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Xang - Destiny Of A Dream CD (album) cover

DESTINY OF A DREAM

Xang

 

Crossover Prog

3.77 | 33 ratings

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

Gatot
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
4 stars An excellent symphonic progmet instrumental album

I purchased this album right after the release date in 1999 as one of prog sites claimed this debut album of four-piece band from France was excellent. No regret at all as the music produced through this album has fulfilled my expectation. It's a keyboard based instrumental music with progressive metal as the main character of the music, augmented with some flavors of symphonic, space, jazz and classical music. I believe that fans of Dream Theater, Symphony X, Threshold, Arena, Marillion may accept this album if they can tolerate music without vocal. The keyboard sounds are really powerful and bring the music into various stages of emotion. The guitar produce simple and sometimes heavy riffs with stunning guitar solo during interlude or as lead melody of the songs. Keyboard and guitar in some segments play in alternate and intertwining style in some segments.

First of all, why I listen to this album?

Yeah .. what caused me to have some more spins recently? It was triggered by an email from a prog rock fan in France who plans to visit Java, Indonesia for the fifth time. He shared similar tastes with me about The Flower Kings and The Tangent which he recently saw the latter played live (Uhm .. I envy on him! - having the luxury that I never have . seeing prog band "real" live). He also likes Indonesian prog band Discus and also offered me a copy of Magma CD for his upcoming visit to Java. Yes, we will meet and I always enjoy meeting prog fans discussing or having a chit-chat about prog music, while sipping a cup of capucino of course. France? Well, right after that information exchange I remember having a collection of XANG CD and it clicked me to have some more spins. And, this review is dedicated for him and also YOU, the readers of this site.

How the music is like?

"The Revelation" (7:26) opens with a spacey-ambient music style using keyboard in slow tempo. It turns into faster tempo with keyboard faster punches followed with soft guitar riffs and drumming. The music flows energetically featuring guitar as lead melody augmented with inventive keyboard at the back. Drums fill the gaps during transitions with multiple toms and snare combination. Structure-wise this track has multiple forms as it was composed altogether with the situation by which this song was intended. As the statements that accompany this track in sleeve notes: "I spend my youth forging my will testing myself, using my days to build my dream .". So is the case with the music: it flows through various emotional stages. Overall, it's an excellent track combining intertwining work of keyboard and guitar.

Second track "Misgivings" (4:51) is an upbeat track with keyboard as main melody, played in alternate with guitar (mixed thinly - unlike some prog met bands who usually mix guitar work so rough and heavy). Yeah, the guitar work is truly stunning. Mood- wise, this is probably an uplifting one with some passages performed through complex arrangement combining drum, bass, guitar and keyboard works. As the statements in the sleeve that accompany this track "surviving is the hardest bent with the weight of years to come", this track serves the purpose really well. AN excellent track.

"My Own Truth" (5:22) is structurally more straightforward as compared to the first two tracks. It offers us with stunning guitar solo as the music flows from start to end with solid bass lines and soft keyboard work that emphasizes the symphonic nature of this track. Unfortunately, this track ends up in a fading-out fashion that I don't personally favor. Nevertheless, it's a good track.

Piano solo opens the fourth track "The Prediction" (7:03) continued with guitar solo. What amazes me though is the transition piece where drums and piano work together producing great music. It flows right away to a symphonic style with orchestral arrangement, keyboard dominating the music in relatively complex arrangement. It's a wonderful segment as the music is so uplifting and full with emotion. It suddenly turns into quieter passage with piano solo for a minute and the music increases into complex arrangements with amazing keyboard work augmented with drumming and basslines. Guitar solo ends up the song beautifully. Really great. Structurally, it has many forms and styles during the span of overall track duration.

Track 5. "The Dream" (3:32) is different - it starts with nice music loop like the sounds of electric drumming and when it stops it continues with piano solo with classical music influence. The whole track is basically an exploration of beautiful piano work. It's a piano solo with touchy notes.

"Bitterness" (10:24) continues the saga with a symphonic opening through the work of keyboard as rhythm section while the electric guitar as lead melody. The music moves into faster tempo using guitar as riffs and keyboard as melody followed with a great combination of keys, bass and guitar that lifts the music up into more dynamic style. The drumming part with multiple toms and high hats produce good listening experience. The music flows into double solo using keyboard and guitar that produce the same notes. As the name implies it's a dark song with sort of introduction statements printed at the sleeve: "We trust not naïve but unsuspecting to make ourselves to believe that nothing can happen .". Right after the middle of track the music goes into quiet passage exploring howling guitar sound with a back ground of keyboard / mellotron sounds. It's a multi-form structure track, I would say. The music is very enjoyable as it brings us to many emotional stages. Excellent composition!

"The Choice" (8:12) opens with drum work followed with stunning guitar solo and solid bass lines in slow tempo. I can sense that sometimes the guitar sound produced is like David Gilmour style. The long guitar solo is then continued with piano and keyboard solo for a while. The music then turns into faster tempo with more complex arrangements combining guitar and keyboard in symphonic as well as progmet veins as the guitar riffs are heavy this time. Another excellent one.

"The Light" (6:20) concludes the album with the opening part using keyboard in classical music style. It reminds me to the music of Dutch's EKSEPTION. Guitar solo continues the music with keyboard as rhythm section and drums give dynamic sounds during transition. The music moves in crescendo with intertwining guitar and keyboard work. I like parts where the keyboard sounds turn into vibraphone sounds. Right after this track there is a long silent followed with a hidden track at approx minute 11 that comprises keyboard effects and acoustic guitar work.

How may I suggest YOU?

The music of XANG is I think accessible to vast majority of progressive rock fans especially those who love progmet. But, I also recommend those who love symphonic prog to have this album. It's recommended. Despite all excellent compositions, musicianship and overall performance, I think this album has weak point as well. For me the drum sounds were mixed inappropriately as they sound bit light while in progmet music the drum should be mixed heavier. Overall sonic quality is good but not excellent. However, it does not reduce the musical quality of this album.

Progressively yours, GW

Gatot | 4/5 |

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