▄█████▄ ░█████▄ ▄████▄░█▄ ░█▄ ▄█████▄ ███▄██ ▄██ ▄█▄ ▄██████ ▄█▄ ▄███ ░████░██▀████▓ ▀██ ▄██░▀█████ ████ ███▓ ██████▓██ ▓███████ ███▓░▀█▀████ ███▓ ███▓ ▓███░ ██ ██▄ ▄██▓██ ▓███▓██░ ▓███░███░███████████▄ ███░███░ ███░ ▄███ ███ ▄█▀░ ████████░██ █████████▄ ▓██░███ ███▓█████████ ███████ ███ ███░ ███████ ███▓ ░██ ██ ██████▓ ░██ ▀██ ███░███▓██████ ███▓███ ███ ███ ████████░███░ ███ ██▄ ██▓███░ ██▄ ██░██▓ ███ ▀▀████ ███░███ ███ ███ ███▓░███████░ ███ ███▓██ ███ ███▓██▓██░ ███ ▓████ ███ ███ ▓██▓ ███ ███░ ▓██████ ███ ▓████ ▓██▄ ▓████████ ███ ▓███ ███ ███ ███░███ ███ ░██████ ███ ░████ ░███ ███▓███▓ ███ ░███ ███ ███ ██▓███ ███ ███▓██ ███ ███ ▓██▄ ███░███░ ███ ███ ███ ███ ░█████ ███ ██▓░██▄ ███ ▓█▀ ▓██▄ ███ ██░ ███ ██▓ ███ ███ ░███▀ ░█▀ ██░ ██ ░█▀ ░███▄ ▀ ▀ ▓█▀ ███░ ░█▀ ██▀ ██░ ▄██▀ ░█▄ ▄███▀ ░██ ░ ██ ▓░ ▓░ ██░ ▓█░ ░█▀ ▀█░ ░█▓ ░ ██ ██ Artist: Profuna Ocean ██ ██ ▓ █░░ ■█ Album: In Vacuum █■ ░░█ ■ █▓▀ █ Year: 2016 █ ▀▓█ ░ █ ▓ Rel. Date: 2017-01-03 ▓ █ ▒ ▒ Genre: Progressive Rock ▒ ▒ █▄ ░ Label: Freia Music ░ ▄█ ░ █▄ ░ Source: CD ░ ▄█ ░ █▓ Type: Album ▓█ ░ ▓ █ Quality: VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo █ ░ ▓ ▓ █ █ ░ ▓ ▄ ■ ■ ▓ ■ ░█ █░ ▀ █ ôYou can either be a victim of the world or an █ █ adventurer in search of treasure. It all depends █ █ on how you view your life.ö û Paolo Cuelho █ █ █ █ Well, to quote Mr Cuelho once more, ôIÆm an █ █ adventurer, looking for treasureö, and the █ █ treasure I seek is music, not any old music but █ █ music that can move you and stir your soul, music █ █ that can ask questions and then answer them with █ █ amazing clarity. █ █ If I can take some liberty with the original █ █ quote, maybe you are a victim of the world if you █ █ have to listen to the dirge that is anodyne, █ █ bubblegum chart music. This is music that is only █ █ ever created for commercial gain and not for █ █ passion or just because it can be brought to life █ █ and it is anathema to me. █ █ It can take a while to unearth a true gem and, on █ █ a recent short hospital stay, I had an interesting █ █ conversation that became somewhat an analogy of my █ █ musical treasure hunts. █ █ While laid on the hospital bed I struck up a █ █ conversation with the gentleman opposite who just █ █ happened to be an avid metal detector devotee who █ █ would spend hours on a cold and frosty day █ █ criss-crossing fields searching for that elusive █ █ big find. █ █ While never unearthing anything of large value █ █ himself he went on to avail me of the many great █ █ finds that his fellow detectorists had come across █ █ and, while having the interminable wait of any █ █ hospital visit, I came to see how it actually █ █ coincided with how I will listen to hundreds of █ █ albums to find that one peach of a listen. █ █ Well, my friends, my travails of 2016 havenÆt █ █ taken long to reveal an early musical gem, Profuna █ █ OceanÆs æIn VacuumÆ and what a jewel it is! █ █ ôProfuna Ocean is a contemporary progressive rock █ █ band from the Netherlands, founded in 2008. With █ █ their sequences of thought out compositions, █ █ vivacious melodies and powerful rock sounds their █ █ music constantly takes the listener on a musical █ █ trip and introduces him of her to the musical █ █ world of Profuna Ocean.ö █ █ Or so says the PR material that came with the █ █ album, the band consists of Fred den Hartog █ █ (drums), Raoul Potters (vocals, guitars), Arjan █ █ Visser (bass guitar) and RenΘ Visser (keyboards) █ █ and they self released their first album æWatching █ █ the Closing SkyÆ in 2009. æIn VacuumÆ was released █ █ through Freia Music and sees the band refining and █ █ redefining their own unique sound. █ █ To be fair, I was blown away on first listen as an █ █ imposing riff awash with heavy guitar and swirling █ █ keyboards introduces Thousand Yard Stare with no █ █ unnecessary frippery. This then breaks into a █ █ stylish melodic section with nicely harmonised █ █ vocals a la Steven Wilson before thundering into a █ █ dynamic chorus where the keys and flared out █ █ guitar take centre stage again. The music grabs █ █ you from the start and RaoulÆs dulcet tones are █ █ perfectly matched, whether playing the melodious █ █ troubadour or hard-edged rocker. Throw in an █ █ aggressive, hard rock infused solo and some almost █ █ deviantly classy instrumental sub-sections and you █ █ are left mightily sated by this excellent album █ █ opener. The question is, can the rest of the album █ █ keep up the incredibly high standard? I find █ █ myself transported back to the grunge days of the █ █ early 1990Æs with the fuzzy guitar and dynamic █ █ drums that open Awakening, a really upbeat and █ █ aggressive track where the vocal gives it an edgy █ █ feel. The melody is really catchy as it dances █ █ across your mind and the staccato riff that █ █ underpins the verse has you up on your █ █ metaphorical toes. I really enjoyed the nostalgic █ █ feel of Nirvana and Pearl Jam that emanates from █ █ every note, although this track has more smile and █ █ less frown at its core. █ █ Hanging in the Balance has a feel of alternative █ █ rock to it, the pensive introduction is all █ █ guitars and keyboards before a halting vocal takes █ █ over, a touch of early Foo Fighters perhaps? █ █ Although the chorus seems to come straight from █ █ the 80Æs with the harmonised vocal and elegant █ █ keyboards. There is an undercurrent of intensity █ █ running throughout as the drums drive this █ █ energetic track along. Raoul Potters shows he has █ █ an incredible variety to his vocal delivery, his █ █ voice perfectly matched to the individual feel of █ █ every song. There is a polished note to the █ █ delivery and the mix, mastering and production █ █ without it losing any emotion or feeling. The █ █ instrumental interlude in the middle of the track █ █ builds in intensity, keeping you on the edge of █ █ your seat as you await the next step, a █ █ trance-like section that evokes the feelsome █ █ progressive rock of bands like Riverside, Votum █ █ and Vly. The skill of these accomplished musicians █ █ has to be heard to be appreciated as they take you █ █ on a sonorous journey through your mind punctuated █ █ by perfect chords and notes. This track then seems █ █ to segue into yet another direction and style, one █ █ inhabited by the giants of progressive and █ █ symphonic metal, punctuated by soaring guitar runs █ █ and stuttering riffs before coming back full █ █ circle to finish on the sharp guitar and keyboard █ █ tones of the introduction. Losing Ground is sassy, █ █ sharp and smart from beginning to end with a funky █ █ guitar riff and polished drums leading the chase. █ █ This then opens up into a harder-edge chorus where █ █ the vocals, guitars and keyboards swell up and hit █ █ you hard before that snappy verse grabs your █ █ attention once again. These guys know how to take █ █ influences from all sorts of genres and mould them █ █ into a cohesive whole, one that is definitively █ █ Profuna Ocean and the surprises come thick and █ █ fast as they bounce around like a pinball machine. █ █ It never gets dull and always feels fresh and █ █ innovative, you need more than one listen to pick █ █ up every nuance and snippet that is included and █ █ you never stop smiling or nodding in █ █ acknowledgement at what the band have created and █ █ delivered for our delectation. Thunderous guitars, █ █ powerful drumming, swathes of elegant keyboards █ █ and the ever present bass combine to knock you █ █ over with a sonic boom of immense proportions, you █ █ just laugh, pick yourself up and return for █ █ another helpingà. █ █ Turn down the intensity a few notches and enjoy █ █ the lush tones of Ghost. Earnest vocals and a █ █ delicate guitar note pluck at your heartstrings as █ █ this delightful track soothes your soul and allows █ █ a peaceful interlude from the high energy █ █ excitement of what has preceded it. I found myself █ █ rapt in attention as each note danced across my █ █ aural receptors. This track has a grace and █ █ tenderness deep at its heart and leaves you in a █ █ state of ethereal calm, quite beautiful. This █ █ release has impressed me at every turn but the █ █ highlight for me is the next track, the █ █ magnificent Beautiful Sunrise. It begins with a █ █ seriously compelling and dominant riff that rides █ █ roughshod over