We were impressed with this Irish foursome's debut EP, a seemingly brave undertaking keeping things sans voce.
On their second EP, there's more of the same, except it's definitely more confident in delivery.
There's something about this package, from the broody Irish imagery on the cover to the song titles, which sets Parhelia apart.
This is Celtic in spirit, no doubt, but there's not a tin whistle in sight.
Instead, the band specialise in slowly-building, infectious guitar grooves as evidenced on 'Hindsight', 'Summer Fades' and the very fine 'Storm Warning'. One suspects that, live, these tunes could transform into mammoth prog-rock jams of epic proportion.
You can let this music take you wherever you want to go, but in essence this is a soundtrack for an open coast road, crashing waves, and quiet introspection.
***** Out of this world | **** Pretty
damn fine |
*** OK, approach with caution unless you are a fan |
** Instant bargain bin fodder | * Ugly. Just ugly
