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Band: Sleeping Pulse
Album title: Under The Same Sky
Release date: 31 October 2014
Label: Prophecy Productions
Tracklist:
01. Parasite
02. Gagging Order
03. Backfire
04. The Puppeteer
05. Foreign Body
06. The Blind Lead The Blind
07. Painted Rust
08. Noose
09. War
10. Under The Same Sky
What possibly can happen out of a musical collaboration between one of the masters of melancholic atmospheric rock, Mick Moss (Antimatter), and Portuguese composer Luís Fazendeiro (Painted Black)? Nothing else but another top release for all those who want their music to be melancholic, soothing, atmospheric, deep,... Sleeping Pulse is a musical project that on the debut albums serves with all that, but yet Under The Same Sky is so much more, it's a modern album with impeccable and very refined compositions and production, it's an album of many aspects that goes deep into the very essence of fragile, yet heart-breaking rock music. Mick Moss who was concetrating mainly on lyrics and vocal lines with his recognisable emotional rather raspy voice adds that special depth and sad note to the Sleeping Pulse's sound that has that special Antimatter feeling from the last two albums (Leaving Eden/Fear Of A Unique Identity) engraved in its core. But as well Fazendeiro's compositions and his ability to create marvelous spacious melodies leaves the listener breathless.
Under The Same Sky is like a movie score offering ten beautiful songs full of contrast where solid guitar riffs together with acoustic passages, enriched with some electronic elements, yet with a progressive musical body wakens up the most inner feelings. Those of you who were deeply moved by both Antimatters before mentioned albums and the latest offerings from Anathema will be most certainly enthused by those vibrant sounds. Now granted with one of the best ever vocal performances by Mick, the songs have that necessary homogeneity and kind of a remarkable flow. Like always the words written by the hand of Mick are thoughtful and this time he deals with abysses of the human soul and grounds his lyrics on an elaborate concept about sociopathic manipulation.
The album reaches some kind of a climax many times, and already with the fragile and seducing opener "Parasite", where vocals and guitar lines intertwine so perfectly to create such an astounding ambiance that slowly builds up, I was bought in an instance. Then the feeling so familiar with the one from Anathema's recent stuff is more than present on "Gagging Order", and the test for how much melancholy can we withstand is given with "The Puppeteer", "Backfire" and "The Blind Lead The Blind", just listen to those fragile and emotional lines created by string arrangement. While most of the tracks have that special slowly building up character, I must expose the absolutely mind-blowing guitar job on the gloomy "Painted Rust" with kind of a tribal percussion conjuring up a really hypnotic vibrations. Then the dramatic "War" where every element is in perfect symbiosis with another just to reach that absolutely solemn pathos that gives some shivers. The most heavy track up here, "Noose" is a reminder about the roots of involved musicians, while the echoing vocals and overall ambiance on "Foreign Body" in a way reminded me to a strange, but very tasteful mix between R.E.M., Pearl Jam and Pink Floyd.
Sleeping Pulse did a mesmerizing job and Under The Same Sky is one of those albums that with its warmth and special atmosphere seduces and gives comfort and I can only hope that sooner or later it will have its successor. Even if this album is multi-faceted and versatile it's an easy listen because it's compact and is often serving with sweeping captivating melodies, but still keeps the gloomy melancholic feeling at the highest levels. In my opinion this album is one of the highlights of atmospheric melancholic rock ever released and it's no wonder why the label such as Prophecy Productions didn't hesitate to release it.
Review written by: T.V.
Rating: 9/10
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