KARIBOW – The Unchosen (2018)

Speaking about Neo-Prog, KARIBOW is one of the most interesting projects in this genre from the last decade, with several albums being featured on this blog. Now Oliver Rüsing, the man behind KariBow, is releasing “The Unchosen“. The CD title makes it clear; these are previously unreleased, revised, partially re-recorded and remixed music from 2010 to 2017. Songs that never make it into the albums tracklist, but by no way because its quality. In fact, this is one of the strongest KariBow albums to date.

The release of “The Unchosen” comes to celebrate KariBow’s 20th-Anniversary, however isn’t a re-harsh or outtakes compilation. These are really good tunes, with the typical KariBow Neo-Prog sound many times bordering AOR.
I would call “The Unchosen” – and KariBow music in general – ‘proggy AOR’.
We have 3 compositions over the seven minutes long, however, due to the music’s melodic nature, all feel like regular, at places poppy melodic rock songs. The rest are around 4-minute long, so mostly this is focused to the ‘song format’.

Indeed, at the end of the day, “The Unchosen” is more melodic rock than neo-prog.
Dynamic instrumentation and catchy melodies while listening to ‘Addicted’, ‘Stratosphere’ (a midtempo melodic rocker), ‘Through The Eyes Of A Ghost; Part 3 Back To the Ashes’, the infectious ‘Coming Home’ or ‘White On White makes you think of mix between Asia, GTR, Saga, Marillion, John Wetton, World Trade, and acts of this ilk.
For more elaborated songs get ‘The Impermanence Of Sound’ (Alan Parsons) or ‘Remember’ (IQ), yet always melodious and accessible.

With an incredibly pristine production (as all KariBow albums) “The Unchosen” is a highly enjoyable record for all audiences reading this blog, blending light / Neo Prog, AOR and Melodic Rock.
It’s proggy AOR, that sub-genre born in ’80s, and really well done.
Highly Recommended

01 – Addicted
02 – The Impermanence Of Sound
03 – Stratosphere
04 – Through The Eyes Of A Ghost;
– Part 1 Read Me
– Part 2 Spectral Progression
– Part 3 Back To the Ashes
07 – Plutonian
08 – Coming Home
09 – White On White
10 – Remember
11 – Pure
12 – Inorganic Talk (Orchestral Version)

Oliver Rüsing – All instruments and vocals
Marek Arnold (Toxic Smile) – piano

BUY IT !
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