Zen Orchestra - 2025 - Zen Orchestra

(52:11; Sound Stuff)

The musical gods work in a very strange way indeed at times. I was in one of the team forums on ProgArchives recently to find out what was happening with a band I had proposed, and discovered a band called Zen Orchestra were under discussion. I remembered reviewing a single-track tape from a band of that name back in 1996, surely, they could not be the same outfit? Turns out they are, initially formed by Mark Barrett (vocals) and Steve Smith (keyboards) sometime after they had both left Walking On Ice. The line-up was completed by Stewart Milner (bass) and Steve Rix (drums) and they recorded the aforementioned tape, but after some record label interest nothing eventuated so the band gradually dispersed. In 2014 Steve contacted Mark with enough material for a new album, and while ostensibly being a solo album the idea started to take that possibly it might be time for a rebirth of the band? Stewart and Steve Rix were contacted and they agreed, and it only took until 2022 for everyone to start work on the recordings. They eventually found a guitarist in the guise of James Stephenson but then were struck another blow in 2023 when Stewart Milner died suddenly. His widow wanted the band to continue and release the album, and Albert Rigoni came into finish the recordings. 

The album is being released this month, and it has only taken 29 years since the initial recording for it to get there (it makes Credo’s work rate look positively quick in comparison), but was it worth the wait? Oh yes. I have always enjoyed Mark’s singing, and he has lost none of his touch, while this keyboard-based hard-hitting Neo prog album is a delight from beginning to end. Who cares if this style of progressive rock may be out of fashion, I seem to recall it wasn’t fashionable when it first arrived anyway, and here we have a group who are delivering an It Bites or IQ-style album which is a blast from beginning to end. Seven tracks, 52 minutes long, this is an album which takes me back in time yet is also incredibly polished and obviously recorded in the current day as the production is superb, the guitars are bold and loud, the rhythm section is powerful (some great drum fills), the keyboards are ever-present, sometimes as an underlying piano and at others providing a wall of sound, and then cutting through it all are Mark’s vocals which are as gloriously commercial and on point as ever.

It is difficult to realise the guys have been out of the game for so many years, and one can only wonder what they might have achieved if they had stayed together, but life happens, and we must be grateful they decided to have another go. Surely this cannot be the only new release we are going to get from them? Zen Orchestra are back, and while most people missed them first time around do not let it happen this time. 

Kev Rowland, October 2025

Links:
https://www.zenorchestra.com/