REDEMPTION

MYSTERY created in 1986 by Michel St-Père, a new impetus in 2000 with the arrival of Jean Pageau replacing Gary Savoie. From an AOR style to STYX, KANSAS evolving towards art-rock on RUSH and SAGA, focusing on solos and acoustic atmospheres, breaks and catchy melodies for a progressive rock formation respected for its sophisticated symphony. In short, a conglomerate to do good, see very good. Let's see what this 8th installment has in store.

'Behind the Mirror' opens imposing, dynamic and engaging; reference to RUSH with Jean's bass and high voice; title that hammers your ears with a modern sound, light vocal break followed by a divine solo, yes Michel transcends the sound of the group by its natural class. 'Redemption' eponymous title majestic and solemn, with a rhythm guitar and Jean at the bow, melodic; consensus piece that rocks you; a solo, a dreamlike, efficient rise; beautiful right down to the barrels of Jean-Sébastien, there is emotion. 'The Beauty and the Least' melody seeming soporific, padded, Michel puts on a layer quickly to warn; the declination is... progressive, beautiful work by François on bass, art; a secondary rhythm follows, packed with emotion; the synths add it pouring on an intense, bluffing musical fresco; a bit of 'Duke' from GENESIS and the warm finale. 'Every Note' acoustic ballad, with piano and bucolic flute, the title all in marshmallow, which puts Jean forward with his characteristic voice; a title where the solo further enhances the emotion; it's simple a priori because it flows by itself for the moment.

'Pearls and Fire' beware everything is going to be played out here, longer title just watered down or with worked prog atmospheres: 3 minutes and I feel the floydian scents of 'Animals', then RUSH; the fat synth, haunting prog metal; halfway through the fatal blow with a divine semi-electric-symphonic break, overboosted PINK FLOYD; cover of the air and solo of Michel for a vibration in the firmament. 'My Inspiration' guitar arpeggio, country ballad in the spirit of South American country rock; Genesis synth on 'Burning Rope' with Antoine's touch. 'Homecoming' shorter tune; soft melody with Michel and Jean who melt into the air like another instrument, Antoine on the line of MARILLION. 'Is this How the Story Ends?' with this keyboard reminding me of the bright, fresh, shimmering 80s Genesis intros and melodic CAMEL ones; innovative, rhythmic, modern 6-minute break, I no longer recognize MYSTERY but it's them. The second third on an incomprehensible musical crucible, to be listened to with an air from the famous 'Métal Hurlant'; the 4th time to land and final at the DREAM THEATER, grandiose.

MYSTERY hit hard wanting to take redemption from his musical turn? An album that has gained in sensitivity, in progression, in emotion. Nothing to throw away, excellent. A long album in which you should not hesitate to immerse yourself again and again (4.5).

The foremost attribute to success and glory, whether in sports, academics, culinary arts, business, relationships and of course music, is consistency. Many famous chefs have lost their Michelin stars because they wandered off course (pun intended) or modified their 'raison-d'être' that made them famous in the first place. Yes, be adventurous but if you alter the ingredients, please remember to rebrand it under a different name. No such mysterious concerns with Mystery, a now iconic Canadian band from Quebec that has consistently delivered a pantheon of albums that just keep their style firmly focused and honed like the shining razor blade of a rapier.

Seeing a band in a concert setting certainly helps in evaluating the personality of a band. I recently attended their home show in Montreal a month ago and that had to be one of the finest, most professional concerts I have ever attended (and I have seen many, including legends like Zeppelin, Jethro Tull, Genesis, Focus, King Crimson, Zappa as well as Fish, Roxy Music, IQ, the Flower Kings, PFM, and many, many others). Led by master guitarist Michel St-Pere, the first impression that hit me very hard was the genuine enthusiasm displayed by this veteran crew, not just with the audience but mostly with each other! They obviously deeply enjoy their craft, a concert that visually offers little artifice but loads of unfettered charisma. Their stylistic hallmark signature remains firmly entrenched in crafting absolutely divine melodies that impact the soul upon first listen. Having a mercurial singer in Jean Pageau, whose athletic stage gymnastics are only surpassed by a truly astonishing voice, both rich, powerful, and clear as crystal. Michel is joined on guitars by French ex-pat Sylvain Moineau who also exudes a palpable desire, keyboardist Antoine Michaud adding immense symphonic depth, Francois Fournier providing the low-end guidance, permitting beastly drummer Jean-Sebastien Goyette (a true revelation live, Quebec's version of John Bonham, I kid you not) to pummel that bombast into celestial mode. They presented a few songs from their new album Redemption, which will now be reviewed accordingly.

