Cathedral: Press

CATHEDRAL
„The Bridge”
(Independent)

“The Bridge” is surely not an “easy listening” recording. From the listener it requires focus, patience and devotion of time: it needs to be played a few times before it starts revealing its underlying beauty. You must listen to it once, twice, three times… and don’t get discouraged if at times it annoys or seems to lead nowhere. In such a case, a little step backwards or a moment’s relax is necessary, only to come back to the album in a while. Our patience will doubtless be repaid by Cathedral’s music.

What is the record for the length of time between the release of the first and the second album of one performer? This question encourages potential musicological research and arduous work of a browser and could probably be a good starting point for broader sociological deliberations. I am in the dark as to who is currently wielding the world record in this area, but I am sure that Cathedral is among the leaders. The debut album of this American group, entitled Stained Glass Stories was released in 1978, which was at the peak of punk revolution and on the threshold of new wave fashion. No wonder that this album, partly a swansong of American progressive rock, passed practically unnoticed and the musicians of Cathedral got down to their other business, putting their musical ambitions aside.

In 1991, when Syn-Phonic record company re-released Stained Glass Stories for a CD, Cathedral was in the spotlight for a moment again, but several years had to pass before the band reactivated – in an almost original line-up: Paul Seal (v), Mercury Caronia IV (dr), Thomas Doncourt (k) and Fred Callan (bg). The only substitution is the guitarist: David Doig stood in for Rudy Perrone. To dispel any doubts, he did it in a very spectacular manner, including on The Bridge an instrumental 6-minute composition “Kithara Interludium”, which he composed and performed all by himself. It is a masterpiece as far as playing the acoustic guitar is concerned. “Kithara Interludium” divides the album into two parts, both of which contain 3 tracks, including one 10+ minute suite each. It is those two long compositions, which on The Bridge shine the most brightly and fully. I suggest remembering their titles: “The Monsterhead Suite: Parts 1, 2 & 3” and “The Secret”. They are both full of passion, profound beauty and unbelievable feats in the style of King Crimson and Yes. “Angular World” is another track that earns distinction. There, the crimson echoes reverberate very distantly: there is a wonderful sound of mellotrones, conjuring up the images of the bygone époque, the vocalist sings as if inspired, and the complicated sounds fly from the speakers, giving a listener a lot of listening pleasure. However, I repeat what I said at the beginning: the beauty of the music will not reveal itself immediately, at least not during the first attempt at listening. It is rather like a cat and mouse game, at times slowly exposing some magical musical solutions, at times drawing the curtain of mystery, but at the next listening it attacks and surprises the listener with something new and as yet undiscovered.

I think that a reliable reference for The Bridge would be the King Crimson’s album Thrak. If somebody has taken a liking to that memorable work of Robert Fripp and company, he/she is bound to like the new album of Cathedral.

www.myspace/cathedralprogrock
Artur Chachlowski

Cathedral - The Bridge Country of Origin: USA
Format: CD
Record Label: Independent
Catalogue #: N/A
Year of Release: 2007
Time: 58:40
Info: Cathedral
Samples: Click here



Tracklist: Monsterhead Suite Parts 1,2 & 3 (13:21), Satellite (5:00), Hollins (9:53), Kithara Interludium (6:28), Angular World (7:11), The Lake (5:10), The Secret (11:33)

In 1978, when punk started to rule the world, American (New York) band Cathedral released their debut album Stained Glass Stories. Although the music on their debut contained strong influences by bands such as Yes and King Crimson it immediately showed that Cathedral had the ability to turn these influences into a style of their own. Especially the upfront bass work by Fred Callan and the totally unique way Tom Doncourt played the mellotron made an incredible impression. In my opinion it’s totally justified to call Stained Glass Stories one of the best progressive rock records to come out of the States ever. I’m pretty sure that the album must have had an influence on Anglagard. With the growing popularity of punk, however, the possibilities of releasing progressive rock records got more difficult. In 2003 the band finally got back together again to start rehearsing for their next album. They experimented for three years and after a year of recording their second album The Bridge was released by the end of 2007.

On this album Cathedral consists of lead vocalist Paul Seal, drummer Mercury Caronia IV, guitar player David Doig (who replaced original guitar player Rudy Perrone who left the band because the three years of rehearsing proved to be too much for him), the earlier mentioned Fred Callan on bass and Tom Doncourt on mellotron and other keyboards. So that’s four of the five original members. After nearly thirty years these guys haven’t slowed down one little bit. They certainly did not take the easy way on The Bridge. It is an album that takes all of your attention and a lot of spins before it uncovers its beauty. It’s not an immediate friend. As on their debut the music of Cathedral is still dramatic, full of passion and in places dark. Progressive rock is still at heart of their music but they’ve taken onboard some new influences. There are some David Bowie influences on Satellite and The Lake reminds me of Peter Gabriel. And lastly there are some hints of avant-garde. Those moments reminded me of bands like Underground Railroad (on Angular World for instance) and Deluge Grander. Main influence however is still King Crimson.

