Sometimes an album comes along that speaks to me on a deeply cerebral level. This has happened before; I tend to cover the weirdest shit I can find, usually crazy Folk Metal and Avant-garde Metal.Occasionally, though, I’ll cover instrumental powerhouse albums like Zombi and their fantastic Direct Inject album.

Which brings me to Agropelter. A multi-instrumentalist by the name of Kay Olsen grabbed a bunch of super talented musicians and formed a Prog-rock collective called Agropelter, and they are unleashing The Book of Hours to a salivating public.

Maybe not salivating, I could be exaggerating a tad, but people are always looking for something dynamic and brand new, and Agropelter is the band to bring that dynamic to the world.

First track “Flute of Peril” sets the stage with some isolated flute (shocker) before it gets going on a small Classical rumination, it starts to rise up on some soaring guitars and then “Levitator” takes control with the most 80s guitar tone ever, and it starts to swing like a stoned monkey on a jungle gym. It reminds me of Zombi and something Steve Vai would’ve written circa 1990. It’s spacey as fuck, and it starts off The Book of Hours with a bang.

“Burial Mound” has gorgeous classical guitar and an ethereal atmosphere that is absolutely reverential during it’s 3:23 minute existence.

It’s the four-part title track “The Book of Hours part 1”, “The Book of Hours part 2”, “The Book of Hours part 3”, and “The Book of Hours part 4″ where they shine. This is the real fucking deal right here. Part 1 is a mind-bending trip into overdrive, it’s warp speed without blasting and pinched harmonies for days. The first part runs at 11:07 minutes, veering into bombastic solo piano territory. Near the end it heads in this cosmic Jazz direction with some beautiful fretless bass. It ends on huge notes, millions of them.

“… Part 2” is a bit more mellow, the keyboards are more prevalent, and here is where the Harpsichord, synthesizers, and church organ (!) take center stage. There’s a sense of impending time and the persistence of memory, the instruments mimicking ticking clocks throughout.

Parts 3 & 4 are both somber and swinging. Agropelter pours it on with these last two tracks, soaring guitars and keyboards battle with Minimoogs for dominance.

It’s taken me some time to write this. I absorbed this album, and when I said that I needed this album, I sincerely mean that shit. I think I’ve covered more instrumental albums this year than in the past. I could attribute that to anything, but maybe it’s the climate of fear and uncertainty that we are living with.

Discourse aside, I wholeheartedly recommend The Book of Hours. Its complexity will undoubtedly appeal to you, fans of Hawkwind, Rush, Zombi, and King Crimson. Get it and be amazed.

[Visit the band's website]

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