An opportunity like this certainly cannot be overlooked. Twenty years after releasing their debut album, "Armed Forces of Simantipak", the band Khatsaturjan - whose name derives from the renowned Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian - has released a new record titled *Monolog Chronosa*. Their discography also includes two other albums - "Disconcerto Grosso" (2010) and "Beast, Machine & Man" (2015) - and their history is notable for the fact that, as early as their 2002 debut single *Aramsome Sums*, they performed their own "rock" versions of Modest Mussorgsky’s *Night on Bald Mountain* and Hector Berlioz’s *March to the Scaffold*. All of this was presented in progressive hard-rock arrangements that incorporated elements reminiscent of the band Gentle Giant. Furthermore, critics hailed the group's first album as a benchmark for symphonic rock. One might pessimistically remark, "But that was years ago". Yet, it is certainly worth checking out where Khatsaturjan stands today.
The band's latest release comprises forty-seven minutes of music spread across seven tracks, with an album title suggesting that the passage of time is the central theme. This phenomenon is observed and described from various perspectives—including, perhaps most importantly, the human condition and the personal, often highly subjective experience of life passing by.
The title of the opening track - "Lessons (On Human Obsolescence)" - gives one food for thought right from the start. However, do not expect dark, atmospheric arrangements here. The composition is remarkably balanced - almost conservative in its playing style—and employs familiar progressive rock tropes, with one notable exception: a strong emphasis on vocal polyphony (a true hallmark of this album) and a more prominent role for keyboards. These two elements define the musical structure of the song, which opens with the sound of a bell before embarking on a progressive journey rich in engaging tempo shifts and instrumental virtuosity. The second track, "What Was True," takes a slightly different approach. Here, the band clearly leans toward a modern progressive sound, successfully utilizing "new textures" to craft a unique atmosphere that straddles the line between atmospheric progressive rock (or even neo-prog) and a vocal-harmony-driven ballad. Once again, vocal polyphony and synthesizers serve as the building blocks for both this specific track and the album as a whole.
The track "The Dystopian Spirit Of Club Energy" also features a piano-and-synthesizer-driven sound. Yet, in this composition, the band draws upon classical music and classical time signatures. The piano sets the arrangement's course, serving as a backdrop for highly impressive vocal performances. Only halfway through does the track remind us that it is 2026, showing how a guitar-driven rhythmic boost can yield a truly successful result. Incorporating electronic elements into the arrangement only enhances the musical value of this piece, which runs over five minutes in length.
It was only while listening to "Song Of Days" that I realized what truly draws me to the band's music: a delicacy and almost theatrical storytelling style—skillfully blended with classical influences - alongside magnificent tales sung with a masterful, gradual build-up of vocal intensity. With a full arsenal of musical tools at their disposal, Khatsaturjan selects only those that fit the symphonic-progressive narrative, all while keeping classical music traditions close at hand. "Song Of Days" is a perfect example of this approach. It makes brilliant use of symphonic arrangements, blending them with flawless vocal lines and weaving in thoroughly modern progressive guitar motifs to create a truly well-crafted track. "DID Memoir" shares a similar, song-oriented character. It opens with a "classic" sense of grandeur, progressive guitar work, and... such delicate vocals. Everything weaves together into a structure that challenges the listener - filled with improvisational passages that hark back to classical music and, as an added bonus, theatrical farce-style interludes appearing midway through the fourth minute. Just listen closely around the five-minute mark for a dose of rap; this element—yet another instance of the piece’s stylistic multiplicity - is entirely justified given the title: "DID Memoir." While the acronym refers to Dissociative Identity Disorder, it also serves as a fitting title for the track's eclectic, multi-stylistic nature.
Following a symphonic opening, the penultimate track on this magnificent album - "The Keepers of the Philosopher's Stone" - simply sends shivers down the spine with its superb vocal lines. It features backing vocals, humming passages, and a lead vocal that stands out tonally, its rough timbre lending an air of deep mystery. Yet, what makes this composition truly exceptional is the extensive and successful incorporation of motifs drawn from classical music; the violin sounds and classical time signatures transform this five-plus-minute piece into a remarkable puzzle of motifs and an intricate arrangement. A madrigal-like character, blended with thoroughly modern synthesizer and guitar sounds, seems to elevate the track's central theme - fittingly so for a song about the "Philosopher's Stone," which here truly transmutes individual notes into "gold."
With this release, the end comes all too soon. Were it not for the fact that the closing track - "Mundus Meus (This World of Mine)" - employs every possible device to captivate the listener from the very first note, one might feel that the magnificent preceding track left something musically unresolved - a void that could neither be filled nor replaced. "Mundus Meus..." stands as a magnificent anthem and the perfect culmination of the album; the Latin lyrics sound both prophetic and majestic without detracting from the depth of the message. And although the track features numerous gentle prog-metal solos, it remains, at its core, a thoroughly symphonic-progressive composition.
If I say that I am very—truly very—pleasantly surprised by the latest work from the group Khatsaturjan, is that recommendation enough? If not, I’ll add that the band features essentially the same lineup as on their debut and subsequent albums, even though musical light-years have passed since that first release (in 2002). Atte Kurri (vocals, bass, keyboards), Ilkka Piispala (vocals, drums, keyboards, bass), and Ilkka Saarikivi (vocals, keyboards, bass, violin) continue to demonstrate that musical trends don't matter to them. It is significant that Khatsaturjan is a group of friends who get together only when they want to record something; they are not a band that makes a living from touring and recording albums. On their Facebook page, the band writes: "We work slowly because Khatsaturjan is not our profession—it is a passion project and a beloved hobby. Whenever we decide to work on a new album, we know a years-long effort lies ahead, with no financial reward whatsoever. Yet, time and again, we take on new projects." Perhaps this approach allows them to maintain a sense of detachment and find the tranquility needed to create new music? You surely know that things tend to flow more easily when there are no deadlines hanging over your head. And since we will likely have to wait a long time for the next sign of musical life from Khatsaturjan, we should simply enjoy this highly successful release—one that has earned a spot in my top ten albums of the year.
