By: Anders

Posted: Aug 10, 2005

Metal Church guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof is now ready with the debut album of his new band Presto Ballet. Forget about his speed metal past, and his southern/hard rock solo albums. This time he has gone back in time, back to the sweet 70ties and has found influences in the progressive rock scene from back then, and spiced it up quite a bit.

The music on this album is fantastic, from the first spin to all the following, one gets more and more amazed over the catchiness and depth in the compositions. The music is bright and flows just below the skies, there are many beautiful pieces, which feel like cream for the ears. The vocals are smooth, the lead vocal from Scott Albright is amazing, very melodious, catchy, emotional and soft. The back-up vocals and choirs are great as well and bring a lot of depth to the songs, where they are being used.

Musically the album is grand as well. All the musicians on here are top notch players of their instruments. The basic rhythms and riffs are great, and better than usual. The leads and solos are amazing. The drumming is great and full of imagination and great breaks and pace shifts. The bass is organic and plays lusty all the way through the album. The use of real organ, Hammond and mellotron are beyond great. Always used on the right time and always the missing piece to lift the songs beyond the skies.

The production is big and organic, very mellow, almost too mellow at times. The instruments are well placed in the mix, and the do all come fully to their right. They flows in and out of each others lanes and makes the feeling of floating in free air come to its right.

This is one of the most impressive debut albums I've yet have heard. The album is of course written and performed by veterans, who know what they are doing. But still, to deliver such a catchy, well written, technically good and well performed music takes quite a band. There are so many elements in each song, but the elements never seem out pf place or overdone, so good. Even the end of the last track 'Bringin' It On', which stops and then begins, one think... but stops after a note, is a great feature and not annoying, as such a play normally would be. This album is a sure buy for prog-rock lovers, this is one of the candidates for the best album this year.

Rating: 9,5/10

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