▄█████▄ ░█████▄ ▄████▄░█▄ ░█▄ ▄█████▄ ███▄██ ▄██ ▄█▄ ▄██████ ▄█▄ ▄███ ░████░██▀████▓ ▀██ ▄██░▀█████ ████ ███▓ ██████▓██ ▓███████ ███▓░▀█▀████ ███▓ ███▓ ▓███░ ██ ██▄ ▄██▓██ ▓███▓██░ ▓███░███░███████████▄ ███░███░ ███░ ▄███ ███ ▄█▀░ ████████░██ █████████▄ ▓██░███ ███▓█████████ ███████ ███ ███░ ███████ ███▓ ░██ ██ ██████▓ ░██ ▀██ ███░███▓██████ ███▓███ ███ ███ ████████░███░ ███ ██▄ ██▓███░ ██▄ ██░██▓ ███ ▀▀████ ███░███ ███ ███ ███▓░███████░ ███ ███▓██ ███ ███▓██▓██░ ███ ▓████ ███ ███ ▓██▓ ███ ███░ ▓██████ ███ ▓████ ▓██▄ ▓████████ ███ ▓███ ███ ███ ███░███ ███ ░██████ ███ ░████ ░███ ███▓███▓ ███ ░███ ███ ███ ██▓███ ███ ███▓██ ███ ███ ▓██▄ ███░███░ ███ ███ ███ ███ ░█████ ███ ██▓░██▄ ███ ▓█▀ ▓██▄ ███ ██░ ███ ██▓ ███ ███ ░███▀ ░█▀ ██░ ██ ░█▀ ░███▄ ▀ ▀ ▓█▀ ███░ ░█▀ ██▀ ██░ ▄██▀ ░█▄ ▄███▀ ░██ ░ ██ ▓░ ▓░ ██░ ▓█░ ░█▀ ▀█░ ░█▓ ░ ██ ██ Artist: United Progressive Fraternity ██ ██ ▓ █░░ ■█ Album: Planetary Overload - Part 1: Loss █■ ░░█ ■ █▓▀ █ Year: 2019 █ ▀▓█ ░ █ ▓ Rel. Date: 2020-01-02 ▓ █ ▒ ▒ Genre: Progressive Rock ▒ ▒ █▄ ░ Label: Giant Electric Pea ░ ▄█ ░ █▄ ░ Source: CD ░ ▄█ ░ █▓ Type: Album ▓█ ░ ▓ █ Quality: VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo █ ░ ▓ ▓ █ █ ░ ▓ ▄ ■ ■ ▓ ■ ░█ █░ ▀ █ In rock music, rare are the occasions when a band █ █ offers thoughtful lyrics or a message to go along █ █ with their music. In the case of United █ █ Progressive Fraternity (UPF), they have created █ █ music to go along with their message. Rather than █ █ just being a band in the traditional sense, UPF is █ █ a movement that collects together musicians, █ █ artists and æclimate gurusÆ who are aligned with █ █ their mission. Mission? How often does a band have █ █ a mission, other than to excel in their specific █ █ area of musicianship and sell a lot of records? █ █ Impressively, UPF is focused on loftier goals, █ █ namely: ôTo promote environmental and social █ █ awareness, directly relating to the state of █ █ Planet Earth and the human condition.ö And █ █ musically speaking, their Mission Statement is: █ █ ôTo produce great music, as a collective concept, █ █ whilst conveying a message of peace, hope and █ █ global awarenessö. Judging from this first Part in █ █ their Planetary Overload series, they are living █ █ up to their Mission Statement in splendid fashion. █ █ The mastermind of this collective fraternity is █ █ vocalist, co-producer and songwriter Mark Truey █ █ Trueack, who found his artistic partner for this █ █ project in Steve Unruh. In addition to producing █ █ the album (along with engineer & mixer Cornel █ █ Wilczek), Unruh plays a host of instruments from █ █ violin to flute to guitar to vocals. Evidently █ █ Trueack has chosen well because the recording █ █ sounds sublime. While UPF does have a core band of █ █ sorts, it boasts such a vast list of ôguest █ █ artistsö, ôguest voicesö and ômusic arrangersö █ █ that it becomes impossible to say exactly who UPF █ █ isàit truly is a collective, and we have all been █ █ assimilated (you can catch the full roster at this █ █ location). To make it even more confusing, thereÆs █ █ a bonus disc by ôRomantechsö who are the trio of █ █ Trueack, Unruh and Christophe Lebled, offering █ █ innovative remixes of several UPF songs. YouÆll █ █ need a roadmap for sure to follow the flowchart of █ █ musicians. Suffice