TEN - GOTHICA (2017) UK

Seven musicians! Seems like a plattoon. 3 guitar players, but not new, Maiden is on the prowl with this formula for several
years now, so is Primal Fear. And since 2014 so does TEN. But am i complaining? Not at all, i'm rejoycing; the more the merrier.
Whenever i hear\read the word "gothica" on the hard\metal scene i always think The Sisters of Mercy or The Mission. I can explain it but don't want to. You see, gothica is a romantic view of the dark ages and so Gary Hughes decided to go that way this time. This is not new, Gary's epic musical composing often refers to the middle ages, dragons, wizards, the supernatural, and that is as good as everything else to present one's emotions, so everything's great so far.
Thirteenth album in 21 years of existance, deserves a celebration. TEN is one of my fovorite bands. Since the record "The Robe", 20 years ago, the first one i came across, that i never letted go of this british band. By those days, times of to much teenage stupidity, i couldn't understand why "the robe" for the title of an hard rock album, was it a bathroom rock album? Well, it was the name that called me to hear and apreciate the band, because curiosity killed the cat, and after i heard the title song i discovered that the Robe referred to the mantle that wrapped Christ following his cruxifition. Today i'm not such an ignorant idiot, well i try no to, eheheh; and if you're not acquainted wit TEN, well, there you have a good reason to start. Inspite this, my TEN's favorite album is of course "babylon". But, this new one is becoming pretty fast a favorite. And speaking of pretty, the song "in my dreams", that i am listening at this moment, has some resemblances to the danish metal band Pretty Maids, in the musical construction i mean. Because the PMs always go for a melodic pop song in the middle of the record. Given this, let's talk a bit about this new record.
One thing that is unmistakable is the melodic lines, it's TEN alright, it fool's no one. Now, by this time i've heard enough to comment about what i like less and that is the production. it's more than good, don't get me wrong, gary did an amazing job, and so did Dennis Ward, the producer of the moment, that co-produced and mixed the album; but there's to many instruments in the way and sometimes it sounds a bit crowded, it should have been treated like an orchestra. Someone must have decided this way because in other way it could have muffled the power of the sound, but there's always a solution. Never-the-less it sounds great because the main man comes to us in crystal clear sound. The other thing, is not a complaint nor a default but rather a theme of discussion; The bad boy idea is now a trend, and has become a cliché to a very crowded scene at the moment. It's too much for my 70's mind, but, i still love it, damn! (The bad boy movement is the the way that i refer to the classic hard rock of the seventies, portraited by bands like Thin Lizzy and Whitesnake, with loud les paul gibsons and a bad boy atittude, by the likes of misfists such as John Sykes, that everyone is trying to recover, but in this case, we can't deny our roots, right?)
Well, this new record starts with "the Grail", that comes as a monastery mass an quickly crosses from an atmospheric ambiance to a melodic hard rock punch, epic as TEN is, very in your face and worthy of many repeatitions. Don't forget the screaming guitars. This song is a work of art, the structural keyboard lines travel lots of ambients; classical, acoustic, modern; each time i hear this song there's something new to discover.
"Jeckyl & Hyde" hits like a ton of bricks with a very hollywood-gothic ambient on the background. it recalls me something familiar,... and a bit of prog maybe,... and again piercing guitars, this guitar ensemble is unleashing hell, just phenomenal. Another work of art.
"Travellers" comes out of the dark wave of the 80's, and then hits the pace to the classic melodic rock epic lowtempo. not a ballad but then again,...
A folk ring enters through this musical forest in the form of "man for all seasons", a reference to king Henry VIII. After this prog melodic rock intro lashes a powerfull riff that unfolds the way to an epic road and when the solos come, well there's a mix of a prog and a neoclassical showdown worthy of gary's favourites' Yngwie Malmsteen, guitars versus guitars versus guitars, very ingenious, a favourite.
"In my dreams" is a melodic pop song worthy of your car radio after a days work, as i said before, reminds me a bit of Pretty Maids, and a seventies felling like the Sweet on the initial riff.
the "wild king of winter" is a powerfull cut with a heavy alternative\industrial riff, like Marilyn Manson; very catchy and addictive, but the best part is the key solo, a very pleasant homage to the late members of the ELP, courtesy of the majestic keyplayer Darrel Treece-Birch. One of my favorite cuts so far. (the chorus of this song made me get back the "Babylon" record and listen to it all over again, sorry guys, can't help it)
"Paragon" is an epic ballad that rocks the moment.
"Welcome to the freak show" another favourite cut, an 80's number with lot's of references like Kiss and a very pleasant seventies flavour courtesy of Darrell's key melodies.
"La Luna Dra-cu-la" is the only song that i can't relate to. The blood thirsty moon might be a folklore tale of the british islands but call it dracula puts it out of place because we always relate to that bloody romanian count that folklore legends says turned into a vampire. but that's not the point, i can't relate the music to the theme, a very british melody against a eastern and cold to the bone europe folklore. Never-the-less a huge tune that reminds you of classical songs by Thin Lizzy, Dare or Gary Moore.
"Into darkness" is the final cut of this album, and so a ballad. Has a vocal melody to sing hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder and yet riff lines to put you standing waiting for something else, a very good music gameplay, bravo!
Well, now come the final notes and i really must say this new record comes as a rendez-vous to the past, a modern approach to 17 years ago, i definitely love it. Very accomplished musicians and a phenomenal guitar ensemble directed by the keymaster, and just for this, this record is all worth it. This is from a band that is no longer just "a" band, what i see\hear in here is a consumation of a status, a musical institution tha can open the books of music to many new musicians, a scholar monument. This is university of music my fellow brothers of rock, in here we can find many things, epic, rock, classic, modern, prog, pop, and although we can identify many similar plays, one thing is for sure, Gary Hughes has is own identity and a standing place among the best. He wrote this magnum opus and setted it motion, and that, is an extraordinaire accomplishment given the musical quality. Hail Gary!
A ten out for TEN! The best of the year so far. just buy it! (although you only will have the opportunity to hear in next 7th of july, the date of it's official release. isn't that nice to be ahead of you? Sorry, what a pretensious ass web leak finder i am.
By McLeod (ROCKS NATION)