This sounds very melodic and also very original, because the Dutch band Freestone has delivered a CD that is as original as Pink Floyd once were in the early 1970s, yet it sounds very melodic and accessible in a way we heard from melodic rock/aor bands, such as Dare, Boulevard, Strangeways and especially Enchant and For Absent Friends, so prog meets aor in a very moody atmospheric style.
Quite original and very impressive, right from the start with ‘Turn the key’, but also on tracks like ‘Children of the widow’ (uptempo melodic rocker), ‘The temple of humanity’ and ‘Tracing to the west’. Most of the songs have a similar feeling, which is slow and super melodic, very relaxed and filled with emotional inspirations. The sax in most of the songs is not even a disturbing factor as it adds something to the laid-back feeling of the album. Check out this very original band, recommended to both prog and melodic rockfans at: www.free-stone.org.
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I remember being a kid and seeing the symbol for Freemasonry and wondering what it was. I don’t recall if I ever asked my dad what is was or not. If I did then I don’t think he gave me a great answer because I still didn’t understand it. Apparently other people were interested in it as well because here we get a disc all about Freemasonry. Personally this is one topic that wouldn’t have struck me as a likely topic for a whole album, but indeed it is done in an intriguing manner on this disc. This band pulls from elements of smooth melodic pop, progressive passages and even some hard rock at times. The seamless blend of styles helps to give the music a definite texture. Despite being somewhat mellow, there is still definitely an element of surprise here. There were several moments where they went in directions I wasn’t expected and and it almost always added to what they were trying to accomplish. The lyrics are simple, but they approach the topic from different angles. They help to define what Freemasonry is and shed the spotlight a little on its history, but they still keep alive some mystical elements that I think have always surrounded this topic.
I certainly wouldn’t presume or pretend that this was a small undertaking. However, I am certain that Freestone have succeeded in creating an album that is consistently interesting and well crafted.