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REVIEWS: ENCHANT A Blueprint Of The World back to artists page Discography • Audio • Tour Dates • Links Released Oct 24, 1995 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– With the recent success of Dream Theater, progressive rock has started making a slow comeback with music lovers in the US. Enchant is one of many bands that is trying to re-establish progressive rock in the minds of mainstream music fans. For the most part, they succeed. Very melodic sounding, Enchant writes songs that bring to mind bands like Kansas, Asia and others of the 80's prog rock movement. However, don't think that Enchant is dated sounding; while the influence of these bands is evident, they are firmly rooted in the 90's. Besides Shadow Gallery, this is the best band I've heard from Magna Carta so far. Best track is 'Acquaintance,' a song I can easily relate to (listen to the song, and you figure out what I'm saying). It's a pleasure to hear bands like this again; I was starting to think that this style of music was no longer popular in the US. I'm glad I was wrong. Hopefully bands like Enchant will gain more recognition with time, and carve their niche in a scene that has become stagnant with trends. – Gerry Saracco for Urban Warfare Digizine –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Enchant are a quintet out of the Golden State of California who first came to the prog world's attention when Marillion guitarist Steve Rothery produced several tracks for them, all of which appear on this excellent debut effort. Vocalist Ted Leonard has a pleasing tenor which reminds one of Steve Walsh in terms of both phrasing and emotional depth. Guitarist Doug Ott displays a fine set of fretboard chops on his whammy-filled solo excursions, showing a style that consists of equal parts melodic sensibility and fiery speed-picking flash, similar to Yes' Trevor Rabin. Keyboard player Michael Geimer doesn't get as many solo spots as he probably should, but his sense of texture and dynamics are integral to the band's sound nonetheless. Bassist Edward Platt serves as the rhythmic center for the band, which is a tougher job than you might imagine when you consider the phenomenal drumming talent of Paul Craddick, who is one of the most remarkable drummers I've heard in a long time. Craddick's playing is one of the most exciting aspects of the music contained on this album, very reminiscent of the young Neil Peart or Bill Bruford (Dream Theater's Mike Portnoy and Echolyn's Paul Ramsey join with Craddick to make up a sort of holy trinity of young and exceptionally gifted progressive rock drummers who will keep the folks at 'Modern Drummer' magazine busy for a long time to come). The young Craddick also pens many of Enchant's finer lyrics as well ('Catharsis,' 'At Death's Door,' and 'East of Eden,' the last co-written with Geimer), a further Peart connection. The songs themselves will be appreciated by fans of Saga, Rush, and later (read: post-Fish) Marillion for the strong melodies and superlative musicianship contained within each one. Among the highlights are 'The Thirst,' 'Catharsis,' 'East of Eden,' and 'Night-Time Sky,' all produced by Rothery, who even plays some E-bow on 'The Thirst' and trades off solos with Ott at the end of 'Night-Time Sky.' Paul A. Schmidt produced the remaining tracks which include the short instrumental 'Mae Dae,' which runs into 'At Death's Door,' and the closing track, 'Enchanted.' In all, A Blueprint of the World is a fine debut for Enchant, and a worthy addition to any progressive rock fan's CD collection. There is a huge amount of potential displayed in the music on this disc, and I for one will await their upcoming sophomore effort with great anticipation. Hopefully, they will continue to grow and develop so that American prog will be in good hands with young bands like Enchant and the other new American prog bands leading the way to the next century and beyond." – Prognosis –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ENCHANT, WORLD TRADE LEAD LIST OF NEW 'CLASSIC ROCKERS' The tribute discs aren't the only new releases from Magna Carta. Enchant's A Blueprint Of The World and World Trade's Euphoria are proof of art rock's continuing attraction to younger musicians and possibly fans as well. Of the two, World Trade will probably attract more attention initially, due to group leader Billy Sherwood's status as an almost-member of Yes. Sherwood has written with, recorded with and performed with Yes. An accomplished guitarist, bassist and keyboard player, Sherwood also nearly became Yes lead vocalist when Jon Anderson was recording with Anderson/Bruford/Wakeman/ Howe, prior to the 'Union' disc which brought together the nine-piece Yes. Sherwood's voice bears a certain resemblance to Anderson's. And Yes bassist Chris Squire guests on two cuts. Overall, however, the effect is not a Yes ripoff. Both these bands are extremely accomplished musically and have an accessible sound that is not pompous or pretentious as many of it's '70s counterparts. The San Francisco-based Enchant has a melodic approach to its extremely memorable songs as is evidenced by the swirling harmonies and blistering guitar work of "Distractions," the atmospheric textures of "Fade 2 Grey" and the sweeping "Armour," which brings to mind a cross between early Yes and Marillion. – Relix –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Click here to order A Blueprint Of The World. Click here for Enchant's second Magna Carta release, Wounded. |
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