Review of 'A Tower of Silence' : Progressive Area (France)

This is the second album for the Australian band, Anubis, following on from their very good '230503', released late in 2009 and favourably reviewed here at Progressive Area by my colleague, Merlin.

'A Tower Of Silence' tells the story of the spirit of an eleven year old girl lost inside the walls of a victorian paupers' hospital where she lived and died. Of course, this is a concept album and all songs are linked, almost all by the sounds of nature (Pink Floyd, you say?), through a barrage of highly melodic instrumental flights of fancy.

Just imagine - you are in Australia and that you are going to see a concert with Anubis opening for Unitopia! If you didn't know, these two groups are two of the best progressive rock discoveries of the past decade, on tour together! How I wish I could teleport from time to time!

The core influences and likenesses are simple, the first and longest piece, 'The Passing Bell', comprised of six parts is strongly reminiscent of IQ with vocals not unlike Peter Nicholls. The brilliant guitarists play at their very best. This is great art, timeless.

This suite segues well into 'Archway of Tears', a far shorter, nervous, and harder piece, but not uninteresting either. I had my reservations about 'This Final Resting Place', a little over eight minutes with a lot of vocal, but keyboards are merely assisting the guitars - a small disappointent. However, if you like your guitars, then Christmas has come early for you, and it's fun and games for Douglas Skene and Dean Bennison.

Then follows the title track, introduced by a delicate piano and a symathetic vocal. A tragedy (these are the words) playing out with hyperintense music of astounding beauty. The keyboards again take the bull by the horns, guitars this time assist with gentle arpeggios before a devastating but highly melodic solo. A true work of craftsmanship. The second highlight of the work and it's not over ...

Slightly calmer, comes "Weeping Willow", breathing Beatles-esque that will allow us to take our spirits under the willow tree before the storm ... which breaks out on the sixth title, the most conventional and the least ambitious on the album, despite some great keyboard parts (that's my opinion - it's purely subjective and open to debate, of course).

The third highlight is 'The Holy Innocent', the story of time passing, and Robert James Moulding's best vocals to date. David Eaton uses his whole array of keyboards, mostly in the background (real or sampled mellotron? I do not know), except for a solo piano section. The guitarists play mostly in unison, and there is still a very strong influence of IQ in this piece, its just as if, for a moment, Michael Holmes made a trip to Australia, before a ripping saxophone solo in the final section.

We end our trip with "All That Is", a quiet piano introduction, then the mellotron (yes, I know I am obsessed with it). The spitting guitars ... it's hard pulse dominates before a softer instrumental bridge that takes us far, far away, outside the walls of the workhouse, somewhere in another world, another dimension. Listen and listen again to this musical beauty that comes from the Australian sextet Anubis.

A Tower of Silence - Australian Tour 2011 (Pt. 2)

Robert, backstage at the Factory Theatre

Day 7 - Sydney

The Factory theatre is easier to find that I had expected it to be. Just around the corner from my old haunt, 'The Vic on the Park', which ten long years ago was one of the best venues in Sydney, I arrived early enough to secure a car park. Dean and Beck had already arrived, Steve and Rob were with myself, and Dougie, Martyn and Nick had arrived by this point as well.

After loading all the gear, including Steve's evil hardware bag up two flights of stairs, we got a good look at the theatre we were to call home for the rest of the day. Quite simply, it's a stunning venue. The stage is a great size, meaning it would accommodate my rig set up discreetly at the side, saving me the inevietable 'band changeover headache' of trying to cram a 25 minute set up into 10 minutes or less- which I can do, but it really doesn't agree with me. The pressure really puts me on edge, only to discover that something is not working properly and I have to go ahead without it. I can assure you, I've lost a few hairs because of this. Sometimes I really miss being a guitarist!

Steve's kit, set-up and soundchecked.

Set-up and soundcheck was really painless, for a start, Stuart, the sound guy was an absolute joy and had a good sound from the get-go. In 15 years of gigging, he really was the best sound guy I've worked with. He was also that rare breed, a sound guy who actually realises and appreciates that the keyboards aren't merely there for show- they need to be heard as well! That rationale was partially explained by the fact that the house music was all Uriah Heep classics from the 1970's. I was stoked!

