The land of kangaroos, birthplace of Aragon, has produced a group that may be talked about!
Anubis is an Australian band formed by singer Robert James Moulding and keyboardist David Eaton. They have united to create this concept album on the theme of the untimely demise of a close friend. At first glance, the narrative's not completely clear, but as you listen to the disc, that soon changes.
The sound of the group varies continuously, sounding very familiar to progressive rock of the mid 1980s to mid 1990s, and will be familiar to not only those who enjoy earlier Pendragon or IQ, but also to those who enjoy Ulysses or Violet District. Big Promises? Yes- but they fulfill!
From the outset, the sequence "The Deepest Wound / Leaving Here Tonight" shows this example, since the two are intertwined and certainly sound as if their major influences are the first two references above. The second track - acoustic guitar rocks(!!) - clearly recalls on "The World" in it's production. It must be said that the work of self-production by guitarist Dean Bennison is perfect.
Oddly enough, this disc works by duality- as the next pair (Breaking Water / Waterfall) brings a new vision, with a palpable richness. The first part is piano and vocal and then that takes us through to the end of the second part, with a heavier rhythm section and the first big guitar solo.
The record is quite likeable and indeed, promising at this stage of listening. Next comes one of two instrumentals - Anonymity - which is violent and features heavier drumming and bass, but breaks away to an eerie and progressive section. The other instrumental - the lovely Flying / Falling resumes this idea but the drums this time bathe in layers of poetic synths.
Of the last four remaining tracks, forget The Doctor, an almost punky number, and the weakest song on the record, and we can concern ourselves with three other pieces offered by Anubis.
Firstly, The Bond Of Mutual Distrust has its 9 minutes length cut into three parts where the intro and the final section frame a chaotic section masterfully led by the bass guitar.
'The Collapse' is the first long track, and 12 minutes in we are offered a guitar solo that Steve Rothery wouldn't have disowned in 1989. The pace, previously aggressive turns squarely to emotional when the mellotron, the layers of keyboard and guitar blend together with the singing. And then the last two minutes are given to a wonderful guitar solo. It's a great piece of art!
As we barely recover from our emotions, we are hit by a mountain. The final piece begins with some more complex drumming (IQ?) in which there is an outburst of saxophone. The piece is in turns calm, tense, tight and silky, and much of the neo-progressive influences of the 80's and 90's will be passed through the mill (even going back to Shine On You Crazy Diamond). To draw a comparison with The Invisible Man (Marillion - Marbles) is extremely easy.
I hesitated to give a 9 / 10 on this disc, but the last two monuments have made my mind up. The sincerity of the combo and their desire not to unnecessarily fill the available space allows them to move from the delicate to the violent, the sombre to the daring. This ability is a strength because, even though I constantly used and abused references (maybe wrongly?), Anubis has its own personality, captivating and real. I found my second album of the year 2010 ...
Rating: 9/10
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