After the very good 'Vagabond' released in 2017, 'Subterranean Masquerade', composed of artists of Israeli origin, released a new album 'Mountain Fever' and we happily find this mix of east and west in a diversity of styles that the one could qualify as progressive music of the world, traditional music rubbing shoulders genres such as rock or metal. This latest opus sees a change to the vocal section as 'Davidavi (vidi) Dolev' replaces 'Kjetil Nordhus' for the clear vocals and 'Ashmedi Melechesh' has been invited in place of 'Paul Kuhr' for the extreme vocals. We also find many guests, the drummer d 'Orphaned Land' being always present, but also other artists from the large family of Israeli artists who bring their talent as instrumentalists or singers (see below).
On the menu of this new opus, 10 tracks for an hour of music and we are greeted by 'Snake Charmer' in a melodic atmosphere that we immediately tame and which makes it one of the most conventional titles. Follows the ballad 'Diaspora My Love' which is a remarkable crescendo throughout the title and which is the first composition to bring a variety of style whether in terms of intensities (a few growls alongside a clear and soft song) but also in the level of instrumentations mixing acoustic and electric with some oriental musical phrases, then, change of style with the melodic and joyful 'Mountain Fever' with its heady melody (the introduction can recall the ambiances of the Tunisians of 'Myrath') and which is then a brilliant patchwork of influences that takes us on a very exotic journey and all this in less than 6 minutes. We find this diversity in 'Inward' which follows, perhaps even more marked, which after a long instrumental introduction, combines metal guitar chords and growls with the sweetness of the song of 'Vidi' and whose melody merges east and occident and which has an amazing ending with this unbridled saxophone and rhythm section. With 'Somewhere I Sadly Belong', it is certainly the most contrasted composition which begins quietly and which brutally, pours us an extreme metal made of enraged growls but which, in the second part, is much calmer and whose melodic theme accompanies us until the end in decrescendo. We return to a very peaceful atmosphere with the beginning of 'The Stillnox Oratory' but which turns out to be a magnificent new crescendo which gradually gains momentum, to end in a vocal joust between angry growls and powerful clear vocals which suddenly falls with a few piano notes. A more classic 'Ascend' follows which offers beautiful variations of intensity in a very catchy melodic theme, the vocal performance of 'Vidi' and the vocal arrangements of the chorus being remarkable (see video here), then, 'Ya Shema Evyonecha', sung in Hebrew, makes us escape again with this exquisite mix between traditional sounds and the power of electric instruments by making it one of the titles closest to universal world music (which comforts me even more in the idea that it is these bringing together of different cultures which are the source of a remarkable creation). A more classic 'Ascend' follows which offers beautiful variations of intensity in a very catchy melodic theme, the vocal performance of 'Vidi' and the vocal arrangements of the chorus being remarkable, then, 'Ya Shema Evyonecha', sung in Hebrew, makes us escape again with this exquisite mix between traditional sounds and the power of electric instruments by making it one of the titles closest to universal world music (which comforts me even more in the idea that it is these bringing together of different cultures which are the source of a remarkable creation). I have to say that extreme vocals have never appealed to me, but it is clear that the long development 'For The Leader, With Strong Music' is a completely addicting progressive tangle and that these growls are not an end in itself, but are completely integrated into this admirable patchwork which casts a wide net and which embark us in a musical round of the earth in 8 minutes. Finally, 'Mångata' brings us out of the beautiful dream into which the group had plunged us with a moving ballad highlighting the acoustic instruments guitar and bouzouki.
In summary, this latest album from 'Subterranean Masquerade' is very rich and varied and is enjoyed with happiness from start to finish and shows that the Israelis have reached a level of maturity that allows them to tackle every styles, which destines 'Mountain Fever' to all amateurs of a multicultural progressive who also like to mix different musical genres... | |
