DE PROFUNDIS

After many listens, it's now time for me to say what I think. To be brief, I cannot recommend this record to an impatient listener. You know, the person who prefers a clicking, snappy, more superficial almost commercial sound. This is light years away from the Threshold/Spock's Beard/Arena new school. But After Crying is a relatively newcomer.

But they do it in the real progressive way, the school of Dvorak, Bartok or Beethoven: the dark, romantic, classical way. And it sounds like ANYTHING I've heard before. It's a soundtrack tailor-made for Alfred Hitchcock. Deep with emotions, rich of dozen of different textures, a true motion picture soundtrack in itself.

Could we name some influences? Naahh. Honestly, we could state Keith Emerson on track 12, but that's far as I could name some. And IT'S GREAT!! These extremely talented fellows are what progressive rock's lacking most: creativity, innovation and freshness. So much stuff sounds outdated although it's been out recently.

Kiddy ears, please stay away from this hard-to-get record. This ain't for FM afficionados but more for tragic classical/chamber music lovers. Those who feel ready and tolerates motion picture soundtrack porgression-style, go for it.

A challenging but rewarding experience.