Second Advent, epic space metal record from Saint Petersburg.

Review by Adriano Alves from "Void - Stoner Doom Worship":
"Soon after starting to listen the album with the opening track “Ruins” reminds me at the same time something like Yuri Gagarin with a drums riffs that refers to influences like Rush or Dream Theater and soon of that brief beginning that already me holds the attention comes a weight that reminds me another instrumental Stoner Metal band the Tank 86, but the difference here is that the sound is distortion and not Fuzz. This opening song brings attention to the rest of the album and soon we arrive at the song “Metamorph” that already begins with very heavy riffs and impressive that although they are well own of the band the melodic walking of the music has influences of Mastodon and Tank 86 In its heaviest parts and then psychedelic riffs begin to appear and again the progressive influences arise, magnificent solo that surely are influences of bands like Pink Floyd and Rush giving the contrast making the listener to travel and soon the music returns to the heavy riffs of the beggining of the song, ending with a riff influenced by Groove Metal.
Well it seems that the album is not a homogenio work where each song has mostly influences of the previous one where depending on the band this is very good because it is a little difficult to find bands that make of each song an unique work inside the album without the cd falls of level in these changes and from what I see Spaceking is one of those bands that know how to do it very well and this kind of attitude makes me want to further detail the album as we are going to next song!

“Silent Window” already starts obscure and more doomic with walkings that remind me a little of Arabic music and soon after more weight with more riffs dragged, where the music stands for a time in this exchange of more psychedelic riffs with arabian stages and riffs more doomics and then the music explodes and a destructive energy making “Silent Window” an exercise of power, Stoner Metal riffs dispute with more doomics and progressive riffs next to some sounds of samplers creating a heavier and experimental environment.

“44” is our next stop, Stoner Metal, Groove Metal among several other things can be listened in this track, I think it incredible how the band can mix several influences with the progressive one thus making own sound, experimental and heavy, energy exchanges of destroyers riffs , samplers and some solos make this track very amazing, very good bass at the beginning, the music could be bigger, it’s only 4:18 ? I want more ……. it sounds like a song made for soundtrack of some science fiction and action game.

It was just me talking about game soundtracks. Listen! Like “Dwart” begins, with samplers and Space Rock riffs ….. wait a second let me go back to the beggining of the song to understand this mix of Space Rock and Prog Metal. Incredible as this band is surprising me, we can start listening to enigmatic space riffs and progressive moves that remind us of Dream Theater and suddenly these textures come together naturally and then receive more prog in your ears, solos that now remind me Star One band, now I understood where this spatial sonority came from. A traveler song, so far my favorite.

The penultimate song entitula the album “The Piper at the Gates of Stone”. If I had to define all the influences of Spaceking in a style maybe it would be Progressive Space Metal because that’s exactly what they sound and the title track of the album proves it, plus Prog and Space Rock with just over six minutes of these variants, we also have more traveler riffs that remind me again of Arab influences. Awesome!
And we got to the end of this magical album with “Collapse” that could be more one destructive song because of the name, but it’s a calmer one, see, maybe this is the collapse that Spaceking is saying after a devastating track one after another. We have in its final something more behaved, but make no mistake this song is extraordinarily technical, incredible track with even more incredible solos that mix wah-wah and delay what reminds a band from Brazil called Space Guerrilla . And that’s the way it continues “Collapse” saying goodbye to an excellent album for those who like instrumental music influenced by much things that we from the world of slow heavy metal music liked and entitled to a short break in almost six minutes and with a quiet samplers almost a minute later, I think it was a good one.

