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▓█▌▐█▌  ▓▀    ▀▀ ▓▀   ▀▓    ▀▀▀    ██▓ ██ ▀▀               ▀  █▌       ▓ ▀▀▀▀ ▀ ▐█▓ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▓██▄█▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀   ▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▌▀ ░▓█▓░ ▀█▄                ▓▐█▀▀                      ░▓█▓░ ░█▓░░  ▓                      ▓        ▓░▓█░  ░▓▄█████▄░   ▄ ▄  ▓▄██████▄░  ░▐██▀▀▀▀███▓░ ▀▓▀ ▀▓▀ ░███▀▀▀▀██▄▓ ▀▀▀   ▀▀▀▀▀▀  ▀▀▀▀▀   ▀▀▀ ███  ████▀    ▄▀▀▄▄█████▄▄ ▄▄█████▄▄▀▀▄   ▀████   ██  ██   ▀██▄▐▄  ■ ▄██▀▀ ▀██▄ ▄ ▄██▀ ▀▀██▄ ■ ▄ ▄██▌   ▐█▓  ░▓▄   ▀██▄▀▓█▄▄▄█▀▀ ▄ ▄▓▓▄ ▐█▌ ▌ ▀▓▀ ▐▓▓▌ ▄▓▓▄ ▄ ▀▀▓▄▄░▄██▀   ▄▀      ▓░▓▄███   ▐▀ ▀▓▀ ▀▀ ▄██▀ ▀██▄ ▀▀ ▀▓▀  ▀███▄ ▓▓        ▄██▀▓   ■ ▀▄▀ ▀▄▀ ■   ░▀███░       ▓███▓     ░░ ▐▌ ▐▌     ░███▓      ███▌░  ▀ ▀ ███▓    ▐██▀ ▀███░   ██▌  Artist...: Lunatic Soul ░▐██▌  ░▐██   Album....: The World Under Unsun  ░██▌░ ▓▐██   Year.....: 2025  ▓▐██▓ ▓▐██   Rel. Date: 2026-05-11  ░▐██▓  ▐██   Genre....: Progressive Rock   ██▌░ ░ ██▌  Label....: Inside Out Music   ██▌    ▐██  Source...: CD  ▐██    ░▐██▌ Type.....: Album ▐██▌░  ▓▄████ Quality..: VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo ████▌░ ▐██░░▀█▄░         ▓█▌  ███  ▀██▓ ▓█▄        ▄█▀ ▓██▀    ▓██▄ ▓▓▀▄    ▄▓▀  ▄██▓░     ██▌    ▓  ▄▄▄ ░    ▐██▓░       ██▌    ░ ░▀▄▓▓█▀█▄▀▀░     ▓██░         ░██░     ░ ░▄ ▄▄██▐▓▓█▄░▄█▌██▀▀ ▀░ ░ ▄▄▀▀█░░▐█░      ▄  ▐█▌░    ░▄▄▀▓▓███▀▄░ ▓▄▄█▌▓▓█ ▓█░   ▀░▀  ██     ▀▀▀ ░█▓▄▄▄█▀░ ▓█        ░▐█▌    ░█▌▐▓ ▓▄▄░ ▌         ░█░     ▄  ▐▓▓▀▀▀░▓█▄▄░       ░░▄█▄ ▄ ██▄ ▀░▀ ▀█░▄▄▄  ▄█░▄▀▀▄▀▀▄░▀▀▄       ▀▀████████▀░ ▀▀░  ▄█▓░░░░▀░░█ █▄█▓        ▐█░▀██▀ ▄█▓░░░ ▐ ▄ ░▓█▄        ▓  ▐▌  ▐ ▄█▀█░ ░  ░ ▄ ▀█▄▓█░    ░▓▓▀▀░▄ ▌▓   ■░▒ ░ ▄ ▐▀▀▓▄█▓░░ ░ ░ ▄█▀█░█▐▓▌▀▄         ░▀█▌  ▓▬ ▓▀▓ ░▄▄▓▀▓░      ░▀█░▀█▄░░  ░█░ ██ █░▀█▐▌       ░▓░░▐▌   ▌ ░░■  ▄█▐  ▐       ▓▓▓█░▓█▄▄█░  █▓█▓▌░ ▀  ▄         ▓░▓ █▓▐░▌ ▓ ░▓▓ ▓▐▒▄░░▐▓█  ▌         █▀▀░▐▀░█▀▓  ▐▌ █▌    ▀░▀     ▄ ▐░▌░▐█ █▌ ▓   ░█░░█▀ ▐▓▐░ ▀▄▄▀▀▌░   ▄▄███▐████▄▓  ▌        █  ░   █ ─▀▀▀█▓░█▄▌  ▐░▐░ ▄▄▄░██  ░ ░ ░▓░  ▐▌▓▄▌▓▓▌▓▐▓█▀  ■                ▄ ▌     ▀█▄█▌ █▌▐▓░█▓ ▀ ░░░ ░▓█▄█  █▓▓▓▓▓█▄▓▓▐▓  ░        █  ░  ▄ ▀ ░  ░  ▓██  ▄██▀ ░▌█░▄░██░░▐▌  ▄ 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░▄▀▀▄█▓░ ▓▓█░████▓███░██▀▓▓███▓ ▓██▓▐█▌ ███▄▄   ▐███▄ ▓▄█▀▀  ▐█▄█▀  ▄▀▀░ ▄█▀░ ░ ▓████████▐██████▓█▓ ▓█ ██  ░█▓ ▐█▄▓██▄██▄▐█▌░   ▐██▌▓▄█▀▓    ▄▄▀▀▀▀▄▄▄ ▓██▓▓▓▀▄████▐░███ █░█▌▄ ▐█▀██▀ ██▀   ▀███▄▄█▓ ███████▄▓▀▀▀▀▄▓  ░▄██▓ ▓ ▓██▓▀▄█████▓ ▄▄▀▀▓▄▄█▄▐█▄▄▓▄▄▄▄▄▄▄░▄░░░▄▄▀▄▄▀█░▄▄▄▄▄▄▐█▌ ▄██▀▄▄▄▄▄▄ ██░████ ▓     ░  ▓██░                        ▓█▄█▀     ▓██████            ▀▀▄▓                      ▓▀▀▀       ▓ █ CD 1/2 : 1. The World Under Unsun 6:57 2. Loop of Fate 6:19 3. Good Memories Don't Want to Die 4:45 4. Monsters 4:27 5. The Prophecy 6:42 6. Mind Obscured, Heart Eclipsed 11:42 7. Torn in Two 3:55 CD 2/2 : 1. Hands Made of Lead 8:04 2. Ardour 4:26 3. Game Called Life 9:41 4. Confession 4:25 5. Parallels 3:17 6. Self in Distorted Glass 10:25 7. The New End 4:29 89:34 Given this is the eighth studio album from Riverside vocalist and bassist