We are not used to leaving Chile for progressive rock releases but 'Forceland' is a Chilean group created in 2018 by guitarist 'Richard Pilnik' and keyboard player 'Claudio Momberg' and who released their first studio recording 'Driver Pace'. 'Claudio Momberg' is not unknown because he worked with the crème de la crème of international progressive rock and released with his project 'Seti' 3 albums including the last 'Bold Travels' 2016.
12 tracks for almost an hour of listening, it's the menu of 'Driver Pace' which takes us on a multitude of progressive and neo-progressive influences and we feel that these artists have been bathed in this style for decades : the album begins with 'Survival Race' which is one of the most energetic titles and which brings us back between rock and hard-rock to a sort of patchwork of progressive from the 70s, then 'A Tender Species ', introduced by a piano/voice duo, is much calmer and well reflects the style of this formation with a melody that is easily embedded in your head. Despite the fairly short titles, each composition is relatively dense, alternating beautifully the parts sung by 'Alex Valper' which has a fairly high tessitura and instrumental sections always very inventive and sought after with remarkable keyboard solos from 'Claudio Momberg' and guitar solos from 'Richard Pilnik'. Not to make a title by title, I will quote 'Losing Faith' and its simple but very effective melody, 'Inner Enemy' which can recall certain sounds of 'Genesis', 'The Deceiver' and its influences mixing several decades of progressive or yet the last title 'The Path to Uncertainty', more melancholic and which makes think of the atmospheres of 'Marillion'.
In summary, for a first album, the Chileans of 'Forceland' are already showing a good maturity and 'Driven Pace' is full of nice surprises, which makes it suitable for all those who like a melodic progressive rock containing beautiful instrumental sections and which also does not require multiple listenings because all the compositions are very accessible... | |