to say, even though itÆs hard █ █ to track who has written/played on which songs, █ █ the resulting music is a warm blend of progressive █ █ rock and world music that is beautifully produced █ █ and comes from the best intentions of its █ █ contributors. It also looks gorgeous thanks to Ed █ █ Unitskyæs evocative cover artwork. For that, kudos █ █ to the fraternity! Now letÆs get into ità █ █ ôLoss Anthemö kicks off the album in an █ █ understated way. Not truly an anthem in the sense █ █ of an infectiously sung chorus, it opens more in █ █ the vein of Jon AndersonÆs Olias of Sunhillow █ █ atmospherics, likely thanks to Christophe LebledÆs █ █ keys, as he has previously worked directly with █ █ Anderson. Flutes, violins, celestial keyboard █ █ patches, soprano sax, chimes, and cymbal swells █ █ all swirl over ôguest voiceö cameos speaking to █ █ the dire situation of our planetÆs ecological █ █ well-being. Not surprisingly, YesÆ current lead █ █ singer Jon Davison offers some of the albumÆs █ █ first sung vocals as well (never sounding more █ █ Anderson-esque himself). The title of the album █ █ may be ôLossö, but even in these first lyrics █ █ there is hope: ôLoss brings us together, Loss █ █ takes us closer than before.ö This █ █ re-contextualization of the word ôlossö suggests █ █ that the journey before us is not going to be a █ █ complete downer, even though we are inevitably █ █ dealing with the environmental degradation of the █ █ earth. ôWhat Happens Now?ö is indeed the question █ █ before us, and the title of the first proper song █ █ on the album. TrueackÆs vocals kick in with █ █ UnruhÆs flute dancing around him like Ian Anderson █ █ dancing around on stage, later supplemented by █ █ Marek ArnoldÆs and Clive HodsonÆs sax and wind █ █ instruments, and Angus Keay on guitar. At times █ █ rocking, and at times seductive with Mark FrancoÆs █ █ slinky bass lines and special guest Jerry █ █ MarottaÆs percussion, this song is engaging and █ █ yet still feels like an intro to the albumÆs main █ █ content. █ █ The 8-minute ôCruel Timesö gets us embarked on our █ █ journey in earnest, starting as a tender ballad █ █ singing, ôThese are cruel times, nothing can make █ █ that untrue,ö but also reminding, ôThere is hope █ █ in everything we do, letÆs stand together and face █ █ the gloom.ö Arranged and co-written by guitarist █ █ Ettore Salati, along with Angelo Racz who also █ █ plays keys, this song develops into a symphonic █ █ prog delight propelled by Joe ToscanoÆs drum kit █ █ and featuring Lisa WettonÆs backing vocals. By the █ █ songÆs finale the listener is pulled in and fully █ █ on board with wherever UPF wants to take us next. █ █ ôWhat Are We Doing to Ourselvesö then brings a bit █ █ of world music influence to the fore with tabla █ █ and kalimba for a short acoustic interlude before █ █ the high octane ôStop Timeö kicks in. A highlight █ █ of the album, this rocker has just about █ █ everything in it that a prog fan would want. █ █ Featuring notable guests like Nick Magnus on █ █ keyboards and melody-writing, Hasse Fr÷berg on █ █ supporting vocals and Colin Edwin on fretless █ █ bass, this is a power-packed piece that shows off █ █ the potential of UPFÆs extended fraternity at its █ █ best. However, itÆs Hans J÷rg Schmitz on drums