No beating around the bush, as "Behind the Mirror" explodes out of the gates with a riveting display of colossal melody and rock-solid pace, with a divine chorus stamped with classic prog excellence, as all the elements explained above coalesce into this catchy, typical Mystery brand of genius. Instantaneously detectable and swiftly delectable for evermore. "Hold onto your Freedom", indeed. A classic. The title track just keeps the emotional pedal at full throttle, but in a gentler style, as the clanging guitar weavings intersperse within the ambitious drumbeats, as the double chorus builds gradually (I am a total sucker for that kind of dual elevation). Tectonic sonic mountains and valleys make this one hell of an emotional ride, with tormented and vibrant lyrics about salvation ("Shall I be sorry until the end of time?"). A classic. The hauntingly magnificent "The Beauty and the Least" is the proverbial power ballad, quite reminiscent of one of my favourite Mystery tunes "The Sailor and the Mermaid", even the titles sound like close cousins. The passion, atmosphere, and the melody (PAM) is off the charts, with a little old school Genesis mid-section led by Fournier's bass doing a fab Mike Rutherford, acoustic guitars emulating ticking clocks, a slippery electric guitar solo, the whole just revving up into this gigantic eruption of sweltering symphonics, provided by Michaud and his keyboard arsenal. Nine minutes plus of lethal prog. A classic. A superb, thoughtful, and sensitive love ballad appears on "Every Note", certainly targeting hopeless romantics like yours truly. Aural divinity is to be found in another chorus that is just plain jaw-dropping in its straightforward delivery and yet convincing emotion. Pageau certainly can hit the high notes without any hesitation or holding back. It seems effortless and it is. A classic. Another extended piece, running over a dozen minutes, "Pearls and Fire" reverts to more overreaching bravado that is their claim to fame, the lyrical content aimed now at the difficult road of male puberty when forced to live without a father figure. There is also a historic slant as the main protagonist (Leo) a goes off to war, to prove his worth and that "his father wasn't right". He must literally soldier on and fight. A tortuous guitar solo is illuminated by a searchlight, immune to the flak, as it builds up into a furiously wild machine. The extended instrumental work confirms the impeccable chops this band has in spades. This is exuberant, in your face, electrically powered prog. Pearls and Fire. A classic. Back down to earth into the softness comfort of a classic love song with a heartfelt delivery, an ode to one's muse, a romantic expression of soulful union, that special someone who has your unconditional back. Though far from a commercial sounding track, the track does offer an honest accessibility that should never be dismissed as fluff. Its carefree, inspired (sic) and impressive, as the immense and intense melody is wrapped in a perfectly executed arrangement (in prog, that generally means tons of choir mellotrons, LOL). Mystery is my inspiration. A classic. The eventual goodbye is appearing on the horizon, so "Homecoming" serves as the reminder that soon, 'You finally wake up from your slumber' and return to the routine of life purified, waiting for another thrill or joy to satisfy your cravings. A classic. The curtain drops with a 19 minute + colossus "Is This How the Story Ends?" and possesses all the characteristics of a progressive rock epic, taking its time to develop, hone, focus, swerve, rise and then dip, on a thrilling musical roller coaster. The main melody is then indelibly stamped on the proceedings so as the undoubtedly establish the backbone on which everything else holds together. This is the kind of old school prog moment, earphones firmly screwed in, where you take the booklet and follow the storyline on the lyric sheet, oblivious to the outer universe and just dream on with no restrictions or distractions. The various chapters fit into a comfortably numb pattern, like the whispering early section being a sheer delight, as the arrangement picks up steam like a locomotive that is rapidly losing its breath. Hey aqualung! Pageau certainly has the lungs to keep shoving melodic air into this furnace of a song. Raging twin guitars reign supreme as Michel crisses and Sylvain crosses with devilish precision, JS bashing mercilessly his certifiably abused kit. Enough said. A classic. This is not how the story ends , I hope and I pray.

I try to avoid repeating myself as much as possible, which is why I constantly search for synonyms in my writing style, but Redemption is an outright CLASSIC. Not a single wasted or useless second. There is ultimately no mystery here, it's just Mystery.

5 Salivating Salvations

Québec's NeoProg masters are back with their thirteenth album since 1992 and fourth studio album with the same lineup.

1. "Behind the Mirror" (6:46) it's been a while since I've heard Mystery's sound this thick, this heavy. It feels good. Solid. But not enough flash and dynamic change (except for from the drummer and bass player). Quite a solid song--one that reminds me of all that I love about NeoProg and Mystery in particular--but one that also reminds me of just how difficult it is to deliver perfect heart-melting melodies and/or chord progressions. (13.25/15)

2. "Redemption" (6:36) the incredibly full and deep bass is the key to the "new" sound. (8.875/10)

3. "The Beauty and the Least" (9:15) from the opening notes and chords one can sense that we're in for some of Mystery's very best song-crafting. The bass is, again, very full and heavy beneath Jean's melodies and the rest of the band's great chord progressions. The guitar solo at the end of the third minute, though brief, is among Michel St- Pere's best--and he is definitely one of the best--but this is quickly moved away from into a more pastoral weave of multiple guitar and keyboard arpeggi. Michel starts to wind up again within and over this two-chord passage, striking some truly epic bursts and moments. In the second half of the sixth minute, the band switches chord motifs--goes for a heavier sound--as drummer Jean-Sébastien Goyette gets to really shine within the walls of glorious sound. The eighth minute reveals a more 'tron-dominated Genesis-scape before emerging into what feels a classic Mystery "reveal" with Michel and Jean rising above the dense and beautiful heavy prog soundscape. Mystery doing what Mystery does best. (18.75/20)

