NOSTRADAMUS - THE FATE OF MAN

Having only listened to it twice perhaps I should have waited before a posting a review.There is certainly a great deal to absorb and not all of it is great.However what we have is a wonderfully ambitious effort from our erstwhile Dutch progsters with this almost cheesey seventies 'rock opera' double CD.They don't make em like this anymore and many I'm sure are grateful for that.But if you are fed up to death with prog metal and hate 'neo prog' then where do you go? Most modern prog is heartless and relies on technicality.Kayak on the other hand rely on melody and the abilty to craft a good song.You don't get too many fast keyboard runs from Ton Sherpenzeel but intead a Tony Banks style approach.His playing is subtle although unlike TB he can rock when it suits him.The drummer Pim Koopman keeps it rock solid,no Carl Palmer style hi jinks here, but instead a disciplined aderhence to the rythym.You get some nice female vocals from Cindy Oldshoorn as well.There is a reasonable amount of variety.I particularly like the narrative which actually contadicts the songs in a sarcastic way at times.Its ok to be prog band and have a sense of humour!! Overall this will be a 'no brainer' for Kayak fans but for everyone else I would recommend checking out their previous release 'Merlin Bard Of The Unseen' which should be slighly cheaper as it is a single CD.If you like that you were certainly like this.