SONGS FROM THE LIAR'S LAIR

This album has been dividing reviewers in the middle. Some of them has been surprised positively and some few find it quite horrible. For me this is the one of the best, if not the best album made in our home country. Yes I'm from Finland too, and I must say that I've had recently been enjoying the higher standard in Finnish progbands. Newer acts like Overhead, Circle, Jeavestone, Uzwa and Alamaailman Vasarat to name a few, are touring abroad, even overseas at times.

Ageness was the band that started it all in the 90's, and they were quite 'lone rangers' at the time. So there was quite a lot of speculation, if the new album will ever appear as some interviews promised it already in 2002!! So here it is at last, and it is even better than I expected!! Tommy Eriksson has really got his band in order and with Speedy Saarinen on guitar and the old rhythm section with Kari Saaristo (drums) and Jari Ukkonen (bass), he managed to make the best album in their career!

No bad tracks at all, starting with a pulsating tone and symphonic opening, cracked by a powerfull guitar riff, then "entering" the mayhem of throbbing percussions and swirling moogs. Second track "Martial Arts", clocking almost ten minutes, is full of twists and turns, humorous lyrics (and 'Zappaesque' falsetto harmonies and triple meanings). A great opening with strong melodic line and very Finnish symphonic 'Sibelian' finale! Third track "The Lie And The Liar", an intense story which grows from a ballad to an operatic middle section. Followed by very good and athmospheric guitar solo and continues with strong melodylines with a touch of Pink Floyd and King Crimson. Fourth track "Why Don't You Go Away", a mid tempo dark song with some strange vocal lines reminding me early 70's David Bowie at times. A rather convincing Gregorian Monk chorus in the end tops this quite moody song (where's the light switch?). Next song's title "Sons Of Madness" promises no light, but I was wrong! After few dark chords, the curtains are drawn and the sun shines in, very positive (almost happy) song with loads of delicious musical (and some acrobatic) lines from keyboards and guitars and some even jazzy interplay in the end. Excellent vocals (like on the whole album) and a beacon of light before the dungeon... The "Lament Of Ghosts" is the epic of this album, clocks just below ten minutes as well, opens with a piano that reminds me of Genesis (the only bit on this album that does that), followed by a guitar accompanying intense vocals with a strong feeling that something weird is going to happen... and it does! From mayhem to tranquility, this song has all what it takes from a good movie and the ending is so scary that there should be a warning sticker attached somewhere! The horror ends abrubtly and the final ballad Liar's Lair is just what the doctor ordered, gentle calm atmosphere and excellent melodies and harmonies throughout this one as well. A long fadeout to oblivion, a nice relaxing atmosphere stays for a moment after the music's out. But wait for three minutes or so and after some awkward noices, like snoaring or something, the hidden track hits in with strong groove. A very rocking track which sounds like an extra take in the studio, very tongue-in-cheek, they must have had fun playing this. It brought a smile on myface too. Excellent and very entertaining album, a masterpiece and highly recommended.