LONG DISTANCE CALLING – The Flood Inside
- Posted on 22-03-2013
Passion- precision- strength- attributes all necessary to execute what we as humans desire to get outside of ourselves mentally and physically. Traits contained within the best musicians in the business. Going along with that train of thought the fourth album from German progressive rock act Long Distance Calling has an appropriate title- "The Flood Inside". Filling your headspace with 8 tracks and 55 minutes of fusion / jam orientation against the kaleidoscope of electric chords careening against propulsive rhythms and shifting time signatures, you don’t approach "Nucleus", "Inside the Flood" and the subsequent songs with passive apathy.
The best music in this genre does not necessarily go for the hyperkinetic drum patterns or million notes in eight bar solo breaks on all facets- sparseness and contrast provide texture, context, and a feeling of anticipation. The quintet succeed on all levels within this regard- take in the quiet interplay on the opening 7:13 instrumental "Nucleus" between guitarists Florian Funtmann and David Jordan, bassist Jan Hoffmann and drummer Janosch Rathmer. The way the arrangement builds with introspective repetitive bass and clean guitar notes as the drumming takes the lead- before the interplay adds tension and heaviness, almost in a Tool meets Pink Floyd on a busy Sieges Even street- as if Long Distance Calling truly get all the necessary elements that make up a stand out non-vocal track.
"Tell the End" resonates with this psychedelic, 60’s vibe as the slightly distorted vocals from Marsen Fischer bring a sense of happiness against Janosch’s open snare hits and the echoing, alternative guitar parts. Another highlight is "The Man Within"- narrative parts once again build the feelings against some tribal-like percussion and the root guitar repetition so that the 6:35 timeframe goes by so smoothly. You can truly tell the five musicians enjoy the exploration aspect of their progressive rock style- never over indulgent and attempting to construct something moving.
Thinkers will love "The Flood Inside".