Progression Magazine, Fall 2009: 15 out of 16 stars.

Pravda's third release is more multifaceted than its previous high-octaneWalking Through Walls. Incorporation of classical and jazz strains into its established heavy rock fusion template makes Monophobic a captivating listening experience.

Keyboardist K.C. Thomsen still writes engaging pieces, while new guitarist Dan Sejd more than holds his own performing and composing.  They haven't forsaken that perfect balance of guitar and keyboard interplay, nor the forcefulness that fueled Pravda's sophomore outing. Instead, this Northwest quartet has tempered the beast with elegant symphonic prog and classy jazz-fusion.

Second cut "Symphonia" is a nine-minuet suite replete with exquisite classically inspired keyboards. "Cattlecar Galactica" is a multipart guitar-driven fusion adventure.  "radio Halo" written by drummer Dave Thomas (who also wrote a short sinister percussion workout) is a strange closer.  It winds through different segments until abruptly morphing into a live jazz piece that slowly fades out.

There's a lot to like on Monophobic as Pravda continues to improve upon its high-caliber output. Warrren Barker

"If you are a fan of progressive rock, both classic and modern in style, you're in for a treat this coming week as local band Pravda and Salt Lake City's American Hollow bring their inspired sound to Terrapin Station on Thursday July 15th. And for all this great progressive and alternative rock, you pay only $3. You can't beat that.

Our hometown boys, Pravda, combine progressive rock with experimental passages and even some metal. They are, in the old school sense, a jam band. They liken their sound to bands like Dream Theater, Rush, TOOL, Liquid Tension Experiment, Genesis, Emerson Lake and Palmer, The Who, Spock's Beard, Porcupine Tree, and Yes.

Pravda' s sound combines the best of old and new progressive rock with tinges of jazz and classical influences baked with Heavy Metal drive and stomp mixed with the looser Jam band influences.

Their third album, 2009's Monophobic, on Sonus West Records, has the group progressing even more as musicians and song writers. The CD has abundant epic spaces reminiscent of Pink Floyd and powerful chops in the vein of Dream Theater. A true aural feast. Monophobic has earned high praise around the world and the band appears in the Spring/Summer edition of Progression magazine.

The band will be sharing dates here and in Utah with Salt Lake City progressive/alternative rockers, American Hollow." -Rustyn Rose, Boise examiner.com

Progressiverockbr.com PRAVDA - "Monophobic" Pravda is formed by mature, experienced, inspired and talented musicians, all them, playing Progressive Rock music from long time, where their sound combines the best of Old & New Progressive Rock with some touchs of Symphonism and Jazz passages, adding the power of Progressive Metal. The band has recorded two albuns "The Echoing Sounds (2003)" and "Walking Through Walls (2006)", which both have good reviews on the musical scene around the world. After three years break, but full of quality studio time, Pravda have returned to the progressive rock scene with a new album titled "Monophobic", a very professional work with nice easy accessible Symphonic Progressive Rock a la 70’s "Genesis", "Pink Floyd", "Rush", "Yes", "EL&P" adding influences from Prog Metal band in the line of "Dream Theater". Totally instrumental, the music on the album, is more in the field of the Progressive Rock, dominated by long "dreaming" symphonic parts, although, very powerful and especially with the work on the keyboards and guitars, that dominate the instrumentation, accompanied by incredible drum sections and deep bass sound. This excellent production contains, nine inspired compositions and almost 43 minutes full of atmospheric sections, providing an interesting musical variety to the listener. "Monophobic" starts with the "Butterfly Needle" an epic composition with hard guitar sounds, the second track "Symphonia" is very symphonic, where the keys dominate the arrangements, with wide reference to the classics of the early 70's, including beautiful piano parts, in my opinion, is the best song on the album, "Thru The Trees" is a short song dominated by percussive rhythm section, "Cattlecar Galatica" great instrumental guitar piece and thunderous drums that fits right in with the arrangements, "Syncope" like a soundtrack opens to "The Nexus" a epic Progressive Metal with touches of symphonic-prog, "All Metal" is vibrant song featuring impressive keyboard/guitar interplay, "Mor Guitar" guitar sound in the same line of "Steve Howe" and "Steve Hackett", and the closing track "Radio Halo" is full of musical styles, they take it into many different directions, combining jazz, rock, and progressive rock. "Monophobic" album was released in 2009 by "Sonus West Records". Produced by Pravda, Recorded at Sonus West Records mixed by Dan at Shadetree Studios, art by Dan. Visit their MySpace and there you can listen some Mp3s. Also informatiosn and discography visit Pravda at Sonicbids. The Line-up on Pravda are: K.C. Thomsen - Synths, Keyboards, Hammond & Piano, Dave Thomas - Drums, Percussion & Vocals, Dan Sejd - Lead & Rhythm Electric Guitars, Acoustic Guitars and Tom Svanoe - 4 & 5 String Bass. Brilliant, amazing and fantastic, an indispensable work, highly recommendable... (Comments by Carlos Vaz)

Walking Through Walls-

"Pravda comes out of the gate smoking, immediately letting you know it's a force to be reckoned with on 'Walking Through Walls', the band's second release.