Keyboard player and saxophonist in conference during soundcheck

As show time got closer, I changed into my gig clothes and sat in the backstage chatting to the chaps from Unitopia. Sean, as ever, was giving freely of his knowledge and experience, and those suggestions were filed away for future plans. Again we filed out to watch Toehider and Sleepmakeswaves. After another near-flawless display from the force of nature that is Mike Mills' larynx and the dynamic Sleepmakeswaves, who delivered an enjoyable set that deviated from the post-rock norm by actually having melodies (it has to be said, I'm really no post-rock enthusiast, generally finding it a little like a U2 backing track with loads of reverb- my problem, not the genres...) and thankfully, Sleepmakeswaves neatly circumvented this with their more melodious approach. From the new-school to the old...

The fretmeisters on stage at the factory

I have to say, this show ranked as one of Anubis' best. The pressure lifted through our being completely organised and ready to go just cushioned the performance nicely. Watching some of the footage back, I have to say I'm certain it holds up to the highest scrutiny. The Passing Bell flew where it merely floated before, with the riffs, harmonies and Dean's solo filling the room and seemingly resonated with the big crowd who'd by now gathered. Archway of Tears had an aggressive bark that seemed to exorcise the ghosts of the previous gig, and again, Doug shone in his feature in the middle. The Holy Innocent was precise and suitably 'epic', with Martyn again providing a wonderful augmentation to the regular 6-piece we're all used to. Disinfected and Abused, by now expected as our closing number was as precise and powerful a version we've ever played and the on-stage sound was exceptional. Robert unleashed a monster in this piece and ended up trashing his own percussion - not quite Keith moon, but he's getting there. We managed to combine high energy and musical precision- an elusive combination!

Disinfected and Abused from audience

Coming off stage, we were all on a huge high. This is the sort of scale of event that Anubis excels at, and we delivered. Mixing with people, the impression that we'd set ourselves a new benchmark was confirmed.

The rest of the evening was taken up by being stopped by a number of complimentary conversations and remarks from a number of people, most of which I'd never seen before. As soon as Unitopia had finished their well-recieved set, we got out of there as quickly as we could- we'd not eaten and were all hungry as hell; meaning obligatory late-night greasy kebabs and end-of-tour celebrations were in order!

A Tower of Silence Australian Tour 2011 (Pt. 1)

Day 1 - Melbourne

Tonight I have house guests. To save extra buggering about at some ungodly hour, Steve and Rob have taken to kipping at my place tonight. Doug lives but a stone throw away and we have to be at Dean's (not a stone's throw by any stretch of the imagination) at something like 4:30am. It's tantamount to criminal. My keyboard rig and Steve's drums are safely ensconced within the luggage hold of the bus; having been prepared earlier, and all that we could concievably do has been done.

Unfortunately, in Gingerworld, accross the park, the only plan that was concieved was Hemina's, in a rehearsal studio, until midnight. Waking our hirsuite fretmeister was never going to be an easy task. In contrast, myself and my house guests retired before 11pm.

Awoken by the smell of fresh coffee and a relentlessly chipper Steve at 3:30am. Not a time I do my best thinking, it has to be said. Robert snarled and complained into view not long after. After packing some last minute items- bedding, clothes, gigwear, some spare leads et al, our party of three made the trek to Chez Dougal to rouse him and his lovely missus.

The two zombies duly emerged; having slept much less than us. But before too long, andrenaline had kicked in (aided and abetted by Red Bull) and we were on our way.

Met with Martyn on route, and got to Dean's at about 4:15. The bus was already there. By 4:35 we were heading out and were on our way. For me, this was not only my first time playing interstate, it was also my first time in Melbourne. The whole thing was terribly exciting.

Robert and Doug - Bus Hedonism. Or not.

The bus trip seemed to mostly melt away, after stopping for breakfast and catching up on some much missed sleep, we watched the DVD I had edited of the recording of the new album (the whole process was captured on at least one of the iPhones we had in the studio at the time). There seemed to be unanimous approval and a tremendous sense of cameraderie and occasion about the whole affair. It felt great.

As close as Anubis gets to Rock and Roll lifestyle. Dean with a liquid friend.

Melbourne crept up on us . The gig unfortunately collided with the AFL (Aussie Rules for all non-Australians) semi-finals and as such, with the sport being the major religion in Melbourne, the traffic was horrendous. The street the gig was on was being pulled up by the council. The GPS did not comprehend this and aggressively directed the bus driver to turn around at every opportunity. It took us nearly an hour to get back to the gig, as our load in time eroded, and our promotor/label boss/svengali/knight in shining armour, Mike tore out thick clumps of hair.

