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Mar 19, 2014 · Asia’s post-reunion music grew incrementally in terms of both confidence and stature, from their 2008 comeback Phoenix – the first to reconvene the dream team of bassist/vocalist John Wetton, Howe, drummer Carl Palmer and keyboard wizard Geoffrey Downes – and up to 2012’s sorely under-rated 30th anniversary set XXX, which offered one of their most exquisite compositions in Face On The ...
- Dave Ling
Then came Phoenix in 2008 which was a good album by Asia's standards. However, even if Phoenix did not disappoint, it failed to live up to the momentum created by Fantasia. In 2010 another live album and video followed called Spirit Of The Night, recorded on the Phoenix tour in 2009. This too was a good release, but again it failed to excite.
This is the sound Asia became renowned for over the years and with Gravitas, it is clear they haven’t fallen too far from the tree. This becomes apparent with album opener and first single Valkyrie. Chugging guitar riffs, a powerful drum pattern and the constant ringing of rock organs all get thrown in to the mix to brew up that familiar ...
Of these, it's especially Carl Palmer I have heard of before. "Gravitas" is Asia'a twelfth studio album and it has a wonderful cover picture with a dragon wandering behind a birch forest. The "Asia" sign is very stylistic. When I put the record on, I do enjoyed what I heard. The band seemed so coherent and it was a nice flow in the music.
Album: Gravitas. Stars: 3.5. Blurb: Presenting fine musicianship, catchy songwriting, and a relaxed atmosphere in equal measure, the latest album from ASIA falls just short of brilliance, but still offers no small amount of satisfaction.
Gravitas is the thirteenth studio album by British rock group Asia, released in 2014. It is the group's final studio album with vocalist/bassist John Wetton before his death in 2017 and the only one to feature guitarist Sam Coulson . Gravitas was released on CD, deluxe edition CD/DVD-Video (featuring bonus tracks, the "Valkyrie" music video ...
