Artist: Mostly Autumn 
   Title: Go Well, Diamond Heart
   Label: Mostly Autumn Records
 

The music business can be a strange bedfellow at times, you see the new generation of young bands stepping into the limelight and quickly stepping back into the darkness, while bands that have been treading the boards for years don’t get the recognition they deserve.  One of those bands that should be huge but never seem to have gotten the media attention they deserve are Mostly Autumn. 

The band have been around for over thirteen years now but aren’t the household name they should be.  The band have built up an army of devoted fans and despite tours with the likes of Jethro Tull, Blackmore’s Night and Uriah Heep and even acting as special guests to Brian Adams at his Murrayfield show, the world is somewhat unaware of the presence of the band. 

I think all that is about to change with the release of the bands much anticipated new release ‘Go Well, Diamond Heart’.  Not only is this a new album but it’s also the first release to feature new vocalist Olivia Sparnenn, who took over the vacant mike position when Heather Findley retired from the band. 

The band haven’t taken a huge step away from what had gone before with the bands sound, but have grabbed hold of that 70’s rock and progressive element that was the bands foundation and brought it kicking and screaming into the now.

There has always been a majestic feel about the bands sound and 'Go Well, Diamond Heat' really keeps that vibe about it as the opener ‘For All We Shared’ clearly shows, and by the way, Sparnenn has a wonderful voice that just takes you away on this mystical carpet ride of aural pleasure.

The album continues in the same mode with ‘Violet Skies’ before the pace is picked up rather dramatically with the excellent ‘Deep In Borrowdale’, which starts of slowly but quickly builds into something quite special, think The Goo Goo Dolls.

That same modern edge to proceedings is continued with the same vigour on ‘Something Better’ before the simply superb title track ‘Go Well, Diamond Heart’.  A track that mixes haunting melodies with great guitars and keyboards in a Pink Floyd Prog Metal mix, great stuff!

It's back to the more traditional Prog Rock with the stunning ‘Back To Life’, this is where Sparnenn comes into her own delivering a simmering smooth vocal that just melts the heart and soul.

Another step to bring that 70’s prog rock vibe into the now is the fantastic melody rich ‘Hold The Sun’ before the album closes in such magnificent style with the simple but haunting ‘And When The War Is Over…’.  A real corker to end an album that is sure to put the band on the forefront as one of this countries finest Prog Rock bands the UK has to offer. 

Tracklisting:

1. For All We Shared
2. Violet Skies
3. Deep In Borrowdale
4. Something Better
5. Go Well, Diamond Heart
6. Back To Life
7. Hold The Sun
8. And When The War Is Over ...

                  

 

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