Dutch prog rockers A Liquid Landscape describe their sound as “Washed up, tired and staggering across a beach in the early hours of the morning. Somewhere in the twilight between desperation and surrender, there is still a glimmer of hope. That sense that everything will be alright, no matter what the odds are.” Their debut album, entitled ‘Nightingale Express’, is all about a journey, both inwards and outwards. It´s about finding a place to belong, a brooding sense of uncertainty and, ultimately, self deception. Like any journey, it has its ups and downs, it´s highs and lows. But ‘Nightingale Express’ is much more than just a concept album. The band wanted to go all out, so they hired moviemaker Lex Vesseur to create something to accompany the album visually. The result is a short film with spectacular imagery, to be shown during live shows and available on the website. They have shared the stage with Anathema, Karnivool, and Riverside. 
When listening to A Liquid Landscape’s brand new album “Nightingale Express” you need to go into the experience with an open mind. This is not an exercise in progressive metal wankery ala Dream Theater, nor does the music ever reach the heaviness of Symphony X. What  “A Liquid Landscape” does very well is “emote”.

The band is compromised of  Niels van Dam on guitar, Robert van Dam on Bass, Fons Herder lead vocals & guitar, and Coen Speelman on drums. Herder has a pleasant melodic tone, which at times is reminiscent of a less annoying Chino Moreno from the Deftones (without the annoying screams and in key) and maybe the singer from Incubus. The production is crystal clear and subtle. The music on “Nightengale Express” is introspective, melancholy, hopeful, and always rich in melody. Starting with the title track (also the longest song on the album), which builds slowly and quietly with Herders vocals getting more urgent until the song fully kicks into a mid-tempo hard rock groove. June Fifth features an emotional vocal performance from Herder. The band experiments with electronica on “Out of Line”. The album’s final track is a beautiful somber duet between Herder and a female vocalist. It’s a moment of serene calm that will take your breath away with its simplicity and the highlight of the album. There are a lot of layers and textures to this album. If you’re a fan of progressive rock bands such as Anathema, Tool, and Porcupine Tree. A Liquid Landscape brings a fresh sound to the world of prog rock, you just need to pay attention and listen.

Rating: 8.0