So Close & Yet So Far Away

This new Greek band, releasing now their debut album, is one of those great findings in contemporary progressive music. Hard and sometimes heavy without ever falling on the metal spheres, Verbal Delirium comes to prove that great music knows no boundaries. It is an universal thing at the reach of any bunch of musicians that find a common goal and have the right tools, attitude, writing capabilities and the necessary connections to put out their music.

With So close and yet so far away, Verbal Delirium delivers a diverse but always very focused musicality, with excellent English singing (no accent whatsoever), accompanied by great instrumental playing and an overall accomplishment feeling to overdrive the great vivid vibes.

The diversity that is present here puts the band all over the chart of tendencies and reminiscences, with the resulting sound signature unique and expressive.

While connections to Porcupine Tree, Pink Floyd, Delusion Squared and even later Anathema are to be found subtly scattered throughout the album, some other connections like to Peter Hammill, Areknamés and to an Orange Goblin/Big Elf hybrid are more pinned to specific tracks. Having “They” a strong Hamillesque touch and “O.K.” that mentioned hybrid feel.

After the keyboard introduction in “Evernet”, the album really opens with a strong track (“So close yet so far away”) in which the potent riffs may take the listener to the PT’s “In Absentia” grounds mixed with a more mainstream alternative ear-friendliness, but to that power there is also an undeniable sense of melody and delicacy that the band continues to explore in (almost) all tracks.

“Dancing Generation” continues this path, with some epic touches à la Muse well disguised by some Riversive meets (mid-term) Pain of Salvation more melodic moments. There is richness in all corners of the particular approach that this Greek band decided to embrace.

“Lullaby” has a very strange connection to David Guilmour’s Pink Floyd mixed with Camel and early Radiohead, at least until the hard riffs make their appearance. And emcompassing the feast and challenge that is reviewing this album, the track shifts and changes its direction while always keeping both feet on the best possible path…

“Erased” starts almost like a mix of Arcturus (the bass tabs) with The Black Noodle Project, but then it evolves to a really touchy melody much more in contact with (the ballads) of Pain of Salvation and the melody sense of Shamrain. This is one of the best tracks of the album, in my opinion (a difficult choice amongst so many great tracks).

Well, great new bands are also entitled to their weakest moments, here represented in the track “Time”, the only one that does not hit my “like” inner button (the presented type of up-beat is perhaps not the best option for this band).

“The Scene Remains” brings things back to prior engaging status, and the band is back on the success path.

The closing “Reprise” slows down things to a rich piano-based track with emotional singing. This tracks may take the listener to an uncharted mix of Anathema and Matthew Parmenter. Great closing to a great album.