4. "Every Note" (6:01) two chorus-treated electrified 12-string guitars provide the background support for Jean to sing a heart-wrenching vocal--whichis understqandable considering the wording of this powerful love song. But, despite continued amazing musical background throughout, I feel that Jean's investment in his message loses some of its depth and/or sincerity in the middle (but, thankfully, he regains a bit of it in the final climactic 75 seconds). Great music--especially the guitars--but the drumming feels a little over the top. (9/10)

5. "Pearls and Fire" (12:43) a "coming of age" story about a boy that is counseled by his parents to hold back his tears in order to "be a man" who then ends up joining the military to continue to prove his manhood. The ensuing description of Leo's war experience gets quite graphic as he is "caught in the crossfire" during a particular battle. The instrumental passage that follows this revelation is the best on the album so far. Prog at its best. In the sixth minute we come out of the mayhem of battle into a space of silence--used to sing about Leo's death. These are the kinds of passages in which both Jean Pageau and Mystery excel: encasing scenes of emotional weight in stunningly gorgeous music. The eighth minute, then, shows the band exploring some electronically-framed spurts of heaviness, coming out with a passage of keyboard-soloing over prime NeoProg. At the nine-minute mark we switch to a heavier version of a previous motif for some electric guitar soloing weaving in and around Jean's singing. (Man this guy can sing!) The sudden switch at 10:35 to a more 1980s sound palette and motif is short-lived, a bridge to another round of the current heavy motif, but it returns each time Jean takes a break from singing. The lesson of "Pearls and Fire" is that no one can really control the outcomes/consequences of a young man's dreams. A very good though not really ground- breaking or earth-shattering epic of highly professional, proficient, masterful heavy NeoProg. (22.5/25)

6. "My Inspiration" (8:24) opens with arpeggio-picked multiple guitars like a setup for a heavy ballad. Jean joins in over the guitars and keyboard synth washes and tuned percussives while drums and bass hold back until the chorus. The drums and (awesome) bass remain for the rest of the song as Jean sings with no little emotion about his "inspiration." Several of the brief instrumental bridges in the mid-section feel quite Wind and Wuthering-era GENESIS-like (which is exactly one of the foundational definitions of NeoProg, isn't it?) Beautiful, dreamy, magnificent, pompous and bombastic. (18/20)

7. "Homecoming" (5:10) cool change-up with a multi-voice choral approach to the vocal deliveries over the opening 90 seconds. A long and heavy instrumental passage follows. The vocals rejoin (some solo Jena, some choral-crafted) with some excellent RICHARD WRIGHT-like keyboard work before Michel's guitar takes over. Very nicely (and differently) crafted song. (9.25/10)

8. "Is This How the Story Ends?" (19:11) opens with a couple of minutes of excellent msuic with the rhythm section feeling so tight, so polished, that I'm reminded of Phil Collins and Mike Rutherford at the absolute peak of their skills/powers. The instrumental passage beneath the dramatic narration in the eighth minute is among those sublime high points of Mystery's career. The final three minutes are about as classic 1976 GENESIS as one can get--so heavily dripping in Mellotron and bombast. (35.25/40)

Total Time 74:06

In my opinion drummer Jean-Sébastien Goyette and bassist François Fournier make up the best rhythm section Mystery have ever had and this, their seventh album and ninth year together, serves to capture their finest performance. I can listen to this music/album over and over in large part due to the amazing performances of these two. (Jean comes in a close second). Unfortunately, I think Michel extraordinary guitar skills never really hit the highs of previous albums--though they are always of the very highest caliber of skill and appropriateness. (It must be so hard to continually have to either reinvent your self/your style or try to top your shining moments from year to year, album to album--especially over a 30-year career and over 11 albums. The only other guitarists I've known to accomplish such a feat are Jeff Beck, Nick Barrett, and maybe Steve Hackett.) There are many pleasing, great moments of guitar play, but none so memorable of those I still get chills from during One Among the Living, World Is A Game, and Delusion Rain.

B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of NeoProg--narrowly missing "masterpiece" status (though, who knows what further/future familiarity while reveal).

My first foray into the band Mystery was with their last studio album 'Lies and Butterflies'. After that I soon collected the Mystery back catalogue in full. What did I find? A band that is solid, tight, atmospheric and intelligent lead by the talents of Michel St. Pere. Now they have released their new album 'Redemption'. This new release just doesn't follow my previous points, it exemplifies them. As with all bands the rhythm section is the foundation, Francois Fournier and Jean-Sebastien Goyette playing the bass and drums respectively are the enduring stability in this regard. Antoine Michaud on keyboards produces the cinematic, musical pieces backing the mood and story. Band leader Michel St. Pere and Sylvain Moineau both on guitars electrifying us with their exquisite soloing and bolstering those heartfelt passages. Front man Jean Pageau on vocals, flute and keyboards brings his diverse talent and showmanship to the fore enticing the audience to join and share the experience.

