Da Vinci Vox - The Hidden Message


Year of Release: 2006
Label: EMI
Catalog Number: 0946 3 64493 2 6
Format: CD
Total Time: 51:18:00

After the success of the book and hot on the heels of the film featuring Tom Hanks comes an album of intelligent music based on the mysteries signed Da Vinci. Simultaneously released in no less than 33 different countries, for sure everyone involved has great hopes for this CD. If I had to describe this album in a nutshell, I'd say that it delivers a combination between Enigma and Adiemus. Gregorian chant and Celtic elements find their way into the often soothing melodies of Da Vinci Vox, adding some extra spice by means of some world music. However if you know enough about music you will also encounter some pretty well known elements on this album, too. The end of "In The Eyes Of Mona Lisa" sounds exactly like Norman Greenbaum's "Spirit In The Sky" theme, whilst Ian Gillan's vocal acrobatics as displayed in "Child In Time" form the spine of "The Keystone."

Unlike similar projects, the narrator tells his story in flawless English. Folk elements such as the accordion in "Irish Crusaders" enhance the Celtic flavour. Yet the entire concept pretty much remains a mystery. Who are the musicians playing on this album? A lot of names are only represented by their initials, which adds to the mystery of the subject! In the liner notes producer and brainchild Serge Mazères thanks amongst others R. W. from P. F. for his luminous advice. Could this be Rick Wright from Pink Floyd? And is A. P. from A. P. P. Alan Parsons from the Alan Parsons Project? If so, then who the hell are PT from W, SP from T, DS from E and is EC none other than Eric Clapton?

The album simply is the reflection of an era in continual mutation where a number of "initiates" have decided that the time has finally come to awaken consciousness. Why and how has the truth been kept from us? By what right? In whose name? It is the voice of Leonardo Da Vinci (hence Da Vinci Vox), which seems to rise from the darkness to shed light on twenty centuries of silence. Da Vinci Vox is a path to initiation marked and punctuated with codes and hidden messages. It's the notes and rhythms which contain the keys to a highly symbolic initiation. Da Vinci Vox will reveal to the curious the greatest mystery ever held my humanity.

Whilst all songs on this album are original compositions, "The Fruit Of Her Loins" is, in fact, an adaptation of "Gnossienne nr 4" by Eric Satie. "They'll Be Coming" sounds very much like authentic Vangelis, especially where the drum track is concerned. In all The Hidden Message contains some pretty interesting music, although the man behind the project, producer Serge Mazères does "borrow" certain elements at times. Next to the music, the album also contains an enhanced section containing photographs of highly symbolic locations usually reserved exclusively for members of the Royal Arch as well as a coded message unveiling the great secret that Opus Dei would never want to reveal. After studying the "secret message" for some time, I just pushed the repeat button and listened to the whole CD once more. I still didn't get it so I guess I'll never find the answer, yet I did find some really interesting music!

In the beginning ? there was the "word"!

[Speculation Editor: could PT be Pete Townshend of The Who?... ]


Tracklisting:
The Hidden Message (3:03) / In The Eyes Of Mona Lisa (6:56) / The Priory Of Sion (2:24) / The Keystone (7:20) / The Royal Arch (1:51) / Irish Crusaders (3:18) / The Descendence Of Mary Magdeleine (2:09) / The Fruit Of Her Loins (3:17) / The Obscure Opus Dei (2:41) / They:ll Be Coming (4:58) / Written In Mozart (2:11) / The Grand Codex (3:23) / Temple Church (3:40) / The Rosslyn Chapel (3:11) / The Hidden Message (Edit) (0:49)

Musicians:
Serge Maz?res - producer and brainchild
Bernard H. Levitte - keyboards, piano, programming
Yann Benoist - sitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar
B. Torelli - keyboards
Robert Le Gall - acoustic guitar, violin, mandolin
Patrick Brugali?res - accordion

Discography:
The Hidden Message (2006)

Genre: Other

Origin

Added: July 13th 2006
Reviewer: John "Bobo" Bollenberg

Artist website: www.davincivox.com
Hits: 3467
Language: english

  

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