The Ceres Phenomenon – Debut | Progressive Rock Central.com

The Ceres Phenomenon released their debut album last year on November 18, through FREIA Music.

The Dutch progressive rock band has a powerful Pink Floyd/IQ sound. The band includes members: Mike Boekhout, on drums; Ron Koel, on bass and lead guitars; Ruud Stoker, on lead vocals; and Julian Driessen, on keyboards.

The band began working on music during the Covid epidemic. It was quiet and they had time to finally begin the project they had been wanting to create for years.

The band name was founded on the fact that Ceres is a dwarf planet located in between Mars and Jupiter. Many scientists believe it may contain water to sustain life. The band has written this debut album to capture some of the mystery hovering over this enigma, or as they call it a phenomenon.

Their story details a journey to reach Ceres by 5930. Their PR kit states, “In the year 5930, on the planet Mars in camp Universe Observatory, a crystal trunk is found, and the content was a fragment of a story from the year 3593 which starts with this line: “To those who find this crystal chest…” On Earth in the year 3593, unknown signals were picked up from outer space which they never heard before. Incidentally elsewhere, a radio station picked up screaming voices who may need help. After some time, a young scientist could pinpoint the place where the signals came from: the Planet Ceres. The best scout, named Sentem, was chosen to go there to find out what is going on. Ceres is known for its blue crystal. Armies from other planets have been trying for centuries to get their hands on it. On Ceres, Sentem meets the warrior Dividio and the story unfolds…”

This is an interesting and fun story to appreciate. The sound of the music is diverse and always interesting to hear. The lead singer, Ruud Stoker’s voice bounces between pop, like a younger, higher pitched, Jeff Lynne, from ELO; and at other times closer to Trevor Horn, from the Buggles, and Charlie Bramald, of Ghost of the Machine. The story is a perfect fit for progressive rock, and its many sci-fi oriented bands.

The Ceres Phenomenon’s debut album is full of great instrumental music, supported with an interesting story. There are eighteen songs, with the majority of them, being 3 minutes or longer. All of the music and lyrics are engaging and interesting. The story is full of intrigue and mystery.

I especially enjoyed the opening track, “Intro: Space Signs,” because it took me back to the opening sounds of my favorite album of last year Atomic Time’s Subsounds. However, after that opening instrumental the comparison ended.

You can hear the expert production of the music shooting for Pink Floyd levels. The guitar and keyboards are mixed well with pop soundscapes that you’ll remember from ELO and the Buggles. The orchestration and music, from this debut was designed to reach Pink Floyd fans with a story that would inspire their imaginations. I think it might work. Give Ceres Phenomenon’s debut album a listen and maybe you will connect with it as well. It is not Pink Floyd. But they are no longer making music, and with the in-fighting between members may never again. It is time to move on and give some of these new artists a listen. Ceres Phenomenon’s debut album is a great start towards that end.

Album Track List:

1. Intro: Space Signs – (2:20)
2. Incident On Ceres – (3:54)
3. Between The Stars – (5:12)
4. The Arrival – (2:34)
5. Exploring The Surface – (5:52)
6. They Emerge At Night – (4:09)
7. Eye Contact – (5:13)
8. Rain And Rocks – (3:23)
9. Away From Us – (2:38)
10. That Being Said – (2:42)
11. Isolation – (4:20)
12. Rhea – (5:34)
13. Trapped And Uneasy – (4:12)
14. Adapt To One Another – (5:18)
15. Empty After The Seventh Hill – (6:10)
16. Similar Faces – (3:35)
17. Supernova – (4:25)
18. Descension – (1:51)