There’s nothing wrong with a healthy dose of ‘70’s inspired classic hard rock. Australia’s Tarot have been creating their brand since 2011, drawing inspiration from the likes of Deep Purple, Uriah Heep and Rainbow. The bands’ sophomore effort “Glimpse Of Dawn” finds these Tasmanians searching for a live vibe on record, showing off those influences whilst putting their own stamp on proceedings.
The opening one-two of the title track and “The Winding Road” show off a very Deep Purple Mklll style. Lush Hammond organ and ear worm choruses create a warm, enveloping atmosphere. Will Spectre’s vocals have a soulful quality as they weave through some nicely crafted riffs. The acoustic guitar intro to “Leshy’s Warning” builds to a cool groove as the song’s story unfolds with a Led Zeppelin “Houses Of The Holy” era drama. There’s a nice balance of light and shade, restraint and urgency that keeps these songs fresh. The mix of crunchy Ritchie Blackmore styled riffs on “Echoes Through Time” compliments the acoustic peace of instrumental track “The Harrier”, the delicacy of which would surely make Jimmy Page grin.
However, it’s the album’s second half where the band push the heaviness. The warm keyboards and strutting riff of “The Vagabond’s Return” has a definite Rainbow quality. This track seems to form a springboard to the final two songs which move into more progressive territory while continuing to build that classic heavy sound of the early ‘70’s. “Heavy Weighs The Crown” closes things out with a rich, enveloping tone overlaid with warm, urgent lead guitar work.
Wearing obvious influences can all too easily fall into a trap of mere imitation. Tarot walk that line beautifully on “Glimpse Of The Dawn”. Their aim was to create a live feel and this has well and truly been done. The sounds that form their DNA are reimagined into a piece that is classic sounding yet still very contemporary. Clocking in at a touch over 40 minutes, there’s no sense of self-indulgence or bloated pomp. This is simply the essence of a classic era distilled into a well-crafted and thoroughly immersive album. A must for fans of the era.
(7/10 by Johnny Zed)
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