Mariusz Duda it would be completely unfair to think of this as a side project, but instead we should say it as an outlet for his material which he does not believe fits with that group. Sometimes he performs as Lunatic Soul completely solo, sometimes it becomes more of a band and this time around he provides vocals, basses, piccolo basses, acoustic guitars, piano, keyboards, percussion and programming while drummer Wawrzyniec Drumowicz has returned with the only others involved being saxophonist Marcin Odyniec and Mateusz Owczarek who provides soundscapes. This is his first ever double CD, and lyrically is the final instalment in "The Circle of Life and Death" cycle with this chapter taking place after 2017's 'Fractured' and before 2014's 'Walking on a Flashlight Beam'. The complete story tells the tale of a nameless protagonist trapped in a loop, continuously traveling between life and death. The issue with one person doing all the work is that it can be difficult to really hear the flaws which would be picked up if there was a band at play, and one of the real issues here is the amount of programming, all of which should have been replaced by real drums. There are also songs where this becomes electronic ambient background and there is little real cut through, but then we get a number like "Good Memories Don't Want to Die" which is one of the most beautiful songs one is ever likely to come across where the orchestration, strings and vocals turn into something very special indeed. This is the first Lunatic Soul album I have heard in many years, and while it is very pleasant it is not something to which I will often return as there is a real danger of a listener losing touch with much of it, only being brought back when we get another of the standouts. I have been playing this album a great deal as I was sure I was at fault with my listening, but I see the reviews have been incredibly varied and it certainly comes down to personal taste. Not for me, but if you like very polished prog which at times can be quite ambient and electronic then this may well be for you. -- I always like and look forward to anything Mariusz Duda touches because the soundscapes and production levels will always be of the very highest quality. CD #1: 1. "The World Under Unsun" (6:58) what you get when you cross Dead Can Dance with Depeche Mode: even Mariusz' vocal sounds like a cross between Brendan Perry and David Gahan! I like the piano and synth-generated "human whistle" outro of the final minute the best. (13.375/15) 2. "Loop of Fate" (6:19) acoustic guitars, piccolo bass, live and programmed rhythm section percussion, and deep thrum bass notes play out together in this typically-portentous-of-Mariusz song. The chorus of whisper vocalists is a creatively interesting tact. Hope Mariusz learns to break the cycle. (If this is truly the last installment of the eight-album "The Circle of Life and Death" cycle then perhaps it is not unfair of us to have that expectation.) The way the music builds from keys, guitars, and basses in the second half--even