In 2016, America's eternally popular prog juggernaut
Kansas returned to studio recording for the first time since their 2000 reunion outing
Somewhere to Elsewhere. The resultant
The Prelude Implicit also marked debuts for lead vocalist/keyboardist
Ronnie Platt, and guitarist
Zak Rizvi. Remarkably, it reflected the band's vintage sonic signature and songwriting/arranging chops without craven nostalgia. Four years on,
Absence of Presence builds on the strengths of its predecessor, yet goes far deeper into the prog aesthetic.
Kansas' popularity is based on the canny balance of meaty prog and radio-friendly melodic rock. Here, that strategy is more prevalent than on
The Prelude Implicit.