who █ █ really gets the showcase halfway through, raising █ █ the bar several notches to make this perhaps one █ █ of the best songs of the year. █ █ After the onslaught of ôStop Timeö we need a break █ █ and that comes in the form on ôOne Moreö, a █ █ beautiful acoustic piece that is short on █ █ development but heavy on melody, tastefully █ █ supplemented by strings in the manner employed by █ █ TrueackÆs previous band, Unitopia. A closing █ █ narration is offered decrying the dangers of █ █ putting the economy over the atmosphere that keeps █ █ us alive before we launch into, appropriately, █ █ ôMercenariesö. This piece also dips back into █ █ UnitopiaÆs days with musicians from that band, █ █ namely Matt Williams triumphantly returning on █ █ guitars, bass, vocals & songwriting, along with █ █ David Hopgood offering an excellent drum █ █ performance. ItÆs the second hard-hitting song on █ █ the album, with some fiery violin playing offered █ █ throughout and a middle-eastern scale that is █ █ intoxicating. █ █ Another brief acoustic-guitar interlude comes in █ █ the tender ôWhat Ifö with Brendon DarbyÆs ethereal █ █ horn playing over TrueackÆs ponderings before six █ █ year old Brodie Byrne asks ôFather, what are we █ █ doing to ourselves?ö The response is the most █ █ evocative track on the album, ôForgive Me, My █ █ Sonö. Featuring the masterful Charlie Cawood on █ █ saz, oud, bouzouki, hammered dulcimer and a host █ █ of unpronounceable instruments from around the █ █ world, this spacious piece takes its time in █ █ playing with dynamics and the payoff is huge. █ █ Kudos to Trueack for having the wisdom to let █ █ Cawood reveal his magic, at times supported by the █ █ band including Alex Grata on vocals, synths & █ █ looping, and Phill Sokha on drums. We then move █ █ into yet another highlight on the album, ôDying to █ █ Be Rebornö. Featuring a gorgeous melody, the star █ █ of this piece is Trueack himself. As his voice █ █ goes up the octave in the chorus, we are reminded █ █ that he is one of the finest vocalists in █ █ progressive rock today. Support vocals from Lisa █ █ Wetton, guitar from George Perdikis, and more █ █ keyboard wizardry from Nick Magnus add to opening █ █ up the magnificence of this song. ôMaybe we can █ █ finally open our eyes.ö █ █ If it feels like ôPart 1: Lossö has already █ █ delivered the goods, the fraternity has another █ █ surprise up its sleeve: a 19+ minute epic called █ █ ôSeeds for Lifeö. The premise is laid out at the █ █ start with Dr. Cary FowlerÆs explanation of the █ █ Svalbard Global Seed Vault, which ôprovides █ █ ultimate security for more than 850,000 unique █ █ crop varieties, the raw material for all future █ █ plant breeding and crop improvement efforts.ö █ █ While the spoken 2 minute introduction may become █ █ tiresome with repeated listenings, it is a worthy █ █ lesson for all fans of UPFÆs mission to take in. █ █ The piece of music that follows covers nearly all █ █ of the terrain of the album thus far, albeit in █ █ one seamless run. It also features the largest █ █ ensemble yet. In addition to many of the albumÆs █ █ previously mentioned musicians, ôSeedsö also finds █ █ Gordo Bennett contributing to the writing of the █ █ music and arrangement along with keyboard playing, █ █ Marc Papeghin