Timeline Traveller (2002)

7.5

The Timeline Traveller / N.O. Mustang / Voodoo Dancer / A Neverending Enigma, Pt. 1: Sometimes I Wander & Pt. 2: Upwards & Unexpected / Like Waves on the Wind

If The Dead Kennedys’ In God We Trust, D.R.I.’s Dirty Rotten LP and S.O.D.’s Speak English or Die are your favorite albums, it’s not very likely that you’ll become a fan of this unapologetically ‘70’s-influenced Belgian band. Hypnos 69 deals, as their name partly suggests, in extended work-outs that are heavily indebted to acid-rock, space-rock (where’s the exact difference with acid-rock anyway?), prog-rock and early hard-rock or, to keep it short: anything recorded between 1968 and 1975 that involves mastodon guitar freak-outs, a mind-expanding atmosphere and a rhythm section that alternately make you shake your ass and your head dazzle with their complexity. While singer/vocalist Steve Houtmeyers alternates scorching, in-your-face riffs with trippy jamming, the rhythm section of Tom Vanlaer and Dave Houtmeyers seems to reconcile the bludgeoning power of the classic Townshend/Entwistle-tandem with that of the more precise Chris Squire and Bill Bruford (Yes). Very accomplished musicians indeed, but whereas many of their similar-thinking brethren see this as an excuse to wallow in self-indulgent nothingness and pointless noodling, Hypnos’ often astounding performances always seem to have a sense of purpose to them, heading for a direction that perhaps isn’t decided in advance, but at least is one that’s out there somewhere, waiting to be discovered. Granted, you might consider that ‘playing it safe’ if you think that each song should be a performance initiated to explore new worlds, but at least their sense of purpose doesn’t give me a headache. As with most other bands, however, the band’s excellence is more obvious in a live setting, because that’s where they really take off into jam territory, and that’s probably also my main issue with this album: while it’s sonically pretty close to early ‘70’s rock, but also contains hints of stoner-rock and psychedelica – much like the way in which Norwegian’s current pride Motorpsycho recycle and reinvent the past - it could’ve used a bit more bite, the grittier edge that’s a constant ingredient of the live shows and a nice contrast to their occasional mellowness.

Like I said above, Timeline Traveller probably isn’t everybody’s cup of herbal tea, but the title track might be the one to convince even those who like their songs familiar and to-the-point. Lengthy, but never clueless, it’s a song that simply follows its own inherent logic and that involves some stellar, swirling guitar solos, some of the most flexible bass lines this side of The Ox and a drummer combining the sheer, bludgeoning force of Bonham with the all-over-the-place quality of Keith Moon, while adding some nice jazzy touches here and there. Yes, there is also the obligatory, pummelling Zeppelin-styled mid-piece, but when the band throws it all on a heap in the song’s finale – with a cool addition of keyboards and a great resonant guitar tone – you just can’t help it that each of your limbs will want to freak out. The album’s hardest rocking and shortest tune (a ridiculously brief 5:45), the bluesier “Voodoo Dancer,” is a true live monster and the ideal song to play if your dad’s poster of Ritchie Blackmore is still hanging against the toilet wall, because Steve’s melodic solo (also a bit reminiscent of Wishbone Ash’s Turner and Powell) tears through the encyclopaedia of guitar playing with an aplomb few Belgian guitar players have done (or dared?) before him. Slightly less impressive is album closer “Like Waves on the Wind” (that’s damn esoteric, boys!), that maybe shouldn’t have gone on for nearly nine minutes, but nevertheless it contains proof that they are also able to create a weirdly unreal atmosphere by using “unfashionable” keyboards like a Korg Delta and a Rhodes piano. The two remaining songs are entirely instrumental (not that the others weren’t, for the most part), but sound as fully realized as the others: especially cool about “N.O. Mustang” is the rhythm section, or more specifically how that prominent, flexible bass keeps up with the frenzied drum outbursts, while some extensive guitar soloing and a stretched-out crescendo will give you plenty of time to refill the hash-pipe. Finally, there’s the 9:30 prog-rock beast of “A Neverending Enigma,” the first three minutes of which recall early King Crimson (sudden shifts, awkward sounding time signatures, multiple guitar lines – no, definitely not your average rock) and the remainder exploring spacier territory. It’s particularly impressive how the insistent bass line evokes an increasingly feverish atmosphere, while the guitar-heavy last three minutes are the closest they get to rumbling stoner (by ways of Robert Fripp – imagine it!) on this album. Whereas Timeline Traveller contains a few very strong songs and surprisingly little filler (considering the fact the genre’s nearly a synonym for “excess”) they’d even get better, both as songwriters and at capturing the sound that makes them such a spectacular live band in the first place. Highly recommended for those who prefer their psychedelica heavy, their musicianship advanced and the songs drawn-out.

