As of skepticism enthusiasm will: review of a great rock album

"Masterpiece!" If both distribute the international and the national music press as much advance praise for an album, I've become suspicious. Even when Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree-) fan. What, for example, to some disappointment with the previous album "The Raven Refused ..." resulted in me that two years ago also was praised to the skies. So I approached with ambivalent feelings and expectations for this "Hand.Cannot.Erase".

After the fourth through listening, I confirm now happy that I was for a long time no album more so thrilled taken and touched. Even if I find that the first third comparatively sluggish gets going, it still attracts me from "Home Invasion" feet away, because what happens from this 6th Song, is the purest ears pasture. Of course, there is first to call "Ancestral", the enormous Climax, work towards all previous song, a sad-beautiful, until tender, then brute monument in the same breath with Porcupine Tree's epics "Arriving Somewhere But Not Here" and " Anesthetize "may be called. And the final "Happy Returns" including Reprise "Ascendant Here On ..." which form a conclusion to this tour de force that left me almost speechless and with moist eyes.

This should be only an appetizer because the Rezi would too long if I had to write something about each song. Some songs have yet to be worked out, but the emotional impact of the overall concept (see background story) and its musical interpretation also brings me to Revel. Music touches, music that is supported by an outstanding rock ensemble with a dynamic, partially complexity, then flattering catchiness that assembles so many influences into a coherent whole: Prog, art rock, Ambient, Folk, Pop, Metal - and yet all of a piece. It must be a concept album! At the implementation there is absolutely no way lose - everything else is just a matter of taste!

A few concluding remarks. First, I have to necessarily investigate who this Guthrie Govan is, who is responsible for all of the relevant guitar solos on the album. Great instrumentalist! - Second, while listening to many stylistic cross-references I had to repeatedly think of PINK FLOYD (and last of its miserable swansong year); PINK FLOYD today would make that kind of music, if they had not already died musically and creatively, shortly after the Wall (1979)? On the other hand: who cares more PINK FLOYD in the face of such concept albums like this? - And thirdly, and this is really annoying: Which Vollpfosten had the idea to stick a FSK-0-Flatschen directly onto the hardcover? The crap thing is not removable without residue, at this point the carton remains krumpelig. Understand how some people are botched.

Otherwise: YES, rock music has to be: diverse, emotional, technically masterful implemented, surprising, touching, complex, sophisticated - but handy (even though it may need a few passes for it).