Travel through the possible worlds that our universe can provide in your spaceship and as you bend space-time to reach farther and farther put Spaceking as the soundtrack to your journey."
voidstonerdoomworship.wordpress.com/2017/08/25/spaceking-the-piper-at-the-gates-of-stone/



progarchives.com review by rdtprog:
"The title of this album is a clear reference to the Pink Floyd album of almost the same name, except for the last word, which has been replaced by stone. The band describes their music has "post space with stoner music". This is an instrumental album with loud guitar riffs and a huge bass sound. This is their version of that legendary Pink Floyd album adding to some space, psychedelic passages some stoner and doom metal with an intense atmosphere, hypnotic rhythms that will grab you instantly. You will enjoy the drums intro in the song "Silent Window" and in the middle of the song "Metamorph" because of the contrast it offers with the guitar. The drums are showing some inventive patterns and an occasion to gives a little breather in the music. This is a solid album, not really a bad track. "

progarchives.com review by LearsFool:
"Spaceking are a promising progressive stoner rock band out of Saint Petersburg who've spent their career thus far developing upon their heavy sound and paying reverence to the prog legends. Their latest full length tells their story, starting off hard and loud and over the course of the album adding new instruments and ultimately flirting with quieter sections on the last two tracks. While the heavier portions are more standard for the band's genre, the addition of the other instruments like keys and bendir diversify even the driving tracks, as the title track channels a bit of Pink Floyd's particular psychedelia. The real hero is drummer Daniil Kornev, unleashing solid rhythms and even out of the box playing to shine amongst his skilled bandmates. One of the better recent stoner rock releases, and one that foretells of potential greatness for this group. "

progarchives.com review by BrufordFreak:
"This band from Russia has great sound. Bass, drums, guitars each fill the soundscape perfectly. As a matter of fact, were I to put together my own instrumental Prog Metal band, these are sounds, both individually and collectively, to which I would aspire. Also, the sound engineering and production here is flawless--I can actually hear all of the instruments even though the music present the stereotypic "walls of sound" that is common among heavy/metal music.

1. "Ruins" (5:58) a great opener of nice variety, layering, and melody showing great promise for this instrumental band of heavy rock. (7.5/10)

2. "Metamorph" (7:49) Starts out a little slowly, a little too RUSH-like, repetitiously, but then gets interesting with LED ZEPPELIN riffs and keyboards in the second half. (8.5/10)

3. "Silent Widow" (5:51) seems to get stuck in the opening riff for all of its six minutes. (6/10)

4. "44" (4:18) Where's the variation, where's the development? (7/10)

5. "Dwarf" (5:02) something different! An atmospheric opening! And there is more variation and development than the previous two songs--and it doesn't sound so much like somebody else (as far as I know). By far my favorite song on the album--because it sounds original! (9/10)

6. "The Piper At The Gates Of Stone" (6:06) a little bit of world music instrumentation in the opening! Yay! Develops into a little cross between IHNSAHN and U2. (8/10)

7. "Collapse" (7:01) a slightly milder, slower start helps me gain access to this song. The melody line and sound remind me a lot of Irish Post Rock band GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT. The problem is that there is not enough dynamic variation or sonic development, just riffing at pretty much one tempo. As in the opener, great electric guitar sound during its soloing. (8/10)

These instrumentalists have certainly done their homework, they have certainly learned and mastered the riffs and sounds of the Masters of Metal. My problem is that most of the songs and their component parts sound as if they came straight our of someone else's "greatest hits"--as if the instrumentalists and collective here are trying to string together songs or parts of songs built from the great riffs of all-time--other people's riffs. Rush, Led Zeppelin, Megadeth, Metallica, and probably a number of other bands whose "classic" hits and riffs I do not know because I've never been much of a collector of metal music. If this band with its great sound and incredible engineering and production ever chooses to create its own music--as it does in the fifth song here, "Dwarf" and the intro of "Silent Widow"--then we may have something truly worth shouting about. Until then, this is, to my ears, a great sounding album of mostly regurgitated classic heavy metal music. "
www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=52961



dprp.net review by Jerry van Kooten:
"Another band from Saint Petersburg. Their description mentions stoner metal and progressive rock. And while it's not in their description, I think that a "psychedelic" tag fits this band more than many of the others I have heard on the No Name label. The title of this album hints towards that, while their debut album, entitled In The Court Of The Space King is a nod to their progressive interests.