Steve and Rob compete for Idiot of the Year 2011

Arriving at the venue and circumnavigating three flights of stairs with a whole keyboard rig slung around my shoulders (*definitely not reccommended), we eventually got everything on stage, and I chatted with Sean from Unitopia about keyboard rigs, keyboard players, records we like etc. (I have a theory that there is an unspoken connection between keys players in general. Nobody else in the band gives a toss about our cracked gear fetishes, and we seem to seek each other out, rarely with any sort of success, so we can talk about the finer points of our dream rigs. We are the true meaning of sad gits.)

The only way to travel. Anu-Bus.

Rob, Doug and Steve on route to Melbourne.

In what seemed no time at all, we were hurried up onstage and the sample for the Passing Bell bought the whole thing exploding to life. The show was mixed, with some very good moments, some moments that were influenced by a highly exhausted band, and a JC120 amplifier that decided to retire itself at the conclusion of the penultimate song, leaving Disinfected and Abused slightly Doug-less, until we patched him direct into the keyboard mixer. Far from ideal but it did work. The Passing Bell, still in it's infancy as a live track, really worked as an opener. Archway of Tears, as the current single, had to be played. But the highlight was 'The Holy Innocent', with that showstopping sax solo. Disinfected, as the hoary old favourite still holds it's place as the obvious closer.

Anubis, Live at the Hi-Fi, September 23rd 2011

The gig was, I thought, average- and perhaps a less than auspicious start to the AToS touring cycle, however, the people who watched it seemed to enjoy it, confirmed in a conversation with Dave from Classic Rock Present Prog who enjoyed the gig very much. What do I know?

We had a bite to eat following the show and watched labelmates Toehider launch their new album. Mike Mills is a stunning vocalist with a range that we all envied, and a massive army of influences in their catchy and accessible take on prog. I'd love to jam on Hammond with them, actually. I could hear parts all over the place. Ridiculously friendly and accommodating too.

The Toehider home-ground fans soon thinned out leaving the prog faithful for Unitopia. As I have said before, I really appreciated the cameraderie with Sean before the show and was looking forward to continuing that in Sydney the following week. The rest of the band were friendly, although we became better acquainted with them the following week. The keyboards sounded wonderful, and although Unitopia and Anubis have quite different approached to keys sounds, there is a vast area of common influence which I heard and enjoyed very much.

Tetley time. And not Tea. Martyn, Doug and I, Tour Bus, Melbourne.

As the dying embers of 'The Garden' hung in the air, we made overtures to get our gear back up the stairs and onto the waiting bus. By 12:45, some 22 hours into my day, we left Melbourne bound for Sydney. Tempered by Tetley's bitter that Steve and I had bought as Martyn, Steve, Rob, Doug and myself relived the experience. Stopping about 3 hours into the journey for a horrid service station cheeseburger and lavatory visit, we decided to camp for the night. By this time, the bus is silent and of the 10 passengers the only noise to be heard is from the English contingent (+ Doug), who soon one by one retired to sleep.

Robert, Tour bus, Melbourne.

The blog is back!

A quick note to say that after remaining dormant, the blog is returning with all the stories surrounding the new 'A Tower of Silence' album.

Interview transcripts, road and studio diary entries and various thoughts and feelings of the band members over the course of the next year as the promotional cycle for AToS continues endlessly!

230503 review @ www.progressive-area.com

If you are a progressive rock band releasing your first album based on the concept of death and the death of a loved one, what more appropriate name for your band to choose than Anubis, the god of the dead and funeral rites in ancient Egypt.

They are an Australian band formed in Sydney, in 2004 under the leadership of Robert James MOULDING (vocals) and keyboardist David EATON. Anubis also features Douglas SKENE (guitarist), bassist Nick ANTOINETTE and drummer Steven EATON. Note that the production is carried by guitarist Dean Bennison, also of THE EXPERT SLEEPERS.

This, their first album, comes in a beautiful packaging. The cover refers to the duality at work - as in that of "The Division Bell" by PINK FLOYD. Musically, this album is a conceptual work inspired by the death of a friend of some of the members of Anubis. The atmosphere of "230503" is a like a little film. This is definitely an album of progressive rock- rich, ballsy and epic. With occasional touches of acoustic folk, electro, world, experimental, lyrical landscapes with strong vocal harmonies.

