Cruz Del Sur, Vintage, earthy 1970s hard rock done right from the Land Down Under! The long-awaited sophomore album from Australia’s Tarot re-imagines heavy, Hammond B3 organ hard rock for a new generation! Eight years have passed since Tarot’s first full-length, Reflections, to their new long-player, Glimpse of the Dawn. It was like a lifetime for the 1970s-rock-tinged Australians. The band embarked on its first-ever live shows after Reflections, essentially coming together as a unit while on stage. Live activity then opened the door for increased collaboration between all members of the band. Now operating as a cohesive, free-flowing outfit, Tarot amassed a lively, spacious album in the form of Glimpse of the Dawn that earnestly pays tribute to their core influences of Uriah Heep, Rainbow and Deep Purple while blazing an identity of its own. Glimpse of the Dawn was recorded across several studios in the band’s native Tasmania, starting with drum tracking by Joe Haley at Crawlspace Productions. From there, the band retreated to its own Heavy Chains Studio and Riff Cabin to complete tracking, yet it was the face-to-face sessions with Haley that gave the album its live and natural feel. This approach — once an industry standard but now becoming a rarity — found Tarot simply cracking open a few beers, letting the tape roll and letting the results happen as they may. To that end, Tarot purposely left open spaces to allow for improvisation. Many of the album’s lead guitar sections were written on the fly in the studio and were subsequently kept, allowing for Tarot to “catch lightning in a bottle.” This approach is perhaps best exemplified on the title track, which kicks off the album in grand fashion with rollicking Hammond keyboards and vocal trade-offs between founding member Will Spectre, guitarist Felix Russell and keyboardist Dave Harrington-George. In fact, collaboration defines Glimpse of the Dawn. Whereas Spectre previously shouldered the songwriting load, the album features contributions from all members of Tarot. This communal, open vibe is yet another throwback to the bands Tarot has taken inspiration from. The closeness of all five members allowed for a free exchange of ideas, thus sharpening every facet of the album. It helped further expand Tarot’s sound, which is often driven by the classic Hammond B3 organ, mellotron string and choir and various analog synths. The members of Tarot put an immense of thought into the interplay between Harrington-George’s parts and its guitar lines, ultimately producing an album with equal breadth and depth. Glimpse of the Dawn is tailor-made for the live arena. Tarot already has plans to hit its Australian homeland and Europe throughout 2024, bringing its hard-rocking, anthemic songs to audiences deserving of a band that perfectly embodies the spirit of 1970s rock. Artwork by Lena Richter, Mastering by Patrick Engel (Temple of Noise).
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