SYMPHONY FOR A MISANTHROPE

The early days of the band were quite alright ("Hour Of Restoration" and "Impending Ascension"). The long pieces from these albums were quite well achieved and were really attractive. What came after was much less performing.

What would this sixth album (in fourteen years) delivered?

Some classical introduction (somewhat ELP-ish) that can be easily skipped ("Symphonette"), a "Kansas" oriented song ("Why Water Weeds?") but lacking in some splendour of the great model (of which Steve Walsh is playing during the opener).

The best number so far is the short "Wisdom": it features aerial (almost symphonic ) keyboards and some very and convincing vocals. A simple and straight forward song but which consists of some fine elements.

As I have mentioned earlier, epics like "Magna Carta" or "Estadium Nacional" were their best songs ever written and I was quite interested to know if they could perform at the same level with "Cranium Reef Suite". An eighteen minutes epic which opens as a short pop tune will do. I was quite suspect after this short intro to say the least.

What follows in this "Cranium?" is very much of a neo-prog affair. But there is nothing wrong in playing neo-prog, right? At least if a band can take some distance from the glorious predecessors and sound somewhat original.

This song is throwing a bunch of basic keys tones combined with average vocals. Not quite a thrilled mix alas. Again, "Kansas" is the reference apparently. But not the best of this great band, unfortunately. Such eighteen minutes are quite long even if some parts (like the closing guitar) are quite decent.

"Symphony For A Misanthrope" holds many more neo prog aspects (even symphonic ones with the short and classical "Pianissimo Intermission") than heavy prog or metal ones. What I would say though, is that there is a great lack of originality on this album. " Doctor Concoctor" is a real pain to my ears.

Some heavier lines can be experienced during the closing track whose title is not an example of subtlety: " Every Bullet Needs Blood". Again, the "Kansas" feel is much present. Almost pastiche even if the song isn't bad at all.

I don't feel like rating this album as a good one. Average is more the trend. Two stars.