GUTTER BALLET

I would give this album 5 stars alone for the metal music, but under the point of view of prog, I give it 4 stars. The band was at the transition from heavy metal to metal with some operatic elements, hence the album contains both kinds of songs. The songs with a dramatic development are 'Gutter Ballet', 'When The Crowds Are Gone', 'Hounds' and 'Summer's Rain', bringing shifts of pace and intensity and some piano melodies. 'Of Rage and War', 'She's in Love', 'The Unholy' and 'Mentally Yours' are slightly straighter metal/hard rock songs - though the latter are dynamic as well. Here I have to point out 'The Unholy' which is very fast and rocking, yet one incredibly intense song, forming one of the best classic metal songs I know. 'When The Crowds Are Gone' on the other hand is a powerful ballad and became of the band's essential songs.

Resumingly there is not so much prog in here, at least at the first sight. But with the highly emotional yet technically advanced guitar playing of Criss Oliva and the varied rhythm guitar riffs and drums, I believe this cannot leave any rockfan unmoved. Next to the guitar, singer Jon Oliva makes up the quality of this album, singing mostly with a high voice, sometimes fragile but most of the time strong and loud.