THE SECURITY OF ILLUSION

1. Intermission with a targeted instrumental intro, bar or tavern with an accordion, it's a good laugh anyway. 2. Mind Over Matter extends, wow, the sound, suddenly heavier, more rhythmic, more prog metal in fact, as if Mr. Cadbury had been there; well, Michael keeps his voice, Ian still sharp, Steve is back too, the dream team is in action; Jim in his place still on the lookout and bringing Ian for a solo that already makes me go; in short, SAGA 3rd version already validated. 3. Once Is Never Enough and its spatial intro, I swoon; well, this track with its invasive and hypnotic synth reminds me of their glory years, with a more edgy sound so as not to fall too much into repetition. 4. Along Again Tonight for the pop-slow song, arpeggio of stewed keyboards, the chorus cascading over captivating choirs. Slow decline with a melting marshmallow solo, like Marshmallow on a barbecue; a good song to hug your girlfriend once again. 5. I'll Leave It in Your Hands returns to the mid-tempo mood, between two waters; nice start, nice riff, if not repetitive, well done but lacking that little something extra. 6. The Security of Illusion, acoustic from the start, Michael's tortured, moving vocal, slow crescendic rise on a folk pad, which lingers alone for a while, the guitar coming to drone in your ears, latent space; a song without a break that insists on the repetition of the vocal.

7. Stand Up and a sharp riff with the keyboard behind; cool groovy atmosphere with a bluesy air and keyboard tinkering, the easy but tense chorus, that's written, too changeable from the verse mood; the plus is the ultra bass break launching the solo. Well, that sounds dated, 80s. 8. Days Like These changes genres, with a beautiful, airy opening and uncredited vocals. I suspect Jim for the soft voice and the marshmallowy air filled with synths that set the pace. The solo, because there's one again, is worth its weight in gold, in two parts, shearing the air with the notes launched, the keyboard eyeing the one from the band's beginning, emphatic, grandiloquent for a time. 9. There you go! For Jim's second instrumental signifying his return, an icy, crystalline piano interlude, there it is. 10. No Man's Land continues, separate track or extension, we're in a fine mess; well, the heavy rock track with its striking riff, I'm thinking of... also a Canadian band, but hey, SAGA only does SAGA, so let's stick with it. The break, yes, we're expecting it, introduced by Jim then Ian, and a frantic battle between the two musicians, a moment where prog shows its signature; The least you have to do is wait for the break. 11. Without You, with the animal-pad tribal intro; the velvety keyboard on Michael, enchanting, and the song comes to life; an easy, conventional track that returns to the tribal pad before seeing Ian leave one last time behind his guitar, pad again, and the outro on Intermission, the prog loop closes. A good album that shows a certain ease in the tracks that can lack pep, even if the prog intention is still very present.(3.5)

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