‘Elements Of Hope’ is the third album by the studio project Glorious Wolf (founded by composer/guitarist Ruud Dielen).
The concept centres on the journey towards adulthood in a chaotic world marked by climate change, AI, wars and other issues. Yet hope for a better future remains. The lead vocals are provided by Frank van der Borg and Jyoti Verhoeff.
The title track (opening track) consists of five parts and begins with ‘EoH – Part 1: Instrumental’. This features, amongst other things, experimental, ‘futuristic’ sound effects and beautiful guitar playing. You can hear the transition into each part. These parts differ both instrumentally and vocally.
There’s a regular stream of unique combinations of music and soundscapes. There are various surprises, details and (electronic) sounds that I really enjoy. In ‘If I Only’, you can hear the emotion and passion.
I had expected the contrasts between the different emotions, such as ‘hope’ and ‘chaos’, to be stronger (based on the press information) . This is partly because the contrast in volume is sometimes a little too subtle. As a result, the story doesn’t quite come to life. Nevertheless, it’s a pleasure to listen to the fine compositions, performed by talented musicians. You can hear influences from previous albums, but Glorious Wolf has certainly enriched their style with ‘Elements Of Hope’.
(7,5/10) (OOB Records)
Tracklist:
01 – EoH – Part 1: Instrumental – 04:34
02 – EoH – Part 2: Carrying This Yoke – 06:15
03 – EoH – Part 3: Into The Clouds – 05:55
04 – EoH – Part 4: Instrumental – 01:42
05 – EoH – Part 5: Life’s Chaotic Spell – 05:51
06 – If You Please – 06:20
07 – If I Only – 05:46
08 – Whirlwinds and Maelstroms – 06:44
09 – Everything Must Break To Grow – 06:25