Concept albums taking mental health as their theme abound in progressive rock. The most well-known must be Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon, and there are many more. Albums such as Genesis’ The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, while notoriously impenetrable, can be viewed as an exploration of mental collapse. The events of The Who’s Tommy flow from a childhood trauma, with one of Pete Townshend’s lines encapsulating the topic: “Sickness will surely take the mind where minds don’t usually go.” (From ‘Amazing Journey’)
Now, the Kindred Spirit Band’s The Journey Within adds to the genre. Let the band explain: “This is a double concept album about a mental health journey. It begins with a sudden, psychotic episode followed by a deep dive inside the mind in an attempt to escape persecution and seek refuge and healing. This work is a terrifying look inside the mentally afflicted mind, crossings through a portal and a fantastic journey through a dream world in which we meet some magical creatures, brought to life by several, well-known prog rock bands. Most of the creatures help you to learn ways to heal your mind. They guide you to a successful recovery and return to the real world, ready to make a new start.”
Unlike the bands mentioned, though, Kindred Spirit are of the folk rock genre, and they invite comparisons with Renaissance, Fleetwood Mac, Jethro Tull and The Moody Blues, among others. Their driving spirit is Elaine Samuels (vocals/acoustic/electric guitar), with the other members of the band being Piers Hogg (electric guitar), Keith Buckman (bass guitar and backing vocals), Stevie Mitchell (flute, sax, cello and backing vocals), and Paul Austin (drums and percussion). Samuels is the writer and composer, with Buckman and Austin assisting with arranging and producing duties.
The band aren’t entirely responsible for everything, though; magical creatures help us on our way, in the form of guest appearances from members of four connected magical bands.
The scene is set for a – potentially – remarkable double concept album. What of what really matters, the songs?
The compositions vary from the short and deceptively simple to the long and complex. The concept’s themes are clearly expressed in the lyrics, with many references to freedom, finding the light, and raising the energy. The playing ranges from acoustic folk to electric power chords, especially when featuring the guests. So, this is a double album (total playing time is 92 minutes for the main album, and there are three bonus tracks) and one that keeps the listener engaged throughout.
The opening three tracks set the scene and allow the Kindred Spirit Band to show their range. House of Mirrors opens the album with a soft introduction and melodic flute, The mental trauma is plain: “I don’t remember how I got here”. Waltz-time circus music both mocks and highlights the issue; circus clowns can be both joyful and terrifying. Samuels’ vocals compare well with Annie Haslam of Renaissance, singing with clarity and expression. The Shadows features saxophone from the classically trained multi-instrumentalist Stevie Mitchell, some jazzy playing with shades of King Crimson. “I’ll never be free” leads into an abstract coda. The Light, counterintuitively, leads us into darkness. The song becomes a folk dance with a flute section in the tradition of Focus. Somewhere brings optimism as the protagonist is guided by the trees of the forest. Folk playing underpins the spirit of the song.
Then comes the first of the guest appearances on the song Into the Woods. This features Chris McMahon of Haze/Treebeard on keyboards, vocals, and mandolin. His keyboards add a new element into the mix. This change to the sonics takes the story into deeper, more complex territory. The mid-section is heavy, there’s a great keyboard solo by McMahon, and the whole band rocks. This is more prog than folk and, fittingly, it’s the first of the long songs at over eight minutes.
On the next track, Lost, Kindred Spirit are augmented by a large part of Spriggan Mist for the story of the next magical creator, the Spriggan. Fay Brotherhood contributes vocals, Baz Cilia brings his bass and vocals, and Maxine Cilia adds yet more vocals. Naturally, the energy remains high because now there’s added Spriggs energy. The track gathers speed; after starting in the style of a traditional folk song, rock and prog elements soon make themselves felt. This is a genuine collaboration between the two bands. A slower section brings Brotherhood’s distinctive voice to the fore before the bands take off with further echoes of King Crimson.
The Track changes gear again, smoothly, and now the energy is influenced by Solstice. In terms of the concept, we’re thinking about spirit and destiny and the refrain of “feel the energy take me higher” underlines the positivity.
The mood changes to be deeper and more serious on Rise Again. This band are adaptable and the arrangements play to their strengths. More saxophone on this one, and the feel of Pink Floyd, especially with a guitar solo played in David Gilmour’s style from the time of Dark Side of the Moon. Whether or not this is a deliberate call back to the roots of the mental health concept, it works.