employing a saxophone--is pretty great. (9/10) 3. "Good Memories Don't Want to Die" (4:45) harp-like arpeggi open this before Mariusz enters with his tender side voice. The "harp" is truly the star of this song, at least musically, despite other ancillary instruments added here and there throughout the song. I don't know exactly what Mariusz is trying to convey with his words but I can tell that he feels genuinely invested in them because of la tendresse of his vocal performance. The layers added toward the end give the song quite The Cure sound and feel. Nice. (8.875/10) 4. "Monsters" (4:27) using a MIKE OLDFIELD-like guitar-and-bass-driven rhythm pattern Mariusz establishes, layer by layer, an ominous, almost-threatening and relentlessly-marching motif over the first minute leaves Mariusz with the duty of supplying a vocal befitting of the mood (and title). Mariusz applies some rather nice lead guitar work in the final minute. Hmmph! (8.875/10) 5. "The Prophecy" (6:42) reverb drenched piano and upper-register vocal performance make for a kind of heavenly/angelic feel for the first couple minutes. Despite Mariusz' borrowing of TEARS FOR FEARS' main melody for the opening verses of "Mad World," I really like what he is accomplishing here. The piano remains integral and central despite the addition of layers of drums, bass, guitars, and more in the third minute. A very cool and refreshingly creative song (even with the "borrowed" stuff). A top three song. (9.333/10) 6. "Mind Obscured, Heart Eclipsed" (11:42) after a long (two minute) ambient intro Mariusz kicks in a RIVERSIDE-like bass and drum motif that takes on a little DIF JUZ feel as it moves toward the fourth minute. Around 3:30 there is the addition of a wil-o-the-wisp-like wind synth on top, running for 45 seconds before a brief cessation of the bass and some acoustic guitar strumming. Then the DIF JUZ motif restarts with some reverb and other effects guitar chords and arpeggi playing out until 5:00 when the guitar and percussives slow things down and start up a new motif--one that has hand claps, electric guitars, and ghost-like background vocals--vocals that move to the front around the six minute mark but never really dominate, only seem to serve as signposts along the Genesis/Anthony Phillips/Mike Oldfield-like motif. A return to ambient atmospherics in the ninth minute allows for a Dick Parry-like nice sax solo until 9:40 when a sudden fast-chugging wall of heavy prog metal enters and takes over with plenty of support from Mariusz' and Wawrzyniec Drumowicz' layers of percussives. When the aggression ends around 11:10 a lone electric piano uses arpeggiated chords to slowly calms and cleanses the listener's palette. (17.75/20) 7. "Torn in Two" (3:55) a gentle jazz lounge piano solo opens this before "strings" join in. At 0:35 Mariusz enters singing in a style and melody that are both very close to Second Life Syndrome's "Conceiving You" but the chorus and other bridge parts are nothing like "Conceiving." The next rounds are embellished by harmonizing background vocal