SOLA SCRIPTURA

FIFTH JEWEL IN A ROW!!! Mr. Morse (one of the best in the business) you did it again!!! 1.The Door: Opens with glorious keyboard, then an intrincate drum/guitar section that is a preview of what comes next. Voice enters at 5:04 in a very typical Morse-esque way. At around 8:20 a very nasty hammond solo shines. At 9:50 there is a section ripped of Wind At My Back, with a chorus a la ABBA? From 14:00 to 15:00 there is a heavy section with reminiscent of Liquid Tension. At 17:15 intrincate section with keyboard doing a catchy melody over the intrincate section shines a guitar solo with whammy emulating the sound of a violin. At 18:48 there is a bluesy passage with one very catchy Chorus: I don't wanna be the one, with vocal choir seems extracted from With A Little Help From My Friends by Joe Cocker. Here the mood becomes so paced and prepares us to an ending. When you think that the song is finished then returns with a awesome guitar solo full of soul courtesy of the mighty SpongeBob Squarepants... Kidding =) that is how I call the Guitar God Mr. PAUL GILBERT, because He is REALLY funny. Really breathtaking guitar solo.Period.

2.The Conflict: Begins with fireworking guitar, and voice work in a very 80's style. At 3:20 a tricky passage turns into a beautiful section with piano and percussion, really nice singing Mr. Morse!!!. At 6:15 a section reminds the glorious days of Spock's Beard with Morse. At 7:16 a rapid keyboard lead repeat, alternating with choral breaks and intrincate passages. At 9:46 a very calm ballad section begins, which turns into a beautiful acoustic guitar passage. At 12:55 a really latino-section begins, here only make lack the words: RUMBA!!! CALIENTE!!! SABROSO!!!, A really well developed latino section with excelent guitar work. At 16:30 Keyboard enters the heavy section again. At 17:58 a furious keyboard solo emphasizes. At 18:36 a chorus, typical from Morse christian-era lays over a nasty hammond. At 19:16 begins a section with a lead guitar in the Carlos Santana style with nice vocal work. At 23:33 returns a familiar melody and repeat until the end.

3.Heaven In My Heart: A very beautiful ballad with piano and strings. Very emotive

4.The Conclusion: Starts with an intrincate snare/bass filll that turns into a dizzy keyboard lead. At 1:50 the mood becomes really tragic. At 3:09 voice enters with catchy vocal line and piano, but a chorus copied from Long Time Suffering, yes the one from SNOW. At 6:25 a varianza of the intrincate drum/guitar section from the intro of the first song appears. BRILLIANT!!! At 8:17 an ambient that reminds White Russian from Clutching At Straws. At 10:12 The song turns very calm with beautiful melodies until the end. At 12:14 there is a beauty guitar lead.

Conclusion: Ok there are moments of self-plagiarism on this album, but remember that Neal Morse always will sound like Neal Morse. Today is really difficult to sound original, even the Great Beethoven in his time, borrowed riffs from Mozart!!! The drum fills from Mr. Portnoy sometimes are a bit repetitive.If you don't have problems with religious themes, buy this album.

Rate: 4.5 Stars