Lieder Distortion - 2023 - The Age of Art [mini-review]

(35:20; Shunu Records)



















Swedish band Lieder Distortion are out with the album "The Age of Art", and a good, old fashioned rock opera is what we get with this album. Whether or not the material here falls inside of or outside of a more strictly defined progressive rock tradition is perhaps more of a secondary issue here, but for the purists I guess the more straight forward hard rock and metal passages may not be inside of their definitions. But this isn't a straight forward affair of combining operatic vocals and vocal traditions to a hard rock and metal foundation, as we have orchestral textures used as overlays to a varying degree whenever a hard rock or a metal section is explored, but we also get a number of interludes with either a bare bone rock arrangement combined with orchestral features as well as strict orchestral interludes with as well as without operatic vocals applied. This gives many of the compositions a more distinct ebb and flow nature that is progressive in approach and spirit even if the purists may question the execution. A production to seek out by those who enjoy rock operas as well as ventures that combine rock, hard rock, metal and opera in different manners, and in particular by those who appreciate that a bit more emphasis is given to the operatic and classical music aspects of such productions.

Olav "Progmessor" Björnsen, September 2023

Links:
https://www.facebook.com/LiederDistortion

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