work. Nice. Unfortunately, the message behind the lyrics are meant to be the most important element of the song and I'm just not wired to take in and process words as meaning-bringers: to my brain, the voice is just another instrument in the musical weave. A well-executed and well-produced, pretty song that does very little for me long-term. (8.75/10) CD #2: 1. "Hands Made of Lead" (8:04) the ANATHEMA-like piano play in the first two minutes keeps me engaged, after that it's the spacey synth floating melodies above the heavy thickness of the bass and drums beneath. Lead guitar and saxophone take over in the fourth minute before Mariusz' voice-and-guitar dual staccato rhythm play and follow-up underwater guitar and synth. Probably my favorite song on the second disc if only for its development and changing lead instruments. (13.5/15) 2. "Ardour" (4:26) some pagan prog folk used to deliver a self-critical lyric of anticipation and recognition of repeating patterns. A lack of variation and/or development is problematic. (8.75/10) 3. "Game Called Life" (9:41) more pagan prog folk, perhaps even more folk than "Ardour," with Mariusz' wonderful gutteral vocalese. though the deep thrum chords with the tom-tom notes that join in during the second minute take it back toward the realms of DEAD CAN DANCE. The third minute sees the music taking a Talking Heads/DEPECHE MODE-like turn. I love the continuation of the monk-like chant vocalese in the "distant" background. Is Mariusz really tired of the "game called life"? Is he thinking of ending his sojourn in human form? The sixth minute sees a switch into more 80s/90s PETER GABRIEL territory as the percussive bass thickens and synths and snappy snares populate the palette. There are also some cool 80s synth sounds (as well as piano and untreated electric guitar notes) used to inject other threads into the melodic weave. The low end seems to build, almost burying the synths and snare, using a repeating melody that sounds almost Cocteau Twins- or Depeche Mode-ian. (17.75/20) 4. "Confession" (4:26) simple bass and near-Swamp/Zydeco banjo-guitar support Mariusz' "confession." The chords and melodies both sound familiar. An okay song that feels as if it's lacking . . . a hook, or some development. At the same time it's kind of cool that I hear ghostly reverberations of the music of old SIMPLE MINDS (New Gold Dream 81- 82-83-84) in the second half of this. (8.75/10) 5. "Parallels" (3:17) an interesting weave of programmed sequences from bass, percussion synths, guitars, and other layers of "off-world industrial" sound. (8.875/10) 6. "Self in Distorted Glass" (10:25) This is an absolutely fascinating song for the fact that almost every single one of the sound threads used can be traced back to a prominent/memorable use in the great musics of the 1980s: --a combination of several classic sounds from the 1980s: Simple Minds percussive track, The Cure's "wobbly underwater bass," Brendan Fraser's DCD vocal sound, rhythm guitar that sounds like Tony Levin's ChapmanStick, Mike Oldfield staccato "Tubular