Holding Pattern - Breaking The Silence

Year of Release: 2007
Label: Surveillance
Catalog Number: SV-1130
Format: CD
Total Time: 50:53:00

I think the Beatles' "She's So Heavy" is favorite around the Spada house. I say that because a heavy, walking rhythm that is so like that Beatles' track appears during "Back To The Tunnels" (and we had a like experience on their debut). It's the sixth track on Holding Pattern's third album Breaking The Silence, the music for which was composed and arranged by Tony Spada. And breaking the silence they are, as it's been at least 26 years since they released their debut and 15 years since Majestic, although Spada (guitars, bass, keys and percussion) and Tony Castellano (bass, keyboards, Mellotron) have released solo works in between. The title track is a demonstrative, bold statement, as befits its title - heralding the band's return perhaps. Guitar cuts across the dancing keyboards like a hero returning triumphant. A particularly "proggy" moment is the parpy yet reedy keyboard solo here, too.

Breaking The Silence contains a series of mostly bright and shiny tracks that are joyous and energetic. Take the opener "Flying Colors" for instance; a freewheeling piece that evokes not only the feel of driving down the open highway, but also images of small planes doing acrobatic routines? if you think of the skillful yet dangerous flying stunts the Blue Angels perform, this would be perfect accompaniment. Even with guitar the focal point, keyboards zip right alongside.

This is an all instrumental affair that puts the guitar at the forefront, and has a sound that is seasoned with a touch of classic Kansas, but more so just a hint of a mid-western feel. In fact, other than the Beatles' reference, most any other references are fleeting at best - a hint here, a happenstance memory there? The arrangements are dense, filled with a lot of movement, whether its drums, percussion, bass, keyboards or the guitar? there's always something happening. "Fishbulb" races along, almost breathlessly. It only slows down marginally for a darker, throatier section filled with trumpeting Mellotron (although they don't sound like trumpets). This is a piece in which I hear a drop of Rush.

Mentioning Kansas, you can almost "hear" violins in "Blaster," a lyrical piece that defies its title. It's also got the feel of classical music played in a rock arrangement. It's guitar rock. It's pounding metal (just listen to Castellano wale away on the bass). So, okay, it's doesn't quite defy its title. I want to mention drummer Rob "The Drummer" Gottfried here, too, because, although he is not buried elsewhere in album, his stick work seems especially at the fore on "Blaster." While you don't think it will be on those first notes, this is a rollicking rollercoaster ride of a track. It's thrilling and electric and will leave you exhausted at the end -- good thing the mellower "Like Waves" follows; it's lush, with rich mix of keyboards, guitar, and bass. Spada still solos, naturally? there are more than a few daubs from the Genesis palette, but with the added strokes of Kansas? and a good bit besides, it doesn't come off as exactly like either.

On "Once As One," Spada's bright and bold guitar phrases are very much in evidence. He's not a shredder, playing more in the "paint with notes" manner, making each note matter. That isn't to say he can't play without ferocity - in fact, guitar-rock aficionados will find this album right up their alley. I mean, whoo!, listen to Spada solo in the closing minutes of this track and just marvel. Or listen to the furious opening to "Out The Other," a track that shifts from a mid-tempo rocker; to a snarly, vicious high-octane rocker, a tempest in a teacup (it just came to me, what can I say); to a calm and not-quite-languid cool down.

But let's get back to "Back To The Tunnels." King Crimson angularity comes to mind with this dark and stormy track, along with Beatles' walking rhythm mentioned at the outset. It stomps all over the place, barreling its way through, at times strutting. And yet in this mix there's a bit of the baroque? just something about the keyboards here and there for a passage or two, which mixes in some classicism to the affair. Call it um? avant-baroque-metal-prog rock hybrid. Life is harsh in these tunnels, that's for sure; perhaps a fierce wind blows through them, given the slashing and thrashing that's going on musically.

The set closes with a live bonus track of "Honor Before Glory," recorded in 2005 at the Poseidon Festival in Tokyo, Japan. Spada's elegiac guitar phrases are emotive; Robert Hutchinson's drumming like a heartbeat, although, naturally, not entirely, as one hopes ones heart doesn't pound out fills. Keyboards create a breathy, misty atmosphere? A beautiful piece? majestic, even. It originally appeared on Majestic, a compilation of material.

If you love guitar. Love prog. Heck, if you love music, you can't go wrong here. There were a few moments here and there that didn't entirely please my ear (a note here and there at most), but one, they're too brief to mention (more than I have) and two, in the grand scheme of things, as this album flat out works, you don't even notice. And even then, those "moments" are, can be, purely subjective.

Some additional notes: "Back To The Tunnels" references, at least in title, two tracks on Majestic, "Out Of The Tunnels" and "Tunnels"; the artwork was done by none other than Paul Whitehead. And, in their first phase, Holding Pattern played with, among others, Kansas.

Tracklisting:
Flying Colors (4:04) / Breaking The Silence (7:06) / Fishbulb (4:05) / Once As One (5:34) / Out The Other (5:12) / Back To The Tunnels (6:37) / Blaster (4:57) / Like Waves (7:22) / Honor Before Glory (5:57)

Musicians:
Tony Castellano - bass, keyboards and Mellotron
Rob 'The Drummer' Gottfried - drums
Tony Spada - guitars, bass, keyboards and percussion
Mark Tannenbaum - keyboards
Robert Hutchinson - drums (9)

Discography:
Holding Pattern (1981/1998)
Majestic (1992)
Breaking The Silence (2007)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin US

Added: March 17th 2008
Reviewer: Stephanie Sollow
Score:
Artist website: www.holdingpatternusa.com
Hits: 3925
Language: english