MYSTIC SPIRIT

It's something of a tribute to this very long lived group that each album is quite readily recognizable as theirs, especially since the vocalist seems to change with every release. Harald Lytomt's lead guitars, in a CAMEL-esque vein, and the blend of symphonic prog and Norwegian folk melodies, provide the continuity. One improvement over "Tidings" from eleven years earlier is that the termini of each song are no longer the province of wailing female vocalists. The two opening numbers are especially strong, with Eirikur Hauksson of MAGIC PIE supplying very GENESIS- like vocals and pleasant changes of pace and atmosphere, and the brief "Unwanted" is simply divine, while "Creepy You Crawl" is a harder rock number that contrasts favorably with the overabundance of moody or mellow offerings.

Unfortunately, apart from the aforementioned and a few notable passages in the longer tracks (see "Earth to Earth"), the beneficial effect is somewhat dampened due to excessive run time, similarity of musical motifs and rhythms, and prevalence of lyrical themes around person legacy and immortality. Lytomt has been exploring these vexing questions since at least the prior album, but here enters an interminable loop only saved by a hard stop. Had "Mystic Spirit" been pared down to 45 minutes, it might have offered the listener the opportunity to transcend the mundane rather than go mad trying. 3 stars for the controlled release version.