M-Opus: “At The Mercy Of Manann​á​n” (2023) – Album Review

Summary

M-Opus infused the prog styles of 1972 with epic Celtic mythology in the genesis of their latest album At The Mercy Of Manann​á​n. A deep-dive into a refracted vision of musical yesteryear, the band delivered a thrilling and fresh-sounding album, weaving their contemporary reimaginations of these various influences into the creation of an inventive musical narrative.

Album Info

Introduction

So anyway, last year I picked up a 4-CD compilation entitled Blowing Free: Underground & Progressive Sounds of 1972, and I cannot emphasize enough how much that box set is an absolute vibe. Showcasing five hours of offbeat and progressive UK rock, folk, and pop from its titular year, the collection featured familiar types like Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Al Stewart, Hawkwind, Yes, Wishbone Ash, Procol Harum, Renaissance, and Thin Lizzy. Also nestled into the tracklist were lesser-knowns like Help Yourself, Vinegar Joe, Bombadil, Sensational Alex Harvey Band, and many others.

(Not for nothing, if this seems like your jam, grab this set immediately at your favorite usual online haunts or brick-and-mortar hangouts. As always, this blog doesn’t do affiliate links or other such chicanery.)

To quote someone I really don’t want to mention by name, I told you that story to tell you this story. Or rather, this review. We’re looking at At The Mercy Of Manann​á​n, the third album from Irish prog outfit M-Opus.

The Band

For the uninitiated — which for the record, included your humble reviewer until he came across this CD — M-Opus specializes in albums that reflect specific years in prog history. Their debut album, 1975 Triptych (2015), reflected its titular year in tone and style. The 2020 epic-length follow-up Origins did the same, focusing on 1978.

Which makes At The Mercy Of Manann​á​n a prequel of sorts, as the winds of the Celtic god of the oceans blows us freely back to the salad days of 1972. Hence the callback to that introductory paragraph. See? Told you it would all come together.

Vocalist Jonathan Casey conceived the story/lyrics, and provides the requisite trebly punch of a Rickenbacker bass alongside working the Mellotrons, pianos, Fender Rhodes, and other keyboards. Guitarists PJ O’Connell and Colin Sullivan deliver all the eerie atmospherics, dual blistering leads, and pastoral acoustic folk elements, while drummer Mark Grist locks it all down with both gentle fills, driving rhythms, and thunderous power on both the kit and percussion. As a musical unit, M-Opus delivers the prog goods showcasing their virtuosity and musicianship.

Ergo: we now know the band. Meanwhile, as much as I’d like to think I am, at the very least, somewhat knowledgeable about music history and especially prog music history? Balderdash. I’m just trying to keep up, man. While I’m glad I had an introductory primer last year with that 1972 progressive music box set (foretellingly, I might add), I couldn’t even begin to tell you if At The Mercy Of Manann​á​n accurately and faithfully reproduces the sounds of 1972.

But man, it really feels like it does.

Review

Progressive rock solidified into a viable genre right around this time, incorporating psychedelic, folk, blues, jazz, baroque/orchestral, and other forms of more “experimental” rock under its umbrella. This diverse spirit pervades At The Mercy Of Manann​á​n, in which M-Opus blends multiple styles and influences into strong, crisply-produced progressive melodic rock. And packaged up in a concept album to boot.

A concept album!

But since concept albums usually revolve around a theme or story, let’s take a jump to the left with a little H3 section I’d like to call…

Concept Album: Theme or Story

How blazingly apropos.

As such, this tale follows a group of Celtic warriors, leaving their village on an autumn morning as they face uncertain doom in battle (“Setting Off”). As the river drives them towards their destiny (“Riverflow”), a whirlpool appears and drags them into another realm of mystical enchantment (“Whirlpool”, “To The Other Side”). In a grand hall, a Queen appears and beckons the warriors onward, in an unfamiliar language they somehow understand. A valley trail appears, where the warriors continue their journey and face their enemies.

A fierce battle ensues (“Na Bruídaí”), and the warriors emerge from the skirmish as champions. Hailed as the saviors by a grateful populace, their boat magically reappears. They retake their positions on deck, the Queen guides them on their path to destiny, and the warriors cast out to sea again (“Valley of Elah”). Subject to the whims of ocean god Manann​á​n, openings appear in the waves, sucking the ship down into its gravitational womb, consigning the warriors to their fate in the void. (“Scaling Nova”).

