UK-based prog-rockers The Tirith showcase a wonderful knack for tonal versatility and melodic power on their new album Quetzalcoatl. Highlights are abundant; the chugging, hard-rocking title track channels Mesoamerican mysticism, while the inventive “No Mind (Mushin)” delivers a spacey, Zen-inspired progressive epic fueled by atmospheric synths and moody guitars. Their sound enthralls throughout, fusing elements of folk, jazz, country, and beyond within a prog-rock consistency.
A theatrical introductory track consumes, propelled by a heady mixture of buzzy synths and plucky vibrancy. The riveting title track ensues, immediately strutting a chugging hard-rock vigor. Lush vocal harmonies and steadier guitar twangs then unfold into a fierce vocal lead, emitting a descriptively gripping narrative: “In the shadows of dusk, where rivers bleed the night / A serpent stirs below, in the heart of endless light.” The artful, atmospheric exploration of the Mesoamerican deity compels, driving into a concluding “he promised to return, yet still we wait the day” mystique, reflecting an unfulfilled prophecy left hanging over the sea.
The rest of the album continues to delight in its mixture of heavy-rocking energy, cohesive synth infusions, and engaging lyrical narratives. Another standout, “Rabbit Ings” achieves its own soundscape with nylon string acoustic guitar paving the way initially, welcoming in its “take me down by Rabbit Ings, I’ll see you there” vocal warmth. Shifts between radiant prog-folk and erupting prog-rock make for a fantastic listening experience.
Elsewhere, “No Mind (Mushin)” represents one of the album’s most inventive, epic efforts. Inspired by “the Japanese Zen-influenced mental state of ’empty mind’ or ‘thought-free’ flow,” the initially improvised production expanded into a more focused direction over time, resulting in a breathtaking array of moody guitar work, dreamy vocal injections, and spacey synth entrancement. Coming next, album finale “The Riddles” also enamors, showing a spirited rock and power-pop intertwining, capped off by Cox’s soaring guitar solo. Quetzalcoatl is a fantastically creative full-length success from The Tirith.
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“Quetzalcoatl” and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.
