Echo Train: Libation 2022

 

Echo Train is a psychedelic rock band formed in Athens (Greece) in June 2013 by Greggy K and

Ren. Consists of Greg Kollias aka Greggy K, Ειρήνη Δούκα aka Ren aka Irene Ren Panagopoulou, Dennis Panagiotidis, Spyros Valkaniotis, Thanos Karagiannis & Guspyr.
                

The name "Echo Train" was inspired by the “train sounds” coming from the railway station, near an old

house, where they were rehearsing their songs! Greggy says “it was like a drum loop for me as I was strumming my guitar,in several beats..” After recording a number of demos and musical ideas at “white studio” in Kypseli their favorite neighborhood, joined by many friends and musicians, they collected the material for their first Ep called “Echo Train”.
                     

The band was signed to The Sound of Everythng Records in March 2014 and in the same month they

released “Fire” their first E.P single. On June 2014 they won Jumping fish of cosmote contest with the song fire. Echo Train are now recording their full length album to be released in September 2014.
                       

Their music and their live performances are influenced by the psychedelic pop and garage music of the

60s, with moments of improvising, sharing tales, feelings and rhythm.. begining with the heartbeat.
                    

Drawing inspiration from the cosmos around them and it's concise artistic interpretation, Echo Train

paint the next chapter of their legacy with 'Libation,' an album of abstract '60s rock psychedelia. 'Libation' feels like a gathering of meaningful expression, a whirlwind of musical themes drenched in '60s blues and witchcraft Wiccan sermons, while attaining a clear focus on straightforward songwriting.
                             

Balancing old-fashioned keys with floating drumming and electrifying distorted riffing with earthly, eerie vocals, it holds true to its name, resembling an offering to deities above and below, assembling a

rock album unaffected by time's passing. Most importantly, this collection of songs stands as an honest and self-explanatory creative statement, showcasing a band in its artistic prime, fully aware of their place and course. Echo Train amassed their life energy into a series of songs that form an album in the absolute meaning of the term, claiming existence and a place in this world.

To "Libation" είναι ο δεύτερος δίσκος τους μετά το "Memento Mori" του 2015 ενώ οι πιο μερακλήδες

μπορεί να τους θυμάστε και από την ενδεικτική των προθέσεών τους διασκευή στο περίφημο "Portland 69" των Hunger από ένα split single με τους Vibravoid (κυκλοφόρησε από το εξαιρετικό fanzine TimeMazine). Όπως είπαμε, το καύσιμο που καίει τη μηχανή τους είναι τα ψυχεδελικά 60s.
                     

Ο Arthur Brown με τους Crazy World ξεπήδησε αρκετές φορές από τα ηχεία για παράδειγμα, αλλά δύσκολο να μην αναφέρεις σε μία τέτοια περίπτωση και τους Black Widow. Όμως οι επιρροές τους

είναι τόσες και τόσο καλά αφομοιωμένες που το σύνολο είναι ομοιογενές και με δική του προσωπικότητα με αποτέλεσμα τελικά περισσότερο να συγκρίνονται με (και να ανήκουν στη) σύγχρονη σκηνή που αναβιώνει τον ήχο αυτό, πρόχειρα θα μπορούσα να αναφέρω τους Purson ως αρκετά συγγενικό, αν και με λίγο πιο σκληρό ήχο, συγκρότημα.
                  

Το στοιχείο που κυρίως πρέπει να τους πιστωθεί, είναι η εξαιρετική ισρροπία ανάμεσα σε όλα τα μέλη του συγκροτήματος. Τη στιγμή που πιστεύεις ότι έχεις εντοπίσει ότι η μουσική τους γυρνάει κυρίως

γύρω από ένα μέλος, για παράδειγμα την πανέμορφη φωνή της τραγουδίστριας Ren (Ειρήνη Παναγοπούλου) που παραδίδει μαθήματα για το πώς μπορείς να είσαι εκφραστικός και μετρημένος ταυτόχρονα, την ίδια στιγμή προσέχεις πόσο groove δίνει το μπάσο, πόσο μυστικιστικά είναι τα κρουστά, ότι τα πλήκτρα δίνουν χαρακτήρα σε όλα τα τραγούδια και πως η κιθάρα δε χαραμίζει ούτε νότα που να μην έχει ουσία.
(Από τον Κώστα Σακκαλή, 15/04/2022)

LINE - UP
                          

Ren: Vocals, Theremin, Flute
Greggy K.: Electric and acoustic guitars, Sitar
Nick Sid: Keys, Piano
Edward Theofanidis: Bass
Gregorio Perico: Drums, Percussions
Choir: the band

Echo Train – Libation
Label: B-Otherside – BSR145/JMV023
Format: Album, Limited Edition
Country: Greece
Released: 2022
Genre: Rock, World
Style: Psychedelic Rock

TRACKS

                                

01. Earthian Monsters   3:35
02. Sea Change   3:58
03. Luna   1:05
04. The Soul And Its Task   3:58
05. The task
06. Sa Ta Na Ma   3:58
07. Mars 6:39
08. Horseriding   4:21
09. Reverse   5:24
10. Light Warrior
11. Satan   3:58
12. The Calling    1:18
13. Bora   4:49

NOTES

                               

All songs written, arranged and produced by Echo Train.
Recorded and mixed by Greggy K. at White Studio Kypseli
Mastered by Nasos Nomikos@ Vu-Productions Mastering Studio
Sound Engineer Manolis Pantelias (Satan, Bora, Horseriding)
Cover art: Gregorio Perico

EARTHIAN MONSTERS LYRICS

                                    

Come with me and dance the dance of life
We‘re the lovers of the abbots and the tides
Lovers of the trees and lovers of rocks
Lovers of the rivers, lovers like hawks

                    

Come with me and dream the dream of life
War blows its horn with wrath divine
Paint your face and summon your powers
Wait for the dreamers offering flowers

Governed by forces we don’t entirely understand
Singing songs of fire from the elephant land
Driven by feelings we don’t entirely understand
Singing songs of fire from the elephant land

                                                                            

Drink with me the potion of oblivion’s high
Let’s have a libation at the altar of the sky
Children of the sun from up above
Monsters in the blood but worthy of love

Governed by forces we don’t entirely understand
Singing songs of fire from the elephant land
Driven by feelings we don’t entirely understand.

THE SOUL AND ITS TASK LYRICS

                                      

I’m a stranger in my mind
Watching hearing all my thoughts unfold…what a twist
I’m sure that I’ve been here before
I’ve paved this coil with stones of rust and gold…so I exist
But I need someone, a stranger like me, to pick up the pieces
I won’t survive without a listener

                      

Soul and its task,
Breath and its gasp,
In the end all we have is them blues
And the dog we trust

The dog that’s illustrating the crossroads where we meet,
The loop halls, and the dawns where we dive,
Knows that we’ve been here before,
We’re the thoughts of someone else’s thoughts…it’s a bee hive
But all this is nothing, without a listener
So find me stranger, I’m so lonely, here without you.

Flac Size: 270 MB