After their expansive 2022 Prog epic EP Babel, Lesoir have returned with the impactful Push Back the Horizon release which definitely takes them into new territory. They appear to have swapped their more gentle ‘Prog’ and pastoral tones for punchier and much more direct rock numbers. In 2019 and 2023 they toured with Riverside, masters of heavier melodic progressive rock. Rubbing shoulders with such an illustrious band has evidently influenced them to take a heavier, more direct approach in their own style.
Lesoir’s publicity outlines the ambitious agenda for their latest release: “Push Back The Horizon delves into the intricacies of human existence, exploring relationships and life’s complexities… Instead of dwelling on the past, the album encourages a forward-looking perspective, urging a collective effort to try again for a better outcome.”
Title track Push Back the Horizon starts the album off with one of the standout tracks from the album with simple percussion being joined by an effective guitar melody over which a keening electric guitar soars and tribal drums join. Lyricist and singer Maartje Meesen vocalises in an Eastern style before the main almost chanted lyrics follow the forceful main rock passage. This is a spectacular way to grab the attention, but this is a band who still know how to pull back for those vital dynamics which fascinate, with a more laid-back guitar line leading onto flute motifs from Meesen, interweaving with the guitar. The conclusion recapitulates the opening power surge, and the Horizons have well and truly been pushed backwards. The lighter and more melodic Under the Stars is more reminiscent of the Lesoir of their 2017 Latitude era, with softer vocals and dreamier mid-section, before a flowing, almost heroic sounding final section.
The distinctive and positively buzzing opening of Fireflies, with oscillating, metallic guitars from main musical writer Ingo Dassen and crisp drumming from Bob Van Heumen, plunges us into another of the highlights of this album. There is something insectoid and unsettling about the feel of this song, but it also rocks along with such a sharp edge. Lesoir have recruited the skills of Muse collaborator Paul Reeve for vocal production, and there is a more metallic Muse-like edge in evidence here. The whole album has such high sheen of quality imparted by John Cornfield, a veteran producer who has worked with Robert Plant and Oasis. Consequently, Lesoir have never sounded so good.
After such dark intensity the more wistful opening of You are the World provides some calm and light with piano and some lovely heartfelt singing from the impressive Meesen. The tempo and power builds in the final passage in a wave of more impassioned vocals. Lesoir explore more unconventional territory with another high point in the album, the intriguing and rather strangely titled The Drawer (of the Chest in the Corner is Empty). Meesen speaks the opening vocals over eerie sounds and spidery guitars, giving the atmosphere of a gothic ghost story. Ingo Dassen’s crunching guitar riff and Van Heumen’s piledriving drums enter the narrative, driving this dark psychodrama ever deeper into the shadows, with high pitched tortured guitars scraping the horizon… until the whole piece fades away spectrally. It is easily the most quirky and interesting track on Push Back the Horizon.
Aeon is a brighter instrumental over a pleasing almost jazzy guitar and piano melody, until the now almost inevitable rise to a powerful crescendo. Actually, this now familiar pattern may just be a weakness on the album as most of the songs seem to follow a similar path climbing up to a much more insistent peak… sometimes less is more? The unremarkable Nadi rather meanders along, but thankfully this relative mid-album dip is just a breather before a powerful final triptych of high energy and captivating songs.
The twitchy, spasmodic What Do You Want Rrom Me? builds and builds with increasingly defiant vocals and a tornado of drums, bass and squealing guitars. As Long As Your Girls Smile rumbles in like a tank on a bed of impressive bass from Ingo Jetten. Lesoir then ascend a distinctly symphonic metal ladder as Meesen channels her best ‘Floor Jansen’ heroic vocals and Dassen peals out a thrilling guitar passage. Why I Stand Here Now closes the album with a song oscillating between highs and lows, soaring guitars and softly undulating keyboards. This finale climaxes in a bulldozing final passage with grinding, thrilling guitars, all musical cylinders firing and just Maartje Meesen standing tall and proud in the fading sonic rumble.
Push Back the Horizon is an impressive release, but maybe it could have done with a bit more of the left-field quirkiness of the peculiar The Drawer…, and slightly less of the more straightforward and increasingly similar sounding soft / hard rock songs which dominate the album, albeit done with such polished class. Like many artists before who have dared to change (dare we say ‘progress?!) they will find some older fans may struggle to stay aboard the Lesoir train, but with these more accessible rock songs it is likely Lesoir will pick up even more followers as this talented band gathers momentum.
Lesoir have taken a distinct change in direction away from the more classic pastoral ‘Prog’ into shorter, more direct, dynamic and dramatic pieces in this release. One could easily imagine these polished songs belting out in larger arenas. The high-quality of Push Back the Horizon appropriately takes Lesoir over the Horizon and into new territory… it will be fascinating to see where that takes them on future albums.
TRACK LISTING
01. Push Back The Horizon (5:19)
02. Under The Stars (4:52)
03. Fireflies (5:00)
04. You Are The World (5:32)
05. The Drawer Of The Chest In The Corner Is Empty (4:27)
06. Aeon (6:02)
07. Nadi (4:18)
08. What Do You want From Me? (3:10)
09. As Long As Your Girls Smile (4:15)
10. Why I Stand Here Now (5:29)
Total Time – 68:50
MUSICIANS
Maartje Meesen – Vocals, Piano, Flute
Eleen Bartholomeus – Guitar, Backing Vocals
Ingo Dassen – Guitars, Synthesiser, Beats Programming
Bob Van Heumen – Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals
Ingo Jetten – Bass, Pedal Steel Guitar, Guitar, Backing Vocals
~ With:
James Merryweather – String Arrangements
ADDITIONAL INFO
Record Label: V2 Records
Country of Origin: Netherlands
Date of Release: 20th September 2024
DISCOGRAPHY
– Lesoir (2011)
– Transience (2013)
– Luctor et Emergo (2024)
– Latitude (2017)
– Mosaic (2020)
– Babel (EP) (2022)
– Push Back The Horizon (2024)
LINKS
Lesoir – Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | YouTube | X | Instagram