Adventure - 2022 - The Tales of Belle Part​ ​2. Unveiled by Fire

(42:36; Apollon Records)

Track list:
1. Cruel Mind 5:08
2. I Finally Knew 5:36
3. Belle's Lament The Heat 3:01
4. Absurd Scenes 4:46
5. Inside Her Mind 2:25
6. Golden Ore 3:53
7. No Regrets 3:58
8. La Porte Mort 5:04
9. In Court 4:53
10. Confession 3:52

Line-up:
Kjell Myran - vocals
Elen Cath Hopen - vocals, keyboards, flute
Terje Craig - bass, keyboards, vocals
Terje Flessen - guitars
Odd-Roar Bakken - organ, syntesizer
Alf-Helge Lund - drums, percussion


Prolusion.
Norwegian band Adventure has been a part of the Norwegian progressive rock environment for more than 25 years, usually taking their good time to release new material. Following four studio albums released over a span of more than 20 years, now the band have hit quite the creative spur with two studio albums issued in 2022. "The Tales of Belle Part​ ​2: Unveiled by Fire" is the most recent of these, and was released in the fall through Norwegian label Apollon Records.

Analysis.
Part of the reason for Adventure releasing two albums this year is that they are both parts of a conceptual cycle, in this case albums chronicling the life of infamous US mass murderer Belle Gunness, whose origins were in Norway. And in this case the band opted to release this production as two albums rather than as a double concept production.  The story of this album comes with explanatory notes, for those interested in the historical context of the songs, which is a plus point for a historical concept album. Especially for those with a stronger interest in the story and the source material.

Musically this production is rather more diverse than what you would expect a concept album to be, and the band appears to stretch out a bit wider in style and expression here than what I can recall they have done in the past. We do get songs where the inspiration from a band like Deep Purple is notable, and the album concludes with a song where Adventure appears to channel everything they love and cherish about Uriah Heep. But prior to that spirited conclusion, we are traversing landscapes of a rather different variety.

Compositions blending aspects of hard rock and symphonic progressive rock is what this band is known for, and they do so quite a lot here. Although it might be argued that for many of the songs here, they remove quite a bit of the hard aspect too, and give a bit more emphasis to if not the symphonic side of matter then at least to the progressive oriented one. Atmospheric laden landscapes with the piano, floating keyboard textures and a bit of Mellotron too are characteristic traits of the greater majority of the songs. Frequently alternating with tighter passages, and often blossoming into more distinctly expressive and symphonic creations in the final third or thereabouts.

A striking feature in the first half or so of this album is the inclusion of small and sometimes more distinct elements from Norwegian folk music, used and explored in a manner that sometimes gave me associations to lesser known Norwegian band Nordagust and their self-described forest prog. We also get a nice little serving of landscapes many would describe as pastoral along the way, complete with some elegant flute movements.

Conclusion.
This second and presumably final chapter in the conceptual album series about serial killer Belle Gunness concludes on a high note and a strong note. As an album experience this production will probably appeal more to an audience with an interest in atmospheric laden symphonic progressive rock than towards those with a fascination for harder edged progressive rock: Even while both styles are present it is the former that is the dominating one here. Those with a taste and a passion for both of these styles will be in luck of course, and especially if they also tend to enjoy concept albums. A solid production.

Olav "Progmessor" Björnsen, October 2022

Links:
https://www.adventureprog.com/
https://www.apollonrecords.no/