The level of playing is terrific throughout the album. New man David Doig is a very versatile guitar player and displays his acoustic abilities on the brilliant Kithara Interludium. An acoustic guitar piece of more than six minutes which impresses from start to finish. You can hear a lot of his acoustic skills throughout the album, whilst on the other side of his guitar spectrum is the mad solo he plays on Angular World. Paul Seal has the perfect voice for this grand and dramatic music, which is convincing and full of passion. Fred Callan's bass playing is often the driving force of the songs - very upfront and aggressive. Tom Doncourt leaves the soloing on this album mostly to David Doig but his keyboard work hasn’t really changed much since Glass Stained Stories. He does use some other keyboards now but there is still a lot of mellotron to be heard on this album. And I must say his keyboard work impresses again. Listen for example how he uses a strange keyboard melody first and then follows this with some beautiful mellotron strings on Satellite. Or the pitchbends on Monsterhead. Or his string chords at the start of The Secret. Brilliant stuff. And finally drummer Mercury Caronia IV who has a very varied style of drumming, utilising an array of percussion. But I believe he’s using an electronic kit for this album and I really don’t like they way it sounds - it makes the album sound a little compressed. So please next time use a regular drum kit. But it’s really the only negative thing I can find.

There are too many highlights to mention. Still I will name two. Number one would be the album closer The Secret. A very progressive song (also with some great saxophone playing) that displays perfectly all the things that are great about Cathedral. Dramatic, grand, dark in places and that finale! Incredible song. The second highlight of the album is the Crimsonesk Angular World that completely lives up to its name. The Bridge is an impressive album from start to finish and as I said earlier it will ask for your complete attention and several spins to get your head round the music. It’s not an easy album but the rewards are very, very, very satisfying. I hope they won’t wait another thirty years to release the third album.

Conclusion: 9.5 out of 10

LEO KOPERDRAAT

Cathedral: The Bridge


It's been close to 30 years since we've last heard from Cathedral; no, not the doom metal legends Cathedral from the UK, but the American prog rock band of the same name (how they are able to continue using the name is a conversation for another time perhaps). Back in 1978, this little known band from New York release a gem of an album called Stained Glass Stories, long considered a prog classic, filled with sumptuous Mellotron, vintage keyboards, Rickenbacker Bass, Taurus Bass Pedals, sinewy guitar work, drums, and effective vocals. Images of King Crimson, Genesis, Yes, and Gentle Giant can easily be heard throughout their debut album, making it a longtime favorite among collectors of rare 70's prog. Alas, this was to be the band's one and only release, until now.

Fast forward to 2006, when 4 of the 5 original members-singer Paul Seal, bassist Fred Callan, drummer Mercury Catonia IV, and keyboard player Thomas Doncourt, along with new guitarist David Dolg, decided to raise the band from the dead and gather together on Long Island, New York to write and record a new album. The result is the fine The Bridge, a decidedly modern sounding prog album that still retains many of the characteristics that the band showed in 1978. Opening track "Monsterhead Suite: parts 1, 2, & 3" is a 13 minute epic that more than draws influence from Starless and Bible Black era King Crimson, with Paul Seal's excellent vocals sounding like a cross between John Wetton and David Bowie. Plenty of lush acoustic guitar, Mellotron, gongs, bells, booming bass, and intricate electric guitar work on this one, and the band did a great job of mixing in complex passages with moments of chilling atmosphere. "Satellite" is an uptempo, modern sounding prog rocker, with effective instrumentation, varied keyboard sounds from Doncourt, and Seal's Peter Gabriel-ish vocal delivery. The moody and pastoral "Hollins" is a gorgeous piece, littered with haunting Mellotron and rippling bass lines, with Seal giving a truly passionate performance. Check out the emotional guitar solo from Dolg here, as he evokes images of Rothery, Holmes, Hackett, Fripp, and Howe. The guitarist shows off his acoustic prowess on the elegant instrumental "Kithara Interludium", and the spooky "Angular World" is a great vehicle for Callan's booming lead bass lines, as he snakes his notes around weaving guitar riffs & solos from Dolg and Doncourt's waves of Mellotron. The mysterious "The Lake" has an almost modern Marillion feel to it, with Seal sounding more than a little like Steve Hogarth on this one, and the epic closer "The Secret" is another example of atmospheric & brooding 70's styled prog. Layered with Mellotron, acoustic & electric guitar, sax, and those ever present muscular bass lines, the band lets the listener know that they are not afraid or unwilling to recreate the style that they forged back in 1978 on Stained Glass Stories.

