Viza ‘Aria’

This is one band with a real sense of humor! From a Monty Python esk Napoleonic cartoon video to Swash Buckling Cavaliers! I’m beginning to think their more like a love child of the Alex Harvey Band, who played a blinder of a cover of  Tom Jones’s Delilah on the old grey whistle test back in 1975.  A proper eclectic mix of songs and styles, it sounds good but to me, more in a comedic way? Not to be taken too seriously perhaps? Either way the guy’s all seem to have had a great time making the album and some of their live stage acts seem to reflect this.

I’m not quite sure how or where to start to describe their songs, so just bear with me and you tell me if i,ve got a hold on what their about!

The first song on the album is called ‘Never Feel‘ and has a definite continental sound to it. I think it’s the mix of instruments used in the making of the song that does this. It starts with an opening piece a bit like Fire-Starter with a Mandolin sounding riff accompanied by a heavy rock electric lead, then in come the vocals which take you from the melodic to the manic! I have no idea how? but this all works just magically!! Now moving onto ‘ Midnight Hour (Dingle Rock)‘. As I said at the start, this is one song that you must watch the video to get what I think is the joke! Anyone of an age to remember Terry Gilliam’s infamous animations will enjoy this one.

‘Viktor’s Vanguard‘, just by complete coincidence I’d just been watching the film ‘Underworld, Rise Of The Lycans’ so whether this story is behind the songs lyrics I can’t be sure?  The actual song has a mystical feel to it’s start. being played on a flute, then bursts into a full on assault of your lug holes! Telling a story of a good boy gone bad, who wages war on everyone and everything he can. It’s a pretty smart use of all the instruments that help paint a picture in your mind like a pop up book would do. I quite liked the next song on the album, it was called ‘ The Girl That Doesn’t Exist ‘. A sort of love ballad, they’ve used an accordion which gives this song a truly Parisian sound and feel to it. Again a clever use of instruments not very often heard on a rock based album, which I suppose makes this song stand out as being both a bit unusual and yet intriguing!

Damn! This album is so full of surprises you could wrap it up in a cold wet kipper and call it a bacon sandwich!!  ‘Beneath The Waves ‘  I thought, oh yes! We’re in for a bit of an eastern promise here. But no, just as the intro finishes your straight into the next follow-on song called ‘C’est La Vie ‘. The last song on this quirky but entertainingly different album is a song called ‘ Brunette ‘.  Again it still reminds me of an old song the A.H.Band might have done, full of fun and frolics. I could see all the guy’s dressed as circus actors, cavorting about on the stage and lovin every minute, while playing this song with a definite mediterranean style that would have Anthony Quin in Zorba The Greek dancing on the tables, and smashing plates into the fire!

It’s an experience to just listen to this album. It must be an absolutely unforgettable one to watch the guy’s play live! I’ve had to give this a full four out of five just for the shear quirkiness and individualism of this multinational membered outfit !!!

Band Info…………

Founded in 2000

Genre.. International Rock

Band Members….

K’ noup  Vocals & 12 String Guitar

Orbel Babayan  Guitars, Harmonica, Keyboards & Vocals

Shant Bismejian   Guitars & iPad !?

Andrew Kzirian  Oud, Saz & Vocals

Alex Khatcherian  Bass

Chris Daniel  Drums, Percussion & Vocals

Track List….

Never Feel

Quicksand

Midnight Hour (Dingle Rock)

Vanished

Viktor’s Vanguard

The Girl That Doesn’t Exist

Forward March

Beneath The Waves

C’est La Vie

Ally In Tijuana

Take Over The World

Brunette

Record Label……

Architects Of Melody Records