The album opens with 'Behind the Mirror', a solid opener where the atmosphere permeates introducing us to the feel in respect to the rest of the album. This feel supports the title track, 'Redemption' where the lyrics describe and question past decisions and acts that we may regret. I always love a title that plays with words such as third track, 'The Beauty and the Least'. This is the first epic running just over 9 minutes. Of course Mystery is never short of epic songs, this album also includes 'Pearls and Fire' at 13 minutes and the closing song, 'Is This How The Story Ends?' at just over 19 minutes.

The ballads of this album include 'Every Note' and 'My Inspiration'. Both showing a delicate edge. 'Every Note' combines the music note with the note of the heart and soul highlighting the anguish and yearning of love. A passionate and serene flute playing from Jean is superb about mid-way through this song.

Every song is a strong nourishment of feelings with story, composition and outright musical talent. A Mystery album is about being immersed in a journey of musical delight.

Mystery is a veteran French-Canadian Progressive rock band, formed by multi-instrumentalist (guitars, keyboards, bass) Michel St-Pere back in 1989, and with a changing backing lineup over the years. Their sound features a melodic symphonic prog approach with liberal doses of 80's AOR (Styx, Asia, Rush, Saga) and 90's Neo-Prog styles mixed in, creating a melodic and accessible type of symphonic prog with slick production, catchy melodies, soaring ballads, and proggy instrumental flourishes. Their first album, Theatre of the Mind, came out in 1996, and this new album, their 8th follows their previously most recent, Lies and Butterflies (2018). The current lineup, which has been steady since 2014 consists of St-Pere, Frances Fournier (bass) Sylvain Moineau (guitar), Jean-Seastian Goyette (drums), Jean Pageau (lead vocals), flute, and Antoine Michaud (keyboards). Now, I have to admit that although this band has been around a long time, and plays in a style that is right up my alley (melodic symphonic prog), I was not familiar with this band before this album. But, after hearing several rave reviews of this new album in Prog circles (Prog Corner, Nathan on Shuffle, Prog Archives, etc.), I just had to check them out. And well, yes, this is a very good, solid album. It has all the things you expect from this style, and musically very well done. It checks all the boxes, as it has majestic anthems and themes, soaring ballads, virtuoso soloing and proggy instrumental intricacies, great vocals and harmonies, and emotinal peaks and valleys. However, it's just not something I can get very excited about, and I couldn't help but feel disappointed with it. For me, overall, it was a bit too much of the same old stuff, and just seemed somewhat generic Neo-Prog, too similar to other stuff I'd heard before. Still enjoyable, but there were no real surprises or 'Oh Wow!' moments. The melodies and themes were fine, but not stellar, and I just didn't feel the excitement or emotion of it, more like just going through the motions of creating a symphonic prog classic, perhaps succeeding, but not quite excelling. They seemed to be playing it safe, not trying anything very new or different, just sticking with what has worked for them before. It seemed to be like throwing in dozens of 80's and 90's AOR and Neo-prog albums and homogenizing them into a new album. After that first listen, I thought maybe I was being too harsh and it will grow on me after repeated listens, so I listened to it a couple more times over the next week, but still felt the same. I will say that the epic closing track, 'Is That How the Story Ends?', was great (showed more variation in sound and style, cool feel), had everything I wanted in an epic (19 min.) song and lifted the rest of the album up quite a bit. If the whole album would have been as good as that closing epic, I would have been very happy with the album, but overall, for me, I can only rank it as very good, but still somehow disappointing. Best track: Is That How the Story Ends?. Rating: 3.5 stars

Mystery has been around for many decades and is still alive with the singer Jean Pageau who took the place of Benoit David in 2015. Michel St-Pere is still the leader and main composer of the songs on this 9th studio album. The opener "Behind the Mirror" put us in a familiar territory of heavy symphonic prog rock, melodic and catchy with a big production and where we are treated with a powerful bass and some addictive guitar playing by Michel St-Pere. "Redemption" has a nostalgic atmosphere led by Jean Pageau, it evolves in a little crescendo with symphonic arrangements. After the guitar-oriented song "The Beauty and the Beast", the song "Every Note" is a ballad Mystery style not of a Pop kind... "Pearls and Fire" is the first epic song that shows all the trademarks of the band with explosive guitar and keys solos, a solid rhythm section, and some change of pace to let all the players shine. The next 2 songs are not as intense and are showcasing the voice of Jean Pageau and some melodic guitar parts again. The last epic and final track at 19 minutes bring back some fire in the music from the start with many breaks where we have some acoustic guitar parts from Michel. I enjoy the little menacing tone of voice break at the 7-minute mark just before the multipart vocals appear, and the rest of the band joins to an intense second half that reminds me of the music that has been made before by more AOR bands like Saga and Styx. And the "story" ends with some fireworks before a piano passage, a long track displaying all of the ingredients that made Mystery what it is in 2023. This is not the album of Redemption for Mystery but an evolution of something that has grown in strength over the years.

I have been reviewing guitarist Michel St-Père's band for quarter of a century now, and there is no doubt in my mind that the third iteration of the band is the finest yet. Singer Jean Pageau sounds like he has been there forever, having long moved past the efforts of those who wanted to compare him with previous incumbent Benoît David (of Yes fame), while Sylvain Moineau (guitar), François Fournier (bass, keyboards) and Jean-Sébastien Goyette (drums) are all here for their third album and Antoine Michaud (keyboards) has returned for his second so there is now strong continuity. Here is a band who are confidence in what they are doing, clear in their direction and with the ability and strengths which enable them to continually deliver.

