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Fans of Communic could have been forgiven for thinking that the band had fallen off the edge of the world. Six years have passed since The Bottom Deep, the last record from this fine Norwegian prog-metal band. Now, having changed labels and recovered from various personal issues – including paternity leave – ex-Scariot guitarist/vocalist Oddleif Stensland and his trusty rhythm section are back with a fifth album. The presence of three two-part pieces, The Pulse Of The Earth, Where Echoes Gather and The Claws Of The Sea quite rightly suggests a good degree of complexity, but the trio are very much on the metal side of things. Communic serve up some towering, crushing riffs to complement the intricacy of the arrangements and Oddleif’s chorally enhanced voice. A crystal-clear production only serves to enhance the all-round high quality of Where Echoes Gather.

Dave Ling was a co-founder of Classic Rock magazine. His words have appeared in a variety of music publications, including RAW, Kerrang!, Metal Hammer, Prog, Rock Candy, Fireworks and Sounds. Dave’s life was shaped in 1974 through the purchase of a copy of Sweet’s album ‘Sweet Fanny Adams’, along with early gig experiences from Status Quo, Rush, Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Yes and Queen. As a lifelong season ticket holder of Crystal Palace FC, he is completely incapable of uttering the word ‘Br***ton’.