Album review: Vulkan – Technatura 8 (Heavy Progrock)

Written by Katha

• Artist: VULKAN
• Album: Technatura
• Genre: Heavy Progressive Rock
• Release Date: May 8, 2020
• Country: Sweden
• Highlights: This Visual Hex – Redemption Simulations – The Royal Fallacy
• 8/10

Sometimes it’s just the fraction of a second in which our subconsciousness makes us recognize something in the current mass of informations and decides whether it could be interesting. A band called VULKAN woke up my curiousness immediately when I scrolled by, and the beautiful cover artwork did the rest, so I headed over to Bandcamp to give them a listen.

And I’m glad I did, this Swedish heavy progrock band is another surprising discovery for me. The album that caught my attention – Technatura – is their third effort, was released on May 8^th 2020 and brings in many ingredients that warm a prog-lovers heart.

The first track “The Visual Hex” shows perfectly what to expect from Vulkan: They have an amazing sense for melodies, combined with great harmonies and rhythmic. I’m digging this kind of musical drumming! The lyrics are worth a closer look as well, as they deal with current themes, are thoughtful and critical.

Check out their video for “This Visual Hex” to get a first impression:

Band Links: WEBSITE BANDCAMP INSTAGRAM FACEBOOK

Over the next songs, they develop this formula with great song-writing, the appearances of several guest musicians and different instruments make things even more interesting. Only in the middle part of the album, they lose a bit tension unfortunately, getting too repetitive.

Besides the amazing work of the rhythm section, the vocals of Jimmy Lindblad are another highlight for me. He has a wide range and gives the songs the needed emotions. Remarkable are the three tracks with Swedish lyrics: Especially in “Rekviem”, the use of this language emphasizes the mood – It’s mesmerizing.

To sum it up: The musical flow on Technatura makes it a great listen, and it’s worth to dive deeper into it, as there’s a lot to discover. Check it out!