BEN HARRIS-HAYES – “FINDING A VOICE/GRAIL OF A SECULAR AGE”

The multi-instrumentalist that is Ben Harris-Hayes puts his main band Enochian Theory on hold to persue a solo project under his own name, whilst the prog-rock of the aforementioned group have performed around the UK and festivals overseas there’s also a rumour that Ben was the masked drummer behind short lived Portsmouth doom metallers Arachnatour – but to confirm this would spoil the myth and now a few years on Ben has picked up his acoustic guitar for a more stripped back version of his main love.

It’s the first song of the two “Finding a voice” which is exactly that, acoustic guitars with a lovely production on the soothing layered vocals, simplicity at its finest but not of your standard singer/songwriter types and the subtle addition of keys towards the close of the track round things off nicely.

Then there’s “Grail of a Secular Age” with its more upbeat direction, it may still be based around the acoustic guitars and vocals but there’s a lean towards Enochian Theory and their more complex prog-rock tendencies, it’s a well-crafted tune with pianos and synths taking it from one place to another whilst the drums recorded on location at “Bob’s Garage” give it that band feel even though it’s all been written and performed by Ben Harris-Hayes on his lonesome.

With the possibility of Ben taking his solo project to the live stage it will be interesting to hear if these songs are transformed into one man and his guitar or if there will be a new line-up of musicians to work alongside the possible return of Enochian Theory, but for now as Ben repeats the line “I hope that when it ends, you’re happy” all I can say is yes – I do believe we are.

http://benharris-hayes.bandcamp.com/