FOLLOWING GHOSTS

If you would exclude the album "Other Crimes And Misdemeanours II" which was a collection of old songs (prior to their debut), the band didn't produce any new material for four years ("Sleepers").

This album starts almost as a heavy metal one with a wild, powerful but noisy intro; Myopiais only saved thanks to a very catchy chorus and fine vocals.

Nicholson is really shining during the emotional "Imago". This is the one and only good song out here. What a contrast with "Myopia". Superb classic guitar intro, ambient keyboards and such a wonderful melody. Maybe some would say mellow. True. But not only. It turns into a enjoyable rock ballad. And, oh boy, such a great guitar break. Very close to Nick Barrett's ones.

But this album is not all enchantment to say the least. Their "Short Reflection On Two Past Lives" is divided into two parts of which the first one is a dull acoustic guitar part and the second is a repetitive and not so attractive rock ballad.

And what to say about the awful "Karma For One"? Starting with a muezzin intro (nothing to do with karma), passing through a borrowed "Pendragon" vocals part and culminating with these borrowed lines (again): "It is now, it is here, it is real". Remember "It", the closing song from "The Lamb"?

In awaiting of the first epic, the mellowish to death "Perfection Personified" (can't quite compare to this) is not too good either I'm afraid.

Some fine "IQ" oriented and ambient intro opens "Bug Eye" and that's the best part of it (almost for two minutes). And during the last twelve ones, the band displays an electro beat which is deeply lacking of any interest. Painful. Ouch! What a treat!

And the carbon copy is offered with "Ocean Blue". Ouch again! I am definitely not impressed with the female vocals (Sarah Quilter). But there is still one epic to epic to swallow. Again: ambient music all the way through. Nothing (or so little) happens in here. It is hopeless.

When I pre-reviewed this album a few years ago, I mentioned "NO". This means the minimum rating. In the meantime, nothing has changed.