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Traumhaus - Das Geheimnis CD (album) cover

DAS GEHEIMNIS

Traumhaus

Symphonic Prog

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OneOpinion
5 stars Comments based on a purchased download from Amazon. Wow! This album is a great listen. The sound is rich, deep, and full. The instrumentation is superb. The bass is prominent while guest drummer Jimmy K shows again what a high caliber drummer he is. The guitar work is another plus, solos are great. My favorite part are the keyboards. Piano, organ, mellotron, and synths are for me, a keyboard fanatic, a high point. Some great Emerson inspired moments. Love everything about it. The vocalist is also very good. Very talented and emotive. He does sing in German, I don't understand it but love the sound of it, it seems natural. The songs are interesting. Lots of change ups, like heavy almost metal sounding one minute and soft and tender the next. The 27:12 minute epic, "D.V.", is amazing. This music is on the heavy side of symph.

I like that variety of sound on this album. Very enjoyable. Highly recommended.

Report this review (#1074358)
Posted Saturday, November 9, 2013 | Review Permalink
kev rowland
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Honorary Reviewer
5 stars The third album from Traumhaus shows some line-up changes, as only Tobias Hampl (guitars) and Alexander Weyland (vocals, keyboards) are here from the last one. They now have a new member in bassist in Sebastian Klein, along with Stefan Hope who provides additional drum loops alongside guest drummer Jimmy Keegan (Spock's Beard). I have a major issue with these guys, and it has nothing at all to do with the music, but plenty to do with the artwork! Guys, this is what I expect from an atmospheric Black Metal band, not a progressive outfit that has so many melodies and uplifting sounds (alongside plenty of atmosphere, but not nearly as much as is suggested by the artwork). It is actually hard to read the information inside the digipak and associated booklet as it is so dark, and I worry that people may see this in a CD rack and pass it by.

Now that would be a real shame as yet again Traumhaus have managed to produce a quite exceptional album, interesting in all facets as they move through melodies and styles. Jimmy has provide himself to be a real asset here, driving the music with plenty of rolls around the kit when the need arises, or just a gentle tap of a cymbal here and there to provide the necessary accent. This music can be symphonic or simple, piano or swathes or keyboards, gentle background guitar or full on riffs. The more I have heard from these guys, the more I am incredibly impressed by them. Lyrics are all in German, which allows me treat the vocals as just another instrument, and yet again this really works for them, although the Jimmy's drumming has lifted them into a new level.

Look past the cover art, and here is an exciting prog rock band who aren't afraid to throw in a 27 minute long epic, and why not indeed. It doesn't get much better than this, and the more I play it the more I find to enjoy about it.

Report this review (#1080779)
Posted Saturday, November 23, 2013 | Review Permalink
Windhawk
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Honorary Collaborator
4 stars German band TRAUMHAUS has been around in one form or another since the start of the revival of progressive rock in the 90's, releasing their debut album back in 2001 with a second production following in 2008. "Das Geheiminis" is the third studio disc by the band, released through the German label Progressive Promotion Records in the fall of 2013.

"Das Geheimins" is an album that should see Traumhaus gain a lot of recognition. They have crafted an albums worth of symphonic progressive rock that blends details from the old school of this style with a more contemporary oriented variety of it, in a manner that should give the disc a fairly broad appeal amongst fans of progressive rock in general. First and foremost an album that comes with a firm recommendation to those who prefer their progressive rock to be of the symphonic variety obviously, alongside those who tend to enjoy bands commonly described as neo-progressive.

Report this review (#1145040)
Posted Sunday, March 9, 2014 | Review Permalink
Thierry
4 stars Ouch! What a thunder! What a lightning! I've never heard such a German gem since long. Traumhaus plays a symphonic prog in the way of Anyone's Daughter, Novalis. No less. Traumhaus (i.e. 'the House of Dreams') is a German group that evolved out of a mid 90s outfit called Zweeback. The line up changed since the very beginning in 2001. It now features Alexander Weyland (vocals, keyboards), Tobias Hampl (guitars), Sebastian Klein (bass), Stefan Hopf (additional drums loops) and Mr Jimmy Keegan of Spock's Beard and Santana fame, a terrific drummer. Third album already and it's a pure bliss. Fans of Genesis and Yes will enjoy this pearl and they are right. Fluid and lyrical guitars, vintage keyboards, ambitious and complex polyrhythmic compositions alternate with catchy melodies. No weak point except, perhaps, the energetic 'Frei'. The rest is a pure delight and makes this album a must really. Highly recommended.
Report this review (#1327436)
Posted Tuesday, December 23, 2014 | Review Permalink

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