Redemption – This Mortal Coil
Tuesday, 04 October 2011
01. Path of the Whirlwind
02. Blink of an Eye
03. No Tickets to the Funeral
04. Dreams From the Pit
05. Noonday Devil
06. Let it Rain
07. Fucus
08. Perfect
09. Begin Again
10. Stronger Than Death
11. Departure of the Pale Horse
After a few weeks here I am… once again sitting in front of my PC, ready to create a new album review but this time there’s something really special because the chosen one is the Redemption’s new album, and when I think about it I realize that it could have been not released or not even created. As you know in late 2008 Nick Van Dyck, Redemption’s mastermind, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma (a strange kind of blood cancer generally considered incurable) and then no-one knew what was going to happen, but I think everybody felt a sort of fear about it.
Have been less than 3 years from that and Nick says ‘‘here I am!! Alive and kicking with this mortal coil !!’’
I really do not know what I can expect of this release because there are a lot of elements that can make it different from what we have been listening in the last years… and these elements ranging from the source of inspiration to the change of producer (Neil Kernor for Tommy Newton). But there’s just one solution to this doubt… to push the play button… So let’s start!
The first bullet fired is ‘‘Path of Whirlwind’’, which starts powerfully with a bass guitar sounding loud and clear from the very beginning and a nice guitar shredding. This first track sounds like a fusion between the start songs of the 2 albums previous, but it has more strength and it’s more progressive. Clearly it’s a very good start, but unfortunately it let you know there are some problems with the sound of the album, specifically with the voice and with the Hi-Hat.
‘‘Blink of an Eye’’ is in charge to continue the fire with the bass guitar once again leading the beginning but this time with a nice tapping that lead to a very progressive line for the track accompanied for some truly well-done drums rhythmic sections. This confirms that this album, despite to continue the way of its predecessors, is going to be something different… now the heaviness and melody of the band are really in service of the progressive sound.
The third track is ‘‘No Tickets to the Funeral’’, a groovy song so much more direct than the previous ones, that makes your head move by its own with its metallic-rocker sound.
Despite its melodic chorus this song is pure energy, and because of its tittle, sound and furious guitar solo it can make you imagine Nick showing his mid finger to the death. Great track!
The epic ‘‘Dreams From the Pit’’ continues with the powerful headbanging sound (that reminds the Judas song on JCS), but soon it gives rise to an excellent instrumental section full of progression and shredding that later pauses into an atmospheric ambient directed by the bass guitar. Finally it returns to its origin and ends with a lot of power. Another highlight of this mortal coil.
The enigma, doubts and darkness come with the ‘‘Noonday Devil’’, a vertiginous track that gives no rest or respite and that catch you from the very beginning. Here the keyboard without displaying a lot of virtuosity achieves shine on its own.
After this bunch of heavy song, comes the inflection point of the LP, where heavy sound gives way to the melodic and prog-rock side of the band.
The rpm go down with the arrival of ‘‘Let it Rain’’, a beautiful mid-tempo ballad where Ray Alder can show some nuances of his voice and where Nick plays a guitar solo with that 80’s feeling. Definitely it’s a nice passage in the album.
‘‘Focus’’ is a more melodic-progressive song that brings to the mind the first works of this band (as Fates Warning as well). However, it loses that compact sound achieved for the band in the previous tracks but fortunately it is recovered towards the end.
‘‘Perfect’’ starts with a nice set of voices and bass harmonics. Unlike the previous song, this track takes shape quickly despite its constant rhythm changes. The choir game gives fresh to the album and makes this an easy-to-digest song that perfectly could have work as an ending track.
The rpm go up with ‘‘Begin Again’’ which continues with the melodic sound and make you realize that this mortal coil is like a double album included in 1 CD. This track is very direct but it’s quite flat.
Next track is ‘‘Stronger than Death’’, which starts with a Steve Vai taste that soon acquire weight. Here you will find another great set of choirs to lyric that is 100% Nick Van Dyck and his battle against cancer, where he is winning. It’s a strange song, because despite not being better (musically) than others on this album, it’s a great song to listen.
The great finale comes with ‘‘Departure of the Pale Horse’’, an epic musical journey that is like a roller coaster that takes you to every musical corner of this album with that ‘‘classic formula’’ of prog-rock of the 90’s.
An incredible instrumental section and a wonderful final section that summarizes everything heard so far drawing a perfect circle make this track something memorable. Unfortunately, this great finale is a little overshadowed by a fade-out that burns the magic of the moment.
It’s unbelievable how the hard times and negative situations can give rise to the birth of so much special and magical inspirations… Thanks Nick for prove it, and congrats for twisting the hand of fate!!!
Rating: 8.0
By Joan López Duarte