Black bonzo lady of the light rar

The so-called retro-prog bands have, for quite some time, brought back the music from the lost decades of when progressive rock was at its peak and Black Bonzo is one of those bands. Borrowing inspiration from the hard rock bands of both the traditional rock and the progressive rock scenes, Black Bonzo manages to, at the same time, make some kind of music that is familiar to many but is still fresh and intriguing.

Through all of Lady of The Light you feel as if this music came straight from somewhere between 70 and 75, due to the combination of vintage instrumentation, the compositions themselves and the lyrics. The carefulness of trying to sound as a classic progressive rock band, however the questionability of its quility or lack of thereof just by the way the band itself sounds, becomes a secondary issue as the music begin to play.

The level of compositions surpass any issue I have with the Black Bonzo's decision of sounding old. The sheer quality of the progressive rock they present in the debut album should serve to quiet those who dislike this class of progressive rock. Besides sounding as if the music is 40 years old, the lyrics also appear to be plucked from somewhere back there. The fantasy and epic lyrics are a perfect match for the band's music, playing a considerable part in their retro outfits.

Bonzo's style of progressive hard rock can be described as some kind of mixture between Byron-era Uriah Heep, Mark 2 Deep Purple, King Crimson around and and Rainbow. In fact, all those bands influenced Black Bonzo both in the intrumental section and in the vocal department, with the exception of Rainbow because Dio's vocals are simply impossible to mimic.

Of all of those influences, Uriah Heep is the most proeminent of them all. Every song has some Heep touch and the vocals, specially, are similar to Byron's singing style. Although the album a whole is very well balanced, round and most songs are very good, some stand out more than others. In the band, the highlights are, without a doubt, the keyboards, specially the organs and the mellotrons, which are placed perfectly in every song.

Grade and Final Thoughts Black Bonzo's first release is one of many exaples of retro-prog done right. The music is familiar, but it is not the exact same thing as some other band or artist.

If you like hard rock as it were back in the 's and progressive rock, look no further than this band. This has to be one of the best retro-sounding albums on market,everything in this album recalls the golden era of the 70's and you could even bet this album was made back then.

Additionally this album contains it all. The overall style is on the heavy side of prog with plenty of rhythmic parts,rich content and expressive vocals with also a touch of Symphonic Rock on the instrumental passages.

The constant use of analog keyboards,mainly strong Hammond organ but also loads of mellotron,is absolutely magnificent and professional and this is one of the best keyboard performances to listen to today,without any kind of virtuosity or self-indulgence.

Most of the tunes here are quite accesible,the listener can follow the album from the start to the very end easily and a full hour of extremely pleasant dynamic Prog Rock is in front of you.

A surprising debut by a band without big experience,''Lady of the light'' is propably among the best retro-sounding efforts of the modern Progressive Rock scene,it comes highly recommended by my side,but do not expect something really original. Just powerful Heavy Prog music of the highest quality. I like this record very much. It reminds me at the old days with fantastic hammond organ Progrock Music. Report this review Posted by wolfram. Hi Progers! Please pay attention to this underrated gem!

The overal sound has many Uriah Heep resemblances but with more sophistication, brilliant musicianship by all members, specially the keyboard player.

He uses vintage keyboards including the Mellotron and delivers at least 2 ripping organ Just exellent work. A sound I havn't heard in a long time. Vintage sounds and equally brilliant compositions on this album beggar belief that Lady Of The Light is actually a album and not a release. One cannot speak here about a group which makes an original music but of a group which makes very very good music; a music which comes us the Seventies and like output from a machine to go up time.

Certainly a defect for some. But me I find this disc a very excellent successor of the large albums You must be a forum member to post a review, please register here if you are not.

Copyright Prog Archives, All rights reserved. Please consider supporting us by giving monthly PayPal donations and help keep PA fast-loading and ad-free forever. From the very first moment Black Bonzo takes you on a trip to the wonderful sound of the late Sixties and early Seventies with strong hints from early Uriah Heep Hammond, vocal harmonies but also echoes from The Moody Blues Mellotron and Argent 'heavy progressive' with Hammond organ and harder-edged guitar.

The ten compositions sound warm, harmonic and varied featuring pleasant vocals and lots of majestic Mellotron waves and powerful Hammond organ runs along some fiery electric guitar. Latest members reviews I like this record very much. You are not logged, please complete authentication before continuing use forum credentials.

Bernard C. Bernard Szajner - Superficial Music Bernardino Femminielli - Souvenir Express Bevis Frond, The - Triptych What Next? Bill Wise - Hey Bill Billy J. Bizzarre Leidenschaft - Geheimnis Black Dice - Beaches And Canyons Black Dice - Broken Ear Record Black Dice - Creature Comforts Black Dice - Roll Up inch single Blaine L. Blast - A Sophisticated Face Blind Idiot God - Cyclotron Blistering Moments - Therapeutic Dreams Blood Stereo - Your Snakelike King Bo Hansson - Attic Thoughts Bo Hansson - Magician's Hat Lunde - split CDR.

To the Isle of Dogs See Jungle! Go Ape Crazy! The rejoinder back to the song section is beautifully paced and all things considered, this is a belter opening salvo from these precocious scandinavian pups.

Giant Games - I like the singer's voice during this very understated intro as it carries a faint echo of Neil Hannon from the Divine Comedy. Within his middle range, Mr Lindgren posseses a very endearing delivery that I much prefer to the more habitual 'rawk' histrionics of his upper register. Thereafter we encounter a bombastic transition segueing into the memorable vocal hook waiting patiently for us in the chorus. The guitar solo that follows strays inadvisably into the forbidden garden of 'widdley widdley' at this point but it does at least carry with it an unusual texture to mitigate the charge.

