An Abstract Illusion - Woe
If people were to be asked to describe the characteristics of our time, my guess is many would point to our shortening attention spans. It certainly has a big effect on culture - including music. The album as an art form is in a way an antithesis to that. That is especially true for an album like An Abstract Illusion’s 2022 masterpiece “Woe”, one that is just shy of an hour long and conceptualized as one very long song, albeit split up into seven - still pretty long - chapters. Its biggest strength is that the band give their many ideas room to breathe and time to evolve, allowing tender motifs to evolve into breathtaking crescendos. With each listen to this mighty piece of art, it unfolded itself further and I felt more rewarded by its many facets. Bands that are tagged Progressive Rock or Metal sometimes fall into the trap of overcomplicating things, making music whose main purpose seems to be to impress other musicians. “Woe” does showcase brilliant and impressive musicianship and it is complex but never for complexity’s sake. It’s a meticulously constructed journey full of unexpected turns, of valleys and peaks, and the contrasts amplify the emotional weight of each moment. It’s the perfect melange of brain and heart. The fact that the cover is an absolutely gorgeous piece of art in itself only makes it better. I’m certain this is an album that I will come back to and enjoy for years to come. - Manu
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