Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: RAK
Label: Circle Records
Release: 2004
Rating: 4/5
RAK? Not the sea kind, not the river kind, and definitely not the boiled kind. It’s an exceptionally odd name (where it comes from, I have no idea, and there’s very little info on the band out there so far) for a young, obscure Swiss symphonic prog rock outfit who, on their debut “Lepidoptera”, serve up a seriously intriguing mix of gorgeous symphonic arrangements, powerful, expressive vocals and bombastic, epic passages. Stylistically that puts them somewhere on the border between neo-prog and symphonic prog, often the most popular and widespread forms of prog rock. You could say they’re successfully building a modern take on symphonic prog, which has definitely been enjoying a fresh boom in recent years. In RAK’s music you can hear influences from bands like Genesis (in their quartet era), Marillion (mostly the Hogarth years), Arena, The Flower Kings and Porcupine Tree, but they manage to use all of those influences in a completely their own, recognizable way, and that’s their main strength.
“Lepidoptera” is a concept album set in a dark future (or present), telling through interconnected pieces and metaphors the story of a gradual human (mostly inner) transformation, in which an individual is reborn through a cocoon, going from a lower, decadent, greed-burdened form of existence into a pure, fulfilled being who sets off on a journey toward new horizons, far away from a mentally and spiritually ruined civilization. The mood is mostly full of indelible melancholy and bitter pain, reflecting the urge for the swiftest possible transformation of the inner rage, and it keeps drifting between dark and bright moments. Singer Dave Thwaites is an excellent pick, since his voice more than captures the mood of each piece and is varied and emotional enough that anyone who swears by expressive, emotional singers in the vein of Fish (ex-Marillion) or Michael Sadler (Saga) will fall for him. The foundation and centerpiece of most of the music on the album is the gorgeous arrangements on synthesizers, organ and piano, the work of the excellent Marc Grassi, the band’s mastermind, who thankfully never becomes dominant with his artistry, nor does his ego ever run away with him (Emerson-style), since he keeps nicely balancing his work with the rest of the band.
“To The Refugee”, which sucks the listener straight into the core of the concept, opens with a majestic layer of synthesizers set over a raw rhythm line. Thwaites’ emotional vocals steer the mood nicely from gentle, when lovely piano arrangements trade places, to dramatic. Even when it’s time to show anger and pain, he fits right in with the often raw electric guitar parts and the rumbling rhythm section. The pairing of “Metamorphosis: One” and “Metamorphosis: Two” brings together a at times striking obscurity and a beauty delivered through dramatic transitions and very good synth passages. “Coming To Terms” is another beautifully sad composition, where we can again admire the talents of the individual musicians, especially Thwaites’ singing and Siegenthaler’s subtle guitar soloing. Next comes the “Lepidoptera” trilogy. The first part is full of dramatic, tense synths, then in the second a raw electric guitar line and dramatic vocals take the lead, before the third part unleashes a deranged battle charge between drums and organ. And the whole thing gets topped off with a now almost manic vocal. “Dreams Like These” proves that RAK move very well between the obscurity of metal-flavored parts and gorgeous symphonic passages: it’s played entirely on piano, with lovely curtains of sound and dramatic vocals alongside. The gloomy “The Consequences” stands out for its excellent melodies and epic feel despite the raw rhythm. On “Metamorhosis: Three” the band shows its calmer side again, with a lovely interplay between piano and a gentle acoustic guitar. On “Those Bright Wings”, with its very bright piano intro and layered vocal parts, they sound like a completely different band again. This piece too is marked by the stunning beauty of the individual keyboard arrangements and a vocal whose expressiveness is worthy of comparison with masters like Fish, Steve Hogarth (Marillion) or Geoff Tate (Queensryche). “Last Words” has indescribable melancholy and spacey keyboards, plus a remarkably subtle guitar solo that will please all fans of neo-prog’s guitar masters. “Requiem” goes from a melancholic piano intro into a dramatic guitar passage, followed by an epic climax. “Flashback” has an interesting bluesy line and a cheeky, rascally vocal, which shows just how versatile this band is. Then come a few interesting instrumentals. “Bumblebee Chae” features a neat variation on the classical piece “Flight of the Bumblebee,” played through rhythmically tight piano and electric guitar. “Play Possum” is a kind of calm piano serenade, and the same goes for “Preparation”, which proves Grassi is a classically trained keyboardist. The full band’s energy comes roaring back on the intensely melancholic “Departure”, which has the best elements of quality neo-prog and brings to mind above all the legacy of Marillion and IQ. “Migration” is an epic piece with many qualities, perhaps even the most varied on the whole album, with striking symphonic passages and prog metal exhibitions constantly flowing into each other, the latter mostly thanks to the superb guitar work and gorgeous vocal lines that elevate an already highly expressive vocal. The percussion in the opening section creates the feeling of butterfly wings beating, while the pompous finale delivers the peak of the whole album. The epic closer “Release” sounds like a heavy stone slowly rolling away, thanks mostly to the keyboards at its beginning and end. At the same time, the ending leaves a feeling of something unfinished; as if everything is still open and the saga of the “butterfly” will continue (on their next album?).
“Lepidoptera” really works as a well-rounded, cohesive whole with a constantly intense and always varied atmosphere that keeps the listener in suspense from start to finish. There are no particular standouts that clearly overshadow the rest, but no needless filler either. It’s an excellent debut and a lovely proof that all over the world there are still tons of young prog bands carrying incredible potential, bands capable of bringing symphonic-flavored prog, which in the hearts of many of us is still the best of what progressive rock has to offer and where it all began, back to life in the 21st century. I’ll admit that it’s rare for a release from some relatively new prog band to pull me in as fast as this one did (which, with prog, isn’t normally the best sign, but there are exceptions that don’t prove the rule), and even though I almost always take a good chunk of time over a review of some innovative, complex band, this time I couldn’t help but introduce this band to all lovers of advanced forms of rock music as soon as possible. You’d probably never have heard of them otherwise and would have missed out on getting to know one of the best albums of the last few years (from the broadest genre of rock music, which often breaks through every limit that usually applies elsewhere). I really hope a bright future awaits RAK and that “Lepidoptera” is only the beginning, not the end of our time with them.
Line-up
Dave Thwaites (aka Zoz) – vocals
Sam Siegenthaler – lead guitar
Tobias Reber – bass guitar
Marc Grassi (aka Rak) – keyboards
Mike Liechti – drums
Silvana Trepp – violin, backing vocals
Ursine Barandun – cello
Claudine Egger & Rosy Wisler – backing vocals
Production
Marc Grassi
Track list
1. To The Refuge (5:30)
2. Metamorphosis: one (2:56)
3. Metamorphosis: two (1:51)
4. Coming To Terms (2:32)
5. Lepidoptera: Freefall (1:01)
6. Lepidoptera: Beast (1:41)
7. Lepidoptera: Savage (1:55)
8. Dreams Like These (5:59)
9. The Consequences (3:26)
10. Metamorphosis: three (4:45)
11. Those Bright Wings (5:22)
12. Last Words (2:23)
13. Requiem (3:27)
14. Flashback (1:45)
15. Bumblebee Chase (1:38)
16. Play Possum (1:45)
17. Preparation (0:50)
18. Departure (4:22)
19. Migration (6:28)
20. Release (3:01)
Album length: 62:35
