DARWIN: Five Steps On The Sun (ROCK): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

Why does a supergroup of this level lack so much recognition? The mystery remains to be solved. Yet the DarWin project is not new. It originated in 2015 with the reunion of Icelandic multi-instrumentalist and producer DarWin and drummer Simon Phillips, who needs no introduction. Since then, the duo has recorded three albums with guest appearances by Billy Sheehan and Guthrie Govan. Let's hope that with this fourth release, “Five Steps On The Sun”, the band emerges from its relative hiding-place, for they've clearly given themselves the means to do so, both in terms of composition and by inviting indisputable international stars to join them in the studio, such as Greg Howe on guitar, Derek Sherinian on keyboards, Matt Bissonette on vocals and the young Indian bass prodigy Mohini Dey. Suffice it to say that with such a line-up, quality is bound to be the order of the day. And it is, as it should be.

“Five Steps On The Sun” shines for the quality of its compositions, the virtuosity of the musicians and a constant search for melody, which means that DarWin never sacrifices the accessibility of its music on the altar of a technique that would have been very easy to emphasize. To his credit, this is also what makes the album so interesting. Of course, Greg Howe's solos and Simon Phillips' rhythmic subtleties are stratospheric, but what makes the album so enjoyable to listen to is its uninhibited eclecticism, at the frontier of several genres that DarWin has mastered to perfection.

From jazz rock ('Soul Police') to progressive rock/metal ('Inside This Zoo', 'Be That Man'), hard rock ('Imitation Suede') and even AOR ('Imitation Suede') and pop rock ('What Do We Know'), “Five Steps On The Sun” is a string of nuggets with chiselled melodies and careful vocal harmonies, so much so that only the ballad 'Seasons Of A Life' (too classic and predictable) seems a little lost in the middle of an otherwise particularly inspired tracklist.

With this very fine album, DarWin strikes hard and gives itself the means to achieve its ambitions, starting with that of finally reaching a greater number of listeners. “Five Steps On The Sun” will reconcile Toto and progressive rock/metal fans, and provide undeniable listening pleasure. In short, the ideal album for summer. - Official website

DARWIN

FIVE STEPS ON THE SUN

AUTRE LABEL

ROCK