In the instrumental closer “Carnivale”, it can be inferred that the warriors perhaps become Keratos, ancient Celtic spirits of moral law and fertility. Not gonna lie, that might be a stretch. Still, I’m going with it for now.

Back to the Review

Oops, spoilers. Well that’s just my culture-anemic North American take on it anyhow, I could be way off. However, as with any good slice of storytelling, what’s mission-critical here is not what the story is about, but rather how it’s being told. And zowie, M-Opus slammed this one clear out of the park.

What makes the album so singular in its vision is that, while it dips into a variety of styles that derive from the progressive sounds of 1972, these influences coalesce without seeming jarring, forced, or derivative for derivative’s sake. If it’s the lush orchestrations of “Setting Off”, the retro prog stylings of “Riverflow”, “Whirlpool”, and “Scaling Novas”, the folk/psychedelia of “To The Other Side”, the blistering blues/prog rock of “Na Bruídaí”, the gentle, easygoing folk of the percussion-driven “Valley of Elah”, or the spacey finale of “Carnivale” — no matter. All of it feels seamless. Consequently, there’s nary a wasted moment nor a hint of self-indulgent wankery.

That cohesive feel lends the album a feel of unity and purpose, especially in its storytelling. While the story is straightforward enough, the engaging innovation and melodic content of the music imbues the entire affair with cosmic wonder. O’Connell even translated the lyrics of “Na Bruídaí” to Irish, lending that rocker a further air of mystery.

Accordingly, there is such carefully crafted songwriting on display here that easily satisfies your prog proclivities, albeit more on the shorter, more melodic side of the prog aisle rather than the epic, 20-minute explorative side. M-Opus is keeping one hand firmly on their 1972 aesthetic, resulting in an album that focuses more on the immediate than the contemplative. The album, by design, never suffers a moment from it.

And in closing…

Yet still, maybe that’s my only complaint about At The Mercy Of Manann​á​n: at 42 minutes in length, I never wanted this sojourn to end. Honestly, how many mythological Celtic adventures refracted through an opaque recreation of the progressive sounds of 1972 are we likely to get in any given lifetime? No more than four, I can tell you that much, which means I’m due for another three before I eventually get tossed into Manann​á​n’s oceans. Get crackin’, fellas.

At The Mercy Of Manann​á​n is a fantastic album. The storyline is cinematic, complemented by a melodically engaging performance by M-Opus that delivers all the prog inventiveness and virtuosity you’d expect from a project like this one. Plus look at that album cover by Indira May. I already own the CD but I’m this close to springing for the vinyl for display purposes.

But I digress. M-Opus may have willingly dove into the past in the process of creating At The Mercy Of Manann​á​n, but they delivered a thrilling and fresh-sounding album, incorporating contemporary reimaginations of multiple prog styles into an inventive musical narrative.

What similar albums does ChatGPT recommend?

While it behooves me to remind my readers that everything you just read is 100% Mills, let’s ask our friendly neighborhood AI for some similar album recommendations.

1. “Tales from the Kingdom of Fife” by Gloryhammer (2013) – This debut album by the Scottish power metal band Gloryhammer tells a fantasy story set in medieval Scotland. Its combination of progressive and symphonic elements with an engaging narrative should appeal to M-Opus fans.
   
2. “Hand. Cannot. Erase.” by Steven Wilson (2015) – In another solo effort, Steven Wilson creates a concept album that explores themes of isolation, memory, and personal identity. The blend of storytelling and progressive rock elements makes this album a great choice for fans of M-Opus.
   
3. “Valkyrie” by Glass Hammer (2016) – This American progressive rock band’s album “Valkyrie” weaves a tale of love, war, and sacrifice. Its mix of symphonic prog and storytelling should resonate with M-Opus fans.
   
4. “In the Passing Light of Day” by Pain of Salvation (2017) – Swedish progressive rock/metal band Pain of Salvation’s album delves into themes of mortality, love, and human connection. The blend of progressive rock with emotional storytelling may appeal to fans of M-Opus.
   
5. “Watershed” by Opeth (2008) – Swedish prog rock/metal band Opeth’s “Watershed” offers a mix of heavy and melodic passages, drawing inspiration from various subgenres of progressive rock. The album’s storytelling elements and musicianship make it an interesting choice for fans of M-Opus’ “At The Mercy Of Manann​á​n.”

Output from ChatGPT, OpenAI to Mills, 18 April 2023.