Artist : Realisea

Album : Mantelpeace

Release Date : 20-04-2020

Added : 24-05-2020

'Realisea' is the project of 'Brian de Graeve', guitarist, singer and songwriter of the Dutch neo-progressive group 'Silhouette' whose latest album 'The World Is Flat and Other Alterative Facts' dates from 2017, and 2020 finally sees the release of the first album under the name 'Realisea' after a long gestation of several years, Brian having created this project with his wife Marjolein in 2011 and in the family 'de Greave', they play music in family because their son 'Geoffrey de Graeve' is a bass player, 'Rob van Nieuwenhuijzen' and 'Christophe Rapenne' who complete the line up, respectively on drums and keyboards. Also note that this project appealed to many quite diverse guests, both at the vocal level and at an instrumental level, such as artists that I particularly like, 'Michel St-Père' and 'Jean Pageau' from 'Mystery' (see their latest album here).

Overall, their style is part of a peaceful and serene rock in the tradition of bands like 'Mostly Autumn', 'Mystery' or in the latest releases like 'MOON HALO' or 'Drowning Steps'. 'Las Vegas Lace' begins the album with the most energetic title and we discover the sweet voice of 'Marjolein de Graeve' with a melody which easily gets stuck in the head, then 'Deep Blue' in a more calm and light register reminds me of the sounds of 'Renaissance' and the 7 minutes of 'Riroda Roads' make it a magnificent semi-acoustic ballad interspersed two-thirds by a part sung by children. With 'Strong Enough', we stay in the atmosphere of the previous title and it is Brian who officiates at singing which allows to vary the vocal section, then, 'Leave Street' unrolls a beautiful melody in which 'Michel Saint Père' poses a beautiful guitar solo at the end of the title and 'Out of this World' is again a beautiful ballad with a very beautiful piano/voice duo on which the vocal arrangements are remarkable. The rest of the album continues with 'Your Part', more fast with a beautiful instrumental part in the second part of the title, more posed, then, 'Circles if Silence' with beautiful melodic lines and a magnificent vocal duo 'Marjolein by Graeve'/'Jean Pageau', and 'This Time' recalls 'Barclay James Harvest' period 'Ring Of Changes'. The album ends beautifully with the soft acoustic 'Liquid Domino' mixing the two beautiful voices of the couple 'de Graeve' and 'Our Stage', the longest and most progressive track on the album which sums up the whole in an atmosphere alternating acoustic and electric passages with an epic finish.

In summary, the Dutch of 'Realisea' are releasing a very beautiful album which can be enjoyed in a calm place, headphones on the ears, and if you like the atmospheres of a peaceful progressive rock, 'Mantelpeace' is without no doubt for you...

Line Up / Musicians

Brian de Graeve (Vocal, Guitar), Geoffrey de Graeve (Bass), Marjolein de Graeve (Vocal, Flute), Rob van Nieuwenhuijzen (Drums), Christophe Rapenne (Keybords) + Guests : Aldo Adema (Guitar), Rindert Bul (Guitar), Suzan van den Engel (Harp), Duncan de Graeve (Vocal), Mila Kamstra (Violin), Tamara van Coetsveld (Clarinette), Bart Laan (Guitar), Erik Laan (Keybords), Gert Otten (Cor), Jean Pageau (Vocal), Michel St-Père (Guitar), Simon Rogers (Guitar), Jos Uffing (Bass, Vocal), Sophie Zaaijer (Violin)