MP3 Pentwater - Out of the Abyss

Leaps from the symphonic arena of their 1st album to this hard-driving, eclectic collection of edgy, complex prog. As unfit for top-40 radio play as we could find.

9 MP3 Songs
ROCK: Progressive Rock, ROCK: Math Rock

Show all album songs: Out of the Abyss Songs


Details:
The late 60âs brought a new kind of rock music to the records and concerts of the day.
In 1967 Genesis and Jethro Tull formed. 1969 saw the birth of Yes, and 1969 brought King Crimson and Pentwater. Emerson, Lake and Palmer, and Gentle Giant followed in 1970, and Kansas in 1971.

For 38 years, Pentwater has been the consistent voice of American progressive music with their unique style always reaching for more. With muti-part vocal harmonies, enigmatic themes, layered instrumentals, and engaging lyrics, they respect their listeners and give them quality audio, mature composition, masterful musicianship, and a dash of quirk & humor.

The Music Street Journal said:
âPentwater may well be the best progressive rock band whose name you have never heard.â

Pentwater formed from several local Chicago rock and blues bands; âLiquid Tension", "Crystal Ship", âCranberry Roseâ, and "The Oceanna County Pioneer's and Business Man's Band". Early in their career, while the boys were only 16 to 18 years old, Chicago-based Dharma Records signed them to a 4 record deal, but the label went bankrupt before recording could begin. Five of the six members went on to receive conservatory training, and the song-writing blossomed to almost seventy songs. Over the years, the band toured with Starcastle, Rush, Hawkwind, REO, Journey, and many others.

Their first album, (self-titled), was released in 1977 and leaned to the commercial side of Prog; (as much as they could muster themselves to do), while still providing sweeping mellotron, cutting syth, and a twin-lead guitar style that was to become their signature. Cover art was provided by the award-wining artist, Kunio Hagio. Today this collectible LP brings hundreds at auction, but the band released the remastered tracks in 2003 with two additional never-heard tracks on CD.

Prog-Planet said:
âThey are excellent and their music just brims with imaginative, visionary themes and this debut album, really stand up to today´s prog music in a big way! In other words this is one remarkable album, that in my honest opinion, every serious proghead MUST own!!â

Their second release, âOut of the Abyssâ, was in part brought about by fan interest and released on Syn-Phonic records in 1992. After conversations with Greg Walker of Syn-Phonic, the band agreed to remix and release nine of their tracks that were decidedly more on the extreme side of Progressive music; tracks that brought out the bandâs instrumental intensity, their penchant for the tongue-in-cheek lyric, and layered vocals intracacies. Abyss contains a wild and raucaus version of âKill the Bunnyâ, recorded at NYCâs CBGBâs club as well as an extended version of âGwenâs Madrigalâ, a song from their first album.

The Dutch Progressive Rock page described their music:
âPENTWATER is an interesting Chicago combo whose high-decibel rock effectively utilizes contemporary classical elements. They have found a sound that is extremely complex with layer upon layer of instrumentation supported by a lyrical violin and a bewitching flute and characterised by an abuse on polyphonic vocals and counterpoints. All the members are excellent musicians, which is important as the tunes are often intricate. Combining heavy helpings of YES, GENTLE GIANT, GENESIS and ELP with some of the weirdness of FRANK ZAPPA. One of America's finest progressive bands and recommended highly.â

After several years of pouring over unreleased tapes, rebuilding lost passages, and writing new music, the band released âAb-Dulâ in 2007 containing an assemblage of 17 never-before heard tracks. Ab-Dul uses Pentwaterâs ever-widening array of instruments â far wider than most bands of the genre; thirty-four at last count. The songs include the final installment of the Three Journeys, a trilogy whose 2nd and 3rd parts were on the Abyss CD. Here, the 1st Journey, âAcross the Mediterraneanâ can finally be heard. The band also provides their first-ever cover; a psychedelic suite from The Nice, called, âThe Cry of Eugeneâ, and after re-discovering the sheet music for âKill the Bunnyâ, they also present a solo piano version of this classic as it was initially written. Ab-Dulâs songs
relay stories of passage and realization, and summarizes the arc of their journey, thus far.

Of âAb-Dulâ, Prog-Planet says:
To me its 60:26 min. of sheer prog bliss with that unmistakable seventies sound!!
An album that you true progheads out there Ab-solutely must own!!
And,
âPentwaterâ¦must be the most interesting exiting progband hailing from the US right now!!? You owe it to yourself (and the band) to buy this excellent piece of progmusic.
GO NOW!!!â

The DPRP said:
âOverall the playing is tight, as one would expect from a band that survived by performing live, the music is stunning and the arrangements are superb. Perhaps if the band had followed the more typical Midwest 70's sound of bands like Styx and Kansas they may have been more successful. The fact that they didn't is all to their credit and I am grateful, for the sake of the music, that they stuck to their own style which personally is a lot more appealing, original and down-right exciting!â

In the studio, Pentwater always tries to give the extreme audio experience. Headphones are recommended to hear the nuances and the âin-betweenâ layers of instruments.
Crank it up â Youâll be glad you did!