Currently, myprogmusic reviews of major progressive releases follow each other because, after 'The Flower Kings' the day before yesterday, then 'Marillion' yesterday, it was the turn of the Dutch from 'Knight Area' to release the second chapter of 'D-Day'. I already introduced you to the EP 'The Journey Home' which was a good preview of this new album at the end of 2021 and we can now enjoy the whole of 'D-Day' in full.
I'm not going to talk to you again about the three compositions that we already knew, 'The Journey Home', 'Peace of Mind' and 'I Believe' (although in 'D-Day', the version is slightly longer for this last title) and so here are the new original titles. We are welcomed by 'The Enemy Within' which is the story of a veteran of the last world war in an epic symphonic epic with a majestic introduction borrowing some chords from the emblematic 'Atom Heart Mother' and which unfolds a gripping melody from beginning to end and which offers us a first vocal performance very moving from 'Jan Willem Ketelaers' and remarkable instrumental sections with majestic keyboards from 'Gerben Klazinga'. We are already thrilled and follow the already known 'Peace of Mind' and 'I Believe' which we have immense pleasure in listening to again, the emotional intensity continuing to be at its peak before arriving at the short instrumental 'For Those Who Fell' which develops a moving new melody highlighting the 'Gilmourian' guitar playing of 'Mark Bogert': magnificent! follows 'The Dream' which is a new melodic jewel, more energetic, and which deploys a remarkable theatricality with a 'Jan Willem Ketelaers' in an interpretation strong in emotion and very expressive. I will pass on the ballad 'The Journey Home' which is part of the EP of the same name, and which gives me goosebumps every time I listen to it, then 'Crossroads' continues this beautiful journey with a melody as moving as its predecessor (see more !!). The end of the album offers us a very beautiful acoustic cover of 'Freedom for Everyone' (what a magnificent hymn nowadays with all these freedom restrictions), then an orchestral medley of 'D-Day' which is a moving summary of the two albums, and which inevitably gives a crazy desire to dive back into them to still enjoy every second of these magnificent compositions. With all that, I have quoted you 'Jan Willem Ketelaerse', 'Mark Bogert' or 'Gerben Klazinga' but we must also highlight the whole group with also the rhythm section of 'Peter Vink' and 'Pieter van Hoorn' who are the essential pillars that give life to this captivating and gripping music.
In summary, I will again thank the years of health crisis (I had already done so for the cover of 'Led Zep' by 'Beth Hart') because this second chapter would certainly not have seen the light of day without her and these two albums should quickly become essential albums both historically because it is essential to remember certain chapters of our history, especially in troubled times so as not to make the same mistakes as in the past, but also musically, because ' D-Day' (which I added to a playlist here) will certainly an artwork that will be in very good place in the memory and in the heart of many fans of progressive... | |
