Dreams of Nekton

Dreams of Nekton could not be more middle of the road in terms of progressive rock. The instrumentation allies a solid rhythm section to guitar and keyboards. The music is structured as a conceptual suite in one prologue and seven parts. They correspond to dreams of the main character, Nekton. The Russian lyrics (English translations are included in the booklet) are slightly surreal and speak of humanitarian ideals, forming a loose rite of initiation reminiscent of Rael's in the Genesis album The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. Singer Julia Vikman sounds like she is trying to emulate the seductive tone of Quidam's Emila Derkowska, but she clearly lacks strength and fails to convince. The music also shares similarity with the symphonic prog stylings of the Polish group, with the main difference being that Decadence's melodies do not leave a lasting impression. Guitarist Roman Korelsky displays nice chops, but otherwise the music simply lacks a personal touch. Acceptably written, decently recorded, and well performed, Dreams of Nekton is forgettable, similar to so many other prog rock albums. For Russian fans it will probably be a source of pride; for collectors a rare example of prog from this region of the world. ~ François Couture, Rovi