Coda – Sounds Of Passion(1986 Netherlands Prog Rock, Symphonic Rock)Full Album

Coda biography Founded in 1983 in Wijchen, Netherlands - Disbanded in 1996 CODA is a Dutch concept band created and headed by multi-instrumentalist Erik DeVroomen. With a strong emphasis on melody, their material is lushly symphonic and focuses on swirling keyboards (grand piano, novatron, clavinet and various synths played by DeVroomen), climactic moments and a few but heavily conceptual lyrics - imagine VANGELIS with some killer guitar and super-spacey segments. Between 1986 and 1996, the band released two albums and a mini CD. Their first full-length album, "Sounds of Passion" (1986), features a 29-minute suite with lots of organ, horns and strings that give it a highly 'symphonic orchestra' feel. It is also full of mood and tempo changes as well as grandiloquent (and fortunately sparse, accented) vocals. As for the two short tracks that close the album, they are quite dispensable. Their second full-length cd, the ambitious "What a Symphony", is best described as classical music performed with modern instruments (a couple of nods are given to Mahler and Bach, in passing). Ranging from aggressive to pastoral moods, the flow is somehow unfortunately broken with frequent jazzy solos that don't quite fit into the picture. Overall, however, it is a highly melodious album and boasts a much improved production over "Sounds of Passion". Recommended for fans of CAMEL and TRACE, and to a lesser extent ELP. Studio Album, released in 1986 Songs / Tracks Listing 1. Sounds of Passion - a) Prologue 00:00 - b) 1st Movement 02:26 - c) 2nd Movement 09:41 - d) 3rd Movement 13:50 - e) 4th Movement - Finale 19:29 2. Crazy Fool and Dreamer 29:35 3. Defended 34:01 Line-up / Musicians - Jack Witjes / vocals, electric & acoustic guitars - Erik de Vroomen / grand piano, synths, Hammond, pipe organ, Novatron, clavinet, Emulator, Moog bass pedals, gong, percussion, Fx, backing vocals, composer & producer - Jacky van Tongeren / fretless bass, backing vocals - Mark Eshuis / drums, xylophone, timpani