THALAMUS (Soul) CD
I was estatic when another THALAMUS album was announced for 2013. Since the release of the debut full-length 'Beneath A Dying Sun' via Grooveyard Records, I became a fan of this Swedish outfit. For me personally, THALAMUS are among the best that the continually growing classic rock scene has to offer. This statement is supported further by 'Soul', and the band couldn't have found a better album title than this, because here we definitely have a very soulful affair. This is largely due to the fact that guitarist/vocalist Kjell Bergendahl and his crew have lost nothing of their amazing talent. No matters whether the songs are heavy or more mellow - everything has been done perfectly and is spot on.
Throughout 'Soul', the band is intent on exploring a number of different musical angles. Everything from 1970s hard rock to progressive rock is displayed, usually with winning results. As already successfully proven with the previous releases, THALAMUS blends musical influences and makes them their own. Moreover, it all comes off as natural, and every style has enough in common with the others to seem like a true display of creativity rather than a mish-mash of styles for the sake of proving "diversity". The crunching opener 'This House Is Going Down In Fire' opens the album with a blast, full of prevailing riffs and Kjell Bergendahl's distinctive melodic vocals - a combination that has worked over the years for the band, and continues to shine.
'Whenever I Fall' is a perfect combination of old and new THALAMUS. On the one hand there is the twin-guitar attack, and on the other hand the band has integrated a few progressive dabs. But basically, THALAMUS come up with an album where there is something to grab onto in every song. All in all, 'Soul' picks right up where they left off with 'Subterfuge' (review here), and if you liked any of their early releases, this will not dissappoint. For all the others: 'Soul' is a pretty good start. I could listen to it on repeat all night...
(KK)