SUBTERRANEAN MASQUERADE: Vagabond (PROGRESSIVE METAL): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

"Hello my friend/ we meet again/ it wasn't long ago that we visited The Grand Bazaar." The lyrics of 'Place For Fairytales' are clear. "Vagabond", the third opus of Subterranean Masquerade, is the sequel to "The Great Bazaar" released in 2014.

Let's go to the East. The timeless and unclassifiable masterpiece "Suspended Animation Dreams" will not have a sequel. The profound change of line-up that followed it and which saw the arrival of several Israeli musicians including the guitarist Or Shelev and the drummer of Orphaned Land Matan Shmuely, had the effect of making the music of the band evolve towards a progressive metal with strong oriental connotation. With this album, Subterranean Masquerade confirms and continues this musical evolution.

"Vagabond" exudes the Orient through all its sonic arabesques and definitely anchors the band's sound to a folk progressive rock. As good as they are, the superb progressive metal tracks 'Nomad' and 'Waves' are only a transition between this album and its predecessor. Because of metal, there is very little question of it, even if the alternation of clear and growl vocals, held by Eliran Wizeman instead of Paul Khur, are there to reinforce the originality of the concept.

The magnificent track 'Kippur' is emblematic of the musical wealth developed by the octet. A fusion of progressive rock, jazz and Yiddish music, it is a melting pot of cultures and musical influences where accordion, clarinet and violin backing a death metal song to an irresistible pop chorus.

However, "Vagabond" is not devoid of flaws. First of all because the exercise has its limits and some tracks are more like mazurka than rock, even progressive ('Dales Bavos', 'As You Are'). Then because the group has the ludicrous idea to finish the album with a doom version of David Bowie's 'Space Oddity' which, in spite of a beautiful clarinet solo, doesn't bring anything to the original, and especially breaks the coherence of the album by being totally anachronic.

In spite of or thanks to its imperfections, "Vagabond" and its assumed musical patchwork is however an endearing album which conceals real moments of grace. Obviously not as good as "Suspended Animation Dreams" but better than "The Great Bazaar", it will delight the fans of bright and colourful music. - Official website

SUBTERRANEAN MASQUERADE

VAGABOND

VICISOLUM PRODUCTIONS

PROGRESSIVE METAL