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Promise of a New Moon (2003)

8

Vertigo / Paralyse / The Devil Knows My Name / Burning Ambition / Cradle Rock / These Are Dreams / The Kaleidoscope Voyager / Dragondance / Married to the Sea

Although the cover of Promise of a Moon suggests they’ve finally decided in which direction to continue (stoner-meets-Fu Manchu?), these 43 minutes show the band’s true allegiances are situated elsewhere. There’s some heavy guitar abuse present (and with more drive than on Timeline Traveller), but the band’s clearly a sucker for ‘70’s psychedelica, whether in an accessible retro-pop format (“Paralyse”) or in the three lengthier and spacier songs that are something of a space-opera on the second half of the album. Still, despite this observation, Promise of a Moon offers a broader sonic palette than the debut, not by applying more instruments, but by opting for a song order that stresses the album’s diversity and the guys’ explorative instincts. “Vertigo” immediately opens the album on a high note or, more precisely, a greasy, distorted bass that announces they’re quite the power trio (Mountain or Cream anyone?) if they want to: growling vocals, scorching riffs, galloping drums, an incendiary guitar solo and even an hammering piano turn this song into a indelible force that’s proof of the power of rock ‘n’ roll. Even better and a surprising inclusion is a cover of Rory Gallagher’s blues-rock masterpiece “Cradle Rock,” a song they’ve been playing live for a while. Like the original, it seethes with a manic energy and flies along at a breakneck speed that proves these guys are one of the few who could pull it off to recreate the intensity of the classic Gallagher–McAvoy-De’Ath line-up.

“Burning Ambition,” quite possibly the album’s centrepiece is aptly titled, as it’s the one track that tries to reconcile all the band’s tendencies: starting off with weathered riff straight out of the Arizonian desert, but soon evolving into a calmer universe, it’s the pinnacle of their muscular space-rock. As on the previous album, Steve Houtmeyers proves he’s one of the most gifted players around. Instead of being as flashy as possible, he delivers the extended goods with a gracefulness and swirling charm that incorporates everything from rock, to jazz, psychedelica and maybe even hints of folk. The name has already been mentioned, but what comes to mind is Wishbone Ash. That band also succeeded in taunting the conventional rules of song lengths with a majestic grandeur and melodic logic that’s so much more interesting than the fret-abuse you hear all too often. The songs progresses towards an intense climax and settles down into tranquillity before finally returning to the bludgeoning riff it all started with. Something different is the succession of “These Are Dreams,” “The Kaleidoscope Voyager” and “Dragondance”: I’m not sure whether they intentionally placed these after each other and if they’re really connected, but given the album’s infatuation with dreams and other states on consciousness (not surprising, considering the fact that Hypnos was the Greek God of the subconscious), and the inclusion of a multi-part opus on Timeline Traveller, I suppose I’m not treading dangerous ground. Anyway, these three songs aren’t likely to set anyone up (with the possible exception of “Dragondance”), as they’re all introspective, hypnotic streams of sound founded on carefully constructed melodic shifts and suave vocals. Of these songs, “These Are Dreams” is probably the most abstract, while “The Kaleidoscope Voyager” sounds more concise (and adds a nice sax solo!) without losing the ethereal quality that makes them sound like a crossover of Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin (on a day when they disregarded the bombast) in places. The final part, the completely instrumental “Dragondance” is the densest, with layers of guitar creating a tension that’s a nice final chapter to an 18-minute epic. No matter how homogenous this may sound, there’s more diversity to be discovered: “Paralyse” is easily the most accessible song they’ve ever recorded, bearing quite a familiarity to the way in which Motorpsycho toyed with ‘70’s rock, psychedelica and pop on their album Phanerothyme. But don’t let me give you the impression that this band doesn’t have an identity of its own, since they further stress their adventurous character by adding two short ditties that are a welcome surprise between and after the lengthier work-outs: “The Devil Knows My Name” is a country-tinged mini-soundtrack to a road movie set in the New Mexico desert, while “Married to the Sea” is a charming, somewhat surreal pop song that shows they are a little bit insane. It’s not that Promise of a New Moon is an unexpected stylistic departure from their more jam-based debut, but it successfully shows the band’s restlessness and willing to expand their horizons and if they keep progressing like this, who knows where they might end up?

