KAIPA is a veteran band in the Progressive Rock scene, dating all the way back to their debut release in 1975. Their 14^th full-length release here "Children of the Sounds" contains five new tracks, of varying length. For the Metalheads out there, you should at least be familiar with guitarist Per Nilsson from his work in the Swedish Melodic Death Metal band SCAR SYMMETRY. Considering KAIPA has this much of a rich history, I am excited to delve into the new album. So, without delay, let's get to it.

The title track, "Children of the Sounds," is an eleven minute opener. Soft strings, flute and vocals provide the opening sound, with lush harmonies. When the keys and electric guitars come in, it definitely has that old school 70's feeling, but modernized at the same time. The surreal thing about the song is that it is full of complexities but also something that is easy to assimilate and enjoyable to listen to at the same time. As expected, the lead guitar work is fantastic. Per has such an emotional feeling for melody that just glides over the fretboard, dripping with inspiration. "On the Edge of New Horizons" is a veritable opus, at over 17 minutes in length. The journey it takes you on is like a magic carpet ride over a historical city at sunset; the brilliant colors of the sky colliding into one another and creating a canvas transcendence. What is perhaps most impressive is the flawless movement they band displays through various passages of sound. The constant keyboard presence is one of the best parts of the song for me as well.

"Like a Serpentine" opens with a bit of a sad sound, but you can steal hope from it at the same time. The melodies here are fantastic. When you think about the definition of "serpentine," which as a verb means "moving in a winding path or line," you can connect the definition and the song title. It is always moving forward but the twists and turns along the way are artistic and imaginative. "The Shadowy Sunlight" is the shortest song on the album at just seven minutes. Here we have the chance to listen to a more succinct sound and it is absolutely lovely. The melody line of guitar and violin together as one is just so sublime. But after that, it goes a bit dark and mysterious, creeping in the dusk, begging you to pay attention. In a reprise, they return to that beautiful melody line from the beginning and the smile in plants on your face is permanent.

"What's Behind the Fields" is the nine-minute closer. The jovial melody creates a swaying rhythm, with a combination of major and minor chords that keep you guessing where things are heading at any one given time. Engaging. This is exactly what engaging music can do. It pulls you into their world like passing through a magic portal to a time and a place that exists only in myth and legend. When you arrive, there is no pain, no trouble, and no end. Everyone and everything is precisely what you want it to be, and you are forever linked with the present, never to return. "Children of the Sounds" is surely one of the most ambitious efforts that I have heard this year, but when a band can meet these lofty standards of meaning and purpose, it is truly a special thing to hear.