EGG THE UNIVERSE

"Teru's Symphonia" needed three years to release their second album. I had a mixed feeling about their debut (especially about the lead singer who is also featured here). Actually, Megumi Tokuhisa (that's her name) will remain in the band up to "The Gate"; their last album !

The long opening number starts with a long and atmospheric instrumental part; fully spacey and well done. Since the vocals start, this feeling has fully disappeared and the toneless voice of dear Megumi partially ruins it. I have to say that I like to hear lots of languages (having learned myself some) but I can't help : Japaneese is too hard for me to bear, sorry. And unfortunately, there are much more of these on this album in comparison to their debut one. The second part of "Metancholic Garden" is fully bombastic : thunders of keys and crying guitar.

The very subtle acoustic background guitar in "Drawer Of Night" has definite "Genesis" flavour; if you would except the vocals of course. These will give you the feeling that you are listening to a classic piece of Asian art...This song is extremely mellow, sweet and pastoral. But tasteless after one minute. More folkish than symph.

With "You", the most ridicule is achieved. The chorus sounds so childish. I guess that if you'd play this one to some five years-old kids, they might appreciate. But I'm almost fifty...

"Teras For A Hamit" is a very special song. It starts as an awful electro-pop song, switches to a pleasant folkish style and continues with a brilliant symphonic passage. The end being again useless. Half this song is good, or bad according your mood. Just like "Mildah".

In their debut album, the last two (and longest) songs saved the album. On this one there is only the closing number left. The initial part of it (instrumental would you believe!) is brilliant. Close to "ELP"; it was already the case for "Symphonia 1", the counterpart of this "Egg Of The Universe". Or even "Vangelis" with "Chariots Of Fire". But the middle part is leading nowhere. Jazzy, improvised style, Broadway comedy. A big farce, that's for sure. The end being bombastic and enjoyable.

I am really embarrassed in terms of rating. My fellow reviewers rated it so high (but with no comments, so I don't know what was the kick for them). This album just doesn't work for me. Very few real good moments. Three out of ten rounded up to two stars.

Indeed I feel this symphonia should be very beautiful, but sadly...

In the beginning of Metancholic Garden, repetitive keyboard sounds with grace and dream let me feel as if I be in the outer space. And the synth strings are heavy but gentle and floating. Good for me, exactly. Voices and chorus are not so good but not always mismatched with the symphonic sounds so I don't care. Sorry but the lyrics are of childish love songs...I feel. Ah, let me say all their beautiful symphonia should get a bit thinner and flatter. On Drawer Of Night, Megu's beautiful and lyrical voice is so good that I can enjoy the track well, in spite of the pop and catchy flavour. It's slightly hard for me to evaluate the song...I suggest it can be released as a CD single. You...should disappoint me by the bubblegum lyrics and sounds... Megu says 'You...please keep in your memory only that nothing can make me another girl...' and asks me 'Kore De Manzoku? (Are you pleased with me?)'...NO! And to be continued...Tears For A Harmit, Mildah both are indeed beautiful and have melancholic keyboard and guitar sounds with heavy synthesizer and comfortable voices. It's a pity that I feel they should not be progressive but Japanese pop. However, Egg The Universe, the masterpiece, comes here and breaks my worries about this album! Yes, these dazzling, solemn, and fantastic orchestrated sounds with brilliant keyboard and synthesizer moonshine can bring me into another teru's-druggie world. The last track completely can hold my heart. Can I foresee their marvelous works later with the terrific symphonia-universe?

This is my first TERU'S SYMPHONIA and it's absolutely natural I can have an expectation of their star shining.

The second offering by Teru's Symphonia was delayed for over three years and the reason propably was the complete lifting on the line-up with only Terutsugu Hirayama remaining from the first album.He recruited Magdalena's female vocalist Tokuhisa Megumi, Pale Acute Moon's leader Motoi Semba on keys, drummer Hide Furui and bassist Yasushi Inoue.Hirayama of course remained the main composer of the group, as also taped on ''Egg the Universe'', released in 1988 on King Records.

The important line-up changes did not have an impact on Teru's Symphonia's style.This is basically a Symphonic Rock album with some ethereal melodies on guitars and synthesizers, accompanied by the decent vocals of Megumi and lots of Classical references on the orchestral passages akin to MUGEN.The album though lacks some of the haunting moments of the debut and reasonably contains the always present cheesiness of 80's Japanese bands with this plastic-sounding parts aka the floppy bass lines and fake-like sampled orchestrations, but these are quite limited compared to the unique grandiosity of guitars and synths.The arrangements remain at a very good level, sometimes lowered by the average quality of the 80's productions, and the tracks are long and interesting with bombastic symphonic textures, sharp and inventive keyboard flashes, measured but powerful guitar moves and cinematic interludes with a beautiful atmosphere.Additionally the moves from highly grandiose parts to dreamy soundscapes are executed in a very nice way, thus overcoming all the aforementioned disadvantages.

This is one of the rare occasions of an 80's band that still rooted its sound on traditional Symphonic Rock and the result is quite impressive.The recording's flaws might bother the listener of more traditional prog sounds, but again the attempt rewards at least some fair listenings.Recommended.