Emerging from Siberia, instrumental art band So Far as I Know – Sergei Guselnikov (program/guitar), Victor Korkin (bass), Dmitry Shelomentsev (drums), Dmitry Ilyasov (guitars), Daria Shakhova (violin) – have distinguished themselves with their own brand of post/progrock. With Fragments: Disclosure, the first part of a double concept album, the band has taken it further in terms of musicality and scope.
Fragments: Disclosure is the history of the world told through instrumental progressive rock, and the result are 6 tracks suitable for a film looking for an epic score.
Origin starts off with a tribal beat that brings to mind exotic landscapes and adventures. Pyramidal Sense builds to a crescendo highlighted by the drums and acoustics. The beat and rhythm create a sense of anticipation, and the changes in tempo are seamless. Shakhova does excellent violin work here and plays off the guitar well.
The Great Ascending commences with superb acoustic licks, and the rest of the track features strong electric and acoustic guitar interplay. The drums and guitar section further showcases the band’s versatility, and this mid tempo track is the perfect setup for the next one, Conqueror. Clocking in at almost 8 minutes, Conqueror features the album’s most intense guitars and demonstrates their powerful sound.
Grimwood begins slowly and builds momentum towards the end. This is one track that showcases how well So Far As I Know maximizes each member’s musical output, with the sum greater than each part. By the 4 minute mark, the shift in tempo accelerates, from fiery to more laid back violin strings.
Confluence ends the album, and as you hear the chirping of the birds and the acoustic guitar, images of serene nature spring to mind. It is a soothing, relaxing track that serves as the perfect complement to Origin.
Favorite Tracks
Origin
Pyramidal Sense
Grimwood
Track List
1. Origin 2:05
2. Pyramidal Sense 7:14
3. The great Ascending 7:12
4. The Conqueror 7:59
5. Grimwood 8:07
6. Confluence 2:14
Related Links:
So Far as I Know on Jamendo
So Far as I Know on BandCamp
So Far as I Know on SoundCloud
So Far as I Know on Facebook