of powerful melodies intricately woven together to form such a cohesive song that, although Milliontown was already a great album, you realise this has taken the art even two steps further. And we've only heard one song so far!

Welcome to Nowhere is one of the unheard tracks, though the sampler on the Frost* myspace hinted at quite some aggression. We certainly aren't disappointed. The vocal duties are shared by Jem, Dec and JM, while the song alternates between quieter parts and a fairly aggressive but melodic chorus. Special mention to Dec, who does an extremely good job at singing at the top of his lungs. At the end of this song, you can't help wonder what comes next.

Pocket Sun is similar in aggression to Welcome to Nowhere, but it is an entirely different song when compared. Much more electronic during the chorus, yet not willing to give in. To me, it brings to mind Doctor Who. This is Andy's moment who really gets to shine on the drums. During the middle part there's no stopping him while the music plays on, making you want to move along in his rhythm. It's just a pity that this song is so short.

The delicate voice of Dec accompanied by just piano and acoustic guitar sounds in Saline, a frail and sad sounding song. Whereas I first felt the song was taking too long to reach its climax, after a few spins I began to realise that this is one of those songs you just have to sit out and learn to appreciate. The lyrics of this song had the hairs on the back of my neck stand up again, in a similar fashion that the ending of the album's opening track has. Dec's vocals mesh extremely well with Jem's, creating something that could well have been on a movie soundtrack.

Dear Dead Days sounds quite menacing and, truth be told, it is! The keyboard intro instantly sets the mood and makes you sit in anticipation. This is a heavy song, something that could be considered something of a 'love it or hate it'. I love this. The aggression is cleverly exchanged at times for quieter moments. Again a song where the vocal duties are taken up by Jem, Dec and JM, showcasing how they have gelled as a band. Especially the lines that JM sings ( Welcome to the family, alone now you belong to me) make me sing along. This song is like Black Light Machine; an instant classic. Absolutely classic.

Falling Down begins with a synth line pumping in a rhythmic way not dissimilar like a guitar riff, while again the vocal duties are shared as on Dear Dead Days and Welcome to Nowhere. One of the most brilliant keyboard solos follows during the bridge, where Jem starts slowly and builds up to a fast and shredding one like only he could. Another classic track, not as loud as Dear Dead Days but much more melodic due to the intricate vocal lines. This is going to be a great live track!

You/I is quite the oddball after the violence we've been subjected to so far, but it is a welcome one. At only one minute and six seconds, featuring only Jem on vocals and piano, it's a quiet little sad song that takes off in its own way, allowing the lyrics to gain the momentum. It reminded me a bit of Maria Mena's 'If You'll Stay in My Past'. Very, very beautiful.

Although Vincent van Gogh is rumoured to have uttered the words 'La tristesse durera toujour' at his deathbed ( The sadness will endure forever), that is not the case when Toys kicks in. A short little song clocking in at just three minutes, this has all the right ingredients to make you move along to the beat of the song, even if that means you have to pay a lot of attention. Bars of fifteen and four, I can imagine why Jem likes this song so much! Whoever said prog must be at least ten minutes long? Toys proves exactly the opposite and that is all that can be said about this little gem.

When Wonderland kicks off, we're greeted by beautiful sounding strings and horns, an intro different from the tour version released earlier. It gives you the feeling you're listening to a movie soundtrack again, not unlike the ending part of Saline. When Jem's familiar piano melody begins with Dec's vocals, it transforms instantly. This is another classic, that doesn't take as much aggression like Dear Dead Days or Welcome to Nowhere have, actually relying more on melody than ever. And that is the power of this song. With a little hint to Milliontown ( and a subtle change in lyrics when compared to the first release of Wonderland) and a few added sections, this song remains as powerful as it was before, possibly even better now.

The album is closed with the 'Secret Song'. Where at first we're greeted by some weird vocal processions ( possibly another secret message by Jem) guitars and a drum loop kick off the song in a quiet but beautiful way. The way the piano sounds reminds me of Peter Gabriel, whereas the melody makes me think of 'Take Me Home' by Phil Collins. The distinct 80's feel to this song gives it enough body to stand out on the album and given this is the closer, it fits perfectly. And although fairly 80's sounding, the song itself sounds like something only Frost* could make and most definitely not outdated. If you thought that Wonderland was the most suitable closer for EIMA, just keep listening to the 'Secret Song' and bask in the warmth of Dec's vocals and sit back for this one as it quietly fades away.

I tend to be a fairly difficult listener when it comes to new CD's. My taste is quite diverse and ranges from pop to progressive death metal. Anything that has emotion goes. That doesn't mean I like to rate albums high all the time. Frost*'s Milliontown rated an 8 out of 10 for me. I think it was partially due to my taste at the time, as I liked fast progressive rock with long songs and enduring keyboard solos battling guitars. Milliontown was quite a peak when it came out and still remains an all time favourite of mine. My downside with Milliontown however is that it's either too fast or too slow. It will always be an album to be in the mood for.

