“Rainer Klein did a tour de force in Decide by writing 9 musical acts of which the evolving chaos always find a way to assemble the best of it...”
1 Each Other 9:41 2 Considered 5:12 3 Contemplate 4:35 4 Varied 6:18 5 Unpublished 8:12 6 Seven Chapters 12:15 7 Behold 6:28 8 Decisived 8:43 9 Alternate 7:44 MellowJet Records | cdr-ot1701 (CD/DDL 69:08) (V.F.) (Cinema-orchestral E-Rock)
DECIDE marks the end of an era for Otarion. After the trilogy of Genius, Monument and Constellations and the Red Thread Front, Rainer Klein turns over a new leaf by proposing a resolutely more rock album with 9 titles which evolve constantly within their time frames. Faithful to his vision of eternal romantic, the German musician manages to insert almost everywhere these small blocks of emotion, of poignant music, which play very well on the evolutions of big rock and dance music which alternate inside the 70 minutes of DECIDE.
A line of sequences waves with a form of rhythm under the resonances of falling grave chords. From this introduction tinted of nostalgia, the rhythmic structure of Each Other spreads its dominance with good effects of guitars and a line of flickering sequences which is coupling to percussions of which the rigid structures crashes in a brief passage of ambient vibes. Effects of voice (Talkbox) are embedded while a meshing of percussions, felted as metallic ones, try to bring Each Other towards an E-Rock in the genre of Tangerine Dream from the Seattle years, except that the structure goes heavier and livelier. Rhythm which melt in non-rhythm, Techno that drains its energy in a more rock approach, this first title of DECIDE is just like the 8 others which metamorphose constantly inside their time frames. Effects of intensities, heavy riffs, percussions in mode rock and agile sequences which swarm nervously, the evolving structures here hold us constantly on the alert. From a beautiful ballad pattern, Considered switches for a Techno phase soaked of organic tones before getting back the tranquility of its introduction. Contemplate proposes a rock rhythm supported by very good percussions and sequences which jostle themselves in jolts before ending its race in a more ethereal phase. After a short introduction of mist and voices, Varied is a track which evolves with constancy. There are good effects of percussions, one would say a huge ant which chews a pancake of peat, and good electronic effects on this structure which reaches a Dance and Disco fusion. That does very Moonbooter with a hymn of trance always adorned by small fragments of romanticism.
More rock, with good effects of guitar, Unpublished crosses the same currents of uncertainty as Each Other. Except that here, the music evolves between a wild rock and some brief moments of progressive rock. If we like the more progressive rock side of the music, Seven Chapters is the strong moment of DECIDE. Its introduction is made of nebulosity with a wave of organ which floats in vapors from a mysterious pond. A delicate approach of ballad gets out and reveals a thin line of tenderness with a nice fluty chant. And suddenly, everything begins to pound. Sequences and percussions start to stir up and the chords become less nuanced, more incisive. The riffs begin to bite the ambient moods, inviting a guitar to mold its solos on the harmonies of the keyboard. Nothing explodes and everything implodes whereas Seven Chapters digs inside its story in order to spread its many charms and effects of surprises in a structure all the same rather sober, considering its many charge of emotions. After a delicate intro with arpeggios which glitter into corridors of dark breezes and of absent voices, Behold explodes in a solid rock sculpted around good arrangements. Decisived is completely outside the vibes of DECIDE with a very spasmodic structure which annoys in a context where everything is so in disorder. On the other hand, there are strong riffs which surprise the sense of hearing. Alternate ends with an approach closer to those ballads from the first part of the last Otarion trilogy begun with Genius. In fact, the title would have fit in this wonderful album of Otarion. The rhythm progresses in its cocoon of homogeneity, a rare thing here, with a good complicity between the percussions and the many sequencing patterns, the strength in this album, and under the chords and tears of a guitar. We listen to and we want to put it back in our CD player, as well as to listen again this great album which is Genius.
DECIDE is an album that will please without hesitations to fans of Otarion. I liked it good and I am a fan! For those who try to get into its universe, it's a different story because of the very ill-assorted structures of the album. But in the long run, we get used to it and we are making pretty nice discoveries, in particular in the second part of this album which is pure dynamite. In fact, I believe that we can get into Rainer Klein's little world with this DECIDE except that it's clearly easier with Genius!
Sylvain Lupari (July 12th, 2017) ***½**
Available on MellowJet Records