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The Intrigue of Perception (2004)

8.5

The Endless Void / Good Sinner - Bad Saint / Third Nature / Twisting the Knife / The Intrigue of Perception: I Islands in the Sun - II The Next Level - III A Castle in the Sky - IV Islands (Reprise) / Absent Friends

Hypnos 69 celebrated its 10th anniversary earlier this year, but the main action took place since 2002, as the band released an album for three consecutive years. Timeline Traveller was almost ridiculously ambitious for a debut (especially for a Belgian band trying to find its own niche in a country that doesn't have any - or few) but immediately ensured them quite a reputation among those who keep their ears open; the more diverse Promise of a New Moon displayed an impressive array of styles and sounds. Their new album, The Intrigue of Perception, is closer to the debut in terms of concept (fewer and lengthier songs) and even more ambitious. You might even say "pretentious," if it weren't for the fact that they've actually succeeded in exceeding my expectations. I was prepared for another demonstration of magnetic musicianship and delirious sound-scapes that combine the best from space-rock, progressive, jazz-rock, stoner and blues-based jam-rock, but the result actually became more fascinating and gorgeous than I dared to imagine. The musicianship is as strong as ever, but this time around the production's even better than before (such clarity is rare on a Belgian release), while the main difference is the crucial addition of sax player Steven Marx, whose presence offers the band even more possibilities. Because of the mark which he has undeniably made, the band shifted towards slightly jazzier and prog-oriented territory, with some of the songs providing the missing link between classic King Crimson and Pink Floyd. However, it's not that the band has forgotten how to rock. When you've visited one of their shows, you'll know they're capable of conjuring up a massive wall of sound, but here, it's all an integral part of a 50-minute flow. With the exception of one song ("The Next Level"), all the extended workouts managed to keep me fully concentrated from start 'til finish, as many of 'em unwind with a grace you'll seldom hear. The songs on The Intrigue of Perception are not inter-related (not lyrically, at least), but it does feel like one coherent piece of music and the band's dense arrangements (featuring several vintage '70's keyboards, as well as mellotron and even theremin) and numerous overdubs never fall flat. The dissonant opening to "The Endless Void" suggests they'll immediately storm out of the gates with their full arsenal locked and loaded, but it's a pulsating bass that next sets the tone of this slice of 70's-drenched bliss. Mantra-wise, the song gains momentum, as fluid guitar lines are added, drums become more and more upfront and the band spirals upwards with an increasing intensity that culminates in a burst of noise, a near-cacophony of sounds that barely manages to keep itself in check and displays the almost majestic grandeur of a rock symphony (and believe me, few people out there have hated bad rock symphonies with a passion as intense as mine). The good thing is that there's not one climax, but three, the last one a wank-fest with insane mellotron parts, a theremin freaking out and a frantically deranged saxophone, among others. In other words, off to a great start. "Good Sinner - Bad Saint" is led by a playful bass line that sets the jazzy tone of the song as the catchy chorus is alternated with some exquisite solo moments - none in the least an extended solo by Marx and Steven Houtmeyers' funkiest moment yet. "Third Nature" is the aural equivalent of a daydream, a combination of acoustic and electric and an absolute album highlight to boot. It's intriguing (well, that word had to come up, didn't it?) how they manage to interweave the guitar and sax parts so stylishly and when the pay-off finally arrives halfway the song in the guise of an intensely melancholic guitar solo that sends shivers down my spine each time I hear it, you'll realize that they finally managed to create what's always been there: advanced musicianship with soul and emotional resonance. It's easily the most beautiful thing they have ever released. After such a peak, it could go steeply downhill, but "Twisting the Knife," retro-rock driven by a guitar/organ-tandem is hardly a letdown, plus you get another dazzling guitar solo to top it off. Like many ambitious epics, the album boasts a multi-parted title track, which actually happens to be my least favorite "song" on the album. The first part ("Islands on the Sun") is a sonic delight, again combining acoustic and electric elements, but the multi-tracked vocals are perhaps a bit too pompous for its own good. The second part ("The Next Level") defies description altogether, as its basically an occasion for Marx to deliver a mournful sax "solo" that's supported by keyboard hums, some guitar and lots of awkward sounds. The true highlight of the suite is undeniably "A Castle in the Sky," introduced by keyboards that are reminiscent of The Who's "Baba O'Riley," and closer to "Third Nature," in that it elegantly progresses (the melting sounds of sax and mellotron are especially pleasing) towards a powerfully melancholic second half that's every bit as striking, touching and resounding as "Third Nature," (they never came as close to the ambiance of King Crimson's Red before, and yes, that's a compliment) until it gets to the reprise of "Islands." After this exhausting session, "Absent Friends" initially seems a bit of an afterthought, but its soothing luminousness (despite the song's rather depressing content) is probably the ideal way to leave the building. There are a few instances where their self-confidence maybe gets the best of them, but The Intrigue of Perception is definitely a winner. It's an ambitious album that lives up to its promises and does so with style and credibility and while its best moments are pure bliss, it's also entirely convincing - and more than that - as a whole. I don't use the word very often when I'm talking about albums released by Belgian bands (even though there are several good ones around), but there you go: it's a terrific album and something that belongs on your wish list if you can deal with material that defies the traditional rules of rock 'n' roll. Be adventurous, be like Hypnos 69.

Read album reviews of similar or related artists: Wishbone Ash - Led Zeppelin

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