THE BRIDGE OF LIGHT

Quite impressive this new album by brazilian prog veterans of Apocalypse. It was recorded live in concert, but it contains only original material (a concept album that more or less tell the tale of Jesus, if I´m not mistaken). And I must say it quite took me by surprise since Apocalypse´s earlier works were always promising and good, but somehow missing some boldness and creativeness on the writing and arrangement department. Well, now the promised is fulfilled.

The band finally came up with an album that really shows all their prowness and capacity worked to its full potential. Eloy Fritsch delivers some of the most delightful keyboards attacks in a long, long time. His playing is rich of timbres and colours, mostly evoking 70´s influences, like analog synths and Hammond organs. His brother Ruy also does a great job on the guitar with some short, emotional and strong solos and riffings. The rhythm section is a show apart with Magoo Wise doing some fine bass runs and the creative drummer Chico Fasoli is on his top form here. Singer Gustavo Demarchi proves once again the band had found a truly original and impressive vocalist. His flute playing is also of note, with some ressemblence of Jethro Tull´s Ian Anderson and This Van Leer (Focus).

The arrangements are maybe the most surprising part of the whole album: the band really cooked and they put their full array of influences to their favor. There are echoes of Yes, early Marillion, Genesis, Pink Floyd, Uriah heep, some Beatles, blues rock, jazz and brazilian popular music all around. The CD is quite varied (even thought the strong Marillion hints on the first three tracks are a bit misleading) and it´s hard to believe it was recorded live. Even the backing vocals are very well done and add an extra charm to some tracks. There are no fillers anywhere and the production is simply brilliant. The guest violin player gives some extra prog touches here and there. I hope they use this instrument more often in the future.

Conclusion: the best Apocalypse album so far and a strong candidate of best prog album of 2009. The band surpassed my highest expectations. Highly recommended to any prog fan. Time will tell if The Bridge Of Light is going to be essential or a masterpiece, but it surely deserves a 4,5 star rating at least. Well done, guys! I knew you could make it!

OK, that's new. Catchy, progressive and overwhelming at once from the first second first track "Next Generation" started. One can't help thinking about cliches, but that's probably just my paranoid mind. As a intro which sets style to all album it's very suited.

"Dreamer" continues in this path. And here I see big problem of this album, it sounds little bit noisy and not so clear (because it's live studio album - new material, but played on stage, what a sad thing). And these songs sounds very similar one to another. This is problem of "Not of This World" also, but there I'm willingly to give 5 stars (from reasons written in my review for it - even this review is only upcoming by time of writing this). Here I'm hesitating. Quite a lot.

But "Ocean Soul" changes everything. Whisle with hard rock sounding guitar, that's something I last saw on "The Chronicles of Mars" by Solaris (perfect Hungarian band). And then suddenly change, completely different theme. I remember, this song is the one which decided if give 4, or 5 stars. I wasn't decided, I knew it's very good, but perfect ? This song proved it.

Then "Last Paradise" seems like country music. OK, everything which has this type of fiddles seems on a first sight like country to me (on a first sight only, don't forget), but other instruments proved me wrong almost instantly. This is something which can proudly bear name prog rock.

"The Dance of Down" is something I though that is error by typing. These few words does not make much sense to me. Maybe it's one of the mysteries of English language, maybe it was meant to be nonsense. Song goes on beaten path, but with as much innovation, that I'm again confused if to give 4, or 5. The best thing will probably be wait for more tracks to come. I have to say that this is not my first listening, but for the first time I'm writing review and listening closely.

"Meet Me" is still loud, but somewhat calmer. Strange combination, but it works here. Maybe it's because everything here sounds loud, so under this loudness there are normal calmer and more furious tracks. This one is first calm and serves as ending to Act 1. How ironical, I hate religion, but amongst my most favourite albums are those with (mostly) Christian lyrics and which draws power from religious belief.

Second side is also good. Surprised by unbalanced side reviews? (by sides I mean Act 1 and 2). No need to have both, you can enjoy second for yourself. Nevertheless, I can say that basics are similar. Conclusion - interesting album which deserves attention. True masterpiece.

EDIT: 4(+), nothing more.

