RPWL
„Beyond Man And Time“
Progressive/Art Rock. Black Vinyl. 2012. Reissue 2023.

In 1997, Phil Paul Risettio (R), Chris Postl (P), Kalle Wallner (W), and Yogi Lang (L) founded RPWL in Freising, Germany, as a Pink Floyd cover band. However, their style quickly evolved, and even though Yogi Lang's vocals are similar to David Gilmour's, they have become a band in their own right. Their first concept album, "Beyond Man and Time," released in 2012, is in my opinion their best work. The album explores the world beyond Plato's "cave" and Nietzsche's "Thus Spoke Zarathustra."

The current line-up consists of Yogi Lang (vocals, keyboards), Kalle Wallner (guitar), Marc Turiaux (drums) and Markus Grützner (bass).

BMAT (Beyond Man And Time) was recorded at Yogi Lang's "Die Farm Studios" in 2012. This review is of the 2023 reissue pressed on 180-gram vinyl. While the production and sound are among the best I've ever heard on vinyl, the pressing itself is not. Unfortunately, it seems that brand-new records with warped vinyl are becoming increasingly common. And even if it doesn't affect the sound, records with excessive warping shouldn't pass quality control. Vinyl records are simply too expensive for that. I haven't found a single warp in any of my old records (not even in records that are now 50 years old), but I have found them in many newer pressings. 

BMAT offers a diverse range of styles, from polished rock and art rock to progressive rock. My personal highlight is the 16:19-minute track "The Fisherman." But the beautiful "Unchain The Earth" is also a delight. RPWL is adept at crafting catchy melodies with ease, without ever becoming boring. The album's strength lies in its intriguing structure, as heard in "Road Of Creation." As you can see, the album itself is the star. Eleven tracks, not a single weak one.

Like Nietzsche in "Thus Spoke Zarathustra," the protagonist of BMAT embarks on a journey. The characters he encounters are adapted from Zarathustra, on a path to new insights. The "revaluation of values" is the fundamental idea, and from this (hopefully) new ways of thinking will emerge. 

We find oriental percussion, Moog solos, and even an Indian sitar. The execution is atmospheric and vibrant. Sound-wise, it's absolutely top-notch. Anyone who likes progressive rock can't miss this album. Apart from the warped records, it's a perfect production. 

The photos are all from my LP. The rights to all motifs, logos, texts and fonts that can be seen in the photos are of course owned by the copyright holder.

No AI was used in the making of this Review.
©29.10.2025