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Lorien - Children's Games CD (album) cover

CHILDREN'S GAMES

Lorien

 

Neo-Prog

3.81 | 57 ratings

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apps79
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
3 stars One-shot British Prog band, which featured Sean Filkins on vocals and guitar.Filkins though was not among the original members of the band, which started in late-80's by keyboardist Mark McLeod and guitarist Darren Newitt.Filkins joined the band around 1992/93, at a time when he was a member of Space Rockers Soma, and brought along his bandmate drummer Phillip Legende.Geoff Curtis on bass completed the line-up, which recorded Lorien's sole album ''Children's games'', released in 1994 on SI Music.

The truth is that Lorien had not much to offer to the already grown British Neo Prog scene and their style was extremely influenced by MARILLION with some JADIS sensibilities in some vocal and a few guitar drives.So you will assume that skipping this album would not be a crime, in case you don't Lorien have at least some great musicianship, melodious textures and nostalgic 80's vibes to offer.Keyboard work appears to be much influenced by MARILLION's MARK KELLY and the guitar distortions are also inspired by the work of the British Neo pioneers, not to mention the FISH-like vocals of Filkins.Despite the presence of two guitarists, the sound is rather balanced and atmospheric with no particular heavier overtones, relying mostly on the poetic lyrics, the GENESIS/PINK FLOYD-ian solos and the dreamy keyboard moves of McLeod.As MARILLION did back in the 80's, the tracks contain different climates and segments with energetic, aggressive, romantic and melodic splits, delivered by the band in tight offerings with discreet symphonic keyboard orchestrations.The title track is a very ambitious effort by Lorian on non-interrupting 20 minutes of Prog music, scanning the Neo Prog fundamentals: A deep lyricism, melodic passages, powerful rhythms and darker soundscapes with a fantastic ending solo, MARILLION's ghost is all over the place again.

Lorien visited German and Czech Republic for the promotion of the album, but Filkins left the band soon after.This was the beginning of the end for the British band, its only other recorded document being on a cover of E.L.P.'s ''Tarkus'' on the 98' tribute album ''Fanfare for the pirates''.

MARILLION-esque Neo Prog, totally unoriginal, but composed and played with a fair amount of inspiration and passion.Nice melodies and atmospheres throughout.Recommended.

apps79 | 3/5 |

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