Band: Karcius

CD Title: “Episodes”

Label: Unicorn Digital

Label Website: www.unicorndigital.com

Release Date: 2008

Following up on their 2006 release Karcius are back with CD number three entitled Episodes. And this Canadian four-piece continues to develop their prog-jazz-fusion style here with seven new compositions that push their inventive style into some new and untried corners.

Karcius are a quartet from the Montreal, Canada area featuring include Dominique Blouin (bass), Thomas Brodeur (drums), Simon L’Esperance (guitar) and Mingan Sauriol (keyboards). They came together in 2001 and their instrumental music is a dynamic blend of progressive rock injected with large doses of fusion or jazz elements. Episodes begins with the first three tracks all making up one long song entitled “Elements” [30:46] and it all starts with a pleasant piano riff which keeps building until by four-minutes in the piece is just rocking with searing guitars, choir voices in the background and bass and drums in overdrive. It breaks up a bit at the five-minute mark and then by six-minutes it’s turned itself into a kind of cool jazz combo piece…and it just keeps going from there. In fact this first multi-part track is probably the most symphonic prog Karcius has ever sounded. There are certainly plenty of jazzy or fusiony moments, especially in the second-movement but by and large this epic is about the proggy side of their sound. Karcius’ musical style involves lots of musical stabs breaking up an atmospheric flow only to become the primary compositional direction. And believe me their music can get pretty intense at times. Fortunately this is balanced on Episodes by some very pleasant piano. The second track “Incident” [8:39] starts off with some Spanish styled guitar playing against the piano. In fact the Latin musical style becomes the main theme and as the composition moves through its many phases you are literally transported to a little cantina somewhere on a sunny afternoon. But you have the feeling something is going on behind the scenes that’s just not quite right. The track “Purple King” [7:36] proves to be the rockiest of the seven tracks. And believe me these guys can rock as well as groove.

Karcius have really grown in musical stature over the past few years. The compositions are more developed, more varied and at times more intense. If you love your prog with a healthy dose of fusion look no further than Karcius. Episodes has more than enough musical chops to please your craving. Great stuff.