Djam Karet seems to be a benchmark that bands of this ilk are measured against and this Pacific Northwest quartet holds up well. Stripped of Djam Karet's exotic Middle Eastern aural imagery, Pravda is more of a meat-and-potatoes style of hard-edged melodic instrumental fusion with an exceptional balance between virtuosic guitar and keyboards. There's a larger metal element than on the previous disc with faster tempos that build to anthemic crescendos.

Each of these four highly skilled musicians is featured in individually self-penned compositions handling all instrumental chores. Although these selections tend to be slightly weaker, it does add variety and a brief respite from the full-frontal beast Pravda has evolved into.

This all hangs together considerably well, void of wasted moments. 'Walking Through Walls' is an exhilarating romp from start to finish. (14&1/2 stars out of 16) Warren Barker - Progression Magazine - Issue 51 Spring/Summer 2007.

"There's obvious Rush in "After the Deluge," but the grandiosity of "Excursion" is more akin to Dream Theater ideals. ..this is a rather cool local band. Pravda cranks its tunes with utter art-rock sincerity, pursuing a genre that most Idaho musicians would never dare attempt." -Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman 9/29/06

"I played "Edge of Fire" last night, absolutely fantastic song! That one should go over the top when you play live." -Kenny Solomon - Progressive Soundscapes Radio 9/06/06

"'Edge Of Fire' opens the album with a bang, with tightly synchronized guitars, drums and bass creating an unrelenting propulsion of sound. K.C. Thomsen's keyboards add some nice seasoning to what would otherwise be a fairly straightforward rock instrumental. The song presents a band unafraid to mix things up, with smooth tempo changes and shifts in mood, swinging from the heavy introductory section to a slower, spacey movement reminiscent of Pink Floyd. The powerful Excursion is a heavy rocker with loads of Thomsen keyboards and some very crunchy rhythm guitar courtesy of Chris Holman. The song is another example of the band's use of contrasts; heavy sections interspersed with more laid back, quieter movements. This use of contrast keeps things interesting, and makes for an enjoyable active listen. Lhasapsodic follows, and the Rush influences are very strong here; Holman's guitar often sounds eerily like Alex Lifeson's tone on Rush's 1990s albums. " ~Bill Knispel Progscape.com 10/06~

"..there's a lot to enjoy on this album. These guys have chops to spare, and those chops are in evidence everywhere. Interestingly enough, they've abandoned the guest singer (Steve Brown) they used on their first album and even the backing vocals also featured on that album, figuring (I assume) that the music could do the talking. And it does (animals sounds excepted). Judging both from the photographs in the CD booklet and the sound of the album, these guys are in their late thirties or early forties and no doubt are influenced by the great Seventies progressive bands that most of us venerate. I can hear echoes (not allusions to or quotations from) late-Seventies Genesis and perhaps even earlier King Crimson in some of the songs here.But what I hear most is lots of very, very hard work. This is a tight, serious instrumental progressive-rock band... But in a year (who'd have thought the world would come to this?) when Nickelback seems set to win the Band-Of-The-Year Grammy award, an ambitious if perhaps slightly misguided group like Pravda is not only refreshing but also welcome". GERALD WANDIO DPRP 3/07

-The Echoing Sounds-

"Musically, The Echoing Sounds has some nice touches, re. the pipe organ intro to ' The Echoing Sounds of Life', the truly heavy symphonic stomp of 'Saving Your Soul' and the Hammond-spiced melodic swing of 'Followers'. 'Omnipontent Struggle' is a cool symphonic instrumental with soaring guitar and synth leads, 'Peacemind' possesses a superb radio-friendly melody. Pravda (has a) compelling knack for arrangement and orchestration." -John Collinge- editor in chief, Progression magazine, Winter/Spring 2004.

"The Echoing Sounds will appeal to neo-prog fans who also enjoy heavier and harder edge music." -www.hamanaka.com '05

"Melodramatic prog rock.....ambitious". -Michael Deeds-The Idaho Statesman. '03