This concept starts with the story of a young man aged 20. Dissatisfied with his life and loneliness, he meets a girl on the internet. He will do anything for her and together they embark on a boat trip. The right time for him to offer her a beautiful silver pendant. Overtaken with a deep emotion, he feels the need step outside ... and is seen no more. Did he fall overboard? He wakes up in a kind of amnesia in an unfamiliar land, dressed in rags and becomes a drug dealer. After many adventures, he was taken by ambulance to hospital following an overdose. There, he saw a nurse with a similar silver pendant around her neck. You think the story ends there with a happy ending? Nay! In this text, the scenario goes up in smoke, this story is imagined by the younger sister of the young man who does not accept his death and clinging to the hope that his brother is still alive somewhere.

With the sound of a telephone ringing, sometimes synonymous with bad news, there begins the explosive "The Deepest Wound". The rhythmic flirts with KING CRIMSON (the era of "Discipline") supported by a rhythm guitar marking a strong tension. This piece closes with "Leaving Here Tonight" whose intro on acoustic guitar has echoes of "Dogs" by PINK FLOYD and is a vehicle for the expressive vocals of Robert James MOULDING; dynamics and pace rises gradually before the denoument, with crashing guitar chords and synths, in sumptuous layers.

The main ingredients of "Breaking Water" are the piano and vocals but also features the mellotron and synths that make some inroads of beauty, which is reminiscent of Genesis. Then comes "Waterfall" quite simply a beautiful ballad. But what about the guitar solo? Quite simply, great. Layered with mellotron which reveals all its mystery to close with alluring notes of African percussion. There is a terrifying atmosphere guaranteed with "Anonymity" which begins in a mysterious way. And then it gets carried away, the bass bounces well supported by drums, guitar distorts. Everything changes, the atmosphere is electric. In short, the piece that alternates between pictures - like "The Bond of Mutual Distrust," with an acoustic guitar introduction, part plaintive and poignant and part rhythmic powerful riffs. The whole is supported by a dynamic rhythm section and embellished with keyboards, mellotron, and various sound effects based in the song.

A little later, "The Doctor" plays with more pop rock tones, and we note an aggressive song. As for the shortest song, "Flying / Falling", it is more electronic synthesizers in this arrangement. The voice on the vocoder and the repetition gives it an air of KRAFTWERK. Among the highlights, the last two pieces- real pieces that will give you chills for half an hour. First, there is "The Collapse", a complex piece divided into two parts. The first, punctuated by a thundering bass, keyboards and an electric guitar solo worthy of Steve ROTHERY. The piano introduces the transition and the second part that again reflects a long Floydian grand finale, a dignified sensibility. Everything is illuminated by the melancholy vocal of Robert James MOULDING. ANUBIS close the album with a bang in "Disinfected and Abused", an epic 17 minutes. The styles are so diverse and complex, with moments of melancholy, hard, soft, exhilarating and sometimes puzzling. The major influence is PINK FLOYD. Note the excellent injection of saxophone.

Anubis offers a splendid debut album showing a great maturity with two key pieces worthy of the great group that is PINK FLOYD. I would strongly recommend "230503"! Certainly a top album and a real shot in the heart.

230503 review @ www.progarchives.com

I kept telling myself I have to review this album. It is a very good record, exceptional for a debut, exceptional in almost every sense.

What we get here is a brand of prog that falls under neo-crossover-symphonic so the band is pretty genre-defying which I admire. It came as unexpected to me, I only read three reviews of the album and was kind of going on a limb, but I've loved the album since first listen.

Their is some type of concept that I have not been able to decipher (making me listen harder) and the music is very intriquing (making each listen enjoyable).

The music itself is kind of hard to describe because the mood shifts quite a bit throughout but overall there is a sort of heavy acoustic feel. When they rock out, they really rock out though and the saxophone is an addition that really gives the album a good flavor.

Just simple decent music. A kind that I haven't seen in awhile. 5 stars (practically without hesitation).

230503 review @ www.progarchives.com

Very interesting debut album from these aussies. They sure know how to mix 70´s style prog music with modern sounds resulting a very strong record.

But I must confess I wasn´t taken by 230503 at first. Their tendency for the prog metal side caught me by surprise since this band was labeled as neo prog. Sure, they do have an afinity with the classic bands (Pink Floyd being the most obvious one), they like to use vintage sounding keyboards together with heavy guitars that sometimes tend for the alternative, but not too much. After some time you get used to it and you can really enjoy this CD a lot.

