Clearly influenced by Radiohead and Porcupine Tree and sharing space with peers Engineers, Anathema and Nosound, Gazpacho is far more interested in melody and texture than in virtuosity or complexity. On its latest record Missa Atropos, guitars, violin and keyboards flow over the steady rhythm section, painting pictures of melancholy nights and breaking dawns. Vocalist Jan Henrik keeps his mood at a simmer, not so much pouring his heart out as letting it seep through the cracks in his brave façade. Indeed, Henrik’s charisma goes a long way to putting the songs across, even in their weaker moments. Occasionally the record slides into outright mimicry – put “Will to Live” on the stereo and note how many friends ask you if you’ve got a disk of outtakes from The Bends. But songs like “Vera,” “River” and the title track pay homage to the band’s influences, rather than imitate them. Filling space with slowly unfolding emotional epics, Missa Atropos becomes a solid entry in the encyclopedia of new progressive rock.
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