Music Review: Hedersleben, The Fall Of Chronopolis

By Tim Murr

From the book description on Amazon.com:

“The mighty ships of the Third Time Fleet relentlessly patrolled the Chronotic Empire’s thousand-year frontier, blotting out an error of history here or there before swooping back to challenge other time-traveling civilizations far into the future.

Captain Mond Aton had been proud to serve in such a fleet. But now, falsely convicted of cowardice and dereliction of duty, he had been given the cruelest of sentences: to be sent unprotected into time as a lone messenger between the cruising time-ships. After such an inconceivable experience in the endless voids there was only one option left to him.

To be allowed to die.”
—The Fall of Chronopolis by Barrington J. Bayley

This book is the inspiration for German band Hedersleben’s new album The Fall of Chronopolis. It’s a heady sci-fi concept for a heady sci-fi concept album from this dynamic prog rock band.

This is the third phase of Hedersleben, which has tweaked its line up with each album. Chronopolis was recorded by Jason Willer on drums, Ariana Jade on vocals and violin, Kephera Moon on keyboards and vocals, Ursula Stuart on bass and vocals, and Nicky Garratt on guitars. Not being familiar with Hedersleben I can’t compare Chronopolis to their previous work, but standing on its own merit this is a very good, beautifully composed, and exciting album.

The Fall Of Chronopolis is full of emotional highs and lows that burrow into your psyche, sometimes sounding like the score of an Italian horror film. I really hate that I missed Hedersleben when they played in Raleigh on December 1; I would love to experience them live.

Fans of Rush, Hawkwind, and King Crimson should take note. I’ll admit to knowing very little about prog rock, but to me Hedersleben are carrying the genre into the future.

There are still a few dates on their current tour left, so if you get a chance go have that experience!

The Fall of Chronopolis was released on November 20 from Purple Pyramid Records on CD and vinyl.

Tour Dates:
Dec 8th Phoenix, AZ. Rebel Lounge
Dec 9th San Diego, CA. Till Two Club
Dec 10th West Hollywood, CA. Whiskey-a-go-go
Dec 11th Fresno, CA. Audie’s Olympic
Dec 12th Las Vegas, NV. LVCS
Dec 13th Fullerton, CA. The Continental