TEMPEST

Forth album named Tempest released in 2000 and issued at small label Space Monster Optional Entertainment is diffrent from previous Power and aswell from next Extremes. This is entirely instrumental album, this time the band optained for some experimental arrangements, no more symphonic parts a la Genesis, maybe only here and there, Tempest sounds very much diffrent then anything they done before, if they sicceded , well to me only partial. Less captivating then Power and Extremes, they toying with lots of sounds and all kinds of jazzy eclectic elements combined with xylophone and sitar, the vocalist Joe Newnam is responsable for sitar use in Raudra. If overall is ok, I don't like very much the guitar sound, is too muddy for my ears and doesn't have a proper direction, like some pieces aswell, to much of everything is here. No particular piece is better then other, all have same level, so from me only 3 stars this time, great cover art. I think this experimental album from them not quite succeded after all, I prefer their symphonic prog side much more, there they can offer the best they got like on their next album and by far their best Extremes.