The Bathtub of Adventures

Hamadryad

Conservation of Mass

1. Eternal Loop
2. Amora Demonis
3. Carved In Rust
4. Still They Laugh
5. The Second Round
6. Still They Laugh Pt.2
7. Shades Of Blue
8. ...Action!
9. Nameless
10. The Second Coming
11. Watercourse Hymn
. including: Supra-Celestial Drops Of Water /
Tiny Ventures / The Sea / Beyond

Jean-François Désilets: Bass guitars, lead & back vocals, Taurus & midi bass pedals.
Denis Jalbert: Six & twelves strings electric & acoustic guitars, back vocals.
Yves Jalbert: Drums & percussions, Roland Octapads, back vocals
Jocelyn Beaulieu: Lead & back vocals, six strings electric & classical guitars.
Francis Doucet: B3 & C3 Hammond organ Mellotrons, Minimoog, Roland synthetizers.

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PRODUCED by Andy Cherna & Jean-François Désilets
RECORDED & MIXED by Andy Cherna at Andy Cherna's recording studio (St-Sauveur, Quebec) between may and december 2000.
DISTRIBUTED by UNICORN RECORDS

Homepage : http://www.hamadryadmusic.com/

Loving prog can be an extremely frustrating thing. There's an awful lot of the stuff out there and unfortunately a lot of that stuff tends to be pretty awful. In fact beyond the recognised leaders of the modern genre (mostly from the US, Sweden and the UK) it is rare to find a new gem beyond more familiar ground and players. Of course when something truly worthwhile does present itself without knowledge of name, history or origin it is a moment to really embrace. So up step Hamadryad from Canada whose debut opus 'Conservation of Mass' landed on my doormat, made its way to my CD player and several months later still has primary residency rights!

This is a truly great album and I guess, in a sense, is completely geared to the favoured taste of this reviewer. You see its like classic-era Yes were locked in a studio with classic era Marillion for three months and instructed to write an album. And by God did they do it! and without even a hint of sounding forced, incoherent or contrived when crossing this seemingly illogical symphonic to neo-progressive divide. No joins, no falls, no nonsense.

Mind you, saying that, the band is no more than great imitators would be unfair. Beyond the obvious influences they have also carved a unique and wholly personalised identity both in their musicology and performance. And Ok if pushed I would say that a couple of tracks do suggest a hint of Rush!

What also pushes this into the 'great prog' bracket is that the album is serially excellent from start to finish without a hint of a filler. It is obvious the meticulous care that has gone into each song and its final realisation. The playing is also of a very high standard. Francis Doucet's keyboards fluctuating between Kayesque busyness and Kellyesque panoramic depth and mood. Guitar duties shared between Denis Jalbert and Jocelyn Beaulieu again support such juxtaposition - one minute Howesque complexity the next Rothereque lyricism. The lead vocal duties of the excellent Beaulieu reminding of both John Anderson and Geddy Lee. The rhythm section of Jean-Francois Desilets (bass) and Yves Jalbert (drums) reminding of Rush.

Opening track proper 'Amora Demonis' is a pithy and aggressive beginning featuring some extraordinary high vocals backed by a thunderous milieu of Marillion-spiced darkness. 'The second Round' bookended by 'Still they laugh parts 1 and 2' is a deliciously emotive and complex piece framed by a Rothery-like jangly guitar line reminding us how wonderful Marillion truly used to be.

The highlights of the album lie within three 'centre-piece' tracks each clocking in around ten minutes that provide half-an-hour of the best prog your likely to hear in some time.

'…Action' is a varied and upbeat epic driven by some stunning Yes-like complexity delivered with real rock strength. The true magic kicks in half way through when the track suddenly changes pace and blossoms into a neck-tingling instrumental break and guitar solo that reminds us why 'Clutching at Straws' was such a moving work. More effortlessly joined moments of pace, complexity and soothing atmospheres brings the track to a truly memorable conclusion.

Next up is the magnificent 'Nameless' that after a heavy riffing welcome grows into a splendid Yes-fuelled organ led track reminding of Tony Kaye at his best.
And then followed by a whole host of stunning passages and instrumental interplays.

The conclusion to the album comes in the form of the dreamy 'Watercourse Hymn' that drifts across the mind like a warm stream of higher consciousness. Dominated by Howe-like acoustic subtly and variation the track is never dull, beautifully paced and intelligently crafted concluding with a building coda that you can almost visualise being played by the Yes and Marillion boys together without a hint of discomfort.

As debuts go this is damn impressive fare and exceeds the opening salvos of Yes and Marillion as well as some of the more contemporary top dogs.

And it comes highly recommended.

Gareth February 2002

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