Year: 2021
Total Time: 66:02
Label: Ikaros Records
The leading Greek prog band NEED returns with their fifth album which officially establishes them now as one of the top names on the scene, next to HAKEN and SOEN.
Getting here though wasn’t easy. It took hard work, inspiration and passion. While NEED had already shown excellent writing efforts in their first two, more modern releases, something seemed to have happened with the arrival of Victor and Stelios, on bass and drums respectively, somewhere in 2013. The band feels they decided to change their approach and took a closer look at the favourite sound of the 90s. FATES WARNING, DREAM THEATER and NEVERMORE contributed to the reshaping of the sound of the Athenians and thus became “Orvam: A Song For Home”. The heads begin to turn and begin to turn even more rapidly with the release of the monumental “Hegaiamas: A Song For Freedom”. At the same time, Jon, Ravaya and the rest of the gang, tour relentlessly Greece and abroad, with appearances in the European and American Prog Power festivals as well as supporting the American tour of EVERGREY (with rumours often wanting the Greeks stealing the show from the Swedes)!
So, there is a great deal of anticipation about “Norchestrion: A Song For The End”, the third album in the trilogy that the quintet unwittingly started in 2014 with “Orvam”. As expected, the new NEED album follows a similar structure to the band’s previous albums, with lengthy songs, an interlude/philosophical discussion in the middle and a nearly twenty-minute track towards the end.
“Avia” opens the album with the keys of Antonis and the melodic voice of Jon V. singing “pave the way and I will follow you there, I’m right behind you” followed by the whole band together in an impressive musical explosion ala FATES WARNING. Ravaya continues with “twisted” riffs while the rhythm section of Victor and Stelios follows in full harmonization. The sound is crystal clear. The bass rivals the guitar while the keys in turn enrich the sonic pandemonium of the Athenians. Time for the chorus now which features the lyrics we heard at the beginning of the song, this time with the whole band behind it taking off and causing us the first chills. Delicate solos on keys and guitar will lead to the third part of the track and this time it is Jon V’s turn to take the lights on him and cause chills again with his performance. What an ideal introduction!
“Beckethead” that follows, starts with keys that bring to mind the talented LEPROUS. A wonderful melodic guitar theme will lead to the band’s familiar technical outburst. Within seconds the song changes tone, calms down and Jon’s voice guides us under the accompaniment of a gentle piano. It’s inconceivable how many changes NEED’s songs involve without making you feel tired or losing the plot. It’s all tied harmoniously together, which shows how much work the band has done on this record. Halfway through the track, melodies on keys and guitar take us back to DREAM THEATER of the 90s, the golden age of Progressive Metal. The climax is coming, and you can understand it as it is slowly being built with Ravaya’s amazing guitarwork. A mesmerizing polyphonic ending ala PAIN OF SALVATION causes chills once again: “Let go of this perception, break free of my expectations, make sense of my direction, just follow my inclusion”.
The magic continues with “Nemmortal” and its earworm chorus straight from a traditional Greek choir: “I’ve become so dark and sinister”. An ultra-heavy riff shakes the universe before we venture into the sonic orgasm of the main part of the song. The chorus returns and it’s impossible not to sing with it. The band alternates the heavier with the calmer parts with excess comfort. At 3.30 chills again. The Greek element comes to the fore again with traditional vocal lines and melodies that turn the track into something unique.
The first notes of “Bloodlux” are slightly misleading as they remind us again of Mr. Labrie and Co. just for a few seconds though before the band grabs us by the head with a super thrashy moment. The title suggests something more aggressive, and we don’t fall too far out, as we are dealing with the heaviest composition of the album. Fortunately, however, NEED do not fall into the trap of sacrificing their identity for the sake of aggression. The progressive character is maintained by alternating from aggressive to technical pieces and from there to the powerful chorus: “waiting for the dawn, what have we become?”
“V.A.D.I.S.” (with the voices of Zoe Mylonas and Polyxeni Aklidi) continues the tradition of “Hotel Oniro” and “I.O.T.A.” where the band includes a small interlude with a monologue or dialogue of a philosophical nature.
The ten-minute “Norchestrion” is one of the most emotionally charged compositions on the album. Quite atmospheric, the band uses ‘clean’ guitars, keys while the drumming recalls the great Mark Zonder. The riffs are less heavy with an old school sound, while the exemplary chorus “Hope is my opium, never trust a dreamer. Newfound odium, there’s a new way of things now. Wondering what will be the end of this.” concludes with the use of brutal vocals! The Greek element is also present here, as the melodies sound quite traditional.
“Circadian” is another testament to the band’s talent to produce ‘catchy’ songs of high technical proficiency, full of changes, rhythms, riffs and melodies. With a very original theme lyrically, that of the ‘circadian rhythm’, NEED create perhaps their most addictive chorus of their career and invite us to sing with them: “I lose myself in a perfect circadian pace”.
Just before the end, the band’s eponymous epic as “Ananke” means need in Greek. Here we find all the essence of the band in 19 minutes. The technique, the emotion, the adventurous element of Progressive Metal, NEED’s love for their music and for their heroes – be it FATES WARNING or TOOL – everything is here. The icing on the cake comes from Anna Tarba’s wonderful vocals that uniquely complement the voice of Jon V. and help Ravaya’s guitar bring this epic composition to its emotional climax.
The album closes with the mysterious and melancholic narration in Greek of “Kinwind”, where we meet the well-known Greek actor Akillas Karazisis working with the band again after his participation in “Orvan: A Song For Home”.
NEED have managed to capture the spirit of Progressive Metal of the 90s and bring it into the 21st century through their Greek prism. Their music is not consumed in a demonstration of abilities, but in the very essence of the song. “Norchestrion (A Song For The End) is perhaps their most complete work and a gem not only in the Greek scene, but worldwide too. So, all I have to do is give my warmest congratulations to the band for this masterpiece and urge those who have not listened to them to do so NOW!
Rating: 8,5/10
Editor: Dimitris Benetatos
Related Link: NEED – Official Page
