Author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Artist: Ten
Label: Frontiers Records
Release: 2017
Running time: 56:04
Rating: 4/5
With a grand total of thirteen studio albums, Ten, the cult British melodic rock masters of moody pomp and bombastic rhetoric, are hitting the scene once again. This time they’ve wrapped themselves in dramatic tales of the kind human history writes, ones that remain shrouded in eternal mystery to this day. A perfect cue to set the human imagination on fire. Inspiration and enthusiasm for all kinds of themes that whisk the listener off to a fantasy world at lightning speed are something Ten’s boss, main composer and singer Gary Hughes is in no way short of, even after 22 years of the band’s existence.
The band is back with the album »Gothica«, once again under the wing of the Italian label Frontiers Records. Given the themes chosen, the new record feels different from its predecessor »Isla De Muerta« (2015). The atmosphere is full of darkness and doom, mysteries, with a touch of the mystical, and there are moments that even stir up a bit of »wickedness. »Gothica« sounds secretive and gloomy, and eerie too.
The track Travellers turned out especially well for the band among all the new offerings. Thanks to its incredibly distinctive musical and atmospheric build-up, it could get heavy rotation on radio stations that have at least a shred of feeling for a healthy rock’n’roll aesthetic. No wonder, then, that the band picked this track for the big promotional push for the new album and shot a music video for it too. »Gothica« is the third album in a row from the new Ten lineup. That’s the current sextet, which now features no fewer than three guitarists. And with this new effort Ten are maturing like good old wine. The longer they keep at it, the more mellow and ripe their music gets. In a relatively short time, Hughes has once again put out more than an hour of excellent material, marked by an extremely colorful and dynamic passion for the lead motifs the compositions are built on. These are often stretched out in a bombastic way. Throughout, it’s a vivid build-up of moods, from the intro through the modulations in the middle instrumental passages,.. And Ten manage to pull all of this off with remarkable efficiency. The gripping atmosphere keeps the listener constantly on edge. We also run into the occasional flirtation with elements of neoclassical music, which blends superbly with the themes of the new album. Two such moments are precisely the calmest ones on the record: Paragon and, near the end of the album, Into Darkness. Gary Hughes’ lead vocal is once again deftly seasoned with harmonies from multi-part backing vocals, which helps build up and lift the pompous atmosphere.
The peaks of the moods are captured in the chorus melodies, of which the album once again has a whole bunch, and it’s truly incredible that Hughes’ thoroughly tested recipe keeps igniting so full-bloodedly time and again. It’s fascinating that over all these years it hasn’t worn down one bit in expression or delivery, nor been sanded smooth, nor faded. That’s why it stays forever evergreen and fresh. I’m talking about the artistry the band somehow managed to cement with the album »In the Name of The Rose« (1995), which over twenty years got an exceptional upgrade in maturity and expressive definition, and that’s what’s on show on the new one, the «Gothica« album. There’s no shortage of aesthetics and perfection, both in sound and in composition. Hughes’ vocal performance effectively brings emotions and passions to life, which gives the songs an even greater degree of »polish«, even more fiery glow and theatrical solemnity. The contrasts between the building blocks of the sonic landscape are splendidly balanced, and Hughes’ vocal, with its typical mid-range stance, carries a slight tonal shade that deepens the gloom and the occult, adding to the songs, in the final tally, that all-important dot on the »i«, the otherwise strict artistic definition of character and work, which remains one of Ten’s most striking trademarks. Most of the songs are driven at a mid-tempo pace. As expected. The middle instrumental sections, or passages, are again a big treat in themselves. They’re sprinkled with excellent guitar solos.
In a somewhat impoverished year for melodic rock albums, Ten bring us the new »Gothica«, one of the highlights among this year’s new releases. Hughes and his crew are exceptionally seasoned musicians. And the proverbially high-quality delivery of this esteemed and thoroughly excellent band stays unblemished with the new album too. It keeps the compositional polish of its predecessor »Isla De Muerta« while bringing a somewhat different atmosphere, so you’ll have to decide for yourselves which of the two albums you like better. The pirate predecessor or the successor full of mysteries. One thing is clear: with »Gothica«, Ten remain the very definition of compositional perfection and a great constant of musical quality.
Ten – Traveller (official video):
Lineup
Gary Hughes – vocals, backing vocals, guitar, bass guitar, programming
Dann Rosingana – guitar
Steve Grocott – guitar
John Halliwell – guitar
Steve McKenna – bass guitar
Darrel Treece-Birch – keyboards
Max Yates – drums, percussion
GUEST MUSICIAN:
Karen Fell – backing vocals
Production
Gary Hughes
Track list
1. The Grail
2. Jekyll And Hyde
3. Travellers
4. Man For All Seasons
5. In My Dreams
6. The Wild King Of Winter
7. Paragon
8. Welcome To The Freak Show
9. La Luna Dra-cu-la
10. Into Darkness