This is soaring progressive rock, symphonic with swathes of keyboards, yet with a twin guitar attack which enables them to provide bite and power. Then at the front they have one of the finest singers around in Pageau, who can soar on high notes or be quiet and gentle as the mood dictates. It may have been five years since the last studio release, but there have been some live recordings to keep the fans going, and they have spent their time well in honing yet another masterpiece. There is a wonderful use of dynamics throughout, mixing the use of electric and acoustic guitars, changing the pace, all of which enables the listener to feel they are being taken on a journey of discovery, never knowing quite where they will be taken in the next few bars. It is a very album to listen to and enjoy the first time of playing with the hidden depths only really becoming clear when it has been listened to multiple times. It is soothing, packed full of harmonies, and there are times when the sweetness becomes almost too much but then a guitar breaks through with a real edge which transforms what is being played.

It is the contrasts which keep the listener coming back for more, and the nuances here and there which are a delight. Jean-Sébastien can be rolling around the kit or spend an inordinate amount of time on a hi hat, while François could spend most of his time in the background, or provide some dynamic leads, Sylvain and Michel may be both gently picking or the chords can be sharp and the solos taking us in new directions, Antoine holding it all together and then at the front is Jean who is always in total control. The music moves in waves, bringing in drama or levity, and one is helpless apart from keeping the headphones on and falling into the wonderful world of Mystery. This is yet another wonderful album from the Canadians which is absolutely indispensable to anyone who enjoys this style of progressive rock.

Long time reader of this forum as I have always enjoyed researching and viewing others opinions on my eclectic heroes. However THIS release has such a hold on me that I decided to finally register and offer my views rather than just take! My first Mystery tune that grabbed my attention was Beauty and the Least which intrigued me enough to dive deeper and discover the mother lode. And what an offering. Jean Pageaus vox is the honey that initially drew me in, and the band together has a sense of melody and harmony which brings an instant connection for the listener. But then with each listen, further layers are peeled. The symphonic keys, the flute, the guitar breaks, the off kilter rhythm section which has a life of its own. Each track has its own sound. Nothing seems repetitive. Even the two ballads, which could have loaded up on saccharine, have enough punch and musicianship to make them growers. Behind The Mirror is a great intro and would be worth seeing live. Redemption is an emotive tour de force (and the earworm of the album) and Homecoming is a different style again which I love more with each listen. Pearls and Fire is compelling; this could have been how Styx would have sounded if they followed their prog rather than their pop. Pageau definitely getting his De Young sound, but without the bombast. Is This How The Story Ends? OMG. How to finish off an album leaving us wanting more. 4/5 songs rolled into one, atmospheric keys, some stellar guitar breaks, one in particular with a jazz/blues feel played over a gorgeous bass beat. And 5 mins from the end a haunting stark vocal before the run home. I kept trying to liken my new found heroes to some of my long termers: Dream Theatre, Marillion, Rush with a singer who shows shades of Geddy, DeYoung and occasionally early Plant but I realise none is totally true. This sound is of itself. And in that regard, my favourite release of 2023; the greatest Mystery is how I never knew of this band before now. Thank God For Algorithms...

I think in terms of the evolution of progressive rock, neo-prog has had quite the interesting development, beginning in the 80s as a synth based cross between the sounds of new wave with symphonic prog of the 70s, into very stylized collage of symphonic proginess, doses of metal, and focuses on electronics. I do admit the genre is still a bit underdeveloped on my listening part. I have listened to the big dogs like Marillion, IQ, Arena, plus some other groups like Galahad, RPWL, and of course Mystery, but I wouldn't consider myself an expert on the genre unlike prog metal or retro prog. I have been slowly but surely getting accustomed to the genre, and during the late portions of this year I thought to give some groups a bit of a looksee to engross myself in their styles. One such band is the Canadian based Mystery!

This year they released their 8th studio effort, that being Redemption, which has come about five years since their quite popular Lies And Butterflies. Earlier this year I had already heard a Mystery album, The World Is A Game, which I didn't quite care much of to look more into the band. However I did get interested in Redemption after hearing how good it was supposedly, so I decided to check it out (a little late to the party though) and it certainly turned me around to really enjoying this group.

The sound of Mystery is quite unique for neo-prog, utilizing the sounds of Rush and Styx as a basis, rather than the more common UK-based prog of the 70s. This mostly goes for Jean Pageau's vocals I think, as he does have a similar sounding singing voice to that of Geddy Lee, though definitely a lot less high pitched. I know not many like these types of vocals, but I personally dig them as they quite fit in this more hard rocking approach to progressive rock.

I will also say the instrumentation here is very solid. While they certainly do not reach the same highs as say IQ or Galahad, they do have their own flavors they are working with, creating a great, jammy sound in their own little styles that work really well in their favors. I personally love the guitars of Sylvain Moineau and Michel St-Pere. They have a lot of personality in their playing, definitely shown on tracks like The Beauty And The Least, Behind The Mirror, and Homecoming, having this nice, sharp, but somehow also kind of mellow tone in their playing. Their solos are also quite great, really dig the one on Every Note in particular. Really tasty stuff I think.