The stoner part fortunately is of the metal type, definitely not doom. This album offers a great mix of distorted stoner riffing, post-rock guitar layers, and psychedelic wah-wah solos, alternating in progressive ways. Some bits are like a modern-day heavy Hawkwind, some psychedelic parts sound like Swedish band Yuri Gagarin, the post-rock is not unlike pg.lost. There is the power and darkness of Alice In Chains and Black Sabbath.

Metamorph is a good name, with its different styles. The melodic guitar solo had me close my eyes to enjoy the music properly. The title track is heavier, the last track less so, but all are tracks possess lots of variation and breaks.

The production and sound is more in the stoner metal style. For a slightly more varied sound, I hope the sound of the drums can be recorded better.

To my taste, this is the best album on the label that I have listened to. A band to keep an eye on, and I will definitely buy the other albums. I suggest they release a physical CD or, as is quite popular in this style, an LP, and start touring countries like Poland, Germany, and Holland, like many of their genre-mates."
dprp.net/reviews/2018-056



Russian vk.com/stonermusic premiere:
"Симбиоз из стилей и эмоций, которые отправляют слушателя прямиком в необъятные просторы космоса. Группа верна выбранному направлению, но не стесняется нового звука и смелых идей в своей музыке. Понравится ли вам второй альбом так же, как первый? Это решать уже не мне, но пропустить это путешествие по дебрям своего подсознания, чтобы раствориться в тяжести мелодий, просто нельзя. Приятного полета. Сергей Туманов.

Отзыв нашего друга, Ольги Алфёровой: "Одна капля этого напитка пробудит спящего, научит ходить робкого и расправит плечи покорного. Сок, бурлящий в жилах молодого дерева, дающий силу хлипкому ростку пробить трещину в слое асфальта. Жидкий огонь, струящийся родником из самых недр земли, бурлящая магма в цельнометаллической оболочке. Это — обузданная стихия, песня страсти и жизненной силы."

#moosedick: Наконец увидел несколько живых сетов группы (с Дыней мы "всё поняли" в баре Дич + у меня свежее впечатление от выступления на афтепати Outtown феста в Питере) — все ребята с гитарами очень крутые, а Даня на ударных вообще как Господь жгёт.

Когда мы выпускали первый альбом — я ещё не видел ребят живьём, заходил от этого он сложнее и вписаться в издание было тяжелей решиться. Чашу весов тогда перевесил хороший материал и желание поддержать стонер-первопроходцев (их первая ЕП вышла в январе 2009-го, на секундочку, один из первых стонер-релизов из Питера, крутая ЕП, если что - чекайте). У нас довольно живой лейбл, мы часто гоняем по концертам. "Сцена" — на сцене, перед, на улице рядом с клубом, вот это всё, важно знать насколько хороши ребята живьём. Конечно, вторая пластинка после всего этого зашла легко и сразу очень в кайф. Ребята в 2016-м сумели сделать крутую прог-пластинку — могут, умеют!"
vk.com/stonermusic?w=wall-26457580_82836




aeafanzine.blogspot.com review by James K. Blaylock:
"Imagine, if you will, Monster Magnet without Wyndorf‘s out of this world lyrics, and vocals. With just a little dash of Helmet thrown in for good measure. Then maybe you can get a palpable picture, in your mind’s eye, of what The Piper at the Gates of Stone’s overall vibe is all about. The Russian band Spaceking does a phenomenal job with their instrumental space jams here. After all, who needs complicated lyrics to mess up such effortless musicianship. I’d say these guys know exactly what they’re doing and who they’re trying to reach. Besides, each song has its own voice, if you get my drift, or their drifting really. Meaning each tune seems to be tuned-in to the infinite cosmos. Currently the liquid currents are helping pull this metallic metal along through ear gates and asteroid belts alike. Forever searching for a new audience. There you have it: the good, the bad and the ugly."
aeafanzine.blogspot.com/2018/12/full-length-review-spaceking-piper-at.html