230503 is a concept album and - like all of them - it has some ups and downs, because the music has to follow the storyline. But fortunatly there are much more ups than down moments. Some parts are very emotional and the guitars soar (yes, the ones that sound like Gilmour!). Robert James Moulding´s voice is not one of the best, but he delivers the goods with such passion and sincerity you have to be made of stone not to be moved by his singing. The same can be said of the instrumental side of the CD. The production is excellent, with all the instruments very well balanced all through the record.

Conclusion: this is surely a band to watch. The music is energetic and full of conviction. A very good start. I´m looking forward to hear their next works. Rating: four strong stars. Welcome, guys!

Rating: 4/5

230503 review @ www.progarchives.com

We're lucky to have such gems in Australia. Anubis's debut album is a telling story that deals with pain and loss in the most visceral way music can communicate. A highly recommended purchase.

The albums sonic pallette ranges from modern to the retro with a strong affinity for the analogue synth sounds we've come to know and love from the 70's. The vocals of Robert James Moulding cover a gamut of expressions and tone colours whilst still adhering to a sense of consistency which gels together the album's narrative structure.

The definite highlights as pointed out by the other reviewers are the album's ultimate and penultimate tracks which took me on an aural adventure that I have not experienced since Marillion's 'Marbles' and Pain of Salvation's 'Remedy Lane'. Pay special attention to the vocal harmonies and guitars solos in these tracks as they're truly breathtaking.

I have only painstakingly minor gripes with this album on a production perspective and that is that the drums are rather boomy (read: Bonham on heat), however this does not detract from the rhythm section's razor tight precision.

230503 is a near-perfect Progressive Rock masterpiece and belongs heartily in any true Prog Fan's collection.

Rating: 5/5

230503 review @ www.progarchives.com

Out of the murky world of Australian music comes an album so assured and accomplished it is impossible to believe it a young band's debut.

One of the most surprising things about this album is how effortlessly it seems to find the golden middle way between its intellectual ideas and its emotional core, which is a rare thing to find in a concept album like this. The lyrics, the notes, the voices, the sounds, the ideas and the emotions all fuse together in a sumptuous atmosphere - a dark and beautiful inner landscape, full of shadows and mystique, that beckons you to return back to it.

And although Anubis does not break new ground, following in the footsteps of Pink Floyd, they are not easily boxed into a single musical genre, and their music stands on its own, having a strange, almost hypnotic power.

Now rumor has it that a new album is on its way, and I can't say that from listening to this one that I predict what it is going to be, but I know it is going to be magical, I know it is going to be a journey, and I cannot wait!

Rating: 5/5

230503 review @www.missingpiece.net

Now here's a nice little gem for lovers of early Genesis, Marillion, Sylvan and so on….

This is the debut release from the Aussie band, and it's really a very strong one. Although they glance in the rear view mirror quite often and use loads of Mellotron there is also a modern touch to their music, with a little Radiohead or Mars Volta here and there that makes this stand out in the crowd. Fresh and exciting! RECOMMENDED

Rating: 8/10

230503 review @ www.progarchives.com

Australians Anubis have released a concept album of high quality. If given a chance, it could be in many peoples collection.

It is a concept album based around the sad death of a boy who goes on a journey to search for himself. The history of his life is played out before him and he sees another way he could have travelled, an "Operation Mindcrime" type scenario with an evil doctor that is abusing him and makes him a junkie. The story ends with his death.

Musically, it is sometimes charming and sometimes deliberately ugly. It is a strength that each chapter of story strikes the listener hard. If it's your taste, you'll find it memorable. The voice is the inner monologue of a young boy. It is also by turns melancholy and angry, conveyed by the excellent voice of lead singer Robert James Moulding as he plays the role successfully. The real beauty of this album lies in the last two songs, the 12 minute 'The Collapse' and the almost 20 minute 'Disinfected and Abused'. This song is, in itself, a great achievement and demonstrates the good harmonies, progressive rhythms and melodies that truly turn the soul and, on occasion, scratch at the face.

This is a masterpiece and it makes a very good album into an excellent album. If this is the benchmark they set, then the future looks very exciting for Anubis.

Rating: 4.5/5

230503 review @ www.progarchives.com

We're lucky to have such gems in Australia. Anubis' debut album is a telling story that deals with pain and loss in the most visceral way music can communicate. A highly recommended purchase.

