Zen Orchestra – “Debut Album” | Progressive Rock Central.com

The Zen orchestra has arrived with their debut, self-titled album. This UK progressive rock band will release their first album September 20th, of this year.

Some 10 years in the forming, the band describes the album as, “It’s a love letter to the music they grew up with and explores the dramatic and long form nature of that music. The influences are wide-ranging and eclectic, resulting in an album which is both musically compelling and accessible.”

The album had a long gestation period as the band members had to overcome many personal, medical, and technical hurdles. The sad and very sudden death of their friend of many years and bass player Stewart Milner in March 2023 was a real low time for the band. Stewart died just before the single, “Circles,” was initially released. Alberto Rigoni from Italy stepped in to pick up bass duties, which enabled the album to be completed. Steve and Mark were founder members of Walking on Ice, a progressive rock band that toured extensively during the early 90s. Zen Orchestra were originally founded in the mid-90s and garnered some serious interest from labels, but no suitable deal was forthcoming.

The Zen Orchestra are: Mark Barrett, on lead vocals; Steve Smith, on keyboards; Stewart Milner and Alberto Rigoni, on basses; Steve Rix, on drums; and James Stephenson, on lead guitars.

“Minds,” opens with background spoken word, and then some very innovative keyboards, which immediate signal that this is going to be an interesting and unique band. (Just what you want the music reviewers and critics to say in one of your initial album reviews). Mark Barrett whose voice sounds a little like a good combination of Steve Howe’s high notes and Billy Sherwood’s straight ahead singing, opens the story with, “Midnight falling, sunrise closing in on me. All my senses tell me I must agree with crazy people, with crazy minds. Have I said too much? Did I put you down? Have I asked you why you never stand your ground? Did I make you cry? Did I take your soul? Do you see the light? I never lost control.” He continues the story after another wonderful and innovative keyboard performance, “A hundred million minds. They seem to sing a different song. And each time I decide. How can I tell the right from wrong. Look at a little closer, and explore your situation. Can’t you see that in the scheme of things you’re very small.” One of the best songs on the album. A great way to start this debut. You get a sense of everyone’s abilities immediately, and you want to hear more.

“Faces,” opens with percussion sounds, then those wonderful keyboard synthesizers return. Mark Barrett sings, “These days are growing shorter than before. The autumn trees are bathing in the sunlight. It’s getting rather late. The things we do don’t have to wait. To ask the questions hidden in the dark. Looking out of the window. And I see the faces staring back at me. I’m not looking for reason. I just know that sometimes we will not agree.” The dilemma we all seem to be in around the world. We all seem to disagree on so much. What makes it even worse is that many of us cannot seem to agree on facts, and that makes the issue of working together even harder. Mark continues, “You held the world in solace. You held it in your hand. Rocked by the oceans’ breeze. We wept and turned away. We wiped our tears in silence. You begged us all to stay. Forever drifting by. Nowhere to call our home. We sank into the ocean like a stone. They sold us a fortune in disguise. They sold out the wind to buy the rain. And we’ll never ever be that way again. We sold out to fortune. We see what we want to. Those moments are mine. And the seconds and hours and minutes and moments in our minds. It’s a matter of time.” A very deep song of longing, full of great musicianship.

“Time,” opens with sounds of the ocean, and noises of a carnival filling the sea breeze. The keyboards type out that familiar tick tock we remember from Pink Floyd. But that is where the similarities end. This song sounds like IQ’s music from the 1990s, which is a very good thing indeed. Mark sings, “Time caught in the breeze, my minds not there. Time burned in the fire of your despair. I tried hard to make you see. But it’s gone. Now it’s lost in the world of would be. I’m gonna take you there. I’m gonna make damn sure that we don’t lose this time. You gotta hear my prayer.” The keyboards, guitar, and bass, rise up to support him and fill the soundscape with an overwhelmingly comforting feeling. The electric guitar soloing that follows is something you will want to hear again. Another powerful lyrical song of emotions.

Of all the songs on the album it was “Billionaires,” that I was most interested to hear. How would they handle the people who are running the world into the ground right now. Well, Mark and the band take it apart well, after some interesting keyboards and a great electric guitar solo. Mark sings, “Distil the one perfect thought. Exchange an imperfect mind. You’ll run but never be caught. And live in the world of the blind. Don’t leave before you’ve begun. You’ll stay until you’ve achieved. A light as bright as the sun. Much stronger than you have believed. To hold a walk with no shame. A path that leads to the end.” He continues, “Hold on, you’ve got a lot to learn. Hold on – before you crash and burn. And the world gets in your way. Hold on – the wait is over now. Hold on – no time to disallow. And the world gets in your way. And the endless accounting goes on. In the hall of the king.” The keyboards and guitar soloing soon return to lift the soundscape higher.

“Circles,” was the big single from the album and it lives up to its billing. It opens with electric guitar and drums. Mark sings about how much our world has changed. The simple things in life we used to take for granted seem to be lost within today’s focus on streaming and social media. Walks in the park and getting out and about seem to be a thing of the past. It really is unfortunate, for the youth of today. And yes, it is more dangerous outside everywhere. The moaning electric guitars seem to lament the changes we are all adjusting to daily. We have moved from a place where I remember playing outside until dusk, all summer long, to a place where sports fields in the USA are almost vacant. It must be the same in the UK. I remember my father having to yell at supper time to call us, after we had been outside down by the lake or the park all day.

“Heartless,” opens with slow keyboards and far off electric guitar. It brings a solemn tone to the soundscape. Mark sings, “You said you couldn’t stand the sorrow. I’m sitting here amongst the chains. I walk the road you will not follow. Who cares about the mind and all its games. One thing is sure enough to keep me. And all the others safe and sound. I didn’t hope that you would need me. So, I wait with endless darkness all around. It closes in on me and the sunlight simply won’t just set me free.” This song almost sounds like an ode to the passing of Stewart Milner, or someone else who is very close. A sad song full of beautiful keyboards and electric guitar soloing. Mark finishes the song off, to a slow guitar solo, “So when we walk through the door. To the daylight – it will be alright. We’ll leave our troubles behind in the night. To our delight. Endlessly!”

“Coda,”, is the album closer. It is just what I wanted. An instrumental full of those excellent keyboard innovations and electric guitar, mixed well with bass and drums. Over three minutes of Genesis/IQ level instrumental magnificence.

The Zen Orchestra’s Debut Album is definitely one of the wonderful surprises of 2025. Every moment of this album needed to be made and it took much pain and effort to bring it to life. And I’m so glad they did, because we would have missed this album, this year. Pick this album up and listen to its magnificence. It will bring back memories of the kind of music we used to hear more of, daily. Only the Zen Orchestra innovate and make this music dynamic enough to put their own stamp on it. The album art is amazing. That is what drew me to the album in the beginning. But the music made me want to review the Zen Orchestra’s debut. What a beginning! Hopefully the next one will not take ten years. I’m already anticipating it.