V hrudi pták (Rijen, 2011)
Kazachstán is an excellent new progressive rock band from Ostrava in the Czech Republic, near the Polish border. Although the group cites Pink Floyd as an important influence, they clearly have developed their own sound. Their 2011 titled V hrudi pták means ‘The Bird Cage’ and it combines classic progressive rock with Czech folk and classical music influences. Kazachstán uses unconventional musical instruments such as the evocative kaval flute, as well as solo brass instruments.
All the pieces have a captivating nature, with poetic vocals that take you to different moods and musical worlds. The highlights of the album include the 10:12 minute epic, “Mé duse klid’ featuring outstanding electric guitar, kaval and brass work; the chamber-style ‘Ve tmách’ with an exquisite mix of vocals, acoustic instruments and electric guitar; and the grand finale guitar epic titled ‘Komediant.’
Kazachstán’s line-up includes Robert Hejduk on lead guitar and keyboards; Alan Grézl on acoustic guitar, vocals, and kaval; Jiri Nemecek on brass instruments; George Geršl on drums; and lyricist Jaroslav Žila.
V hrudi pták reveals a thorough knowledge of the finest progressive rock musical forms, with a distinct Czech poetic flavor, full of imagination and emotion.
Buy the album from skupina-kazachstan.cz/kazashop#menu