The albums sonic palette ranges from modern to the retro with a strong affinity for the analogue synth sounds we've come to know and love from the 70's. The vocals of Robert James Moulding cover a gamut of expressions and tone colours whilst still adhering to a sense of consistency which gels together the album's narrative structure.

The definite highlights as pointed out by the other reviewers are the album's ultimate and penultimate tracks which took me on an aural adventure that I have not experienced since Marillion's 'Marbles' and Pain of Salvation's 'Remedy Lane'. Pay special attention to the vocal harmonies and guitars solos in these tracks as they're truly breathtaking.

I have only painstakingly minor gripes with this album on a production perspective and that is that the drums are rather boomy (read: Bonham on heat), however this does not detract from the rhythm section's razor tight precision.

230503 is a near-perfect Progressive Rock masterpiece and belongs heartily in any true Prog Fan's collection.

Rating: 4.5/5

Progarchives Stats

Some impressive stats for tonight:

On ProgArchives, the internet's #1 Progressive Rock resource, our 230503 record was listed as currently:

#61 Top Neo-Prog Album (of all time)

(ranking above Fish's 'Sunsets On Empire' LP and Porcupine Tree's 'The Incident')

#1 Australian Neo-Prog Album (of all time)

#2 Australian Progressive Rock Album (of all time)

(ranking above the amazing Sebastian Hardy, Aragon, and Unitopia.)

#29 Top Progressive Rock Album of 2009.

(Ranking above Porcupine Tree's The Incident' and The Mars Volta's 'Octahedron'.)

Whilst it's unlikely we'll ever be able to claim figures like this again, given the way it changes on an hourly basis with every review submitted by everybody, it's still a thrill.

One huge and almost unthinkable goal is to get inside the top 250 Progressive Rock albums of all time, even if only for a minute. But in order to do that, we need to start seeing more positive reviews posted! And seeing as how we'd then be up there with your Yesses and Genesises and Pink Floyds, it's not terribly likely either.

230503 Review @ musikreviews.de (deutchland)

The Australian Progressive Band ANUBIS have devised a concept album, reminiscent in part of "Operation Mindcrime", Progressive Rock styling was implemented, however musically, more song-oriented.

"The Deepest Wound" sounds like Pink Floyd would sound today, a heavy beat and catchy chorus in a hymnal feel. The seamless transition into "Leaving Here Tonight" is a continuation of the emphasis on the bass and lead vocals, which is suspended at once for the typically English sounding guitar lines. Advantage of the group: Robert Moulding's vocals are extremely appealing, it goes very easy on the ear without you being flattened. "Breaking Water" has something of a MARILLION mood and succeeds with little more than keyboard smudges and individually battered piano chords as an atmospheric transition to "Waterfall", a somewhat featureless, typical neo-progressive piece that laps at the edge of narcissistic melancholy . Unlike "Anonymity" in which sound experiments in the form of muffled beats and bass along with dissonant undertones - the whole thing kept completely instrumental - ANUBIS testify to the courage of the experiment in this case, with lost voice samples providing darker moods. The following song offers a good ten minute playground to let off steam for the musicians, between verses in which the front man plays the part like a young Peter Gabriel. Accordingly, dramatically decrease the overall picture is also, while a consistent chorus is missing.

To compensate, "The Doctor" rocks. Short and crisp - the last time, for an interlude followed by the final two pieces. Chris Squire-bass, melancholy middle section, reverb guitars and dreamy vocals make "The Collapse" certainly in the context of old prog heroes, and blows away the notion they've not reinvented anything, as this is a fresh presentation. With "Disinfected and Abused" - lyrically worth hearing - and a good 18 minutes, one is in all respects on to it for frying guitars and soulful, vocal oriented passages thanks to the catchy Melodies, whilst with the saxophone sounds, ANUBIS construct a final cause for innovation. Just the rhythm section here makes sure that in your time with spent with them you do not get bored - a contrast to the countless acoustic spaghetti-boiling bunglers, hiding behind the apron genre. Because in the end the radio may also play a sound collage as long as the concept is not conducive to pretentious.

CONCLUSION: Anubis is not innovative, but have produced a pleasantly unaffected prog rock concept album with a sometime harder edge, and many fans will not question its quality conventionality (design and implementation). It has a lot of commercial potential, therefore, if one enjoys the older, more symphonic ideas and largely shuns darker sound-based passages and instead enjoys consistent songs.

rating: 11/15

230503 Review @ ffm-rock (deutchland)

ANUBIS, of course, have nothing to do with the similarly titled RTL teen series. It is an Australian progressive rock band, formed in 2004, by vocalist Robert James Moulding and keyboardist David Eaton.

