Ruud Dielen returns with his Glorious Wolf project, and a brand-new album, Elements of Hope, a concept of a child growing into adulthood with the challenges our modern world present, so climate change, the threatened march of AI, conflicts. In the face of this, can we possibly maintain hope for a brighter future? Well, in my view, yes, we can. Indeed, I regard it as essential, especially to move away from much of the doom-laden scenarios presented constantly to us in the digital age.

Alongside Ruud (acoustic & electric Guitars, fretless bass, precision bass synthesizers, mellotron, FXDrums) are; Kike Paglia (drums); Tim Ros (bass); Frank van der Borg (lead & backing vocals, lyricist); Jyoti Verhoeff (lead & backing Vocals, lyricist); Ties van Diesen (backing vocals); Harrie Knapen (Hammond Organ, Yamaha CP70 Piano); Reg Parham (saxophone); and Thomas Zunk (Theremin, Mellotron).

Released via Oob Records, you can get it at Band Wagon in the USA, and on the Bandcamp page at https://gloriouswolf.bandcamp.com/album/elements-of-hope

Okay, let’s start off with the trailer video, embedded below before discussing and playing some music.

The title track is split into five parts, and in total, we have a mega-epic over 20 minutes long, so (a common theme in this week’s reviews on Lazland), a grand ambition to get prog rockers all excited.

Firstly, we get an instrumental, which works very well as an overture, futuristic, some striking guitar in concert with Hammond, and there is a nice bass melody there, with Paglia impressing from the outset on drums. This is nothing footloose or fancy, but solid musicianship properly introducing the album to you.

Part Two is Carrying this Yoke, describing the need to free oneself from the chains imposed upon us by modern society, with ever more strident calls to obey and conform – in Roman times, being sent “under the yoke” was a ritual humiliation for defeated armies, and I think that van der Borg’s lyrics express this in the modern setting. The vocal is dramatic in its telling, with a decent range, as well. The music sits back somewhat, allowing the voice to take the foreground, but I like the mellotron and laid back riffs as the accompaniment, but where the music takes precedence in a vocal break, there is a nice burst of funk sensitive rock music, sort of classic rock meets second wave of prog circa 1985, and it is as catchy as it sounds.

Part Three is Into the Clouds, this with Jyoti Verhoeff taking the reins, and I see this as the experimental dreams of youth, head in the clouds, life’s destiny full of diametrically opposing possibilities. It is embedded below for you. I love the atmospheric start to this, voice, acoustic guitar, melodic bass, overlaid with mellotron soundscapes. I really like Verhoeff’s voice, which carries with it a nice sense of mystery, and must explore more of her work. As the piece develops, we get dystopian and chaotic noises bursting through, the guitar solo dramatic and very effective. A suite I believe could act as a single aimed at radio airplay in Europe.

Part Four is a short instrumental interlude, but is interesting, clearly setting the scene for something more dramatic to follow, the mellotron used to very strong effect above skin thumping.

The final part is Life’s Chaotic Spell, teenage dreams, the sirens calling, trying to break the grind. It takes the suite into more experimental territory, something Thomas Szirmay described as “almost Zappa-esque”, and it is a good description, with Parham parping on saxophone, a swirling of fusion, all the while the voice wanting to break the cycle, the closing passage taking on a harder hue, the guitar chops bursting out. A movement which is as good as it is unexpected.

This is followed by the instrumental, If You Please. This is a highlight of the year for me, so far, Dielen demonstrating just how good he is on the fret front, some wonderful complexity in the drum work, all in all a classic art rock piece very well performed – you can imagine this being played on 1970’s rock shows on television, with the participants marching in time across the screen/stage in platform shoes, lights swirling in response to the primitive synths. Fun and embedded below for you.

If I Only is interesting lyrically, referencing the cycles of the Circadian rhythm, presenting us with life choices, but in the context of the relentless march of modern life. Following an Arabic setting in the opening segment, the guitar which hits us is emotive throughout, and what follows is an atmospheric piece of music, not dark, as such, but certainly meditative.

Whirlwinds and Maelstroms - we are travellers on a cosmic journey, cosmic dust swirling and dancing in the whirlwinds and maelstroms of infinity. Pure prog! The guitar playing on this is a joy to listen to, reminding me very much of Page in his eastern mysticism phase with Led Zep. This carries with it the same sense of adventure but transplanting that to trekking across the storms of space and time rather than Kashmir. The Hammond solo brings a brilliant fusion interlude counterpoint to that, so a nice mix of styles in a very interesting instrumental.

We close with Everything Must Break to Grow, which is the reprise of Part Two of the title suite, this time with Verhoeff taking the vocal mantle in a track I take as meaning that we as a humanity need to break with our ways, to change, to wreak havoc upon a failing societal mess. This is a dreamy, psychedelic affair, slide guitar gliding, voices swirling, mellotron rising, drums crashing, the main guitar solo evocative before we return to earth, quiet, dreams once again ahead of us.

Elements of Hope is another fine album from this talented artist and comes recommended to you.

Incidentally, by clicking on the button below, you can also read my review of 2023’s Mysterious Traveler