RPWL: "Wanted"

Rating: RRRR+
Label: Gentle Art Of Music 2014
Review by: Urban "Wally" Wallstrom

Wanted - The band that knew too much. How do you follow-up the epic and Nietzsche-themed album of Beyond man and Time? With something even bigger and better of course. To be frank... I thought of it as a step backwards (musically - see review at the site) and thus why I'm happy to report that Germany's Art/Prog Rock act #1 has managed to get right back on track with the sheer poetry of "Wanted". And if you're not familiar with RPWL (shame on you), there's no vocals ála broken English on this platter.

It's the 'larger than life' concept album based on the thought of absolute freedom, the liberation of spirit, the concept of no illusion, the perfect medicine against mental fatigue. It's Plato and Hippocrates and basically transferring the old Greek ideas to the modern world of today. Ambitious work to say the least and the very complex question and overall concept gets you right in the solar plexus.

The opening instrumental staccato track of "Revelation" is interesting to say the least. They started hammering on the keys as if there were no tomorrow and the overriding feeling of something grand just around the corner turned out to be true. The bombastic progressive rock of "Swords and Guns" gets the full monty treatment with big riffs and the smooth and catchy chorus part. At times very ELP and Pink Floyd-ish and the track of "Hide and Seek", RPWL and prog-rock at its very best, just wait for the bridge, argh, top notch.

They are constantly finding and inventing new methods to apply to old ideas and you'll end up in awe over the superb art/prog rock music found on Wanted. The guitar work is Gilmour-ish throughout the album and there's no doubt about their influences and inspiration. Tracks such as "Disbelief", "Misguided Thought", "Perfect Day", "The Attack", "A New Dawn", are all superb, catchy, moody, compositions in the genre and style of you-know-what. In fact, anyone into imaginative Art/Prog, Floyd, and RPWL, need to get hold of a copy on the release date of Mars 14th. I simply can't hand out 5 R's, that's nearly impossible in my world (you need to record something like "Wish You Were Here"), but it's 4 plus. Highly Recommended.
www.rpwl.net