From France comes Future Days, an album released by The Raging Project, the brainchild of Ivan Jacquin who provides vocals on all tracks, as well as keyboards, programming, and bass synth on half the twelve tracks. He has brought together a plethora of guest artists – perhaps the most familiar name to readers of this website’s reviews will be the extremely talented Amanda Lehmann, best known for her collaboration with Steve Hackett.
The name of this project is quite apt, because there is a fair bit of anger, raging, in this album which tells the tale of an introspective journey through the eyes of travelling spirits around our planet who wonder if humanity deserves to be helped in saving said planet, healed of the power lust, or should be allowed to fail into obliteration – personally, watching the news in February 2024 does make for pretty depressing fare and a tendency to wish for the latter course of action.
There is a whole lot going on here, and it will appeal to a very wide range of rock music fans, from Vangelis to Opeth, via Floyd and Tangerine Dream. It can, therefore, be summed up as an interesting experience that provides the listener with a lot to digest and ultimately enjoy. Try for yourself at the Bandcamp page https://theragingproject.bandcamp.com/album/future-days and you can also access it on all major streaming platforms.
We open with Warning where God has abandoned us and it asks whether we feel the rage, opening with a fanfare of keys, and as it develops some very good electronica, thumping bass, great guitars, all the while the narrator pleading the questions. It is very good, the perfect introduction to the album.
It is followed by Rage! I really like one of the album’s core themes lyrically here, humanity spreading the whole world with all electric, and the bio cost which this brings (contrary to popular media opinion, there is, in fact, a huge cost to the environment for electric cars). This track is about as definitive a statement against man’s abuse of his environment as you are likely to hear. There are some interesting industrial noises in amongst this track which alternatively chugs and thrashes, with a vocal almost rap-like in its intensity, and I have grown to really appreciate it, simply because of the raw emotion displayed. There is a fantastic rhythm section on this, Leo Margarit on drums and Jean-Philippe Ciman on bass. An entirely modern metal track, and entirely good.
Don’t Want is up next. Again, the keys and programming are noticeable here both before the riffs enter and providing a pleasing counterpoint as the track proceeds. Jeannick Valleur provides for some great vocal harmonies, amongst some very harsh voices screaming at us. The guitar riff halfway through is most definitely in the virtuoso category, and there is in here a hint of some Deep Purple influence in the keys, lead guitar, and structure, this combined with a very modern electronic hard rock track, so proving just how much is happening, and how clever it all is. There is certainly a deep and heavy sense of dread in this one, and it is embedded below.
Colere translates to English as anger or wrath. Again, the organ reminds one of Lord in his pomp. The lyrics are in French and convey a sense of innermost emotion. The bass melody is stunning, and the varying voices add interesting layers to a very good hard rock track. The passage which begins about two minutes in from the close was the one which initially made me sit up and realise there was so much to this album, a gorgeously pastoral snippet which is then accompanied by a superb riff before we get the final segment reasserting the main theme. It is embedded below.
Even If I Bleed is up next, and lyrically most certainly a song for our times, laden with regret, loss of innocence, and the sense of inevitability about our fate. The intro is decidedly Tangerine Dream, with some great dark keyboards, before the ghostly guitars begin, and what a noise is created. The vocals reflect this, melancholic and soaked in emotion, and Lehmann adds her unique voice on a track I think is about as good a slab of progressive and hard rock fusion as you are going to hear all year. It is embedded below – enjoy.
I Wanna Dance is a deeply reflective, and I think rather personal meditation on getting older, regret, wanting to dance and love again before the end. It is quite short, but packs a powerful punch in its riffs, with some more very effective programming providing for a sonic orchestration alongside the dark noise and featuring a great synth solo in the final minute.
Ambient opens with a lush piano alongside a gorgeous guitar. It is a sort of plea for the survival of a limited number of us, for a fresh start I suppose but with a sense of bitterness at the disappearance of God, deserting us, but through our own actions. This is a beautiful track, building with intensity and kudos to Geoffrey Baumont for what must be a contender for guitar solo of the year in my website’s annual awards. As the final segment begins, Ingrid Denis lends some pleading vocals, and the whole piece closes with a rush of emotion. Stunning and embedded below.
Turn is a shorter piece, the vocals on this decidedly harsh. The keys are very good, the rhythm section is strong, and it is an angry slab of prog metal.
On Earth brings us an epic length track. The lyrics are excellent, a lament to what we have wrought upon this beautiful planet, a long call, a prayer for the dead. The vocals aside, which fit within the dystopian, there is a strong hint of The Floyd in the music to start, and as we progress some lovely words and sweeping keys before the ensemble comes together for a heavy progressive delight with some great riffs and an expansive sound.
Procession is a French language track and ends the main album. It is another lengthy effort at nine minutes and speaks at the end of the protagonists walking for eternity after sentence is passed on us for the outrage we have caused. The bass melody is very good, and the piano and keys again project so well that deep sense of sadness at what has happened, and the outcome of our actions. There is some more fine guitar work on this, and it is a very thoughtful end to proceedings. The extended closing passage builds to a fine, dark, and heavy denouement as the final sentence is passed.
There are two bonus tracks, an English version of Colere, and a French version of Even If I Bleed, Même Si Je Saigne.
Future Days is a fine album, with themes which resonate strongly in 2024. Powerfully performed and produced, I cannot recommend it highly enough.