You would be forgiven for thinking that 10-minute hard rock anthems are a thing of the past, but as proven by Benjamin Corson on his latest single release, they are everything but.
Benjamin Corson is a New York-based rock musician whose sound is blistering and his guitar playing is simply immaculate. On Corson’s latest release, a 2-part song called Gemini, he lets loose some of the heaviest hard rock riffs and recreates some of the most classic prog atmospheres, all the while sounding original and fresh, backed by some impressive performances on all instruments, specifically the drums and the voice.
Part 1 of Gemini is the more high-octane affair of the two releases. With Eddie Vedder-reaching vocal soars, some red hot guitar soloing, and rapid, machine-gun pace drumming, this part excels at bringing that tried and true hard rock sound of the 70s, but with more kempt guitar tones and the generally civilized production, the sound is modern and pristine, making the Kashmir-esque riffs sound even more characterful.
The 2nd part of Gemini starts with a very short but very sweet instrumental interlude that utilizes jazzy, Floyd-inspired progressions and soloing in its entire length of a monstrous one minute, before it fades out as abruptly as it faded in. But rest assured, because Benjamin Corson extracted some immaculate vibes from this rare minute, which he then proceeds to build the entirety of Gemini’s 2nd part upon. A healthy solo section in its core, the 2nd part has one motif that starts the gut-wrenching, lengthy solo. It is a very beautiful lick that would have loved to hear it again ending the song, not that there is a single thing wrong with the Bonamassa-precise soloing that is there instead
Gemini is an operatic piece of hard rock that carries its influences proudly on its sleeves, bringing a wealth of nostalgia, and alongside it a lot of fresh, crisp, and original ideas and performances from a cast of genuinely talented musicians led by Benjamin Corson.