EIMA however has managed to only have me complain about the length of the album; it's too bloody short! Every song leaves me breathing for more, even after repeated listens. And that's quite rare, as I eventually tend to tire of the songs and have to listen to something completely different. Not in the case of EIMA.

Jem Godfrey's keyboard playing is absolutely stunning as always. Although he isn't particularly fond of his vocals, I can only say I love it when I hear him sing and hope that EIMA encourages him to do more songs where his vocals intertwine with Dec and JM. The keyboard solo in Falling Down is a showcase of his strength as a keyboardist, whereas vocally he's strongest in Wonderland.

John Mitchell seems low in the mix but after a few spins, you hear all the beautiful work he has done. His guitar solo in EIMA, the violins on Saline, the rhythm guitars on Welcome to Nowhere, Pocket Sun, Dear Dead Days, Toys, his vocals. We already knew this busy bee was a multi talented musician in the progressive rock scene but EIMA only further cements his position.

John Jowitt is quite present in the mix, giving some much needed low end to every song he can be heard on. Especially on Dear Dead Days and Falling Down you can hear him punch through. It's good to hear him, as I felt that he was a bit absent in Milliontown's mix. A bass player of his level should be heard!

Andy Edward's choice to not use toms on this album was obviously a brilliant one. He shows off exactly what makes him a great drummer. Although the entire album is testimony to that, Pocket Sun is where he is taking the spotlight for himself. And rightly so.

Declan Burke as new kid on the block had already proven himself to be a great vocalist and guitarist on Darwin Radio's release 'Eyes of the World', and EIMA is his playground. It is clear why Jem wanted him as vocalist and as was obvious from the 2008 tour, he is a great addition to the guitar section of the band. The vocals on Saline in particular show a brittle side that makes him so versatile as a vocalist, whereas he has absolutely no difficulty singing songs like Welcome to Nowhere and Dear Dead Days. He is the best addition to the band they could've chosen.

EIMA closes off with the words 'Remember me'. After the release of this gem, I don't think people will have problems remembering. Because EIMA doesn't just have a lot of power or an entirely different format than Milliontown; it has emotion. This is a band making what they love most. I have never rated a band a 10 out of 10, because that's just not possible. But Frost* have managed to create a stunning successor to what was already a storming entry into the world of prog.

Rating: 9/10

[ViperK88]

Nice review man

[Liquid]

Good review. You should put it here.

[Paco]

Nice review! Makes me wanna open the EIMA CD that's lying here. Too bad I promised a friend of mine to give it to him, my copy still has to arrive...

Perhaps I can play it, rip the mp3s to my computer, watch the bonus DVD, put it back in the black digipack and put the plastic back on it...

[RWA]

Excellent review Ghost!  

I do hope 2009 will be a better year for you mate.  :?
Which reminds me, will you be at the Frost* gig in Zoetermeer in April?!  

[Pedro]

Excellent review Ghost!  

I do hope 2009 will be a better year for you mate.  :?
Which reminds me, will you be at the Frost* gig in Zoetermeer in April?!  

Can he play drums?

What am I saying??? Ron!! Get practicing!!  

[Ghost]

Excellent review Ghost!  

I do hope 2009 will be a better year for you mate.  :?
Which reminds me, will you be at the Frost* gig in Zoetermeer in April?!  

Thanx Ron I surely hope that 2009 is going to yield better results than 2008 so far had for me, but it will mean a new job and hopefully my first album done. Needless to say, I'm going for it!

And although I haven't got a ticket yet, I will be attending that gig!

Totally off topic here: the GC tour, how is the planning going?

Can he play drums?

What am I saying??? Ron!! Get practicing!!  

Funny you should mention it Pedro, I am a drummer

[RWA]

Excellent review Ghost!  

I do hope 2009 will be a better year for you mate.  :?
Which reminds me, will you be at the Frost* gig in Zoetermeer in April?!  

Can he play drums?

What am I saying??? Ron!! Get practicing!!  

Hmmmm......I dunno.
One is supposed to be sober before and during a gig. Dunno if I can live up to that.  :lol:

Totally off topic here: the GC tour, how is the planning going?

That is not gonna happen for a while at least. But we ARE looking into a window of oppertunity between June and July 2034 though.....  

Glad to hear you'll be at Zoetermeer mate.  8-)

[Mikey]

Nice one Ghost.......hope things start to pick up for you

[AnsOnkruid]

Nice review mate And I wish you all the best for next year x

And although I haven't got a ticket yet, I will be attending that gig!

[Ghost]

Hmmmm......I dunno.
One is supposed to be sober before and during a gig. Dunno if I can live up to that.  :lol:

We'll have find another way then, Captain

Nice review mate And I wish you all the best for next year x

And although I haven't got a ticket yet, I will be attending that gig!

*takes a bow*

Good to know you'll be there too