Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Pendragon
Label: Toff Records
Release: 2008
Rating: 5/5
With “Pure”, the album marking their 30th anniversary, cult neo-prog veterans Pendragon have finally pulled off what they failed to achieve on the underwhelming predecessor “Believe” (2005). In thrilling fashion, they’ve opened up some completely new sonic chapters and stepped away from the usual neo prog rock ingredients, which were once a blessing but lately kept them stuck in the same spot, so that listeners could almost wearily predict what each new album would bring.
Back in the day, they were totally dependent on the neo prog legacy and, in their revival of classic 70s prog rock, hugely successful too, but you can’t wear out the same formula forever, and even their followers wanted something fresh that still came loaded with all their trademark instrumental strengths. If “Believe” almost completely crashed and burned in its nearly forced search for those new sonic realms, meant to break with the blind (and fruitless) following of the legacy of the masterpiece “Masquerade Overture” (1996), then on “Pure” Pendragon have finally matured into those intentions and reached the next stage of their musical evolution, which, by the looks of it, is far from over.
Basically, “Pure” is everything the ill-fated “Believe” should have been. It manages to present the band in some new, previously unexplored guises, yet keeps all their main strengths intact, led by Barrett’s emotional guitar mastery and Nolan’s keyboard acrobatics. Nick, Clive and the rest of the gang have never sounded so convincing blending their traditional melodic-symphonic arrangements and sensitive slide guitar bits with motifs from other genres such as metal, AOR and folk, and there are even traces of world music here and there. There’s no shortage of aggressive, at times downright downtuned metal outbursts either, the kind I’d sooner have credited to Clive’s band Arena than to Pendragon.
Although Nick usually writes the vast majority of Pendragon’s music, this time he clearly listened closely to Clive’s ideas too, and the new drummer Scott Higham, who previously cut his teeth with NWOBHM heroes Angel Witch and prog metallers Shadow Keep, has undoubtedly contributed to the noticeably harder sound of some of the material. His background is confirmed by the use of a double bass pedal, which gives certain sections of the songs such punch, not to say brutality, that we’ve hardly ever heard from Pendragon before. In that respect, Scott is an outstanding addition. You can even stumble upon a surprisingly successful pinch of AOR (“The Freakshow”). And to the delight of all symphonic prog fans, Nick and Clive haven’t forgotten about the traditional weaving of tasteful orchestral arrangements and the usual highly melodic space rock mantras with a heavy Pink Floyd influence. Clive, who sounded rather cramped on “Believe”, once again gets plenty of room for his signature keyboard magic. Some of the symphonic textures are even among the best of his varied career, which is sure to enchant all the maestro’s loyal followers.
Nick’s vocals, with all their thin, eccentric, elfin uniqueness, have often been a problem for many listeners (especially in the high registers during balladic moments) and are usually the main source of criticism aimed at the band. Here they sit mostly in the background of the production, while good backing vocals and assorted effects enrich them further and nicely mask his usual shortcomings. On top of that, the album, as usual, is dominated by longer instrumental sections, but there are no more 15-minute or 20-minute “wank-fests”. The longest song on the album, “Indigo”, runs under 14 minutes. Credit where it’s due here too, because unlike most of its predecessors, “Pure” flies by in a flash and doesn’t sound stretched out for a single second, which is more than welcome in a flood of modern prog revivalists who are usually not satisfied unless they make an album at least 78 minutes long, even if half the songs are enough to put you to sleep.
The majestic opening epic “Indigo”, which at just under 14 minutes is the longest piece on the album, introduces some completely new, let’s call them somewhat darker and more down-to-earth, Pendragon in an utterly convincing way. We witness a highly inventive weaving of punchy rhythmic parts, with an almost metal-style pounding approach on the drums and Nick’s unusually sharp guitar riffing, into the traditional waves of Clive’s symphonic synth textures. Nick’s vocals, too, are delivered with an undisguised hint of anger, which we’re not usually used to from him. The usual Pendragon cheerfulness has more than convincingly made way for the darker motifs we normally get from Clive’s Arena or IQ. The ending even features world music elements through female Native American-shamanic chants that considerably brighten the gloomy atmosphere. Prog traditionalists, meanwhile, will be fully satisfied by the many waves of mellotron and Nick’s Floydian slide solos, which guarantee this excellent composition the status of a new Pendragon classic.