Bells" guitar/bass line, and others! A veritable cornucopia of "hidden" clues to history. (17.75/20) 7. "The New End" (4:29) piano and Mariusz singing in a plaintive, perhaps confessional voice. (He sounds pretty remorseful and apologetic.) (8.75/10) I always like and look forward to anything Mariusz Duda touches because the soundscapes and production levels will always be of the very highest quality, but the finished products--the songs--never cease to let me down: they leave me wanting more, hoping for more dynamic activity. And this: a double album, took some time to get through, get to know, feel qualified to differentiate. Another enjoyable and fascinating Lunatic Soul expression that falls a little short of masterpiece status for the usual reasons: lack of song development and intra-song variation.                                                                                                     ▀▀░                                                                                                                ░▄▀                                  ▄█▀                                             ░▄           ░▐███░               ▀█░▄▄▄                    ▄░       ▀█░░                      ░           ▀▀░                                         ▄  ░                                          ▄     █          ▀                 ▄              ▄█▄ ▄ ██▄         ▀░▀     ▄         ▀                ▀░▀   ▀         ▀▀████████▀░                   ▀ ▄      ░                      ░░       ░▀██▀                    ▀██▄                ▄               ▐     ░      ░  █▀▄    ▐▓▓▌   █                    ▄   ▄▄       ░                    ▄▄▌█  ▄▄▓▓▓▀  ▄                      ▄ ▀   ████      ░                   ▐███▌  ░ ░                  ▄██▀     ▄▄██▄▄           ░           ▄▄███▄▄ ▄  ▓                         ▐▓▓▌  ░   ▓████▄        ▀          ▀    ▓█████▓  ▀ ▄                           ▀▓▓▓▄▄   ▐▓███ ▌                       ▌█████      ▀██▄   ▄                ░▄  ▀▀██▄▐████ ▌▐ ▌▓                ▓▐ ▌█▓███       ▐▓▓▌ ▀░▀           █    █  ░ ░▓▐████▄▌▐ ▌▌ ▌▌▐ ▌▐▄ ▐▐·▌▌▐▐ ▐ ▄█████    ▄▄▓▓▓▀                            ▓ ▓▐████ ▌▐ ▌▌ ▌▌▐ ▌▐▐▓▐▐ ▌▌▐▐ ▐ ▌█████ ▄█▓▀▀  ▄░ ░            ▄▄▄░      ▓     ░▐████▄▌▐▄▌▌▄▌▌▐ ▌▐▐▄▐▐▄▌▄▐▐▓▐▄▌█████ ▓     █               █████      ▐▄░   ▓▐████ ▌▐ ▌▌ ▌▌▐ ▌▐▐ ▐▐ ▌▌▐▐▓▐ ▌█████   ▓░   ▄         ▐▓    █▓███░    ▓▐█░▄▄  ▐████ ▌▐ ▌▌ ▌▌▐ ▌▐█ ▐▐ ▌▌▐▐ ▐ ▌█████    ▄██▄ ▀ ▄      █▌    █████▓   ██▀█▀▀   ▐█▓██ ▌▐ ▌▌ ▌▌▐ ▌▐▐ ▐▐ ▌▌▐▐ ▐ ▌███▓█   ▐█▓██▓   ▀██▄ ▀██▀   █████▓░    ▓█▌    ▐████▓▌▐▄▌▌▄▌▌▄ ▌▐▐▄▐▐▓▌▌▐▐▄▐▄▌█████   ▐████▌    ▐▓▓▌▓█▌   ▄█▓███▄░     ▐█▄▓  ▐████ ▌▐ ▌▌ ▌▌▐ ▌▐▐ ▐▐ ▌▌▐▐ ▐ ▀█▓███   ▐████▌ ▄▄▓▓▓▀  █▓  ████████▄▄▓ ▄█████▌ ▐████ ▌▐ ▌▌ ▌▌▐ ▌▐▐ ▐▐ ▌▌▐▐▓▐ ▌█████   ▓████▌░ ▄▄   ▄▄█▄▄ ██████████████████████████████▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄     █████  ░██▓████▓██▓▓██████ █░█████▄▀█▄░████████▄▄▄▄▄██████▓████████░██████▄▄▄▄▄███████░▄██░█░█████████ ▓██▀█████▓░░ ░ ░ ░ ░ ░ ░░░▓███▓█████ ████████▓ ▓██▓▐████▓ ▓██ █░███ █░██████▓ ███▓▄▀█▓ ▓ ▓█████▓███████ ▓███ ░▄▄▄▓████▓ ▓████████▓ ▓██████▓ ▓████▓