Album Review: Friends from Moon – Astray (Self Released)

Friends from Moon is the solo project of an Indian musician, Ritwik Shivam; a moniker which was inspired by his first hallucination trip under a full moon. It was born out of his vision to construct a world where every broken soul could dive and feel a certain strength and acceptance. Inspired and influenced by sounds of the world, ‘Astray’ is an eight-track-long concept album with a heavy existential narrative. It’s a pure reflection of a state of mind where you begin to see through the surface of everything, question your worth, willingly detach from the optimist to embrace the pessimist.

Astray is a tragic tale of a youthful man and his encounter with formidable portions of his own personality which he succumbs to.

Astray will be released on April 15th, 2022.

When Ritwik Shivam aka Friends from Moon says he is inspired and influenced by the sounds of the world, he is not kidding. Astray is a heavily conceptual release that takes the listener on a wild journey of musical highs, lows, and everything in between.

Beginning with Rage On, a track that has progressive rock and metal vibes, and starts the album’s narrative off strongly. Before Rebellion Road shifts things in a more eclectic and electrifying direction. Punk rock energy, groovy rock touches, melody and melodrama makes this one of the standout tracks.

The Enemy is a notable shift in both storytelling and sound. The former sees the titular character’s exploring deeper and darker parts of his personality. Something that is reflected in the music too as we get an ominous soundtrack. Before the title track and following Come Together really pushes the narrative change. The former, uncomfortably dystopian and imaginatively melodic. The latter, really drawing from the industrial landscape and including a brief segment of a very familiar and very popular song.

The descent into darkness, the story of the man going too far, reaches its apex with the longest and wildest track on the album, Marvels Beyond Madness. This is out and out fast-paced, horror-infused progressive metal that features the first instance of ‘dirtier’ vocals. A highlight of the album, it’s notably different to what we’ve heard but when you put it in context of everything around it, it could only ever be this intense.

What happens to a person after experiencing such mentally draining chaos? Riverine is the answer as we shift to a pretty and melancholic track. Heartfelt and emotive but more about serenity than anguish. It’s a wonderful experience and the perfect closer to the tale as Of the Spirit is more of a lengthy instrumental outro. One hell of an enjoyable one that lets the instruments sell the soundtrack aspect of the album’s story.

Who doesn’t love a concept album that lives up to the moniker? Astray is a phenomenal story told in experimentally captivating fashion.

Friends from Moon – Astray Full Track Listing:

1. Rage On
2. Rebellion Road
3. The Enemy
4. Astray
5. Come Together
6. Marvels Beyond Madness
7. Riverine
8. Of the Spirit

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