The two songwriters were in the studio recording the album from 2006 to 2009, and came out with the interesting concept album 230503.In addition, they found themselves still looking for suitable co-musicians. The story is briefly described as a man who chugs around with his love of his life on a houseboat and comes with an ominous accident in the water. He loses his memory, is washed up somewhere and then learns "to know The Doctor", who makes him into a drug addict (Operation Mindcrime, anyone?). Gradually, the protagonist tries to regain his former self.

Musically, this story appropriately moody and atmospheric and in a very analog-sounding way. In addition to a wonderfully raw sound of guitar, drums and bass there is still often Mellotron strings, Hammond, old-school synths and sometimes, even saxophone. The ten varied songs are arranged very differently, sometimes tonal and harmonic, the next minute atonal and chaotic. Atmospheric, beautiful widescreen melodic sections alternate with gently sloping psychedelic verses. The singer is reminiscent of a young David Gilmour, and in many ways, the name PINK FLOYD flashes repeatedly, but perhaps in a lively and rockier incarnation (for example, "Leaving Here Tonight" or the "Echoes" memory trip in "Breaking Water").

A combination of PINK FLOYD (Mellotron, vocals and melody), KING CRIMSON (instrumental parts) and some ZAPPA sound effects in the nearly ten minute "The Bond Of Mutual Distrust"- the first outstanding song - (track six). The two shorter instrumentals "Anonymity" and "Flying / Falling" are actually relatively modern sounding, featuring more modern ambient sounds, interlude 230503. These fit perfectly into the very classic analog album. ANUBIS move up to the penultimate two tracks at a solid level, to the final "The Collapse" (twelve minutes) and "Disinfected and Abused" (seventeen minutes), the great tennis (?) Only with these two giant songs do the band play fully to the songwriting strengths that they've hinted at in the shorter pieces. 230503 is a nice concept work, which has one hand raised classic but also plays with modern elements. If at first there are doubts, as the shorter songs don't always ignite immediately, one penetrated by the long finale in the ANUBIS work, which after all, is more than a good third of the disc.

Rating: 5/5

230503 review @ UnProgged (Italia)

One of the prerequisites of a progressive band, or the best type of progressive band, is that ability to succeed in evoking images. Clear ideas, ability to vary, a worthy concept, and above all, the complexity of the work.

Anubis, an Australian sextet, on their debut disc, have attempted, with some success, in creating a work that it is shaped in such a way.
The type of music played from the band is identified with cinematic progressive rock.

How is this cinematic effect obtained with the progressive rock? Through the flowing dynamics of the compositional ideas, with a detailed attention to the tone shading, so that the narration is never flat and monotonous, so that the listener is guided on the path, and doesn't risk getting lost on the journey.

Anubis seem to know this fact and create a fascinating concept, sufficiently catchy to hold the attention. The ear is soon accustomed to the chosen colors from the players, each piece of music slides comfortably after the previous, without annoying jumps, and all seems in service of the plot.

The plot itself is inspired by a dramatic event that affected deeply two members of the band- Robert and David. The loss of a boy aged twenty years, and of the suffering caused by the loss to their loved ones. Shifting between surrealistic images and comatose states from which emerge memories mixed to the truth, with a surprising twist in the plot at the end.

The fiction of the work comes linked also at musical level: the faster and aggressive pieces (The Deepest Wound), these moments are followed with restrained melody (Breaking Water), and the use of electronic and psychedelic effects (Anonymity).

The voice, though the lyrical focus is not always convincing, is mostly narrator, the tone sentimental, and the production is indie-rock in style, and sometimes the style is reminiscent of The Dredge or the Protest the Hero.
The musicians perform well in this newer style, listening to the whole thing unleashes all the delights of Marillion and Arena, these elaborate influences and, sometimes they clash with that indie production. But on the other hand, in this atmosphere the mellotron fits to perfection, very well played by David Eaton.

Light and shadows on 230503, therefore. Even if the first listening doesn't instantly grab you, (dismissible, certainly, with little effort), in time it will stay afloat.

For this we do not feel it in ourselves to reject this album, for which it goes recognized for it's freshness of songwriting and in total, the fact that it reflects a cohesion between it's concept and music.