As I mentioned during my last review of 'Drifting Sun' with the album 'Forsaken Innocence' in 2021 with its various line up changes, 'Pat Sanders' has once again released its address book of the cream of progressive and calls on new artists: it is now the ex member of 'Pendragon', 'Fudge Smith' who takes the place of drummer and it is the guitarist 'Ralph Cardall' who is now inducted in replacement of 'Mathieu Speater' who goes a long way with 'Pat Senders'. But, each time, the various changes in no way alter the quality of the 'Drifting Sun' albums and 'Veil' is still a model of the genre with all the ingredients of what any fan of progressive rock desires. find in this style.
First of all, although this album only has 47 minutes on the clock, we find a perfect balance between long developments and other shorter compositions, without forgetting the small instrumentals, one to introduce the opus and the other in the middle of the album. We are welcomed, not without nostalgia, by a melancholy melody with this characteristic sound of a scratched LP which, for those over 50, takes us back to our records listened to many times in the past, then, 'Frailty' unfolds the most long title of the album which takes us into a sought-after and inventive progressive labyrinth in which the instrumental sections highlight all the artists and whose sung parts (magnificently by 'John Kosmidis', aka 'Jargon') are a pure moment of happiness, without forgetting this remarkable finale with majestic choirs which fill the entire sound space. Follows 'Eros et Psyche' which softens the subject with a first part bathed in a refined atmosphere which can bring to mind certain atmospheres of 'Pendragon', 'Jargon' offering a magnificent duet with 'Pat Sanders' on the piano, then, halfway through, the other artists come to join them for a more lively section continuing in the same melodic theme. With 'The Thing', the atmosphere evoking a Viking gathering is more serious even if the acoustic guitar softens the whole and the very beautiful male choirs take an important place by adding an even greater harshness. In opposition, the little piano comma '2-Minute Waltz' brings a beautiful lightness showing all the talent of 'Pat Sanders' on the piano, then, another change of scenery awaits us with 'Through the Veil' which is more direct with a lively melody always very well sung by 'Jargon' accompanied by choirs and which highlights some instrumental arabesques with an oriental touch, without forgetting the admirable rhythm section made up of 'Jon Jowitt' and 'Fudge Smith' which leads dancing admirably (see video above). It's another change of atmosphere with 'The Old Man' whose poignant theme describes the eminent death of an old man bruised by a life in which he certainly could not achieve everything he desired: musically , it begins in a refined manner with gentle keyboards accompanying a very moving 'Jargon', then, with the arrival of the other instruments, continues in this poignant mid-tempo to then continue with a more energetic and entirely instrumental second part in which ' Ralph Cardall' on guitar and 'Pat Sanders' offer us remarkable solos, passing the buck each other (see the video here). To end this very beautiful album, 'Cirkus' comes to tickle our eardrums with strident keyboard sounds and a jerky rhythm section which is more difficult to tame but which, in the end, makes it one of the most original tracks on the album , 'Jargon' giving a final high-level vocal performance to describe the "circus of life".
In summary, once again, 'Pat Senders, surrounded by talented artists, strikes another blow with 'Veil' which is a model of an imaginative progressive album with a remarkable variety of atmospheres and fairly immediate accessibility thanks to melodic lines that are always very catchy, without forgetting this always well-balanced alternation between the sung parts (magnificently well by 'Jargon') and instrumental sections always of great richness... | |
