Prophecy by Solstice
Bandcamp is the only place where Prophecy is available as the original 24 bit master files.
Way back in the early days of Solstice, a cornerstone of the live set was the multi-part epic, ‘Journey’ (later recorded on New Life). In some ways, the Prophecy album can be seen as its successor: five distinct tracks which, nonetheless, link together into a seamless narrative. Taking its theme from the Cree prophecy of the Rainbow Warrior, the album addresses contemporary issues through the lens of hope that has always set the band apart from the majority of their more pessimistic contemporaries. It is a story of man-made ecological disaster, but of ultimate redemption.
Musically, whilst instantly recognisable as Solstice and, as always, expressing the vision of Andy Glass, it is the most integrated band album to date, reflecting the stability of line-up over recent years. Steven McDaniel’s keyboards, in particular, occupy a much more prominent place in the melodic structure, whilst Robin Phillips’ bass and Pete Hemsley’s drums lock together perfectly throughout the rhythmical complexities. Even the vocals are shared out more, with Andy and Steven adding harmonies to Emma Brown’s captivating singing.
From the mellow textures of ‘Eyes of Fire’ to the Yes-like chaos of ‘Warriors’ and all the colours and textures in between – often within the same track – the album is a triumphant achievement in terms of both conception and execution.
If all this isn’t enough – and, believe me, it is – there is the added bonus of three Silent Dance tracks that have been given the Steven Wilson remix treatment. The 8-track source material has inevitable limitations, but the man who has recently done such an excellent job on items from the Hawkwind and Jethro Tull back catalogues has managed to work magic, presenting the strongest, clearest versions of the tracks to date.
Oz Hardwick
Tracks:
Eyes Of Fire
Keepers Of The Truth
Warriors
West Wind
Black Water
Tracklist
| 1. | Eyes Of Fire | 8:57 |
| 2. | Keepers Of The Truth | 8:17 |
| 3. | Warriors | 17:21 |
| 4. | West Wind | 9:20 |
| 5. | Black Water | 10:59 |
| 6. | Find Yourself | 6:17 |
| 7. | Return Of Spring | 7:26 |
| 8. | Earthsong | 6:39 |
Credits
All songs written by Andy Glass except : -
Return Of Spring – written by Andy Glass and Marc Elton.
Beth Cohen’s – (fiddle tune in Black Water) written by Larry Unger
Solstice are –
Andy Glass – Guitars, Vocals
Pete Hemsley - Drums
Jenny Newman - Fiddle
Steven McDaniel – Keyboards Vocals
Robin Phillips – Bass
Emma Brown – Vocals
Johnny “Two feathers” McGuire – additional vocals
Produced by Andy Glass
Engineers – Loz Jackson and Jim Hoyland
Mixed - Loz Jackson
Mastered - Paschal Byrne
Artwork – Barry Kitson
Additional mixes – Steven Wilson
Special Thanks to Barry Kitson and Steven Wilson for contributing their extraordinary skills with such generosity. To Loz Jackson for the endless hours he has devoted to this project, Jim Hoyland for hosting and engineering our drum sessions. Mark and Vicky at Esoteric Records for their faith and support. ….and finally, love and thanks to our families and friends for always being there for us.
Extras Credits :-
Andy Glass – Guitars/Vocals
Marc Elton – Fiddle/Vocals
Mark Hawkins – Bass
Martin Wright – Drums
Sandy Leigh – Vocals
Recorded and Produced - Nigel Mazlyn Jones
License
All rights reserved.
"If one band could lay claim to the label ‘prog’s best kept secret’ then Solstice would surely make the shortlist. And I’m speaking here from personal experience. When I put the first of these discs in my CD player my initial reaction was ‘where has this band been all my life’?" Geoff Feakes DPRP