THE CLOCKWORK MAN

Al Winter and This Winter Machine return for their 4th album with this ambitious and masterful concept album showing great imagination and musical skill. Featuring a compelling narrative mixing sci-fi, steam punk, comics, and commentary on modern society, and dealing with human cloning and a repressive society, the album moves from song to song telling the story, but also providing a wonderful tapestry of melodic prog, from gentle ballads, beautiful melodies and vocals to more rockin' prog instrumental flourishes, culminating in the dramatic closing mini-epic Falling through a Hole in the Sky. Highlights include The River, parts 1 and 2, Solitude Silence and Steam, Final Goodbye, Changes, and the beautiful Nothing Lasts Forever. Overall, a fantastic album of melodic progressive rock, beautiful, powerful, emotional, thrilling. 4.5 stars.