A year has passed since this album was released, and I somehow missed this brilliant artist. One of the several pros of writing reviews is the awe of loving someone’s music immediately after hearing it. No afterthought, just instinctive love. A Slow Ride Towards Death is Astrakhan with their album release from 2020, and I must preface, prepare to be thoroughly entertained. Purists, grab your popcorn because this is wild.
Lonesome Cry is Astrakhan’s induction ceremony to my life. It is an inert, complex musical track using several aspects of melody making but coming together with the simplicity of classic rock. Relatable to everyone. The tones for each instrumentalist are set, no one steps on each others toes. The vocals are predictively profound and beautiful, with the semi-baritone sounding like Mikael Åkerfeldt. With the control over the vocal swells and effects to give the song, it is a great preface to an exciting album.
Experimenting with mystery
It is what I suspect to be the suspended pentatonic scale. It’s a very mysterious, beautiful scale to listen to. Has an element of suspense and hysteria to it. Take Me With You signifies a tone shift that only a band that has mastered one style can do. This prog rock track aims to seek, with the Kashmir like tone echoing in your brain for long after. By the times the vocals enter, there are elements of Iron Maiden as well, especially the vocals and bass control. Wickedly fun track.
What You Resist Will Remain brings me memories of the glory Ozzy years. When the legend Randy Rhoads wielded the axe for the frontman. The layering of synth and guitar in the right places turns into a rich background for the powerful lyrics and vocals. Supremely simple riffs with the verses lead to a highly infectious song to keep on loop when you fel like taking over the world.
Never Let You Go accentuates on the mysterious tone that Astrakhan very easily pioneer. Several of their songs are free from clutter, it’s the vocals being supported by some well placed instrumentals. They hope to surprise you with a tonal shift within the track, which often takes an unexpected path. The depth of the single strum riffs allow the track to be heard in all its glory.
Shifting tone and beginnings
Astrakhan shift to an acoustic opening with Youtopia. It has a beautiful piano rendition to another vocal quality by the vocalist. The matter of awe being, it’s surely the same guy. Electric guitar swells cascade through before leading to a sonic explosion at 1:30. Once again, a simple riff with a lead is layered for simple, but addictive music. I love the underlying genius in the musicality of this song. Each shines through for a moment, but not for long enough to seem greedy. Also, the chorus makes a superb pre-bridge section break. Great solo on this track.
Shift back to a classic rock dominating theme. Until It Ends has pushed the boundaries of what this band limits themselves to. Apart from a good theme that they explore via their instruments and as individuals within a group, there is repurposed sound that still has their signature. Great tone on the guitar solo, very whole and soulful yet shows the virtuosic range of the guitars. No, I didn’t forget the absolute beast level drum work on this track. One of the best on the album.
Welcome some dystopian sound entering this dynamic. Control makes for a something out of bounds for Astrakhan, but the alt-rock sound is king. It dissipates great stadium/live performance energy. Surprising and uncharacteristic sounds grace the cranium, while the vocalist is almost unrecognizable in this song.
Prepare yourself for the epic. M.E 2020 makes for the fusion of very unlikely sound palates, starting with the synth work that seems to be shining through in this song. I heard it aiding many tracks via background, but this is some Rudess level stuff. If they were truly prog metal, the LTE level energy hadn’t come out till now. Made for a pretty sick grand finale though. This is fireworks in notes, a mind blowing experience in air quotes. What we have heard of Astrakhan is just the surface, this exposes the mineshaft below.
Listen to the sorcery of this band here:
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