After being re-introduced to Solstice’s music thanks to the CD/Blu-ray release of Return to Cropredy in early 2025, which I watched on my XBOX ONE S, it’s time to travel back in time and revisit the band’s second studio album, New Life. Originally released in 1992, following their 1984 debut Silent Dance, this album marks a fresh chapter in Solstice’s history. Blending folk, new-age elements, and neo-progressive rock with electrifying bursts of energy, New Life takes listeners on a musical journey that feels as though it’s reaching for the stars.
Featuring Heidi Kemp on lead vocals, Marc Elton on violin and keyboards, Andy Glass on guitar, vocals, and programming, Craig Sunderland on bass, and Pete Hemsley on drums, New Life captures the beauty of a band beginning a new chapter in its musical journey. With its mixture of soothing atmospheres, soaring melodies, and instrumental fireworks, the album gives us a taste of where Solstice would go next.
Beginning with ‘Morning Light’, we’re greeted by a crystalline ambient introduction that feels like stepping into a hidden cave and discovering its natural beauty for the first time. The keyboards, percussion, and violin create a wonderful atmosphere before the music suddenly takes a more ominous and meditative turn. Kemp’s somber vocal lines add another layer to the arrangement, making the opening feel almost like an overture that prepares us for the musical journey ahead.
Then Glass kicks the doors down with his powerful guitar work, giving ‘Morning Light’ a tremendous burst of energy. For a brief moment, it takes me back to the Fugazi era of Marillion, when I was in college discovering bits and pieces of the neo-prog movement between 2005 and 2006. It’s a fantastic way to open New Life, balancing atmosphere and melody with a welcome dose of instrumental muscle.
We then move into the mellow yet tender sounds of ‘Guardian’. The gentle, folk-inspired passages create an almost Tolkien-esque atmosphere, with Heidi, Andy, and Craig helping build an epic musical landscape. Once Andy, Marc, and Craig dig into the funkier, jazz-fusion-inspired textures, things really begin to take off.
I can hear echoes of Stanley Clarke, Darryl Way’s Wolf, Curved Air, and the Mahavishnu Orchestra in these instrumental passages. After Heidi finishes her angelic vocal performance, the band has the freedom to stretch out and explore, giving Solstice the musical carte blanche to take this composition wherever it needs to go. It’s a beautiful example of the band combining delicate folk influences with adventurous progressive rock.
By this point, I’m playing Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse on my XBOX while listening to the 2026 remaster. Talk about a perfect combination of gaming and progressive rock! Next up is ‘The Sea’, a powerful underwater voyage driven by Glass’s substantial guitar improvisations. He isn’t trying to imitate David Gilmour, but there’s a wonderfully Floydian quality to his playing as he travels up and down the fretboard.
Elton then takes the spotlight with his violin, guiding us toward the shores of the Shire through a series of fantasy-inspired, almost medieval passages. It makes me want to settle into the comfort of Frodo and Bilbo’s hobbit hole, enjoy a cup of tea, and tuck into some sesame-seed cake. Sometimes, that’s exactly the sort of escapism music should provide.
The title track, ‘New Life’, is a joyous and uplifting celebration that allows Kemp to pour her heart and soul into her vocal performance. Yes, there are moments when her vocal style might remind listeners of Jon Anderson’s work with early Yes, but there’s much more going on here than a simple comparison.
The powerful rhythm section and soaring melodies give the song a sense of ascending beyond our solar system, carrying a message of peace, music, and understanding across our home planet. It’s an optimistic, life-affirming piece that captures the spirit of the album beautifully.
But what’s this? Is Solstice paying homage to French progressive rock maestros Atoll, particularly their L’Araignée-Mal era, on ‘Pathways’ and ‘Journey’? Oh, hell yeah! The Yes influences are still there, but these tracks also deliver a powerful symphonic approach, complete with metallic crunches and some seriously impressive instrumental interplay.
Elton and Glass trade musical ideas as though they’re competing in the Tour de Prog across Europe, each pushing the other to go further. The result is a pair of exhilarating compositions that get down, funky, and intense, taking us on a musical journey that feels ready to jump straight to light speed. These performances demonstrate just how much chemistry the musicians have when they let loose.
The bonus tracks on the 2026 remaster offer three live recordings of ‘Morning Light’, ‘Guardian’, and ‘New Life’, captured at The Stables, the Cropredy Festival, and Band on the Wall, respectively. With Jess Holland handling the vocals on these performances, the songs take on a different character from their original studio versions. There’s a wonderful live energy running through them, with Glass delivering his trademark metallic guitar attack and the band bringing these compositions to life onstage.
The performances also give listeners a chance to imagine themselves in the audience, closing their eyes, soaking up the atmosphere, and showing their support for Solstice during the Light Up era. It’s a welcome addition to an already rewarding release, offering a glimpse of how these older songs continue to connect with audiences today.
As I sit here typing this review, I can honestly say that Solstice is becoming one of my favourite bands in the neo-progressive rock scene. They’re now joining the ranks of Marillion, Magenta, Arena, Discipline, Rosalie Cunningham, and Crown Lands, to name just a few.
New Life is a wonderfully relaxing and calming album, yet it also has plenty of power, adventurous musicianship, and those unexpected instrumental twists that keep progressive rock exciting. As the follow-up to Silent Dance, it represents a confident new beginning for a band that had returned with a refreshed lineup and a renewed sense of purpose.
Listening to this 2026 remaster has only strengthened my appreciation for Solstice and their place in the progressive rock world. With its folk-inspired beauty, atmospheric passages, soaring vocals, and electrifying guitar and violin work, New Life is an album that rewards repeated listens.
And if this is the beginning of my deeper journey into Solstice’s back catalogue, I can’t wait to discover what else awaits me. The journey has only just begun!