I usually gravitate to the somewhat understated side of prog's most traditionally melodic sub genres, and shun anything approaching "arena rock", which might be more culpable than punk in delivering the fatal blow to progressive rock in the late 70s. Yet every so often I have the pleasure of an audience with a band that synthesizes those cliches in such an enthusiastic and uninhibited manner that I simply cannot lift them from the virtual platter in time to give others a chance. Exhibit A is the latest release from APOCALYPSE, which is all the more remarkable for being a live disk of all new compositions.

The sound of APOCALYPSE is rather busier than I like it. Gustavo Demarchi's voice is altogether overly powerful for the style, and at times unpleasantly shrill, in a manner of a Steve Perry, who epitomized the cringe worthy crooning of AOR for a long decade. At times the band members get in each others' way with their themes, failing to provide the necessary space to shine. But yet once experienced 6 or 8 times, "The Bridge of Light" becomes whole, and even lesser tracks like "Ocean Soul" ,"The Dance of the Dawn", and "Meeting Mr_ Earthcrubbs" becoming just less significant pieces of a majestic whole, even if the audience participation moments in "Dance..." are altogether too much. Although not credited above, the flutes appear frequently and add a welcome timbre to complement Eloy Fritsch's considerable keyboard passages, themselves hearkening back to a much earlier era of masters like WAKEMAN, even if he doesn't solo on for days.

The highlights, and where the album really heats up, are on the first 4 songs of the second part. "Wake Up Call" is one of a few tracks that seems to have violin, and its bouncy folk meets classical intro gives way unexpectedly but skillfully to one of the few truly mellow tracks and some of Ruy Fritsch's best guitar licks to be heard. This can be compared with a very ambient work like CAMEL's "Dust and Dreams", right down to the Latimer-esque phrasings. "To Madeleine" is more typically upbeat, with a hard rock riff that works in the manner of early SAGA. "Escape" is really the peak of the whole disk, probably the most powerful melodically, vocally and instrumentally, everyone cooking at double strength. It makes me want to give RUSH a chance, but then Demarchi is no Geddy Lee thank heavens. Finally "Welcome Outside" continues raucously, shifting near the end to a brief but noteworthy acoustic segment. I sense that this might be the key moment thematically. The closing track, the ballad "Not Like You" is another brilliant stroke.

Unfortunately, about half of what's presented is just ok; while it doesn't need to be skipped over, the effect is better if gentle editing is applied. Still, this is a surprising and somewhat guilty pleasure for me and I am torn between 3 and 4 stars, ultimately rounding down for now , but don't burn this bridge without crossing it first. Recommended to fans of bombastic symphonic and neo prog.

This live album almost starts as an Uriah Heep one !

The opening track seems to have come out from the early repertoire from this good band. One is plunged into their universe from the early seventies: pumping Hammond organ, good backing vocals, leading voice à la Byron etc. You name it all! You get it! Quite a ride and a surprise from this band who was more a neo-symph act so far.

"Dreamer" is totally "Marillion" oriented (Fish era); it is even borderline pastiche. The song is powerful and organ is very solid again. As the model, vocals are quite good. Still, it almost sounds as a cover song.

If you fancy some Tull atmosphere, the intro of "Ocean Soul" should delight your ears. The neo mood takes the lead after that. Good synths like Tony, some fluting?huummmmm. Get some "Genesis" feel now. I guess that you see what this album is all about! Some fine trip in the spirit of the giants I have always praised?The same Tull feel is reached during the heavy "Meeting Mr. Earthcrubbs".

The major mood is still the "Marillion" Fish era and you shouldn't look for great originality in this live set. It is just a decent moment of prog music. I still want to mention the good and emotional guitar part during "Wake Up Call". Some songs are also on the edge of the metal genre (which is not my cup of tea as you might know) like "Escape" and are not pushing this work to the four stars rating IMO.

I am afraid that symphonic freaks won't be too much enthusiast about this live release. At least, it is how I feel while I was listening to this "Bridge Of Light". There is nothing wrong with this album, except that the music featured doesn't offer an inch of personality or originality.

It is some sort of a chameleon album which should please any neo-prog fan although a song like "To Madeleine" sounds really too much cliché. To summarize my view: this is not worth than three stars. Sub-par "Fish-Marillion" music.