Fall of the Albatross - Rite

Fall of the Albatross’s second full-length instrumental album, “Rite,” released mid-August of this year, is truly a musician’s album. The opening track “Seance” greets the listener with a twinkling and bright jazzy melody that shines like the first rays of sunlight lapping over the horizon. It isn’t long, though, before red skies come crashing into view and we are faced with a swirling eddy of distorted riffs and stormy syncopation. The song alternates between moments of calm that are cut through with chaos as we weave in and out of the eye of the squall. It’s a thrilling introduction to an album crafted to command the listener’s attention—to batten down the hatches and steel themselves for the ride.

The band’s name, of course, invites these nautical metaphors and “Rite” certainly evokes the feeling of contending with the deadly consequences after inciting the ocean’s wrath. “Glucose Guardian” continues the undulating onslaught—reveling in turbulent time signatures and accented flourishes, all meticulously designed to evoke a certain sense of the erratic, the heart-skipping, the adrenaline-fueled drive of survival.

By survival, here, I don’t mean the slow, trudging endurance we all do everyday in front of our various screens and stimulants as we shuffle between bed to work to bed and back again. I mean really living, the exquisite and elusive feeling of electricity vibrating between your synapses, a deep awareness of the rhythm of your pulse—that your body has its own metronome to keep pace with the orchestral cacophony of disaster. I am talking about the fun of weathering the tempest. “Not the Bees” and “Midnight Society” are the two tracks which for me probably best exemplify this welcome playfulness though it is to be found in all the tracks on this album. Each song always carefully charts the waters—delivering a satisfying balance of sonorously serious substance packaged in a buoyant, tongue-in-cheek style.

Above, I stated that this is a musician’s album but it's also one of the most accessible and least obnoxious examples of pure prog that I have heard in a long time. While the genre is near and dear to my heart, by its nature it's easy to find examples that are overwrought, overcomplicated, and underwhelming. Not so with Fall of the Albatross, particularly in this sophomore endeavor. Each musical decision feels articulate but natural, somehow meticulously planned and also absolutely intrinsic—like they’ve tapped into a cosmic calculus that is innately understood. I am certain that listeners with ears more technically adept than mine will find a grotto full of sunken sonic treasure, key changes glittering out from the murky musical depths.

Normally I’d suggest a certain atmosphere for the best listening experience—waiting for a pink-tinged morning that spells warning for an incoming storm. But Fall of the Albatross summon clouds leaden with rain all on their own. Put on the album, turn down the lights, and prepare yourself for a wild torrent of senses-flooding fun.

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