offers French horn, Jes·s Gancedo █ █ Garcφa adds to songwriting and drums, Matthew █ █ Atherton sings and plays synth, and Cornel Wilczek █ █ conducts the ôFraternity Symphonic Orchestraö. Let █ █ us not forget the spectacular 6-string guests, █ █ too: Michel St-PΦre from the band Mystery on █ █ electric guitar, and none other than Steve Hackett █ █ on a virtuosic classical guitar cameo. Whew. Does █ █ it all hold together? Absolutely. As epic as its █ █ subject matter, ôSeeds for Lifeö is representative █ █ of what the United Progressive Fraternity is all █ █ about and could easily have closed the album with █ █ HackettÆs final beautiful nylon-string chord being █ █ played. But there is one additional piece left, █ █ ôLoss to Lostö, another strong song featuring Raf █ █ Azaria and Guillermo Cides, and on soaring soprano █ █ vocals: Grace Bawden. Although the album spans 74 █ █ minutes, the strength and diversity of the █ █ material means that UPF donÆt overstay their █ █ welcome. Indeed, itÆs good news that a Part 2 is █ █ in the works, along with potential large-scale █ █ live performances. █ █ It almost seems beyond coincidence that Jon █ █ Anderson just released a Volume 1 of his album █ █ 1,000 Hands, considering that UPFÆs Part 1 also █ █ employs as many or even more special guest ôHandsö █ █ than AndersonÆs, and cover some obviously similar █ █ terrain. The sum total of this happy coincidence █ █ is that there are thousands of hands busy creating █ █ peace through music. While we could say that UPF █ █ do not have a strong band identity due to their █ █ spirit of diverse inclusion, they turn that into a █ █ strength by transcending what a ôbandö really is. █ █ Their fraternity and mission point the prog music █ █ world towards new directions, new aspirations, new █ █ heights. And as we discover, this is the kind of █ █ progression that is really needed in the world █ █ today, if the world is to survive. █ ▓ ▓ ▒ ▒ ░ 1. Phase I: Dawning on Us - Loss (Anthem) 3:25 ░ ░ 2. Phase I: Dawning on Us - What Happens 4:04 ░ ░ Now ░ ░ 3. Phase I: Dawning on Us - Cruel Times 8:05 ░ ░ 4. Phase I: Dawning on Us - What Are We 3:19 ░ ░ Doing to Ourselves ░ ░ 5. Phase II : Distraction and Destruction - 6:56 ░ ░ Stop-Time ░ ░ 6. Phase II : Distraction and Destruction - 2:37 ░ ░ One More ░ ░ 7. Phase II : Distraction and Destruction - 6:48 ░ ░ Mercenaries ░ ░ 8. Phase II : Distraction and Destruction - 1:44 ░ ░ What If ░ ░ 9. Phase II : Distraction and Destruction - 7:46 ░ ░ Forgive Me, My Son ░ ░ 10. Phase III: Growing - Dying to be Reborn 5:19 ░ ░ 11. Phase III: Growing - Seeds for Life 19:33 ░ ░ 12. Phase III: Growing - Loss to Lost 5:15 ░ ░ 74:51 ░ ░ ▒ ▒ ▓ █ ░ ▓ ░ ■ █▄ ░ ██ ▀█▄░ ▄▄▄▄▄ ▓ ░ ▄▄▄▄▄ ░▄██░ ░ ▀████▓█▄▄█████████▓░ ███ ███▓░ █████████▄▄██████▀ ▓ ▓▀▓ ▒███████▀▀ ▀████████▒ ░████████▀ ▀▀███████░▓▀▓ ■ ░ ▄█░█▀▀▄████▄▓ ▀█▀ █▓░ ▒▓█ ▀█▀ ▄████▄ ▀███▄░ ▄█▀░ ░███▀▀▀███▄ ▀█▒ ██▓ ██ ▓█▀ ▄███▀▀▀███░ ▀█░ █▀ ▓██▓ ▄███ ▀█▓ ████ ▒█▀ ▓███▄ ▓██▓ ▀█▓ █▀ ▓██░ ▒██████▓ ▀█ █▓ █▀ ▓██████▒ ░██▓ ▀█ ▒ ▄██ ░███ ▓███▓ ▀░██░▀ ▓███░ ███ ██▄ ▒ ░█▀ ███ ▄▀ ███▄ ▓████▒ ▄███▀▄ ███ ▀█░ ▓█▀ ▄██▄█▀ ░ ██████████████ ▀█▄ ██▄ ▀█▓ █▀ ████▀█▄▓░▄█ ▀██████▀ █▄▓░▄█▀█▄██ ▀█▓ ░ ▄ ██▀ ▀████▀ ▀█▓▀██ ▀████▀ ▀███ ▄ ▒ █░█▓ ██░ █░ █ ░██ ▀██▒█ ███░ ▒█░ ▄ ▓ ▒ ░█▒ ▓███ ░ ▓██ ░ ██▓ ██░ ░██ █▒ ░ ░█ ▀█ █▀ ▓ ░ ░