Today I was reviewing the Top Albums of 2013 at the ProgArchives at number 16 was a band that I had listened to earlier this year,
Fatal Fusion. Their 2013 release is
The Ancient Tale and was the soundtrack for several periods of time today. Earlier in the year I had listened to their 2010 release
Land of the Sun. I liked both of the albums.
Fatal Fusion is a Norwegian crossover prog rock band strongly influenced by bands like King Crimson, Camel, Pink Floyd, ELP, Yes, Genesis, Rainbow, Led Zeppelin, Rush, Deep Purple from the 60’s and 70’s and 80’s and 90’s bands like Anekdoten, Spocks beard, IQ, Marillion, Toto, Dream Theater, Iron Maiden According to their biography the music cover a wide landscape, combining many musical styles from Jazz, Blues, Rock, Metal, Funk, Psychedelia, Ambient, Latin, and Classical music! No wonder I like their music!!
The Ancient Tale is composed of only five tracks and yet the combined length of the album is over 65 minutes!! Three of the tracks are over 14 minutes in length and the other two are over 8 minutes!! Each track is full of tempo and musical changes, that keeps the music continuously interesting!
The two core members of the band keyboardist Erlend Engebretsen and bassist Lasse Lie first played together in a band called No Name way back in 1986. After that band disbanded in 1993, they created a new band in 1997 called Hydra with Erlend’s younger brother Audun as the drummer. After the formation and disbanding of two more groups, Moonstone and Chrystal Blues, Fatal Fusion was born because of their desire to play more progressive material! Along the way the band recruited the other two members of the band: Knut Erik Grøntvedt was added to handle the vocals. He had only played in a few cover bands, and g
uitarist Stig Selnes who played in The Rumbling Tubes in the 1990’s, and Agathe in the 2000’s, before joining Fatal Fusion in mid 2008, he continued to play in both “Agathe” and “Fatal Fusion” for a while, before quiting “Agathe” in 2010, to fully concentrate on “Fatal Fusion” Got all that!!!
So the current line-up for the band is
Knut Erik Grøntvedt – Vocals
Erlend Engebretsen – Keyboards
Stig Selnes – Guitars
Lasse Lie – Bass
Audun Engebretsen – Drums & Percussion
Fatal Fusion;’s first album Land of the sun was released November 2010 as a private release only, and was nominated for”best debut album 2010″ by Prog Awards. Since that release, the band has shared the stage with bands like “Agents of Mercy” in 2011, and “The Watch” in 2012. The band got a full time manager in 2012, and was signed to a record label in 2013.
Over 55% of the reviews at the ProgArchives are 5 star which carries a label as an “essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music”!!
So check them out at all the normal locations Facebook, MySpace and Reverbnation. Here’s a video for “Cry No More” from Land of the Sun Read More
Crossposted from Me.Myself, Music and Mysteries