“Eraserhead” is yet another excellent proof of how Pendragon have completely succeeded on “Pure” in combining their traditional neo prog finesse with crunchy, punchy metal tunes, which now make their sound appealing to a good number of new fans. Catchy melodic choruses are expertly woven in among a legion of totally different instrumental motifs and unexpected transitions, marked by an interplay of high symphonic style, punchy riffing and space rock solos from the two main pillars of their sound. There’s also an unusually rebellious lyric and almost chilling barbaric shouts. The epic wreath “Comatose” is a conceptual trilogy split into separate songs, even though it could have been released as one combined, longer epic, but the band decided there would be no more 15-minute pieces on the album this time (a move I fully approve of).
The first part, “View From The Seashore”, with calm electric piano motifs in the intro, pulls you toward the traditional symphonic prog rock Pendragon we’re normally used to. Then Nick’s raw metal riffing and the hammering of Higham’s double bass pedal cut in uncompromisingly. In all its thrash metal glory, it’s something completely new, but a surprisingly successful surprise. That surprise doesn’t last long, and what follows are majestic symphonic and space rock atmospheric outbursts, which, paired with fiery drum passages, have never sounded so well-oiled. Orchestral samples announce the second part, “Space Cadet”. It’s another exceptionally dynamic creation that carries on with the successful establishment of Pendragon’s new, modern face. The closing part, “High And Dry”, which with its highly atmospheric Floydian ambient palettes is once again a little closer to the traditional Pendragon, will leave speechless everyone who never dared imagine Nick would one day use the word “fucking” in a lyric.
“The Freak Show”, the aforementioned treat, is easily some of the best stuff they’ve ever made, with its infectious AOR chorus. After a furious metal intro with downtuned guitar riffing and thunderous drum pounding comes a wonderful, highly ambient section with enchanting slide passages and rainbow-colored symphonic keyboard textures. The majestic, instantly catchy chorus, where Nick’s vocals are enriched with dramatic backing harmonies, is one of the best in their story. The closing “It’s Only Me” is another excellent and thoroughly successful experiment, surprising with the harmonica in the intro, the kind you’d sooner expect in blues than in prog. Although at first it seems it will be the only ballad on the album, that’s not the case, because after a gentle opening it quickly drifts into full-on space rock ambient realms. Along the way you can also hear female operatic vocals via programmed keyboard samples, which were used much better this time than on “Believe”. This composition is one of those majestic Pendragon epics that, with its symphonic-ambient beauty led by shatteringly emotional slide guitar bits, sound like true revelations of new magical horizons, carrying the listener’s spirit toward higher spheres. Nick and Clive keep proving that they have a perfect grasp of the fundamental virtue of quality progressive rock.
“Pure” is one of the loveliest surprises in progressive rock to come out in 2008, even though some had written the band off completely as burnt out and without a compass, especially after the previous failed experiment. Nobody really expected such a fresh, dynamic and eclectic record from Pendragon, so besides the loyal followers, this time even those who happened to lose interest in their music over the years will be thrilled. The moment to renew your sympathy for the band on the occasion of their 30th anniversary couldn’t be better. With “Pure”, Nick and the gang are finally establishing themselves as a modern band, unburdened by their neo prog past. After “Pure”, no opponent will be able to brand them a second-rate copy of Marillion or Pink Floyd anymore, or whine about recycled arrangements, claiming they were copied straight from the prog classics. The only problem with “Pure” is that, with all its variety and catchiness, it flies by in a flash from start to finish.
Lineup
Nick Barrett – vocals, guitar, keyboard programming
Clive Nolan – keyboards, backing vocals
Peter Gee – bass guitar
Scott Higham – drums, backing vocals
Production
Nick Barrett
Track list
1. Indigo (13:44)
2. Eraserhead (9:05)
3. Comatose (I View From The Seashore) (7:41)
4. Comatose (II Space Cadet) (4:02)
5. Comatose (III Home and Dry) (5:55)
6. The Freak Show (4:26)
7. It’s Only Me (8:16)
Album length: 53:10
