{"id":8095,"date":"2021-07-29T11:20:40","date_gmt":"2021-07-29T09:20:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kessel-tamerus.nl\/Esthers_Blog\/?p=8095"},"modified":"2024-06-16T15:54:00","modified_gmt":"2024-06-16T13:54:00","slug":"metamorphosis-im-not-a-hero","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kessel-tamerus.nl\/Esthers_Blog\/cd-recensie\/metamorphosis-im-not-a-hero\/","title":{"rendered":"Metamorphosis \u2013 I’m Not A Hero"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Als je deze recensie liever in het Nederlands leest, kun je hier klikken<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There aren’t that many prog rock bands from Switzerland, yet there are a few including Clepsydra, and of course Metamorphosis. The last one was founded some twenty years ago by singer\/keyboardist Jean-Pierre Schenk, he is the only one who never left the band. Jean-Pierre’s private life influences his music, hard times result in harder and more complicated music. I’m Not A Hero’ is their first album released under the Progressive Promotion Records label.
‘Dark World’ has a quiet start. By means of the guitar play of Olivier Guenat, the music becomes more intense, but not faster. In the end, the gloomy lyrics, half spoken and half sung by Jean-Pierre, is a silencer. The guitar play is a fine combination with the bass. The drums sound a bit grubby, but that’s okay here. The tempo is slow, but steady. This suits the whispering words, and the special sounds of the music. Despite the beautiful melody, the atmosphere remains somewhat gloomy, and you are drawn to listen intensely. When the tempo increases, the music becomes a bit heavier. The touch of metal comes along with the lighter tones of the keyboards, this forms a fine melange. A distorted rhythmic sound follows, and then suddenly it’s quiet\u2026What an impressive opening track.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bass tones in ‘I’m Not A Hero’ are cool, they form a nice mix with the high (keyboard) tones. The turn is less spectacular than hoped for. At one point you can hear despair in the (slow) singing. The tones of the keyboard often keeping on, usually they can be heard in the background. The emotion is also expressed by the guitar playing, the end dies away nicely. The words in ‘Little Stars Desintegrate’ sound caring, the atmosphere is a bit lighter than in the previous tracks. Vocals and music are balanced everywhere, also instrumentally everything is well balanced, the melodies are beautiful. A part of the lyrics is sung over again in a number of songs, but it doesn’t feel like a repetition. In the vocals, there is not much variation in pitch and volume. Most of the lyrics are in between talking and singing. The intense guitar play is mainly heard during the instrumental pieces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In ‘I Will Leave Tonight’ the slightly symphonic elements of, for example, the sound of string instruments and wordless choir singing are unexpected, but very well chosen. There is a beautiful twist to more tempo and volume, the music becomes clearly heavier; yet the classical influences remain present for a while. The intro of ‘Leftovers’ is compelling, the lyrics almost depressing. The main character seems to look back on his life with melancholy, yet the gloomy feeling is not dominant. The last sentences are sung in an impressive way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So Hard’s The Road’ has an atmospheric start, the guitar playing that accompanies it gives me goose bumps. You can notice from the lyrics that this is the last song, it doesn’t sound optimistic. Life was\/is not easy. Regret and resentment seem to dominate during his reflections. Like most songs, this one ends with a slow fade out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of vocals and atmosphere, there are some small similarities to ‘Blackstar’, David Bowie’s final album, but it does not have the same intensity. Still, you can hear various emotions in it, to which you can give your own interpretation. Maybe you can hear resignation one moment, dejection the next. Anyway, the lyrics are thought-provoking. The keyboards are important, but the bass and guitar get all the space they need. The guitar play is often intense, you regularly hear the thick sound of the bass. In general, the sound is a bit on the dull side, but it suits the sober atmosphere of the whole. I’m Not A Hero’ is a very enjoyable melancholic album.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(81\/100) (Progressive Promotion Records<\/a>) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n