Those who have not read my review of The Windmill debut album 'To Be Continued' (2010) should definitely do it in order to learn about the long and winding road that led the band to the release of their first CD. That review was concluded with the following words: "The release process was such a long one that in the end Sven Hjalmar (drums) and Bent Jensen (guitar) are no longer the in the band. New members: Sam Arne Nøland and Erik Borgen have joined. They will be the ones responsible for the continuation of this remarkable masterpiece, which The Windmill first album undoubtedly is. And frankly, I cannot wait!".
Fortunately, this time the process was much quicker and we did not have to wait another decade! And as the title suggests, the band's second album constitutes a consequent and purposeful continuation of the themes introduced on their debut CD 'To Be Continued...'.
I must say that The Windmill 2010 album is still very impressive. From the artistic point of view it was a real 'something' from the very start and has not dated a bit since the day of the premiere. Unfortunately, the band has never got under the protective wings of any prestigious record label and hence has been devoid of a proper commercial promotion as it deserves. It is probably the only reason why the name of the band still remains almost anonymous, even among the most devoted fans of progressive rock. It seems unfair, since The Windmill is certainly one of the most interesting and promising bands on the contemporary prog-rock arena. The newest album proves that what we deal with here is a still-uncharted musical treasure. I hope that this review will help to spread the word about this Norwegian group! I can assure you that you will not be disappointed!
You will not be disappointed because the album combines all that is considered the best in the Scandinavian Progressive Rock school. There is this 'something' in the music that makes us certain that it must come from Norway the moment we hear the first sounds. Magic? Indeed! It must be magic!
The album starts with a 3 minute-long atmospheric intro called 'Continuation'. It is an overt reference to the ending of The Windmill debut - a sign we are beginning the journey exactly where we stopped it 3 years ago. The band takes us on a voyage through the land of magic sounds. This short instrumental intro is a realm of especially 3 persons - a keyboardist Jean Robert Viita, a guitarist Erik Borgen and a flute player Morten Clason. A moment later the first epic composition 'The Masque' introduces a nice vocal (main vocal lines belong to Morten Clason but we can also hear the voices of Jean Robert Viita and Erik Borgen) as well as a fantastic rhythm section maintained in a bit of a retro style by Arnfinn Isaksen (bass guitar) and Sam Arne Nøland (drums). It provides the music with a very nice, warm and somewhat 'archaic' sound of the early '70s. It is a complex composition developed by the instruments taking over the lead one by one. We hear Hammond organ here, an acoustic guitar solo (a bow toward a new person in the band Stig André Clason, a very talented and competent guitarist), a moving electric guitar solo and a melodic chorus sung skilfully by the vocalist. It is a pleasant composition rich in musical twists and turns making 12 minutes pass as if in the blink of an eye.
'Not Alone' is the next epic song in a retro prog style. It starts with the charming tones of the flute. The song is complemented by the subtle guitar, keyboards and a delicate pulsating rhythm. Finally, the vocal takes us to the deep but quiet waters of the musical ocean. This song, with its nostalgic and melancholic mood, transfers us into a different dimension – the world of visions, the vast land of colourful musical dreams.
The following 'Giant Prize' wakes us up with a surprising change of mood - the Caribbean-like rhythms! The Windmill and reggae? I was startled too! Fortunately the song is just 3-minute-long and sadly I must say it is the weakest point of the album. Nevertheless, it constitutes a sharp stylistic contrast to the next composition - the grandest one on the album a 25-minute-long suite 'The Gamer'. And this song is a real opus magnum of The Windmill. Not only is it the most important song on the album, but also the best one in the band's career. A magnificent full of acoustic and electric sounds suite twinkles with colours, shades, magical sounds, evolving beautiful melodies, and consciously built atmosphere, original instrumental parts and a warm vocal. The echoes of Camel, The Alan Parson Projects, Arena or Anekdoten can be traced here as well as the band's younger Scandinavian pals Moon Safari and Introitus. 'The Gamer' is a real masterpiece and definitely the strongest point of the album, although the rest of the songs, apart from 'Giant Prize' perhaps, is maintained on a very high musical level too.
To sum up, with 'The Continuation' the Norwegians proved to belong to the crème of progressive rock bands and let us hope the album will not get lost in the galore of 2013 independent releases. For that reason I do encourage all the progressive enthusiasts - dreamers and romantics who read these words, to make an effort and get the album. Please, visit The Windmill's website and make a purchase. You will not be disappointed, I promise! And the magical sounds conjured up by the band will bring you lots of joy and satisfaction.
Translated by Magdalena Grabias
