ALYA

Shakary obviously is a band or project that raised out of the ashes of Clepsydra. Both guitar player and singer are coming from this band. Although I never discovered anything interesting in Clepsydra's music which is just quite simple NeoProg at least in my ears, I have to say I find this record slightly better. The only point which is disturbing a bit is the strong accent of Aluisio Maggini as my co-reviewer stated as well. It's a concept album and the story is somehow about a guy hanging around in a bar and brooding about his unlucky love which is linked in some way with the biblical apocalypse. In fact quite profane and not very deep IMHO and I would not necessarily call it a religious project. Okay let's come to the music and preferably to the instrumental parts which are more enjoyable for the mentioned reason. The two CDs have different themes, the first one represents the good the second one the evil and this contrast is expressed as well by the music.

CD 1

Sunset starts with a short violin solo and some bar background noise leading to an long instrumental part with heavy guitar, good drumwork and keyboards, then the last forty seconds a vocal part which goes on into the next one Lost Angels. Second half of this one is instrumental with quite atmospheric keyboards. Time Trap starts in a more heavy typical NeoProg (IQ) way until the violin sets in which make the sound a bit more original. The following vocal part is not very exciting and due to the accent not very peasant as well. Starless Nights is a nice all instrumental one with acoustical guitar starting with the sound of a romantic camp-fire. Seals is quite common NeoProg developing into a more heavy vein towards the end but in fact nothing special. Next one is the title song starting mellow with violin but the rest of the song is rather pop-ish. The First Inquistion sounds very much like AYREON in fact. Not bad but not very original as well. The last track of CD one Pain which is leading over to CD two is very short and mainly vocal.

CD 2

Second CD which is the more interesting one in my opinion, starts very dark with trumpet solo followed by some rather inharmonic synths. Sentence is in a more heavy NeoProg style with a dark atmosphere, very much IQ- alike. Next song The Dark Kingdom is for the first time one which is not typical NeoProg-ish, a bit more unusual and intricate and a quite good one. The Last Drink starts with some inharmonic synths again followed by a powerful and heavy guitar part accompanied by violin. Then the title song from CD one is presented again in a live version which lets it appear a bit stronger. Next two tracks are more ore less rather typical NeoProg. The last one Open Skies is another a bit outstanding and more intricate song with a trumpet solo and again plenty of violin.

As a SUMMARY one can say the music on this album is a bit stronger compared to Clepsydra's with some reminiscence of AYREON but mainly of IQ. Violin is obviously the dominant instrument all over the album and this makes the sound a little bit more original. The instrumental and atmospheric parts are usually quite enjoyable and not too lengthy. Second CD has a overall darker atmosphere and contains two songs which are a bit more outstanding of the rest. Alltogether apart of the presence of violin and trumpet it's a rather typical derivative NeoProg album, but at least one of the better ones. If Aluisio Maggini would sing in his native language it would be probably even better. Nevertheless I would recommend it only to hardcore NeoProg fans. For sophisticated listeners it's offering too few interesting moments I think. 3 stars is the maximum I can give.