Though, I am gonna be honest the two longer tracks are kind of unnecessary I think. They're not bad or anything, it is just they feel more obligatory. Pearls And Fire is certainly the more enjoyable out of the two I think, being a lot like a track from an Asia album almost, having this nice synthy hard rock sound that drives the piece forward. However, I just think it could be trimmed a bit, with the middle section feeling like it goes on a bit too long, with the guitar solo also feeling dragged out a bit. Certainly not a bad track but one I won't listen to very often. Also, the epic here, Is This How The Story Ends?, just kinda feels like it is just there for no real reason? If that makes sense? Do not get me wrong, this is a really nice prog epic, and certainly does have moments in it that I really appreciate, but at the same time it feels like since One Among The Living the band has been pumping out epics after epics, and they have started to feel more de rigeur with each listen, even more than The Flower Kings and their long tracks. These tracks do not dampen the experience too much for me to think any less of the album, but I feel like having one album without a 15+ track might be needed soon.

Song wise, my favorite track here is absolutely Redemption. It has this wonderful energy that kinda contrasts with most of the album. It feels like a Galahad track almost, but with a more introspective outlook. This is where I think the guitars really shine, creating these moody, heavy scores that reach very stylish peaks. Also Jean's vocals here are immaculate, having this almost arena rock energy that works really well. I think Redemption really captures the beauty progressive rock can hold, being both vibrant and brimming with energy, but also spooky and very thoughtful. Amazing stuff.

Redemption is a bright look at what Mystery can really sell in terms of their music, and the album that led me to being a fan of their work. Check this one out if you particularly like harder neo prog like Arena or Galahad. I assure you it will be worth your time.

Canadian band Mystery released their eighth studio album 'Redemption' in 2023, adding up another valuable piece of music to their incredibly consistent discography. A band that is currently quite recognizable within the progressive rock community, Mystery have actually been around since the second half of the 80s, however, releasing their first studio album in 1996. For a history that has lasted for more than thirty years, naturally there have been numerous lineup changes, with guitarist and founding member Michel St-Père being the sole constant one for all these years. And in 2023, with a solid lineup that has been around for the last decade, Mystery present a fantastic follow-up to their 2018 album 'Lies and Butterflies', a record that still resonates strongly with many people who are familiar with it, which is what will probably happen with 'Redemption', too.

While their style may broadly be described as neo-prog, they do take in some influences from symphonic rock and hard rock, but the thing with Mystery is that one always knows what to expect, to a certain extent, and they have become incredibly consistent and excellent at delivering precisely this brand of very emotive and melodic neo-prog, full of cinematic guitar playing, thoughtful lyrics, and warm, lush and beautifully produced soundscapes, necessarily being able to deliver both the memorable hooks and the long, intricate epic pieces, always bringing in some great vocalists, including Jean Pageau, the one singing on 'Redemption'. As for the songs and the album, this record has been recorded over the course of five years, carefully crafted by honing some old recordings of songs left unfinished, or by introducing entirely new material of gorgeous and intelligent modern prog rock - all of the band's qualities are gorgeously displayed on songs like track one, 'Behind the Mirror', which is a melodramatic and dynamic piece, with smart bass playing and lovely sweeping guitars. The shadowy undertones added by the keyboards surely enhance the atmosphere not only on this song, but on the entire album all throughout.

Then comes the emotive splendor of the title track, a more haunting piece featuring a great vocal performance by Pageau. 'The Beauty and the Least' is a mini-epic clocking in at around nine minutes, with Mystery slowly building up a tense fabric of soundscapes, climaxing in a dramatic instrumental section unfolding in the second half of the song. 'Every Note' is a lovely ballad-type entry from Mystery, something familiar for them, as they manage to write memorable shorter pieces, in which they never compromise the usual richness of the music that is associated with them. 'Pearls and Fire' is a 12-minute composition going through multiple movements, simply a neo-prog delicatessen. 'My inspiration' is a hopeful and more playful piece that occasionally could remind someone of IQ, or another great band from the higher ranks of neo-prog. 'Homecoming' displays a welcoming, warm playing, topped by the excellent vocals and the great hooks. The 20-minute-long closing piece 'Is This How the Story Ends?' is a stylish outro for a fabulous album in which a very experienced band decidedly displays their craft of composing textured and memorable progressive rock defined by strong melodies and playful sonic intricacy.

Mystery came to my attention in 2008 when their then current singer Benoit David (not to be confused with crooner David Benoit), was tapped to join Yes, after the departure of Jon Anderson. David would remain with Yes until 2012 when voice issues caused him to bow out. He remained with Mystery as well until 2013. I began to realize, however, that Mystery was far more than that. They are one of the finest modern prog-rock bands going, IMHO.

