From Bandcamp, “Ad Undas" is the follow up of KOSMODOME’s self-titled debut album which was well received by critics and fans across Europe. Musically the record shows what else lives inside the progressive universe they are building, where one/the goal is to avoid being stuck in genre expectations. Lyrically it delves into personal struggles with self-doubt, the pressures of societal expectations, and the existential battles of modern life. The songs touch on different aspects of the human condition, from the fear of failure and the need for growth to the turmoil of modern living and relentless self-exertion in a chaotic world. Ad undas is a Greek term meaning “to the waves”, but in Norway it is used as an express ion when everything goes “to hell” or fails.”

The album has six songs, and “Neophobia” is first. The opening tones are gentle and they swing with a groove…sort of a STRAY CATS meets PINK FLOYD. There are also some light psychedelic moments and the band expands into an instrumental passage. “Hyperion” also moves with a gentle sound, but is fueled by thick bass guitar notes and harmonized vocals. There is an energy here that it contagious, but not a lot of sonority. The outlook is generally positive, although there are moments of introspection. “Obsternasig” spends a good deal of time within the exploratory nature of music, although the sound does come together with the semi-distorted riff. It’s just a bit hard to follow at times, although most Progressive music is.

 “Dystopia” gets to the heart of the message of the album in the biography of the band. The word means “an imagined state or society in which there is great suffering or injustice, typically one that is totalitarian or post-apocalyptic,” and those are the vibes I get from the song. It sounds like the band is desperately trying to hold onto a sound that is slipping with each new note. “Turmoil” speaks of this emotionally charged word as if it were just mentioned in passing, although the guitar work is dark and trippy. They also do a bit of jamming in the middle section of the song which shows their strong musicianship. “Fatigue” closes the album, and finishes the progressive journey into the final state of mind.

The band is either very good at exploration or they lack a central vision on the album. Like any good Progressive band, however, they leave you thinking deeper through the journey. Anyway you slice the fruit, this was an album that occupied its own space within the vast world of music.