Aethellis

The result of this debut was one magnificent work of symphonic rock that transmits an optimism beyond the common.....Very recommended and essential in your progressive library. - Descubre La Caja Pandora

The album is the rare stone overturned that reveals a bounty of new revelations. The album is quite enjoyable and quite an achievement for a sole musician. This album really deserves some attention. - Music Street Journal

Aethellis surprised me with the music in this recording. Ellsworth Hall is the brain behind Aethellis and his trademark sound are the keyboards that start from the first second of the recording to create interesting melodies. And this melodies are sometimes more easy listening, sometimes more twisted but they always have an interesting progressive sound which I liked a lot. Ellsworth´s vocals are soft and melodic giving some of the compositions a hit format with memorable choruses. Most of the compositions here are long and I think that Aethellis develops carefully the music in such extension where he has place for developing all the ideas that the music here has. There is a seventies feeling here but with a much more modern sound that makes the music sound updated. This is pure melody full of interesting ideas. - Music Extreme

Progressive Rock from the USA , with 6 long tracks included on their independent CD. Without a doubt, it has a strong 80s Symphonic AOR touch, kinda like ASIA and KAYAK, just listen to the wonderful “Saint Augustus”. I think some songs might even be called early 80s keyboard orientated Pomprock! Nevertheless, people will call AETHELLIS a Progressive Rockband and their independent CD does sound remarkably good. The songs are very strong, catchy and still adventurous enough to keep you interested from start to finish. Like I said, it does remind me a lot of ASIA, 3, LIGHTSPEED, ROBRT BERRY , GTR... Even vocally it sounds quite good (kinda like JEFF CANNATA of ARC ANGEL). - Strutter Magazine

This is one of those albums that I was tempted to dismiss on first listening as being too 'pop' or too 'superficial' to be taken seriously. After 2 or 3 listenings the layers started to emerge and the true beauty of the music started to become obvious!

- ZNR Records

Even if there is an Aethellis touring band, on the CD all the music and singing comes from one man : Ellsworth R. Hall. He plays all instruments but his main focus is on the keyboards.

Listening to Aethellis brings me back about twenty years. Even though at times, some twists and turns make it obvious that this album is from the new millenium, there is always, in my opinion, a strong early 80's feel about this music.

In the letter sent to me with this promotional CD, Ellsworth Hall describes his music as Neo. I don't really agree because I do not hear much Marillion - IQ - Arena... in there, these bands being usually associated with the Neo sub genre of Progressive Rock.

The main influence I detect is Tony Banks, mainly his more progressive pieces from his solo albums. Hall's playing reminds me much more of Banks than of Wakeman or Emerson for example. Most of the songs on Aethellis would fit well on a Banks album, consisting mainly of a song based part followed by an instrumental section featuring a lot of keyboard soloing. A few exceptions, the beginning of Saint Augustus has a stong UK feel and Djibouti is an instrumental that somewhat reminds me of In that Quiet Earth from Genesis' Wind & Wuthering.

As a singer Ellsworth Hall sounds a bit like Steve Hackett (another Genesis reference). His voice is not very powerful but it is nice and he does not push it over it's limit.

I have truly enjoyed listening to this album and will put it again in my player. Hopefully Aethellis will find it's audience even though 80's inspired prog is not really the flavor of the day. There are sound samples on their website and the band plans on doing some touring in the east coast U.S. in early 2004. Check them out.
- ProGGnosis.com

I think most of our customers agree with that most “one man bands” tend to be a bit boring. Well, Aethellis is a one man band, but not at all boring. Logos Affinity keyboardist Ellsworth Hall plays keyboards, guitar and sings. The drums are of course programmed, but in a very tasteful way, and could just as well been the real thing. The music lies somewhere between Alan Parsons Project and Camel. Well crafted songs and Mr. Hall has also put a lot of effort into the production and arrangements. - The Missing Piece

You like progressive music with influences from cult bands such as Genesis, Yes and others? Then Aethellis is for you! Aethellis is a mix of all the best things available in the prog world. - Radio Metal

This sounds like the album Tony Banks should have made after A Curious Feeling. In fact a lot of this would fit well on Genesis’ 1980s albums as proggier pieces. The Aethellis album is keyboard-dominated (though there is electric guitar), and there is some Banksian playing and chord progressions, but like Banks’ albums, the emphasis is more on songwriting. And Hall is a quality singer. Whereas Banks headed off in a pure pop direction, Aethellis maintains a good balance between pop songwriting and progressive rock. All but one track exceeds seven minutes, and the nearly 12-minute Final Affinity is darker and requires no qualifiers; it’s just prog rock. Oh, and the chorus of Saint Augustus is a mind worm. - Kinesis CD