Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Knight Area
Label: The Laser's Edge
Release: 2011
Duration: 61:47
Rating: 4.5/5
The Dutchmen of Knight Area are one of the younger neo-prog rock outfits around, having started out in 2004 as a solo project of keyboardist Gerben Klazinga. They won over fans with a harder-hitting take on neo-prog, which makes them especially interesting for anyone who loves bands like Arena, Fish-era Marillion and Pallas, while every now and then they plant one foot in prog metal too. »Nine Paths« was their fourth studio album and, up to that point, in many ways the most ambitious effort from this technically polished, arrangement-savvy band. The leading roles in building its sprawling, varied soundscapes go to Klazinga’s keyboard wizardry, Mark Smit’s excellent vocals and the boundless virtuosity of guitarist Mark Vermeule, who left Knight Area after this album to chase other challenges. The rhythm section takes its cues entirely from eighties neo-prog, and with Knight Area the melodic side is always strongly pronounced, which makes them a pretty accessible band for anyone who isn’t looking for wild improvisational freakouts or ultra-complex rhythmic gymnastics.
»Nine Paths« is a seriously fun neo-prog adventure from start to finish, kicked off in fine style by the melodramatic »Eversince You Killed Me«. A turbulent instrumental intro has Vermeule, who in his string work at times sounds like a rougher, less refined version of Steve Rothery (Marillion), proving he’s not shy about reaching for hard-rock guitar phrases. That’s followed by a calm, almost balladic section where the key role falls to Smit’s emotional vocal performance. His voice has that theatrical stamp so typical of most neo-prog singers, but its tone would also suit some other genres, melodic rock above all, where he’d feel right at home too. Klazinga impresses throughout with subtle layers of wide-open keyboard curtains, which team up with melancholic guitar variations to play a big part in building the epic atmosphere.
»Summerland« is laced with high synth tones and punchy guitar passages backed by massive drum transitions, which makes this song, a successful blend of complexity and punch, brim with boundless ‘kinetic’ energy. The keyboard and guitar improvisations in between nicely spice up the melodic nature of the composition, while Smit, with his charisma and range, is once again excellent at steering the melodramatic mood vocally. A brilliant guitar solo carries everything neatly to a pompous, hard-hitting finish.
On the love ballad »Please Come Home«, a special guest joined Mark Smit on additional lead vocals: the charming Charlotte Wessels, singer of symphonic metallers Delain. With her classically trained voice she nails the contrast between female and male vocal harmonies, which gives the song a really special kind of magic, so the experiment turned out to be a flat-out win. The ‘weeping’ guitar solo in the closing section is further proof that Vermeule knows Steve Rothery’s playing and style pretty well.
»Clueless« is another fun and unexpected experiment, containing some elements of melodic rock and prog metal. Most AOR bands wouldn’t be ashamed of its excellent, epic-tinged chorus, while the punchy guitar passages and combative rhythm section sit almost entirely on a prog-metal footing this time. »The River« offers a nice contrast with its epic intro, followed by a moving ballad section where, amid refined arrangements, the emotional depth of Smit’s vocals once again comes to the fore as he tells a gripping story about the history of a mighty river that human malice eventually polluted. Smit’s lyrics are mostly seasoned with social-critical notes, though sometimes they stray into personal territory. Layered harmonies between guitar and synth conjure up classic neo-prog sound motifs, while the dynamic rhythm section provides some passionate atmospheric twists.
The short but seriously lively instrumental »Pride And Joy« has branching bass lines which, together with spirited keyboard and guitar improvisations, bring a hefty jazz-fusion flavor into the sonic collage. »The Balance« has a melancholic and relatively dark opening part where Smit’s vocals deliver real drama. That’s followed by a superb switch into an epic section with pompous symphonic arrangements and a hard-grafting rhythm section, while the odd improvisational excursion doesn’t undermine the melodic side of this excellent composition in the slightest.
»Wakerun« is marked by epic harmonies, where synth textures flow into guitar passages with real finesse, and there’s no shortage of dramatic drum transitions either. With its cosmic, atmospheric touch, the instrumental section even briefly nods to some Eloy standards, before Smit once again shines with a bravura vocal performance. The melodramatic epic »Angel’s Call« closes the album in an atmospherically grand and deep way. A ballad-leaning intro with fragile piano arrangements and ‘weeping’ guitar passages slowly builds tense drama, followed by a shift into a strongly melancholic section where Smit, surrounded by numerous subtle arrangements, wins you over with his moving, multilayered vocal expression.
With »Nine Paths«, Knight Area have made an album that’s endlessly listenable and stylistically all over the map, showing off nine sides of this superb Dutch neo-prog band across nine tracks of equally high quality. »Nine Paths« is a true treat for anyone who swears by complex, challenging yet melodic and accessible prog rock without a single dull moment. At the iO Pages festival, Knight Area even received a special ‘prog rock 2012’ award for best album for »Nine Paths«. It was handed to them by keyboard live wire Ryo Okumoto of Spock’s Beard.
Lineup
Gerben Klazinga – keyboards
Mark Smit – vocals, backing vocals
Mark Vermeule – guitar
Gijs Koopman – bass guitar, Moog Taurus pedals
Pieter van Hoorn – drums
GUEST SINGER:
Charlotte Wessels (Delain) – vocals (3)
Production
Gerben Klazinga
Tracklist
1. Eversince You Killed Me (10:02)
2. Summerland (7:26)
3. Please Come Home (5:24)
4. Clueless (4:18)
5. The River (7:45)
6. Pride And Joy (2:46)
7. The Balance (6:24)
8. Wakerun (8:05)
9. Angel’s Call (9:37)
