Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Pallas
Label: Self-released
Released: 2014
Runtime: 54:28
Rating: 4/5
Scottish neo-prog veterans Pallas have made their first studio album since 2011 with »Wearewhoweare«, the year the conceptual masterpiece »XXV« came out, a follow-up to the classic »The Sentinel« (1984), which was pretty hard to find enough superlatives for. Pallas fans are used to this cult band always taking its sweet time writing new material, but their patience is almost always richly rewarded, and this time is no different. »Wearewhoweare« admittedly isn’t as ambitious as its excellent concept-album predecessor, but that’s far from saying it lacks fascinating creations, with which the ‘old cats’ prove that in the years between the two albums they’ve stockpiled a heaping gallon of fresh ideas.
Singer Paul Mackie, the third vocalist in Pallas history so far, already slotted perfectly into the creative vision of all three original members on »XXV«, that is guitarist Niall Mathewson, bassist Graeme Murray and keyboardist Ronnie Brown, while drummer Colin Fraser hasn’t been a newcomer for a long time either, so over the past three years the band has built up an enviable creative chemistry. Mackie, normally a cheerful guy with a deep sense of humor, was battling chronic depression while this album was coming together, and his feelings at the time had a big influence on the makeup of the individual »Wearewhoweare« lyrics, which are mostly pretty cynical and fatalistic and in perfect harmony with the rather dark atmosphere of most of the songs. Anger at modern society, which in its greedy chase for profit has lost every last bit of empathy for fellow human beings, is present at every turn.
So the lyrics, much like on »XXV«, are full of bitter criticism of modern society, only this time they’re not camouflaged in a sci-fi story about the vengeful march of a ‘scourge of God’ from Atlantis, but refer to concrete events and feelings from the present-day world. As usual, keyboardist Brown had the final say on most of the symphonic arrangements, while the seasoned rhythm section took care of the punchy vibes, backed by Mathewson’s virtuoso electric guitar work. Pallas, always known as one of the tougher neo-prog acts, sound almost as dark on »Wearewhoweare« as, say, Arena or IQ. The very rare optimistic moments, though, instantly remind longtime fans of the brighter, more ambient chapters of Pallas’ past.
The opening track, »Shadows Of The Sun«, originally called »Big City«, is lyrically about a hidden nook where a socially awakened individual can occasionally escape the madness of everyday life and various corporate manipulations. Mathewson doesn’t hold back on punchy guitar phrases, while harmonic washes between guitar and keyboards quickly take shape in the best Pallas epic tradition. There’s no doubt this superb opening will quickly earn classic status among the band’s fans. »New Life« is an extremely contemplative piece with a heart-piercing guitar solo, which will only surprise those who don’t know Niall’s instrumental output so far, while Mackie sings the whole thing with plenty of feeling.
»Harvest Moon« has an extremely dark, almost gothic atmosphere and lyrics that could be about fantasy vampires or ‘just’ the personal anguish of someone surrounded by the ‘real vampires’ of the corporate world or politics. It’s no exaggeration to say that »And I Wonder Why« is one of the most beautiful and deepest songs of Pallas’ career so far. Plenty of soul-stirring guitar passages are subtly harmonized with melancholic synth textures, while Mackie’s emotionally shattering singing is combined very effectively with layered vocal harmonies.
»Dominion« is another distinctly fatalistic, ambient piece, and it goes really well with the album’s comic-creepy cover, which looks like it could have been made by the cult illustrator Gerald Scarfe, best known for his work with Pink Floyd. The band crafts elegant transitions into symphonically seasoned harmonies, with a mighty chorus arriving at just the right moments, exactly when the dark instrumental sections threaten to become almost too dominant. »Wake Up Call«, one of the most experimental moments on the whole album, opens with furious bass lines and cold-sounding digital samples on the synths, followed by a superb shift into an epic section that nods a bit toward some of their classics from the eighties.
»In Cold Blood« is a pretty depressing ballad with mournful piano arrangements and Mackie singing so emotionally you’d think his heart had just broken from sorrow. The band’s anger peaks on the closing epic, the gloomy showstopper »Winter Is Coming«, yet another instant classic, where the arrival of winter and frost doesn’t mean winter joys and a festive mood, but the triumph of gloom, depression and apathy, that is, the usual moods of the average resident of the Republic of Slovenia. Here, amid plenty of complex mood swings and multi-part harmonies, Pallas once again masterfully pull off an epic chorus that will thrill especially all the longtime fans, since it’s one of the most emotionally powerful moments on the whole record.
With »Wearewhoweare«, Pallas have made the darkest album of their long, complex career, which amid plenty of shattering arrangements and moving moments also serves up a lot of ‘food for thought’ in a world where thinking too hard for yourself is unwelcome or even punished. The Scottish neo-prog enthusiasts have always been among the most intellectually sharp bands out there, and this time they’ve nicely merged some personal stories with topical, socially critical themes, so nobody is really going to miss a new sci-fi concept. For now, »Wearewhoweare« can only be ordered through Pallas’ website.
Lineup
Paul Mackie – vocals
Graeme Murray – bass guitar, backing vocals
Niall Mathewson – guitar
Ronnie Brown – keyboards, backing vocals
Colin Fraser – drums, backing vocals
Production
Niall Mathewson and Graeme Murray
Track list
1. Shadow of the Sun (7:39)
2. New Life (4:51)
3. Harvest Moon (7:19)
4. And I Wonder Why (7:05)
5. Dominion (9:09)
6. Wake Up Call (6:33)
7. In Cold Blood (3:52)
8. Winter Is Coming (8:00)
