THE DREAMS OF MEN

I was looking forward to this album as Pallas as far as I was concerned were on an upward track. Another concept album from them. From the opening strains of the album I knew that this would be something special.

"The Bringer of Dreams" - Starts off symphonically with a nice orchestral sound before the band kicks in with full power. The vocals are dramatic as is the music. This is hard edged and it's simply brilliant. I really like the softer "ticking clock" section later on in the track. ET wouldn't phone home if he heard this first - he'd say "Stuff it all, the music on earth is better than where I'm from anyway. Forget home".

"Warriors" - Fast twangy rock lead guitar to start an upbeat track that softens a third of the way through before spicing itself up again into dramatic territory. It closes as it began returning to that high adrenaline turf.

"Ghostdancers" - Beautiful violin to start. The band comes in powerfully. Almost an anthem. Very nice lead guitar on this track. Closes with a "Red Indian" theme - brilliant.

"Too Close to the Sun" - Rock out number to start - bouncy but interesting. Nice tempo changes with lots of contrast changes throughout. Later on in the track I'm reminded of Gravy Train's "Staircase to the Day a little.

"Messiah" - Interesting bass guitar riff begins this hard edged, for the main part, almost quirky track.

"Northern Star" - Very very nice hypnotic softer piece.

"Mr. Wolfe" - Brilliantly interesting track - very nice bass guitar and keyboards on this one.

"Invincible" - Aggressive track with some nice lead guitar work that softens at about the one third mark before some tempo changes and then building into a wall of sound to close.

"The Last Angel" - Very good dramatic epic to close the album. Nice female operatic vocals into the track.

Solidly a 5 star album for me. The best work from the band thus far. This was to be Alan Reed's last album with the band and although he is not a favourite vocalist of mine by any stretch of the imagination he wasn't as much of a hole on this as I found him to be previously. I have always perceived that with a more powerful lead vocalist this band would have knocked the socks off of many more listeners.