Yep, this is one heavy mother prog buddies, and we encounter a dislocated and lurching unison section prior to returning to the spooky intro. There are more meter changes here than a Heathrow taxi rank and the sheer relentless intensity of the piece makes for a bumpy but exhilerating ride. There is also perhaps a nod to Gentle Giant in both the title and the use of the layering of vocal melody counterpoint.

Sumptuous organ swells underneath the repeated chorus at a slightly slower tempo brings this coruscating number to a close. Yesterdays Friends - Pastoral 'Italian school' flute confirmed by plaintive and lyrical slide guitar lulls us momentarily before Black Bonzo kick off their fluffy slippers and lurch unannounced into some visceral staccato instrumentation which cleverly contradicts the languid melody. Mikael Israelsson's martial snare simply reinforces the latent tension to unnerving effect.

Once again alas, the band cannot be accused of having any literary pretensions? Unfortunately the repetition of the contradiction device in the subsequent verses just becomes clumsy and wearying. There is however a nice frisson created by a dischord from the organ under some faintly incongruous backing vocals. On this tune the singer betrays a trace of Robert Smith when they both get a bit angsty in the middle registers. Yesterdays Friends is clearly guilty of outstaying it's welcome and would have been very good with 3 minutes shaved off the end.

Charming use of mellotron strings to the fade. The Well - Fast paced 'chugger' with heaps of Uriah everywhere you look and some rapidfire rippling panned synth to elicit gasps of Is that your cellphone ringing? A relatively straightforward beat but Israelsson injects same with many unusual and crafty fills which makes his playing a real treat on every track. The breakdown section is well controlled and the band illustrate a fine sense of spacial dynamics utilising some plangent echoed guitar timbres and subtle washes of mellotron.

But again the whole thing is just too bloody long and despite an effective crescendo passage exploiting choir backing, the arrangement becomes impossibly top heavy with everything including the heavily modded Bb kitchen sink being hammered, plucked, blown AND sucked into overwrought submission. Over egging the puddy lads Intermission:Revelation Song - Jethro Tull for Dummies: a piece of cod 'folk' worn over some very roomy tights. Ageless Door - Restive and elusive rhythm that teases then shies away from mutating into the anticipated shuffle.

This arrangement never sits still for long but just remember that shedloads of compositional ideas are no substitute for a few inspired ones. Nice injection of strings for the chorus - Genesis organ a la the Knife is overlaid with yet more Brian May guitar and we appear to catch a fleeting glimpse of a traditional celtic jig? The 'spacey' section does precisely what it was designed to i.

This might just also be the skinny chicken pumped full of air you buy at the supermarket. Shame really, as the intro is decent but rather undermined by a risibly jaunty and stirring verse the effect of which I am convinced is not unwittingly comedic.

Sound of the Apocalypse - Very effective chord progression stated on unadorned piano with martial snare eventually being joined by muted vocals. They do however milk this thematic material until the cows might just refuse to ever come home again and the intended gradual layering of intensity gets delivered as a rather heavy handed 'overwrought by instalments' instead.

Were the scriptures delivered by these post-modern Swedes, then the Book of Revelations might be considered about as harrowing as the sight of yesterday's abandoned blancmange.

I suspect that as promising and ripe as these musical ideas are, someone like Porcupine Tree would have handled said materials with far greater weight and economy. The opening harmonies return but are imbued with a double time feel via some inspired ostinato bass from Anthon Johansson. The central departure of this track just might represent a side of Black Bonzo I could grow to love but this style of composition is all too rare on this album.

Mere repetition does not imbue a composition with epic status, it only serves to push up the tab on the fare. We meet here one of the highpoints of the record as the perceived accellerando occurs not due to an increase in tempo but that of the guitarist transitioning between smaller and smaller note lengths.

This is brilliantly done and is often a technique under-exploited in the heavier end of the rock spectrum. Howay the lads. Black Bonzo are extremely accomplished musicians with a keen ear for the sounds and textures of the heavy prog of the 70's but they have come to resemble XTC in the practice of their art i.

Perhaps this canine needs some DISobedience classes before they finally shake off the yoke of the past and land a big wet brown one on their master's lap. Right on Mucky Pup! Sound of the Apocalypse is significantly more original than the debut, but at this rate, it will take the Bonzos into their buspass dotage to come up with anything approaching a groundbreaking or innovative creation.

Kansas, Styx, Boston, etc will find much to enjoy with this album. For the remainder, we would prefer to save our freshly minted chocolate coins than trade in these used counterfeit notes. This is a remarkable album considering that this is only Black Bonzo's second album. They sound like seasoned pros with a well-developed music style. This is a concept album which works well and is actually easy to understand. This album matches the quality of many 70s prog classics and I would award it 4.

After playing this album twice, I had to track down their first album and am anxiously awaiting delivery. If you missed this one in , don't delay any further. According to their website, a 3rd release is imminent. I can't wait! But for Now,we have this amazing work.. Nice Work,keep on the good Work. Copyright Prog Archives, All rights reserved. Please consider supporting us by giving monthly PayPal donations and help keep PA fast-loading and ad-free forever.

The intense drumming, the intricate guitar work, the firm but steady bass lines, the complex song structures, the overall pomp and their vocalist who sounds like David Byron resurrected all spell URIAH HEEP, big time.