There’s a feel of the blues on the lively The Crossroads, before the journey reaches The Mountain with a slower, acoustic feel. This track builds with electric chords and speeds up, briefly becoming lively jazz, reflecting a feeling of panic before the second refrain brings a refreshing new perspective in a beautifully sung a cappella section: “My spirit wants to be released”, before audio tones signifying, to my ears, breaking through.
Time for another guest. Now we are treated to the distinctive sounds of Gryphon in the form of Brian Gulland, credited with ‘stately bassoon and recorders’ on The Pass. What’s clever about this arrangement is that Gulland’s playing grows organically from the overall sound of the album; it adds another layer without working against all that has come before. This is wonderful stuff.
Find My Way is a seven-minute song with a singable chorus and a laid-back guitar solo. This is another song that becomes more textured as it progresses.
The final guests arrive for the penultimate track, The Lake. We hear from Stuckfish – Phil Stukey on vocals and Adrian Fisher’s guitar; and, of course, they are playing the character of Stuckfish (a unicorn in fish form) for another meeting on the journey. Yes, this sounds a little different from the rest of the album, but it is knitted in with lyrical references to “I will set you free.”
To close, a 10-minute epic: The Way Home. The quietly atmospheric opening and solo flute not only throw back to the opening of the album, but have a Jethro Tull vibe. The opening three minutes of this are instrumental, before Elaine Samuels’ vocals and lyrics recap the main themes of the concept. A massive gong shimmer leads into a quiet mid-section, which is played in a meandering new age style before more melodic themes emerge from the mist, moving into a “rise up” section that calls back to the Solstice sound from earlier in the piece. A solo acoustic figure and the reflection of “I know my soul has been remade” draw us to an uplifting, thoughtful conclusion.
Two of the three additional tracks, The Machine, and All About the Money first appeared on the Mechanophobia EP (2023). The Machine again illustrates how the band can take flight in an unexpected direction mid-way through a track, in this case using mechanical rhythms juxtaposed with sax.
The Journey Within is an epic double concept album that takes us into the human struggle with trauma. Ultimately, the story and the songs are positive and enlightening; this album is accessible, haunting, and a grower. It is a substantial achievement, with highlights and no reliance upon the notable guests. If you like your prog with folk roots – and even if you don’t – I can happily recommend the album.
TRACKLISTING
CD1
01. House Of Mirrors (4:09)
02. The Shadows (5:14)
03. The Light (5:39)
04. Somewhere (3:36)
05. Into The Woods (9:08)
06. Lost (7:08)
07. The Track (3:58)
08. Rise Again (7:09)
CD2
09. The Crossroads (3:28)
10. The Mountain (6:47)
11. The Pass (5:18)
12. Find My Way (7:01)
13. The Lake (5:16)
14. The Way Home 10:07)
~ Bonus tracks:
15. New Day (4:47)
16. The Machine (7:15)
17. All About The Money (4:38)
Total Time – 96:30
MUSICIANS
Elaine Samuels: Lead Vocal, Guitar
Stevie Mitchell: Flutes, Sax, Cello, Backing Vocals
Piers Hogg: Lead Guitar
Paul Austin: Drums, Percussion
Keith Buckman: Bass, Backing Vocals
~ With:
Chris McMahon (Treebeard/Haze), Phil Stuckey and Adrian Fisher (Stuckfish), Baz Cilia, Maxine Cilia and Fay Brotherhood (Spriggan Mist), Eliot Minn (The Far Meadow), Ross McCrae (Big Hogg), and Brian Gulland (Gryphon)
ADDITIONAL INFO
Record Label: Independent
Country of Origin: UK
Date of Release: 15th July 2025
DISCOGRAPHY
Kindred Spirit Band
– Mechanophobia EP (2023)
Elaine Samuels and Kindred Spirit Band
– Elemental (2019)
Elaine Samuels and Kindred Spirit
– Phoenix Rising (2015)
– Metamorphosis (2009)
– Mystic Journey (2003)
– The Watchers (2002)
– Free Spirit (2000)
– In the Doghouse (2005)
– Dance of Life (1997)
Elaine Samuels
– Blue Skies (1993)
– Reach Out For Me (1992)
– Obsession (1991)
LINKS
Kindred Spirit Band – Website | Facebook (Page) | Facebook (Group) | Bandcamp | YouTube | X | Instagram
Link to the Progzilla Radio Podcast with Kindred Spirit Band discussing the release of The Journey Within HERE
