The joy of progressive rock is that it can take you down many intriguing and different paths, and often with a surprise around the corner. This is very much the case with Echoes Of Virtue, the fifth studio album by the Moroccan progressive rock band, Achelas. Founded by Achraf El Asraoui, I first came across him when he sang impressively on the last two albums by the French progressive rock band, Nine Skies, 5.20 and The Lightmaker – the latter as a guest vocalist on one track.
Achelas originally started as a solo project, but has evolved into a full band, primarily with Mouad Aziz on the drums, amongst other guest artists. Achraf is a multi-instrumentalist and composer as well as being a distinctive and expressive vocalist, and it is his vision that drives the diversity of progressive musical styles and cultural influences – full of intricate melodies, rhythmic complexity and atmospheric soundscapes. Thoughtful and often melancholic, there is power and intensity at times, but balanced by intimate delicacy. This all makes for a fascinating and challenging listen to savour.
Echoes Of Virtue is a concept album, telling the story of a society on the brink of collapse due to the erosion of critical thinking and moral decay. The protagonist is a disillusioned individual in a dystopian world, coping with the loss of a friend (a reference to the much-missed Eric Bouillette of Nine Skies and The Room) of great intellect and integrity. Each song on the album looks at the different aspects of this society’s downfall, from the manipulation of social media to the normalization of exploitation and violence in our world. Less of a narrative-led storyline, perhaps, and more of an internal journey of reflection and understanding. Musically, there is great diversity in style and dynamics, which provides the synergy that shapes the whole album.
Dialogue 33 is a short track that opens the album, with the sound of an exchange between a pilot and co-pilot before their helicopter crash. Achraf says it symbolizes the crumbling society’s collapse in rationality and morality, laying the foundation for the protagonist’s subsequent reflections which follow. There is a dark, chaotic, urgency here, with Eastern-style guitar lines, vocal harmonies and a pulsating beat, which provides a powerful introduction for what is to come.
The album fully takes off with Veils Of Unseen Realities. The protagonist urges a loved one to confront the realities of their deteriorating world rather than being consumed by despair and disillusionment. The vocals are sinister in tone, with a strong chorus (“Open the door, I think you have the key. Reside in you, in your time and place…”) and the guitar work is nicely eclectic and angry, with power and eeriness delivered over a driving beat, through to an intense conclusion.
Echoes Across The Cosmos takes in the cosmic perspective of personal loss and grief for a departed friend, and reflects on universal grief, and finding solace and meaning amidst the vastness of the universe. It is a poignant tribute to Eric Bouillette (as mentioned above) and musically it has a melancholic, orchestrated sweep, with soft piano initially, accompanying Achraf’s deeply emotive vocals, with a sad, despairing guitar solo (“My friend, can you hear my song for you? Thought I haven’t lost you; I feel adrift.”) The song then becomes increasingly more frantic and intense, with darker guitar riffs and patterns, throbbing drums and the doom-laden tolling of a bell before it quietly fades. Emotional and powerful.
Celestial Paradox contemplates the tension between hope and despair in our lives, and the search for meaning and enlightenment amongst all the confusion. Acoustic guitar weaves an other-worldly feel, with Achraf’s mystical singing adding to the haunting atmosphere. The melodic playing has a dark beauty, contrasting against the brooding sound of the wind and water outside. Yet maybe the final verse provides some hope within the storm: “Yet within the night’s disguise, A hidden light begins to rise.”
Dazt Laawam means ‘the years passed’ in Darija, and having the lyrics in Moroccan Arabic gives the song an exotic character, as our protagonist reflects on the passage of time and the changes it brings, deepening their sense of nostalgia and regret, and yet adding some understanding to it. Musically, it is more upbeat, with some chugging, funky rhythm guitar and a trotting beat, with some nice syncopation from Mouad. Mix in some synths, acoustic guitar and percussion, and a lovely soaring and busy guitar solo, and it certainly conjures up a real sense of time and place.
Lies In Their Eyes looks at the deceptive facades people can put on, emphasising the disparity between appearances and reality, as the protagonist searches for truth in the world (“Lies in their eyes, as they claim to be alright. They speak of life and hope secrets untold.”) Acoustic guitar and keyboards create a more serene, albeit somber, atmosphere over which some of Achraf’s most accessible vocals sail. Philipp Dauenhauer of Karibow delivers a melodic and flowing guitar solo, with the ensemble instrumentation intertwining through to the fade. I’d have personally loved to have heard it go on for longer.
Echoes Of the Unseen expands the more personal and introspective feelings expressed earlier and gives them a more global perspective. Reflecting on the illusions of freedom and self-importance, it explores the search for deeper meaning amid the chaos the protagonist senses in the world around him. Dreamy, resonating guitar weaves a North African magical spell, with undulating percussion. It gradually builds up in intensity, with more guitar riffs and the chant of “Echoes of The Unseen” adds to the mysterious nature of this track.
The album ends on a more introspective note, with a contemplative and reflective instrumental called Honest Dream. Lovely, ethereal guitar melodies allow the listener to reflect on the issues raised earlier, and possibly provide a more tranquil sense of closure – and whilst not ignoring the conflicts and personal struggles highlighted, maybe some peaceful resolution can be reached through a contemplation of them.
Echoes Of Virtue is an intriguing and eclectic album from the talented duo of Achelas, with the Moroccan vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Achraf El Asraoui demonstrating what a creative force of nature he is, within the progressive rock community. In this personal journey of reflection and searching through a chaotic and dystopian world, the diverse, exotic, musical template of light and shade provide an immersive and emotional listening experience that really opens up and blossoms fully with repeated plays. Although relatively short in length, it is certainly worth taking time on ‘the path less travelled’ on Bandcamp, to discover if this strong and idiosyncratic release hits the mark for you too.
TRACK LISTING
01. Dialogue 33 (1:42)
02. Veils Of Unseen Realities (4:14)
03. Echoes Across The Cosmos (7:08)
04. Celestial Paradox (3:18)
05. Dazt Laawam (6:36)
06. Lies In Their Eyes (4:17)
07. Echos Of The Unseen (6:51)
08. Honest Dream (3:08)
Total Time – 37:14
MUSICIANS
Achraf El Asraoui – Vocals, Eelectric & Acoustic Guitars, Bass, Guembri, Keyboards
Mouad Azizi – Drums, Percussion
~ With:
Philipp Dauenhauer – Guitar Solo (6)
Record Label: Independent
Country of Origin: Morocco
Date of Release: 31st August 2024
LINKS
Achelas – Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | YouTube | Instagram
