Scott's Song by Song #74: A Liquid Landscape - Rogue Planet

 

Welcome to issue #74 of Scott’s Song By Song (#scottssongbysong).For more information about this series, click here: 

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A Liquid Landscape is a band from The Netherlands with whom I am not familiar.  They formed way back in 1999 and have released two previous albums: 2012’s “Nightingale Express”, and 2014’s “The Largest Fire Known to Man”, plus an EP in 2016 titled “Stories Left Untold”.  This is their first release in a decade called “Rogue Planet”, which is due to be released on May 28, 2026.

Their lineup is:

- Niels van Dam / lead guitar

- Robert van Dam / bass

- Fons Herder / vocals, guitar

- Coen Speelman / drums

According to the press release I received, the band had worked with different drummers until Coen Speelman joined in 2007 and had various names until 2009 when they adopted this moniker. In the 2010s they were a frequent opening act for bands such as Anathema, Karnivool, Soen, Thrice, Riverside and Crippled Black Phoenix (some of whom have articles on this blog), particularly in their homeland of The Netherlands. It seems that their progress was halted by the 2020 pandemic, and they ended up on hiatus for a decade.  This is their comeback album, and I am looking forward to hearing it.

The title “Rogue Planet” comes from the astronomical concept of a planet unbound by gravity that drifts through space.  When Fons Herder heard this on a National Geographic special he was watching, he thought of it as a good metaphor for the human condition.  

The album comes courtesy of Anne Claire of Bad Dog Promotions.  As always, I receive no additional compensation, and I always “call it like I hear it”.  As per my usual method, this is a cold listen, and I really have no Idea what to expect.

Without further ado let's see what A Liquid Landscape has in store for us.

Track 1 - Few and Far Between, Pt. 1 (6:22)

A snare fill starts us off, and we get an electric guitar rhythm along the lines of Pink Floyd’s “Dogs” or Porcupine Tree’s “Time Flies”; but heavier.  There are interesting guitar tones over the top of it.  The vocals enter on the next go-around and there are some nice harmonies along the way.  There is a quieter middle instrumental section.  The dynamic levels slowly get louder, before the original riff returns.  This is a cool heavy modern prog track, perhaps with a bit of a “post-rock” approach.  Nice drum fill around 4:45. The track closes with controlled feedback and sound effects that sound organically created by the guitars.  It obviously leads into…

Track 2 - Few and Far Between, Pt. 2 (6:45)

As the beat emerges from the cacophony created at the end of pt.1, we have a slower, more laid-back tempo; more like PF’s “Us and Them”.  It is in no hurry as it slowly develops.   The first vocals don’t enter until three minutes in, and they are processed through effects and atmospheric.  Things build up at 4:45 and get big by 5:30. Let’s call this a slow burn of a song.  Nice track!

Track 3 - Intention (5:59)

Some floaty arpeggios start us off here.  There is a spoken word part as if from a speech or newscast. Things kick into a moderately slow 6-8 rhythm at around the one-minute mark.  The 6-8 gives the rhythm a gentle swaying feel.  Slide guitar parts are once again reminiscent of Pink Floyd.  I can see why they call themselves a Liquid Landscape in the way that this flows.  There is a rhythmic part that enters before 4 minutes.  After a quieter section things build up until just before the conclusion of the song.  I really like this track.

Track 4 - Consequence (4:44)

The tempo on this one is slightly more upbeat. There are alternating lighter and heavier moments in the introduction.  These continue as the vocals enter and proceed.  There are nice, layered harmonies in the choruses.  There is a bridge that builds up to a guitar solo at around 2:50.  The guitar solos are melodic on the album, and he favors a slide.  This band is very much an ensemble.  They are about building a sound, rather than flashy riffs and licks. The music abruptly ends at around the 4-minute mark, then slowly fades back in but with a very quiet part that takes us to the ending.  I could pick-up that there were some spoken, almost whispered words being said, but couldn’t make out what they were saying.  A truly interesting track that I quite enjoyed.

Track 5 - Raven Song, Pt. 1 (3:15)

A low drone brings it in. It gradually begins to build. At 37 seconds in, a guitar melody begins. At around 1:10 some wordless vocals and guitar arpeggios add to the soundscape. At 2:25 some quiet lyrics are sung. Sound effects take us into…

Track 6 - Raven Song, Pt. 2 (4:26)

… in which a snare fill brings the band in with a steady moderate tempo.  They use lots of effects on the guitars & vocals, but they are used effectively.  I love the big explosion of sound at around 2:10. The music quickly comes back down in dynamics following it, and the drums and bass drop out until it explodes again at 3:15.  Nicely done!  There are some incredibly long vocal notes in this part; impressive. I love this big ending section’s raw power.  Taken collectively, the two parts are a great pair of tracks that I kind of wish they’d left as a single track.

Track 7 - “Virgo Calling” (9:37)  

And here’s our closing epic; the longest track by a good margin.  Let’s see what they have in store for us.  A slow fade in of synth/organ type sounds (although no keyboard player is credited) commences the activities here.  A strummed acoustic guitar joins in and accompanies the vocals.  There is a nice doubling effect on the voice as the first verse segues into the chorus.  Clean electric guitar arpeggios enter as well.  The bass and drums set a moderately slow tempo as the next verse and chorus proceed.  At about 3:40 the bass doubles up the rhythm while the drums and guitars remain the same.  That is, until around the 4-minute mark when a more up-tempo groove takes over. Things build up as we go along. At just after 5 minutes, the guitar takes the spotlight, but not in a flashy way.  He’s playing tremolo picked double-stops that really work with the overall sound.  An arpeggiated part takes over.  There are more and more layers being added to the soundscape as things continue to build to a massive level that is powerful and heavy, but never harsh. These guys bring a ton of energy that sells even a relatively simple part and makes it into something more.  At around 8:30, spacey sound effects take over and begin a very slow fade out.  Excellent track!

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

As I kept listening my way through this album, I kept getting the thought that this is like Pink Floyd if they were a grunge band.  If that sounds intriguing to you, then I would definitely check this album out!  These guys are not about flash but rather building a certain sound in their songs. While certainly progressive, this is not prog in the sense of long complex arrangements a la 70s symphonic prog.  However, A Liquid Landscape really brings something worth listening to to the table.  I’ll give this a very strong 4.5 out of 5 stars (90%).

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Prog On!

Scott

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LINKS FOR LISTENING/BUYING

There is a video of “Few and Far Between, Pt. 1” here:

https://youtu.be/q7-IaBnrAvs?list=RDq7-IaBnrAvs

The album is available for purchase here:

https://store.dutchmusicworks.com/page/a-liquid-landscape

(Scroll down after opening)

(BTW, I really like the “Galaxy Green” LP version!)