The iconic level of musicianship associated with the name Kansas has never wavered, and the band has evolved with the times as they produce their latest album that fits the Progressive Rock idiom while venturing into modern Hard Rock elements. Vocalist Ronnie Platt has said that “The Absence of Presence shows the band firing on all cylinders”, and there’s no mistaking the truth of that statement from the very first song. 

The title track opens the album, and its verse and chorus has Platt delivering the message of “reaching for connection to break the silence”, noting that “The Absence of Presence fills the air”, but what truly breaks the silence and fills the air is the expansive and epic sound of Kansas bringing some of their best songwriting forth from start to finish. We go from the broad exploration of this eight-minute opener, only to find ourselves listening to a track that grooves in “Throwing Mountains”, which gets the album feeling like straightforward heavy hard rock at its best. 

While listening through The Absence of Presence, it’s hard to pick a favorite song as they all have so many elements, each track with a different yet connected energy. Many moving lines capture the essence of Prog itself, and the overall atmosphere paints a cinematic musical picture. Kansas founders and The Absence of Presence co-producers, guitarist Rich Williams and drummer Phil Ehart, mightily lead the charge alongside bassist Billy Greer – while not a founder, an integral part of the band’s legacy – and Zak Rizvi skillfully joins in as a more recent addition, and fellow producer, songwriter, and guitarist. Electric organs and varied keyboard effects provided by keyboardist Tom Brislin give off the classic vibe of the time of Kansas’ roots, as do David Ragsdale’s violins, which at times are practically shredding as heavy as guitars. You can hear that vocalist Ronnie Platt’s strong voice bears a classic clarity, not meaning to take the place of his predecessor Steve Walsh, but to complement the band’s long-standing legacy as his tone fits right in.

Continuing on through the album, after the piano-led “Jets Overhead”, we encounter “Propulsion 1”, an upbeat all-instrumental track that lives up to its title and keeps the energy of the album propelling forward, but the poignant “Memories Down The Line” gently steps in to bring it all to a momentary stop, with a powerful ballad that takes some time to reflect on the past while considering memories and stories that will be passed down to future generations. “Circus of Illusions” picks our energy back up again, with what is probably one of the more “prog-y” tracks of the record, only to have the succeeding track, “Animals on the Roof”, take that idea even further. “Never” brings another ballad to bridge the next step into the epic closing track, “The Song The River Sang”, which takes us on an adventurous five-minute journey to ensure we’re left with good memories of this album down the line.

Theatrical, compelling and absolutely fantastic. With a rocking new album, Kansas carries powerfully on into 2020 and beyond. 

Rating: 5/5

The Absence of Presence will be out on June 26th through Inside Out Music, and is available for pre-order now.

Watch the videos for “Throwing Mountains” and “Memories Down The Line”, and keep up with the latest on Kansas via their official website: https://www.kansasband.com/.