Time Must Have a Stop

Description

Product Description VoTuM was formed in 2003 and have performed regularly in clubs in Warsaw and other places in Poland, actively promoting a single entitled Jestem which was released attached to Heavy Metal Pages magazine in May 2006. September 2006, however, brought significant changes not only for the band s line-up, but also for the repertoire and the style of the music which took on a more progressive mood. After an eight-month period of working on new music, eight brand new tracks were recorded in the DBX Recording Studio in Warsaw, with Jacek Melnicki as the sound producer. The record was entitled Time must have a stop . Votum is not only concerned with sound though. The band pay the utmost attention to song lyrics which, like the music, function as a sort of a binding material for the compositions. In addition, rich visual setting is provided by Mindfield Art Group and serves as a background for the pieces. The merging of music, lyrics and visual art work, as well as the ensuing emotional expression, have been the key concepts for the creation of the new album. Our main concern is not any particular style of music, but the atmosphere pouring out of it."We ve got a report! Send someone in there..." "There s an event that begins the story... . There s someone whose only wish is to forget about it all... ." "Pain is the only thing I remember. It preoccupied my thoughts, took over my memories. She was there to annihilate it ... ." A madman turning his vision into reality, a crippled soul who has found a way to release his urge... . A woman affected by his horrendous art, is reliving the past, having been deprived of the present , becoming his unwilling companion ... . A story of obsessive craving to be loved, of perverse affection that leaves them both physically and emotionally scarred and leads deep into gloomy spaces of their minds. Emotional, dark and moving, Time must have a stop merges lyrics, music and visual art into an eclectic, conceptual, atmospheric and progressive reality pervaded by pain and a sense of guilt. Review Votum's full length debut Time Must Have A Stop is a welcome addition to the progressive genre. Votum are another impressive metal band from Poland, and the band's six members present their progressive metal spin on this charming CD with a tasteful outcome. Going for quality over song number with eight strong compositions, the listener will find there is ample cool metal to be unearthed. Time Must Have A Stop has a fitting spectrum of music, with calmer times to those on the buoyant fine metal rocker "Look at Me Now", the growls on this number are quite the complementary addition. "Men In The Dark" commences peacefully before the heaviness takes hold. All those involved have stepped up with very pleasing performances on vocals, guitars, bass and keys, without being over the top and just playing what's needed. Drummer Adam Lukaszek adds some very nice touches with fills and kick patterns on this album, instead of just being a time keeper applying a straight beat. Time Must Have A Stop radiates atmosphere, Votum obviously put considerable effort into this department. Next time you're searching for new metal keep Votum's Time Must Have A Stop in mind, especially if you are looking for a progressive band that's big on atmosphere and quite catchy whilst not being overly technical. This one is certainly a nice change of pace. --Sea of TranquilityThe world of progressive-metal music continues to be a very crowded place, with more bands popping up each and every day. Well, here s another band to keep an eye out for...they re called Votum and they hail out of Poland. Formed in 2003 Time Must Have a Stop is their first full length CD release. Votum is made up of six members; Maciej Kosinski (vocals), Alek Salamonik (guitar), Adam Kaczmarek (guitar), Zbigniew Szatkowski (keyboards), Baartek Turkowski (bass) and Adam Lukaszek (drums). You ll no doubt notice twin guitars in the lineup and you would be correct in assuming that plays a major role in defining the signature sound of the band. There are eight tracks on Time Must Have a Stop that run from 4:28 to 10:50 with most of the others in the 6-minute range. The music itself is unmistakably in the prog-metal category, the guitars are ever-present providing the crunchy drive. That said, whereVotum distinguish themselves are with some varied arrangements. Many of the tracks like The Pun [5:09] allow for not only the twin guitar melee but leave room at times for more mellow sections that build tension or provide a kind of musical relief. The other thing you ll notice regarding the instrument usage and production is that Votum create a BIG sound, most noticeable on Passing Scars [4:28]. They create a grand and majestic, almost anthemic feel in their music. Votum has a dedicated keyboardist and certainly you hear a variety of keyboard sounds sprinkled throughout although it rarely takes a prominent role, it s more a solid support, providing atmosphere, strings or synth pads. The closest it comes to standing out would be the piano styled opening of Train Back Home [6:02]. And I guess that s a stylistic element worth noting, that is that Votum do provide some sonic ups and downs in their music. There may be more aggressive moments but they re not afraid to pull back and mellow out a bit from time to time. So if you are a fan of the musical style created by bands such as Riverside my guess is you ll find a lot to enjoy with Votum s first release Time Must Have a Stop. --Jerry LuckyI m about to let the cat out of the bag, air some of our dirty laundry, and other (mixed) metaphors as well! The review process starts out with an email from our commander-in-chief, Jill Hughes. She ll list groups available and we scurry off in our trucks and visit the closest series of tubes to find snippets of sound and get a taste for what we have at our fingertips. When we choose, she sends us all sorts of information about the group along with the music we re to examine.When Votum s Time Must Have a Stop came around, I found some samples and liked what I heard so I requested it. And, when the package arrived it was Christmas morning with shreds of envelope flying about the room. Enclosed, in addition to the CD, was a description of the band which seemed to indicate that they were largely a metal-focused band. We all have our preferences; mine tend to shy away from the heavier, harder sounds that others find far more palatable. It was therefore with some trepidation that I listened to the album in preparation for this review.And, I was most pleasantly surprised.This is quite possibly the best album I ve heard in months, including those I ve reviewed for this site. Trying to pigeonhole them into a specific genre (e.g., progressive metal or progressive rock) does them a disservice. This is not to say they lack progressive features, just that they re versatility is what makes this album such a great one to listen to. Seamlessly they shift from a progressive sound to an atmospheric track and on to an acoustic piece. I find myself favorably comparing them to Pagan s Mind, Akashic, Pink Floyd, Octavia Sperati, Ayreon and others without being able to focus on any one specific influence.Of the album s eight tracks, some are undeniably progressive. Chiefly, tracks 2, 5, 7, and 10 will appeal to fans of rhythmic guitar, melodic keyboards, and top-notch percussion. In particular, the fifth track, The Hunt is On , is a stellar composition providing a two-minute introduction highlighting the precision of the instrumentalists before the vocalist, Maciej Kosinski, joins. Expertly mastered, the vocals on this track and the others are never lost in the instrumental foundation which support them and the careful listener will be able to pick apart the polyphonic structure of the melodies behind Kosinski. This album is a must have if you enjoy variety; complex, interesting lyrics; and a layered approach to instrumentation. The progressive, epic structure of the fifth track leads effortlessly into a more atmospheric, acoustic track on the sixth ( Away ), which transitions into Looking at Me Now , quite possibly the heaviest track on the album. Each song is unique in some capacity producing a sound that ll keep you coming back for more.A votum is a prayer wherein a person seeks to beseech from a higher power a gift or boon in return for a sacrifice of some kind. If Time Must Have a Stop is indicative of Votum s future works, I ll be glad to perform whatever they require to speed their production processes along. --USA ProgMusic