Mystery was founded in 1986 by guitarist/multi- instrumentalist Michel St-Père, and began releasing recorded music in 1992 with their debut EP. "Redemption" is the band's 8th full length studio album, and was recorded by the current line-up of: Michel St-Père, bassist François Fournier, guitarist Sylvain Moineau, drummer Jean-Sébastien Goyette, singer Jean Pageau and keyboardist Antoine Michaud. Johnny Maz is also credited with additional keyboards. (I may feature Mystery later on Scott's Spotlight [#scottsspotlight] where I take a deep dive into an artist's history.) St-Père wrote all of the songs except 2, which will be noted below.

Without further ado, let's jump in!

Track 1 - Behind the Mirror

The album kicks off with big chords, a melody and drum fills; a grand intro, indeed. Vocals join at 42 seconds with 7-8 rhythm underneath. Harmony vocals join on the second half of the verse. At 1:19 we return to 4-4 similar to the intro for the chorus. Jean Pageau is fantastic on the vocals! Another 7-8 verse follows, then there is a nice drum fill from Goyette leading to the next chorus. A bridge in a half-time feel happens following that. A guitar solo follows using the similar feel. I am not sure if it's St-Père or Moineau playing the solo (although I suspect it's St-Père), but it is a well-crafted melodic solo. Following the solo there is a nice big full-band feature leading to the next verse. At around 5:30, there is another fine drum fill, and then another big full-band section, very melodic. Pageau returns on vocals then there are fantastic harmonies on the line "walk behind the mirror," at around 6:05 and later on "breaking down the mirror." The song closes with more big instrumentation and a drum fill before the final note. The keyboards from Michaud have a big presence throughout, even though there wasn't a solo. Fournier was solid on the bass as well. Great dramatic album opener.

Track 2- Redemption

The title track begins in a minor key, with clean electric guitar playing an arpeggio-type of pattern, followed close behind with lead vocals. Very mysterious indeed ;). We are in a meter of 3. The bass and drums play occasional accents, to bring out the dramatic feel of the song. When the rhythm section fully joins in at around the 1 minute mark, it feels more like a 6-8 meter. I love the descending bass line, doubled by guitar. The second verse begins with the rhythm section maintaining the feel. Superb harmony vocals hit at around 1:30. Power chords join the soundscape at around 1:50 for the bridge and bring the dynamic level up. By 2:24, when Pageau sings "this is my redemption," the music takes on a bit of a Beatles' "I Want You (She's So Heavy) " thing, but with a "gothic" style choir sound (possibly on the keys) joining in. This song is even more dramatic than the first one! Amazing drum fills throughout this portion of the song. Following that instrumental feature. The instrumentation eases off and Pageau returns on vocals singing "I'm lonely?" at 3:15, with the rhythm section dropping out, except to play accents. Harmony vocals on "should I be sorry," around 3:45 usher the rhythm section back in. At around 4 minutes, there are effects on the voices starting with "please forgive me?". There is an excellent build up, leading to the refrain of "this is my redemption" just before the 5 minute mark. The singing becomes call and response between the backing vocals and lead vocals here. It's really well done. The instrumentation is thick , but not so dense that it loses the definition of the individual instruments. Fantastic guitar fills on a scale-based lick at around 5:30. Following that the music bids up amazingly. , until around the 6 minute mark where everything eases back off and winds down to the ending of "so lonely?" Hauntingly beautiful track!

Track 3 - The Beauty and the Least

Drum fills kick off this mini-epic of over 9 minutes (it's the album's 3rd longest track). Then the band kicks in with a slow 4 ballad kind of feel with a melodic lead guitar line on top. The instruments quickly drop back out as the singing begins at around 20 seconds, with minimal instrumentation from an acoustic guitar and subtle bass. Just before the 1 minute mark, the melody takes an upward lift and then the rhythm section comes back in for another instrumental break with lead guitar on top and subtle backing vocals. The second verse has the rhythm section on board with some nice gentle keyboard parts. The next chorus has harmony vocals and bigger instrumentation. Another guitar solo with great atmospheric vocals behind it along with the band. At 3:30 Goyette establishes a new rhythm on the high-hat while there are clean electric guitar arpeggio lines. Fournier plays some nice bass over the top of that to add depth to the rhythm. Keyboards join next. Then lead guitar. There's a cool, simple but effective bass fill at around 4:35. There are overlapping guitar lines following next and the keys give a choral-vibe again. They fall into a repeating melodic pattern around 5:35 and the music keeps building with lots of great drum fills. The excitement continues to grow until around 6:05, when everything except for a keyboard line drops out briefly. The melodic ostinato returns following a monster drum fill a few seconds later. I wish I could hear them play live; I bet it sounds enormous! They begin to come out of this section at around 7 minutes, and ease things back down. Goyette establishes a new beat and then they begin to build up again, but then surprise, they don't! At 7:27, they stop kind of abruptly. They come back in just afterward with an entirely new feel with lead guitar on top. Pageau returns on vocals (remember him from the beginning of the song?) He hits a beautiful high note on "she smiles" at around 8:05. He hits it again, but this time with harmonies at 8:25 on the word "Tears". Lead guitar takes back over at 8:40. At the 9 minute mark it seems like it is going to let a final chord fade out, but no! There is an additional chord strummed smoothly after that to close it out. Amazing track!

