Aeon Zen returns on September 24th, of this year, is set to release their final album, a new and dynamic concept titled Transveral. The band which started in 2008 has crafted an immense and powerful closer for the ages. Too bad they are departing…but they are doing it on such a high note.
The dramatic orchestration and powerful cinematic nature of this album will help power it towards the top of the end of year progressive rock contenders list.
Aeon Zen states, “Transversal, despite being split across 10 tracks, is designed to be listened to as one song, just as it was written as a single piece of continuous music. It serves as a final, epic release as Aeon Zen, as the band ends on a high and ambitious note”.
The music encompasses Aeon Zen’s sound throughout their years of recording. This is a great sounding album, sounding like something that would be created if Arjen Lucassen and Dennis DeYoung worked together in the studio to produce an album. Transveral, has enough of that thumping electric guitar and drum power that Lucassen brings to all his albums, to help bring back memories. They also pack the album with cinematic soundscapes, with futuristic sounds and keyboards that will take you back to many of the soundscapes Lucassen uses to build his space dramas. The Dennis DeYoung connection is the Styx elements of sound and the fact that lead vocalist, Andi Kravljaca sounds a lot like Dennis, and at times Freddie Mercury.
Aeon Zen is: Rich Gray, on rhythm and lead guitars, bass, synths, programming, and backing vocals; Andi Kravljaca, on lead vocals; Alistair Bell, on lead guitars; Vadim Pruzhanov, on synth solo on “Chase the Sunrise”; Matt Shepherd, on guitar solo on “It Ends As It Began”. The band also uses a choir made up of: Alistair Bell, Clay Dean, Alyce Gray, Rich Gray, Iris van ‘t Veer, and Tom de Wit.
Every song on this tight wound closing piece is excellent. There are no stops or delays. Every song is memorable. But for me the stand-outs were: The opener, “Twilight”, with its amazing synthesizers, cinematic opening acoustic and then heavy guitars. “A New Day”, and its dramatic guitar and drumming combos. “Chase the Sunrise”, for its beautiful opening piano and Kravljaca’s vocals. “It Ends as it Began”, has that Lucassen-like power of epics at its opening. It really is a shame that this band is leaving the stage. But they are leaving us with a wonderful memory in Transveral. Please pick up this album and enjoy every minute of it.
I think Aeon Zen said it best in their press release: “Closure. In a world that is always moving forward, it doesn’t often happen that someone chooses to lay a matter to rest properly. With our focusses always on the next thing, it’s an uncommon sight to see an artist reflect on what they’ve achieved and take a step based on that. But that is exactly what Aeon Zen will do with their new and final release, the 30-minute song Transversal.
Track List
Parts 1 -10
- Twilight- 4:02
- A New Day – 4:54
- Chase the Sunrise – 4:54
- 10,000 Eyes 2:16
- Force of Fire – 1:11
- Lines Redrawn – 1:16
- Purgatory Rechristened – 3:52
- Twilight Reprise – 0:47
- It Ends as it Began – 4:48
- Forever – 3:05
All of the music was written by: Rich Gray with contributions by Matt Shepherd. The lyrics written by Andi Kravljaca. Produced, mixed and mastered by: Rich Gray @ Gray Matter Audio. The album artwork was created by: Tom de Wit & Rich Gray.