Project Description

CALIGULA’S HORSE
“Rise Radiant”
(Album Review)

Reviewer – Chris Reid

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New album ‘Rise Radiant’ is the 5th studio album for Caligula’s Horse and the first in 3 years. It’s been a quick 3 years.

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Caligula’s Horse is a leading Australian progressive metal band. The band have risen through the ranks quickly. They formed in 2011,  signed to leading progressive label Inside Out in 2015, and in 2020 they find themselves at the forefront of modern prog. Their latest album entitled Rise Radiant is set for formal release on May 22nd.

Rise Radiant is a really strong and diverse album. The singles released ahead of the formal album release date –  The Tempest, Slow Violence & Valkyrie –  are great songs and probably the right choices for singles, albeit they don’t show the full range of dynamics on this release.  There are plenty of softer, more emotive tracks which allow the album to be a really varied and engaging listen from start to finish.  It’s not all flashy, techy prog. Resonate and Autumn are the true ballads on the release, and tracks like Salt have an impressive dynamic range. I get some serious Leprous vibes from Oceanrise (which is one of my favourite tracks on the album), but I get the impression that it’s the 10 minute closing piece The Ascent that will really wow new and old fans alike. A common theme amongst all tracks is strong vocal hooks, and world class musicianship across all lines.

The two longest standing members of the band are Jim Grey (lead vocals), and Sam Vallen (lead guitar), and it’s these  two gentlemen in particular who really make Caligula’s Horse a world class offering. Jim Grey’s vocals are exceptionally diverse, emotive, and polished. His vast range of dynamics give the band an extra couple of strings to their bow. Sam Vallen is a particularly accomplished guitarist. The John Petrucci comparison certainly extends beyond the choice of their guitar manufacturer.

Rise Radiant is a very strong album. Whilst there is a certain air of familiarity in what Caligula’s Horse do (they certainly don’t shy away from showing their influences), they are able to blend a lot of different sounds in a very cohesive and polished way.   If you’re into bands like Leprous, Pain of Salvation, Haken, and Periphery then I have no doubt this album will be right up your main street. Caligula’s Horse are flying the flag for Australian music on the world stage and doing an exceptional job.

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RISE RADIANT
TRACK LISTING:

01. The Tempest
02. Slow Violence
03. Salt
04. Resonate
05. Oceanrise
06. Valkyrie
07. Autumn
08. The Ascent

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Follow CALIGULA’S HORSE

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CALIGULA’S HORSE
launch
VALKYRIE
third single from new album
RISE RADIANT
out May 22

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Caligula’s Horse, hailing from Brisbane, Australia, a leading light in contemporary progressive metal worldwide, are set to release their fifth studio album, Rise Radiant, on May 22. Produced by the group’s Sam Vallen, and mixed by Jens Bogren (Opeth, Devin Townsend Project, Leprous), the record is their most focussed and potent artistic statement to date.

Recently, the band were pleased to launch, Valkyrie, the third single from Rise Radiant.

Drummer Josh Griffin comments: “Valkyrie is a song that’s very close to our hearts. Its themes of learning patience, ending the war inside ourselves, and celebrating the journey are more timely and appropriate than ever before. We all had an absolute blast putting this one together, particularly some of the fun interplay between us all and getting every last drop of groove out of it. We’re all incredibly proud of this track. Valkyrie encapsulates everything Rise Radiant represents. It’s vibrant and colourful, dark, groovy and heavy!”

Watch the video for Slow Violence, directed and produced by the band’s own Adrian Goleby & Dale Prinsse, here.

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The band previously launched the track The Tempest, which Guitar World described as a “time signature-shifting guitar masterclass”. Listen here.

Rise Radiant has already been receiving fantastic reviews, with Prog Magazine calling it “the best yet from Caligula’s Horse, a triumph of passion and performance.”

The band have also launched a new interview series that sees the band discussing the new album in-depth via video call. Watch the latest instalment, where they talk about Slow Violence, here:

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Guitarist Sam Vallen comments: “Rise Radiant is the album we’ve been working towards for almost a decade. It represents everything we love about Caligula’s Horse – the colour, the ferocity, the introspection, the extremes – all tied up together in a way we could never have managed until now. As a band, we’ve never felt tighter, more inspired, or more driven than in the creation of this record. We’re tremendously proud of Rise Radiant, and we can’t wait for you to hear it!”

Rise Radiant is an uncompromising exploration of the human experience dressed in vivid musical colour and virtuosic performances. It is an anthem for the regeneration of self-belief, an exploration of the themes of legacy, and a rallying cry for survival. Comprised of 8 tracks, Rise Radiant will be available as a limited CD Digipak, Gatefold 2LP + CD & as digital download. The formats also include 2 bonus tracks, covers of the Split Enz track Message To My Girl & Peter Gabriel’s Don’t Give Up, which also features a guest appearance by Lynsey Ward of Exploring Birdsong.

Pre-order RISE RADIANT HERE

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AMNPLIFY – DB