One of the few fourteen track albums that I can listen to from the beginning to the end, and enjoy every second of it. Starting with the well known "Rocket Brothers", it instantly intrigues you with the "come and go" of the notes and by the time the voice comes in you're completely taken by the harmony of it all. As much as I'm a music person, more than a lyrics person, what really makes this one shine is the lyrics. Continuing with "Surfing the Warm Industry", which is more of an upbeat song compared with most of the slow paced tracks on the album, a very good twist though. Kashmir manages to pull out what a lot of bands fail to do when trying to add one or two tracks that contrast with the general fast or low pace of an album, it doesn't seem to be out of place nor it has a "forced" style that's not their own, like I said, just a little twist.The third track "The Aftermath", opening with "I wonder if my thoughts of her, have ever crossed the thoughts of me" you know it is a love song right away, not in a typical nor cheesy way though. The song delivers a beautiful, sequential verse combined with a similarly constructed chorus that makes it impossible not to like it. Right after that "Ruby Over Diamonds" comes in, which you may classify as yet another love song (like most in the album), but before doing that be sure to pay close attention to the lyrics. The bass and drums opening may hint a heavier mood to this track, but the vocals and the palm muted guitar slowly make you notice a waltz vibe to it. The piano entrance its what seals the deal and it also features a couple of guitar solos that support and also add to the melody of the song. In all, a song to remember. Next, we have none other than "Melpomene". This song could easily be described as their best, and why not? With such an intro, such lyrics and such harmonies, all leading you to.. wait, I won't ruin it for you; I'll tell you this though, you can't do better than Melpomene. Sixth track "The Push", could be very well opacified by the previous track but it is not. Starting with a seemingly random pick of sounds the song evolves into a vocal centered melody that puts you at ease right away. The vocals are ones of the most emotionally loaded of the album and you'll often find yourself drifting in thought while hearing this, very well earning the song it's place on the record. Next comes "Ramparts", the second track of the album with a faster pace than the rest and a friend's favorite. "Like this summer's unsettled and surprisingly gray", you can tell right there this is something else, and if you don't, just wait until you hear what comes after the first chorus, I promise you'll have a pleasant surprise ;) (heads up: it will get there eventually). Track number eight brings us.. "Petit Machine". Drums come in first to set the mood.. for nothing less than an awing guitar solo that will melt in your ears little by little.. finally fading away to let these lines in: "I could sink to the bottom of you, with a stone on a chain without breathing in.." If you're hearing the song while reading this I can assure you, you stopped reading a while ago. Many will go with Melpomene, and if you are one of those who didn't, you'll go with this one.. Petit Machine. You will get goose bumps at some point, granted. (most likely the solo will get the job done), this song is that good. After that, we have "The New Gold", that offers us a lighter sound opening with an acoustic guitar and keeping it (and adding one) throughout the song. This beautiful tune can relax me to the point of pleasantly falling half asleep to it. Track ten would be "Big fresh". This one is characteristic for its guitars picking one note at a time most of the time and adding a distorted sound every now and then (not randomly precisely). And then, just when you thought you knew what was coming for the rest of the song.. you hit the half of it and discover this other side, slowly progressing, building to what was there all along and delivering it as the wildest side of Zitilites.. both raw and subtle. For the next track we have: "In the Sand". Maybe it's just me but the gentle and beautiful piano opening gets to the very core of me every time. Next come the vocals that only add to the strength of it, making me helpless before it (tears might come down at any time). Oh but it doesn't stop there, oh no. Every one of the instruments used in this master piece will make a quiet but noticeable entrance along the three minutes and thirteen seconds of the duration of the song (personally the bass is the breaking point for me). I know I may have hinted that "Melpomene" and "Petit Machine" were the best of the record but (yes, this is the but), "In the Sand" is up there too. By this point I can't really decide between the three of them. Next we hit "Small Poem of Old Friend", which is the longest track on the record with a duration of 6:04. This particular intro gives you the sensation of something that's actually starting, and the the vocals come in as the narrator, telling you this "sad song" story. Kasper imprints such emotion in the lines: "But you've been spreading dirt my friend, words that were untrue, crowned yourself among the men, that gave so much to you" that you'll have no problem picturing the indignation on his expression. It also has a chaotic kind of ending that's not for everyone. Next to last, we come upon "Zitilites", the long expected track the album was named after (most likely anyway). This one too has a pretty neat intro and you don't really know what to expect, it could turn to so many different directions, until the drums come in that is. And then the piano along with the vocals come in.. in such a dark manner. It puts the whole situation described in the lyrics in such an elegant, dramatic and perverse way.. the whole experience (yes, I'm talking about the song) with its instrumental and regular parts is just hypnotizing. And the last track "Bodmin Pill", which doesn't give anything away since it is an instrumental only track. All I can say about it is that, it is a very calm song, soothing even, that I see as the end of this amazing album.
For me this is Zitilites, one of the best albums money can buy.