Artist: KNIGHT AREA
Album: NINE PATHS (CD US-IMPORT)

Release date: 2011
Media type: CD

With similarities to K2, Riverside, Mystery and Mars Hollow, with traces of the keyboard and heavy lush guitar sounds of the 1970's prog rockers, Kayak, the melodramatic sound that is Knight Area comes to life with Nine Paths, their follow up to 2010’s live release, Rising Signs of the Shadows. Formed in 2004 by Dutch brothers Joop and Gerben Klazinga, the band released their debut, The Sun Also Rises in 2004. Various band members have come and gone over Knight Area’s tenure, but what has remained a constant is the band’s commitment to ensure the listener is subjected to some truly amazing musicianship.

Vocalist Mark Smits has said of Nine Paths, “…the title Nine Paths refers to the interpretation of the tarot. Each of the nine tracks on Nine Paths, refers to a theme – mastery, joy, insight, transformation, peace, relationship, the seeker, the universe and the sage…”

Truly of note is how the vocals float nicely over a coating of keyboards, solid drums and guitars throughout Nine Paths. The sound is pristine, the keyboards and synthesizers are a true focal point of many of these tracks, but in no way do they take a backseat to the guitar, where on more than one occasion is the listener treated to solo after solo. A listen must be made to the 10 minute opener, “Ever Since You Killed Me,” a dark and fore-brooding track tells the story of a woman, killed by her husband, now returns as a ghost to seek judgement.

The rocking “Summerland,” and the piano that opens the soft “Please Come Home,” which features guest vocalist, Charlotte Wessells (Delain.) Listen as well to the sensational CD highlight, “Clueless,” as well as the soft, mesmerizing, “The River,” inspired by a weekend spent by Mark Smits by a river while in the Alps. A marvelous job with the bass guitar, adding an accompaniment to the almost jazzy piano, and as well the spiteful sounding rhythm coming from synthesizer and guitar makes the instrumental “Pride and Joy,” excellent.

The tender ballad, “Angel’s Call,” is soft but with excellent use of the drums. It fools the listener mid track that a harder edge track is coming, but again without warning, it floats back to the tender sound heard during the beginning.

Knight Area has held solid to a sound that works best for them. Past works such as Realm of Shadows and Under A New Sign both showcase the band with a sound very similar to Nine Paths. But let it be said, what Knight Area does, they do well. The vocals are in fine form and the sound excellent. The vocals are spot on, as Mark Smits has an amazing, perfect pitch singing voice. The keyboards are superb, the guitars and bass mesh extremely well, and the drums accentuate certain passages and fill in “open” spots excellently. Musical, with long, inter-winding passages, it emits feelings of emotions that hit the mark. With many of the tracks exceeding 7 minutes or more, it is easy to get lost in the landscape that comes with hearing such music as that which is heard on Nine Paths. But for those fans of prog rock, Knight Area is one of the good ones.

TRACKLIST:

1. Eversince You Killed Me (10:02)
2. Summerland (7:26)
3. Please Come Home (5:24)
4. Clueless (4:18)
5. The River (7:45)
6. Pride And Joy (2:46)
7. The Balance (6:24)
8. Wakerun (8:05)
9. Angel's Call (9:37)

Total Time: 61:47

LINE-UP:

Gerben Klazinga – keyboards
Mark Smit – vocals
Pieter Van Hoorn – drums
Gijs Koopman – bass guitar, taurus pedals
Mark Vermeule – guitars