everything in its path, attention █ █ grabbing all the way, underscored by a mysterious █ █ feeling keyboard tone. Now you have taken notice █ █ it pulls back into an absorbing piece of music █ █ that wouldnÆt be amiss on any of the classic █ █ Porcupine Tree albums. Slightly halting vocals on █ █ the verse, accompanied by intricate █ █ instrumentation, followed by a captivating chorus █ █ with lush harmonies and music, all intelligently █ █ produced and delivered. This is musical education, █ █ you feel that your whole life and being is █ █ enriched by every listen, I must have put this █ █ track on repeat for 4 or 5 plays deducing every █ █ slight insight and gradation as the brilliant █ █ keyboards take centre stage before the track █ █ graduates into an sophisticated and inventive █ █ instrumental section dominated by a dexterous █ █ guitar solo. This is where the bandÆs creativity █ █ really takes flight and leaves you slack jawed. █ █ IÆm sure that Profuna Ocean will admit readily to █ █ their influences, as would most bands, but itÆs █ █ what you do with them that counts. As the song █ █ comes to a close it goes a bit psychedelic on you █ █ for a minute before it confidently strides off █ █ into the distance, satisfied in a job well done. █ █ The title track In Vacuum is a dramatic, cinematic █ █ instrumental that holds your attention as this █ █ great release moves into its final phase and track █ █ Clean Slate which opens with a seriously addictive █ █ toe-tapping riff and confident drums, RaoulÆs █ █ vocals are precise and determinate though the █ █ verse before they deliver a heartfelt and █ █ compelling tone to the chorus. Grunge, alternative █ █ rock, progressive rock, hard rock, you name it, █ █ they are all thrown into the crucible and melted █ █ down to deliver Profuna OceanÆs signature sound. █ █ The influential guitar break and dreamlike synth █ █ section, once again, paint a precise picture in █ █ your mind as this innovative band continue to █ █ inventively mix their musical metaphors to █ █ perfection and with superb results. At times it █ █ wanders off into a more relaxed vista but it isnÆt █ █ long before the hard-riffing guitars come and grab █ █ the track by the scruff of the neck and set it █ █ back on its obdurate trajectory once again. ItÆs █ █ like having four musical seasons in one song but █ █ ones that dovetail perfectly to deliver an █ █ experience that leads you to the water to drink █ █ time and time again. As the song and album come to █ █ a close there is another fantastic piece of guitar █ █ work that makes the hairs on the back of your neck █ █ stand up before everything starts to slow down and █ █ a plaintive piano note runs things out to the █ █ final note. █ █ So we are only in January and I have had a █ █ proliferation of great music land at Progradar █ █ Towers already. There have been some absolutely █ █ dazzling releases but, for this music writer, the █ █ best of the lot has been Profuna Ocean. A more █ █ hard-edged and aggressive take on Progressive Rock █ █ but one with a beautiful fragility hidden below. A █ █ brilliant start to the year, this is one release █ █ that could possibly have been my album of the year █ █ if it had surfaced in 2015, as it is, it will take █ █ something rather fantastic to top it now! █ ▓ ▓ ▒ ▒ ░ 1. Thousand Yard Stare 7:19 ░ ░ 2. Awakening 4:54 ░ ░ 3. Hanging the Balance 13:30 ░ ░ 4. Losing Ground 8:00 ░ ░ 5. Ghost 5:09 ░ ░ 6. Beautiful Sunrise 10:37 ░ ░ 7. In Vacuum 1:11 ░ ░ 8. Clean Slade 11:42 ░ ░ 62:22 ░ ░ ▒ ▒ ▓ █ ░ ▓ ░ ■ █▄ ░ ██ ▀█▄░ ▄▄▄▄▄ ▓ ░ ▄▄▄▄▄ ░▄██░ ░ ▀████▓█▄▄█████████▓░ ███ ███▓░ █████████▄▄██████▀ ▓ ▓▀▓ ▒███████▀▀ ▀████████▒ ░████████▀ ▀▀███████░▓▀▓ ■ ░ ▄█░█▀▀▄████▄▓ ▀█▀ █▓░ ▒▓█ ▀█▀ ▄████▄ ▀███▄░ ▄█▀░ ░███▀▀▀███▄ ▀█▒ ██▓ ██ ▓█▀ ▄███▀▀▀███░ ▀█░ █▀ ▓██▓ ▄███ ▀█▓ ████ ▒█▀ ▓███▄ ▓██▓ ▀█▓ █▀ ▓██░ ▒██████▓ ▀█ █▓ █▀ ▓██████▒ ░██▓ ▀█ ▒ ▄██ ░███ ▓███▓ ▀░██░▀ ▓███░ ███ ██▄ ▒ ░█▀ ███ ▄▀ ███▄ ▓████▒ ▄███▀▄ ███ ▀█░ ▓█▀ ▄██▄█▀ ░ ██████████████ ▀█▄ ██▄ ▀█▓ █▀ ████▀█▄▓░▄█ ▀██████▀ █▄▓░▄█▀█▄██ ▀█▓ ░ ▄ ██▀ ▀████▀ ▀█▓▀██ ▀████▀ ▀███ ▄ ▒ █░█▓ ██░ █░ █ ░██ ▀██▒█ ███░ ▒█░ ▄ ▓ ▒ ░█▒ ▓███ ░ ▓██ ░ ██▓ ██░ ░██ █▒ ░ ░█ ▀█ █▀ ▓ ░ ░