BRIGHTEYE BRISON - BELIEVERS & DECEIVERS
Written by Matt Coe, www.imhotep.no

In a musical quintet it’s a rare sight to note a guitar player with not a single songwriting credit on an album. Such is the case with this Swedish progressive rock group, as Johan Oijen strictly concentrates on dealing out the fusion riffs and forward thinking clean parts - leaving the bulk of the writing duties to keyboardist/ founder Linus Kase and keyboardist Per Hallman. "Believers and Deceivers" portrays Brighteye Brison as a confident, expressive and outgoing act, delivering with their third album a duality of shorter constructs with "Pointless Living" at 5:13 and "After the Storm" a little longer at 7:37, ending the album with a 20 minute epic "The Harvest" and a monster 34 minute plus "The Grand Event".

To say that this five-some love the 1970’s progressive rock heydays would be an understatement. While the quieter passages of "The Harvest" bring Pink Floyd to mind, the multi-part harmonies and flowery/ alternative thinking analog instrumentation keep the spirit of Yes, Genesis, Gentle Giant and Nektar alive and well. You have to give credit to the use of mandolin, theremin, and saxophones which keep Brighteye Brison separate from the current crop of domestic groups - as well as their strong three-part vocal harmonies that give a tip of the cap to The Beatles and King’s X. Johan’s solo passion gives the band their heavier edge, incorporating nods to David Gilmour, Allan Holdsworth and Yngwie Malmsteen in his technique. "The Grand Event" features a segment with the repetitive lyric echo made famous by Queen in "Bohemian Rhapsody" (and to a lesser extent Yes during their "90125" period) which enhances the dramatic nature of this long symphonic arrangement. I especially enjoyed the sax solo section which went through a warp speed jazz extension only to be torn down into more of a laid-back, psychedelic atmosphere that really takes time and years of practice to truly make tight and special.

"Believers and Deceivers" spills 68 minutes of music that needs brain cell stimulation and concentration of a headphone variety before connecting to your ears permanently. Brighteye Brison make time travel pleasurable and outer world experiences within my grasp.

Rating: 5/6