Brave – “Lost in Retrospect” COMPILATION (2009)

Label : Femme Metal Records

Review by Tony Cannella

It’s hard to believe that it’s been 12 years since Virginia’s Brave released their first recordings.  Back then they were known as Arise From Thorns (having adopted their current moniker in 2001 for the “Waste Deep in Dark Waters” EP). In that time the band have released 4 full-length CDs and 2 EPs, yet they have still managed to fly a bit under the radar. They have just released a comprehensive compilation CD titled “Lost in Retrospect”. Their music can be described as progressive rock and metal with a touch of the avantgarde. But really this is a band with several different layers and that makes them hard to categorize. The songs – for the most part – are presented in reverse chronological order. The first three songs are taken from the band’s 2008 album “Monuments”. Right off the bat you get a sense of diversity of Brave. The second track “Driven” is one of my favorite songs the band has ever recorded. It’s heavy, yet melodic and very catchy. Check out the excellent guitar solo on this one. It just plain rips and the vocal work of Michelle Loose can’t be denied as well, her vocal style is somewhat unique and it blends well with the music. The 2004 EP “Passages” is represented with “Words”. This song features some impressive changes. Three songs from 2002’s “Searching for the Sun” – arguably the band’s best release – are up next. “Before Nightfall”, “Trapped Inside” and “Candle in the Dark” are all solid choices. “Before Nightfall”  in particular is very memorable. It’s really a pretty sounding song that is a bit of a ballad, but it is has more to offer than your standard ballad.  4 songs are included from when they were known as Arise From Thorns, giving fans a glimpse into their early material, and you can clearly see how the band has progressed since then. The best is saved for last with the 10-minute epic “Passages” from the 2004 album of the same name. This song really ends things with a bang. It is one of the most mature things the band has ever recorded – what a way to end things. The inclusion of violin on a number of tracks is also a nice touch.At 14 songs and 69 minutes long, “Lost in Retrospect” serves its purpose as an audio history lesson. The music on this CD just goes to show how criminally underrated a band Brave has become, as well as serving as a good starting point for anyone looking to get into this band. I could go on and on about this band but instead of me just babbling on, I would encourage anyone who likes what they hear on this collection of songs to seek out their back catalog.

Rating – 80/100

Tracklist

1. Something to This
   
2. Driven
   
3. Hold On
4. Words
5. Before Nightfall
6. Trapped Inside
7. Candle in the Dark
8. Dark Waters
9. To Dream Again
10. Surrender
11. To Dance by Moonlight
12. Remember the Stars
13. Bluer Skies
14. Passages

Line Up

• Michelle Loose Schrotz – Vocals & Keyboards
• Scott Loose –Guitars
  
• Matt Kozar –Guitars
  
• Suvo Sur – Violin & Keyboards
• Ben Kelly – Bass 
• Trevor Schrotz – Drums