Novus Rex - 2019 - Belteshazzar's Dream

(49:57; Novus Rex)

Track list:
1. Belteshazzar's Dream 8:08
2. Mcmxiv 18:40
3. Plowshares into Swords 10:17
4. Old World News 8:21
5. Locust Swarm 4:31

Line-up (according to the band's website as of 2019):
J. R. Fernandez - keyboards, drums, guitars, bass, programming
A. I. Fernandez - guitars, bass
Scott Hume - drums, percussion


Prolusion.
US band Novus Rex is a venture that was formed back in 2008. They released their first album back in 2009, and following a spell of little activity they have since released a further three studio productions. "Belteshazzar's Dream" is one of those albums, and apparently has 2019 as it's official year of release. The text on the CD itself states a copyright going back to 2014, hence this is an album that may have been sitting in for a bit prior to release.

Analysis.
The style explored on this album is firmly placed inside a symphonic progressive rock tradition, and with something of a vintage orientation of the form as a common denominator. As with many such albums, the keyboards are central throughout, and the material tends to have a bit of a dramatic swagger.

The compositions alternate in nature between being either more distinctly keyboard driven or alternating between keyboard driven and guitar driven passages. The organ, various keyboards and the piano takes turns in being the main instrument on the keyboard side of matters, with expressive overlays and solo runs as well as more dramatic surges all being present and accounted for. To conclude the album we also have the track 'Locust Swarm', a more ambient creation with a stronger orientation towards progressive electronic music, and a song that wouldn't have been out of place on one of the albums by German artist Soniq Theater from a few years back.

In terms of the style explored and the execution of the material Novus Rex isn't a band that brings anything new to the table. But while that is perhaps a minor weak point, a more major weak point comes in how the material sounds. The mix and production is very rough on this album, and comes with qualities that brings a DIY method to mind and a low budget variety of such an approach too. The instruments sounds are sharp, distorted and in some cases they just sound a bit off. While this isn't a catastrophic aspect in this case, the end result is still a good bit above the quality of an old fashioned demo tape for instance, for a production stating 2019 as the official year of release this dimension of the product can be described as somewhere between underwhelming and disappointing.

Conclusion.
On "Belteshazzar's Dream" we get an album that, at least for the most part, has a go at a vintage inspired variety of symphonic progressive rock, with the keyboards as a central instrument and compositions with ambitious aspirations. The mix and production leaves a lot to be desired though, and to the point that this album is more about finding the diamonds in the rough than it is to enjoy a fully developed album. But for those that find such album experiences attractive and otherwise are drawn to this form of music, there are many fine ideas to discover and enjoy on this album.

Olav "Progmessor" Björnsen, January 2023

Links:
http://novusrex.net/