It’s been more than 40 years since British guitarist Nick Fletcher first came into prominence, yet it was his latter-day prog-rock opuses, created solo and in the company of John Hackett, with 2021’s "Cycles of Behaviour" being the veteran’s masterpiece that he looks forward to surpassing with a follow-up album. Planned to be issued on June 6th physically and digitally, the platter is titled “The Cloud Of Unknowing” and features nine compositions of which five comprise a suite.
Fletcher describes this epic – bearing the legend of “Scenes From The Subconscious Mind” – as “continuous tracks interspersed with cinematic soundscapes which draw the listener into a realm of nightmares and a quest for truth and knowledge of self”: a mind-trip that required the assistance from such luminaries as STRAWBS’ Dave Bainbridge and Tim Harries from EARTHWORKS, alongside a few other guests. The album can be preordered on Nick’s website and thoroughly enjoyed thereafter. (Read the review.)
1. Out Of The Maelstrom
2. The Eyes Of Persephone
Scenes From The Subconscious Mind – suite:
3. We Need to Leave This Place…Right Now!
4. Pandemonium
5. The Cloud Of Unknowing – Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
6. Awakening The Hydra
7. Dance Of The Hydra
8. Arcadia
9. The Paradox – Part 1, Part 2