Robert Fox The Fire and the Rose

Robert Fox's follow up to his acclaimed debut album 'Asfafa'. Although split into 10 separ-ate tracks, the music actually consists of two long pieces each composed of 5 discernable sections. 'The Beginning...' is very much a scene-setter for the first piece introducing shades of themes to be used in tracks to come. The title track takes over seamlessly, the early moments of this section reminiscent of Vangelis' 'Metallic Rain' from the 'Direct' album. The track then builds into a masterpiece of power and grace, massed synth choirs creating soundscapes of truly epic proportions. 'Timeless Moments' is woven on a web of rhythmic percussion, pipey synth improvising exotically with a lush sweeping backdrop. 'Half Heard...' lowers the pace then utilises another truly magnificent melody to build into a startling wall of sound. 'Illegible Stone' carries on a similar theme but accentuates the melody with Enigma-style pan pipes and cascading synths while booming drums plumb the depths of dynamics. 'While the Light Fades' introduces the second section, acting primarily as a vehicle for gathering momentum into the next piece. 'Through the Unknown...' uses clock-like percussion as a framework for fantastic sweeping melodies. It then fades into an atmospheric cacophany of effects leaving only a percussion block to traverse the gap to 'In A Secluded Chapel'. Aptly, this track is carried by synth and church organ creating more incredible highpoints. 'And All Shall Be Well' introduces relatively up tempo percussion complemented by optimistic synth to produce a track of skilled contrast to the preceding images. 'The End...' is another awesome lesson in powerful melodics, Earth shattering chords bringing the album to a close. I feel Robert's music can be best summed up by comparing it to a journey over a mountain range. The music is truly of mountainous proportions, each piece starts from low ground before scaling the highest peaks, and finally the listener is returned to the valley below. If I had any criticism, it is that the music is on such a scale that after a complete 'trek' one can feel completely exhausted! When I originally reviewed this album in ZENITH#1 I actually dared to say that Robert Fox was even surpassing the works of Vangelis himself. Admittedly Vangelis was going through a relatively uninspired period at the time, and subsequent releases have shown just what a genius he really is, but revisiting these albums confirms to me exactly why I made that statement. If you are a fan of Vangelis and you have yet to hear Robert Fox, then you are in for a treat! (GG, adapted from a review which originally appeared in ZENITH#1)

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