RAINBURN – thirty-seven

RELEASE YEAR: 2026
BAND URL: https://www.facebook.com/RainburnOfficial/

This progressive rock trio from Bangalore is a rather interesting proposition in that the group’s main man and multi-instrumentalist, namely Vats Lyengar, has turned a rather traumatic experience that happened to him at sea into a richly layered, ambitious-sounding, and oftentimes reflective opus containing plenty of clever ideas and quirky song arrangements.

Modern in tone and style and impressively varied, listening to thirty-seven feels like one is embarking on a journey that covers the whole emotional spectrum, which means that you get calm, pensive parts, heaps of beautiful and occasionally soaring melodies, bombastic workouts, and big, juicy riffs possessing a sharp edge. The vocals are diverse too, and in general, there is a lot to like about this well-written and well-produced offering, especially the tracks “god,” “kings” and “confessions” that serve as the high point of an otherwise robust piece of work. Although musically cohesive, a couple of songs fail to make an impression and are slightly forgettable, so in terms of quality and momentum, it does have a few minor flaws. Having said that, there is an abundance of promise and potential to thirty-seven and what Rainburn do, and this upcoming album of theirs shows a willingness to experiment that has resulted in a set of compositions that delivers surprises, excitement, and lots of drama. Quite a few passages actually recall the revered Hogarth-era of Marillion. Lovers of prog and art rock will dig this record for sure, and fans of Pain of Salvation and the Pineapple Thief might be in for a satisfying experience here. By the way, the use of lower-case letters and presentation with respect to the titles is a deliberate move on the part of the band – they did not flunk their grammar classes if that is what you are thinking.