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Citizen Cain - Raising The Stones CD (album) cover

RAISING THE STONES

Citizen Cain

 

Symphonic Prog

3.17 | 87 ratings

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Gatot
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
3 stars After the success of seminal and masterpiece work "Somewhere But Yesterday" in 1994, it took approximately three years to release this follow-up album. Unfortunately, the music did not measure up with the previous work. This was essentially due to the lack of of unity among band members and the band was jut becoming two-piece consisteing Cyrus and Stewart Bell. Consequently, the music undergone dramatic change in direction and style. While in the past I could enjoy "Somewhere But Yesterday" in similar vein as Genesis "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" or "Foxtrot" or "Selling England By The Pound" was then suddenly shifted to the kind like Dutch band "Rick van Der Linden's TRACE" leaving the vocal line intact (Gabriel-like). Why do I say so? Look at the use of keyboard with intense use of clavinet that reminds me to the kind of music Trace made in "Confrontation".

To be specific, the opening track " (Hells Greedy Children) Last Days Of Cain" (13:17) describes exactly with what I mean like TRACE. This is an excellent opening track that sets the whole album nicely. Of course, Citizen Cain's composition is much complex than Trace. The track is opened with ambient keyboard sound in symphonic style followed by dynamic music and excellent vocal. "Bad Karma (Monsters And Men)" (8:07) continues similar style with previous track. Drumming sounds like a programmed one and makes the music less inspiring and keyboard has to work hard as there is no guitar sounds involved. As this track sounds electric and industrial, it lost the natural symphonic sound even though the structure is still complex. Cyrus sound is still powerful with this kind of music. In this track I associate the music like those performed by Magellan in "Impending Ascension" album.

"First Gate-Open Yet Closed Looking Heaven In The Face" (4:06) is darker in mood with ambient keyboard effects and vocals at intro part followed by ELP-like keyboard work that accompanies Cyrus vocal. The drum sound is quite annoying because it's programmed, it does not sound natural. The composition is actually not bad at all - it combines high and low tones beautifully. Cyrus accentuated vocal helps making the music better. "Corcyra-The Suppliants" (6:31) starts ambient with a long sustain multi-layered keyboard / synthesizer work. Cyrus vocal suddenly enters the music beautifully with a blast of music (drumming, bass and keyboards). This is an interesting and energetic track. The keyboard solo is stunning. Unfortunately drum sound is not good and it should be better with manual drumming.

"Dreaming Make The World... "(11:51) is a keyboard driven composition in relatively complex structure. The long keyboard solo at opening part followed by Cyrus vocal. For those of you who like keyboard solo, you will find an interesting solo in the middle of the track even though it sounds to long for me, actually. "The Last Supper / in Deep Waters" (2:29) is my favorite even though this is a relatively short track. I like the way the keyboard sound is arranged in multi-layered sounds in symphonic style with a nice melody, especially when the vocal line enters the blistering keyboard sounds. This short track is a good bridge to the next track "Ghost's Of Jericho (part 1)" (5:24) which has nice piano work. The album concludes nicely with symphonic "Silently Seeking Euridice" (13:42).

Overall, I tend to give this as four stars (excellent) album. However there are some composition issues that evade me in doing so. The issue of drumming is very critical to me, as well as the music flows that in some segments do not seem to happen naturally and they sound like being forced. So, I believe that this is just a good album that deserves three stars. Keep on proggin' ..!

Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW (i-Rock! Music Community)

Gatot | 3/5 |

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