REVIEW: FLIGHT – ECHOES OF JOURNEYS PAST

This Norwegian power trio returns with their third full-length album and if you’re looking for an old-school trip on the proggy side, look no further.

Your humble reviewer knew nothing of the band Flight before beginning the process of this review! Thankfully I was able to get caught up thanks to the very fine people at Dying Victims Productions. Let’s allow them to break down what we can expect from this act out of Oslo:

DYING VICTIMS PRODUCTIONS is proud to present the highly anticipated third album of Norway’s FLIGHT, Echoes of Journeys Past, on CD, vinyl LP, and cassette tape formats.

To call Norway’s FLIGHT “retro” or “vintage” is to miss the point. Since their formation in 2012, the band have walked the fine line between effortless and studious – a throwback to ’70s proto-metal, sure, but done with such vigor and authenticity that even the most skeptical listener would be helpless to resist being whisked away some four decades into the past. Simply, their music exists in that same vacuum when ROCK conquered all. FLIGHT bring the past into the present and write understated-yet-invigorating rockers that draw from a very rich (and idiosyncratic) history. To date, the band’s two full-length records mark specific periods of their patient oeuvre: 2015’s rough ‘n’ ready self-titled debut and 2018’s sci-fi-themed A Leap Through Matter.

Now, FLIGHT continue that patient ascent with LP #3, Echoes of Journeys Past. Presciently titled, Echoes of Journeys Past indeed steps deeper into that mythical, muddied past where genre delineations had yet to be created – and, more so, when “rocking out” was fully based on feel. Retaining that tasteful kinda-clean guitar tone that paradoxically allows their intrinsic grit to hit that much harder, FLIGHT seek a moodier batch of songs that dart in dazzling directions. Each one’s based on a brisk, but-never-rushed pace, and each winds back and forth between hook and lead, rocking and reeling.

There’s an elusive X-factor that makes the album such an enchanting spin, a touch of melancholy, or more so mystery. But most of all, it’s FLIGHT’s synthesis of songwriting and performance that pushes Echoes of Journeys Past into the halls of greatness. Every hit of the drum or strum of the guitar evokes a sensation of warmth, and the vocals adds a layer of pathos to the soundscape. All of this works in service of telling the STORY of the song. Indeed, the album plays out like a story, recalling so much of the 1970s without singly settling on one specific era or sound, before reaching a climax with the ten-minute closer “Mystic Mountain,” which sounds exactly as it’s titled.

The retro-rock game is more crowded than ever, but with roots equally in proto-metal, FLIGHT continue to explore relatively rarefied ground with increasingly powerful results. Strange as it may seem that that power has exploded tenfold by scaling back, Echoes of a Journey Past could yet be the band’s breakthrough record. Those who cherish Gorham/Robertson-era Thin Lizzy, Rainbow’s Down to Earth into Difficult to Cure, or even Blue Öyster Cult at their late ’70s / early ’80s peak, you’ve found your new modern classic.”
-Dying Victims Productions

Echoes of Journeys Past might set off alarm bells for anyone averse to prog elements in their rock, but what’s contained within this album is actually a very economical and digestible hyperdrive expedition through an uncharted spacetime. That’s a fancy way of saying this album just plain rocks and anyone with a remote interest in rock and/or metal will find something to enjoy. Let’s break it down track by track:

1. Hypatia starts things off on a very strong note with ethereal vocals and a crunchy guitar crying out in unison that let us know what we’re in for. Perfectly overdriven riffs and a bouncy drum beat settle you into a rocking zone and prepare you for the journey that is to come. Hypatia was an Alexandrine mathematician and philosopher from Egypt during the time of the Holy Roman Empire. That is quite the choice for a central character in a song and thankfully the killer time change in the second half of the song validates the band’s daring decision.

2. Valley of the Moon opens with a nice, melodic guitar solo that gives way to a more relaxed, Rush-like vibe. If you have any doubts about that band’s influence on these guys, then the keyboard solo a couple of minutes into the song will put those aside. The slower pace gives the song a chance to breathe and explore its more cosmic themes. Close your eyes and just bask in this one. Your space cruise is just beginning.

3. Comet of Gold now that we’ve settled into a more pleasant orbit, this track continues the laidback tone set by the previous album. The arpeggiating, clean guitars will keep you floating along as the lyrics paint a journey of the trailing cosmic body from the title. Much heavier guitars kick in about half-way through and take you right back into that sweet, proto-metal “UFO-Zone” that any rock fan of taste can appreciate.

4. Echoes of Journeys Past keep the rocking momentum going with an immediate return of crunchy riffs like we got earlier on. The echoing vocals and ripping solos keep us flying through the nebula we’ve been peacefully dragged into. This track is a great encapsulation of the band’s sound and if you were to recommend them to someone, this is the first track I would immediately send over to present my case. A very fitting title track.

5. Path to Nowhere (Elysian Fields) is another more straightforward rocker. The riffs and chorus are absolute perfection. Plus, as a total metal nerd, it’s hard not to get excited when you see a track name has a subtitle in parentheses! Mouthwatering double-guitar leads and a searing solo take this track home in strong fashion.

6. Moondance is a pleasant instrumental interlude that guides us to the next track…

7. Mystic Mountain slowly fades us into a more encompassing aural assault. All the strongest elements of the previous tracks of the album come together in this one to create a very strong closer. This is an alignment of the planets, a centralizing of the cosmos, and a perfect way to end an odyssey through space & time.

Wrapping Up:

I did not know what to expect going into this record but I am pleasantly surprised and glad I took a chance on it. Flight has earned a new fan in me and I think they will easily do the same for you if you are unfamiliar with them. Echoes of Journeys Past is an easy listen when you consider the structures and themes contained within. If you are interested in bands like Rush, Freeways, or even Worshipper, then you owe it to yourself to book a ticket for a space tour with Flight.