Let’s start with the very basics:
‘Pendulum’ is a fantastic album.
Of course, I did not expect something less from a band like Långfinger who take things so much seriously when it comes to creating new music. This quality lies on their DNA. It is fundamental.
Pendulum.
Equilibrium.
Gravity.
Balance.
No, if you’re looking for a physics course or an engineering curriculum, this is definitely not the place for you and I am the absolute last person to talk about such technical terms. However, ‘Pendulum’ has managed to bring out all the qualities of this Swedish power trio in such a fine, dynamic and graceful way. Every aspect of this album has been so well crafted, so creatively placed. From beautiful leads and solos which travel your mind far away but keep you focused to the very essence of each song. A rhythm section with a robust and solid production making the sound so compact and ‘determined’. Vocals which are convincingly fine, especially when it gets more electric and the tension rises. Brilliant!
Långfinger has always been a band far away from strict labels, never attached to necessarily something in particular, but embracing a broader range of inspirations, music colors and bringing forward their widened perspective about music. What must be noted about ‘Pendulum’ is the extraordinary and meticulous work on the guitars. Kalle’s performance is beyond inspiration, using different effects and ways to beautifully enrich every single second within the songs and pave the way for such a great result. The album has a lot of progressive rock hints but spans as well from classic rock to the outskirts of heavy metal, having very heavy moments, adding to its diversity and multi-dimensional spectrum. The band has immensely grown up its status, it has matured and has realized its potential. On the other hand, ‘Pendulum’ perfectly embodies their music journey, their continuous will to explore the -not so ‘unknown’ to them- yet undiscovered territories.
My favorite highlights of ‘Pendulum’ are: “Cycles”, “Towering”, “Orbiter” and “Skuggornas hov”, a magical ending to this brilliant album.
Pendulum means Balance.
With Balance comes Evolution.
9/10
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