In a time when so many loyal prog fans hope and pray that their reunited 70's heroes can create music that more than compares to their classic output, it's nice to see a band that delivers the goods when in reality so many just can't seem to get it right. I'll admit it took me a good half dozen listens to really uncover all the magic that is contained on this CD, but it was worth every second in the long run. This is a truly enjoyable CD that has a lot to offer, and should be of great interest to every lover of classic 70's prog. Let's hope the wait for a follow up isn't so long this time. Welcome back guys!


Track Listing
1 Monsterhead Suite: parts 1, 2, & 3
2 Satellite
3 Hollins
4 Kithara Interludium
5 Angular World
6 The Lake
7 The Secret

Added: November 22nd 2007
Reviewer: Pete Pardo
Score:
Related Link: http://www.myspace.com/cathedralprogrock
Hits: 259
Language: english

For quite a few of the cognoscenti this stands as the hallmark achievement in American symphonic rock (with courteous nods to many others notwithstanding). Doubtless, it is a brilliant example of a band who not only understood how to assimilate their influences – of King Crimson, Genesis, or Yes – but knew well how to build upon them and create and impressionistic whole, which was thoroughly unique, remarkably Cathedral.

In short, there is not a naff note or dispensable moment to be found, even though their ability to develop themes might be heard by some critical ears as posturing or even pretentious. The music unfolds and issues forth like a raging river, while setting forth on a journey which is neither predictable or ponderous but one which constantly engages the listener. The five pieces, though individual expressions by themselves, manage to seamlessly flow together in an almost suite-like fashion – always evolving, never stagnating – yet somehow always appearing to be part of a larger conceptual context, which they are. Lyrically, this is dense and melancholy subject matter about a man’s self-actualization, delivered in a tortured style not unlike John Wetton in his days with King Crimson.

Musically is where this quartet really shines. Simply put, Stain Glass Stories is a veritable wet-dream for mellotron fanatics the world over, and Doncourt’s incessant deployment of the veteran sampler is crucial to the orchestral impact of Stain Glass Stories, not only because he opted to use many different tape-patches but also because he knew how to play with the unwieldy machine and make it sound truly impressive. His work on Hammond is noteworthy, but his tonal lexicon is concentrated on the majesty of the mighty ‘tron!

Doncourt’s cinematic orchestrations are further accented by the guitar mastery of Perrone, where we can hear him phrasing like Hackett at one moment, then plucking like Howe the next, only to delight us with a line from the Fripp book of tricks not long after, just when we thought he was running out of ideas. The rhythmic qualities of the band are enormous and not to be dismissed – what with the metrical complexity of their music and varied changes in mood, the bass is accordingly resonant, the use of pedals spectacular, and the additional variety of percussion instruments adding much to the final product and fleshing out the orchestral sweep. None of this, I will add, strikes of contrivance or of a band unsure of what they set out to do. No, they are the near-perfect sum of their influences.

Their follow-up offering, then to be called Epilogue, never came to be. Having heard samples of this, it is a shame they called it quits (for reasons of practicality and family issues, I’ve heard). It was equally excellent! Guitarist Rudy Perrone did manage, with a little help from his friends, a wonderful solo effort called Oceans Of Art, which reminded many ears of a Steve Hackett release. This, or especially an original of Stained Glass Stories, are very rare, but back in 1991 Syn-Phonic reissued the Cathedral masterpiece, which included great packaging. I believe it has been deleted from their active catalog, but I know a few copies are still to be found.

The Bridge [- Hide]
Laser's Edge Catalog
Talk about taking a long time to record a second a...
Talk about taking a long time to record a second album! After a 31 year break Cathedral return for the follow up to Stained Glass Stories. All of the original members are back with the exception of Rudy Perrone who is replaced by virtuoso guitarist David Doig. When you hear about these reformations your expections are automatically set pretty low since very few of them are successful. Cathedral actually pull it off!

The band took the core Cathedral sound (Mellotron is everywhere on this disc) and modernized it a bit - primarily due to current technology. It doesn't sound like it was recorded in 1976 - it has a rather crystalline clear sound. The album kicks off with the 13 minute three part "The Monsterhead Suite" which basically sounds like...Cathedral. In other words a taste of King Crimson, Gentle Giant, Genesis and Yes. The rest of the album follows suit. As you relisten to it you really pick up on a lot of the nuances that made Stain Glass Stories such a classic - but again I have to emphasize that this isn't a retro sound. For me the only downer is drummer Mercury Caronia's decision to use an electronic kit - a standard one would have been much more effective. Here's hoping we don't have to wait another 31 years for album number three - I might not be around!