Track 4 - Every Note

This one was written by Jean Pageau with his brother Marc, way back in 2005. It had been submitted sometime previously, but not selected for inclusion on an album until this one. Layered acoustic and electric guitars begin this one in a finger-style, folky manner. Pageau begins singing after about 15 seconds. Bigger sounding guitars, keyboards and bass enter at around 43 seconds. The song crescendos throughout the chorus and the drums enter for the first time, albeit only for a cymbal crash with bass-drum underneath it at 1:12. All instruments drop out briefly at just before 1:30 while the words "every note" are whispered. Following that, the rhythm gets steady with the rhythm section keeping a beat. A bluesy toned solo take plays along with that; sounds like the neck pickup of a Strat. Following the solo, Pageau sings in a lower register. Distorted electric guitar comes in, led by a fill at 2:09. The heavier guitar doubles the bass notes and the music becomes much bigger sounding on this chorus. Next, the distorted guitar bass and keyboards sustain chords while there are drum fills and a classical acoustic guitar solo. Coming out of that solo, at around 3:00, I hear what sounds like a real flute, but there is none credited on the album. If it's samples on a synth, it is very convincing. It plays along with the classical guitar, then?Bang! Big power chords hit and distorted electric guitars take over while the band accents. The sound is immense! Pageau comes back in then is joined with harmonies. By around 4 minutes things come back down and the classical guitar returns briefly, before the rock guitar comes back. Another big chorus returns. As has been the case with other albums I have reviewed in this series thus far, it is clear that every chorus is a performance unto itself. There is no cutting and pasting of previous parts here, as is the case in a large portion of modern pop music. Another, heavier, guitar solo follows the chorus, before the song begins to wind down .Fantastic, beautiful track! It was worth the 18 year wait. I have no idea what it sounded like in its original form, but the band gave it a full on Mystery-style treatment!

Track 5 - Pearls and Fire.

This one is about 20 years in the making. It was written a little at a time. St-Père had the music coming together, when a fan suggested he write a song about a French-Canadian soldier named Léo Major,,who fought in the Netherlands in World War II, thus inspiring the lyrics. It is the second-longest track on the album at just under 13 minutes. This one begins with dark sounding synth-strings and a high-hat rhythm. The vocals join at around 28 seconds. At 45 seconds the band hits big power-chords while Pageau continues singing. Then everything but a rhythmic synth drops out, before more power chords and vocals return. The music becomes more rhythmic for the next verse, until around 1:36 when he sings "remember?the ghosts of war stand behind!" with minimal synth backing. The rhythm returns after that. There is a fantastic unison run at 2:15, then everything abruptly changes! A quick shuffle beat takes over along with harmony vocals. A guitar solo starts around 2:40, followed by a brief keyboard solo just before 3:00.The rhythm changes again to a slower tempo and completely different feel at around 3:25 (it reminds me very slightly of "Little by Little" by Robert Plant in feel). Nice bass line here. By 4:15 it all changes again, as the beat accelerates and keyboards take the lead with a bit of an "Immigrant Song" (Led Zep) bass line underneath to give a galloping feel. Nice keyboard solo! Not super-flashy but fits the song nicely. At around 5:00, the final note of the keyboard solo sustains along with the underlying chords and the vocals return with an effect onboard. Nice chord changes underneath. On the second time around some strummed clean guitar chords compliment what was happening, then another layer of guitar with a rotary effect joins as well. Nice arranging! Then while the sustained chords continue, a guitar solo takes over. (I wish I knew which guitarist was playing where to give credit where it is due.) There are some nice Yngwie Malmsteen style arpeggios in this cadenza of a solo. Well done! Rhythmic synths and high-hat establish a rhythm at around 7:00, then the guitars and bass hit with a wallop at 7:15. High-drama here. It almost sounds like Pink Floyd but heavier. Goyette and Fournier lay down an almost funky groove that has my head bopping at around 8 minutes. Another synth solo, presumably by Michaud, comes in over that. Then the guitar harmonizes along with the keyboard lines. By 9 minutes they go into a more "half-time" feel with a fantastic guitar solo. The half-time feel continues as the vocals come back. Nice harmonies at 9:55. Nice key and tempo change at 10:35. They return to the previous feel following that for another chorus. But at 11:24, the beat picks back up. It changes back again at 11:45. The alternating tempos are very effective. By 12 minutes we are getting to the big finish with a melodic guitar that is then harmonized the second time around. Massive keyboards and drum fills galore underneath up until the final chord. An instant prog classic!

Track 6 - My Inspiration

This is the 4th longest track at 8:24. It begins with crystal clear acoustic guitar arpeggios with a subtle keyboard part. The vocals begin at 20 seconds. The vocal melody is very nice! The rest of the band comes in at 1:06 with a moderately slow steady rhythm. Nice transitional chords between verses. Some crunchy guitar joins at around 2:30. Synth choir sounds enter around 2:54. A bridge in a minor key begins at 3:20, with only the acoustic guitar and vocal. Clean electric and synth-strings join in as well. There is a brief interlude between rounds of the bridge,The music begins to build again at around 4:27. It gets HUGE at 4:43. A keyboard solo follows with a wonderful descending chord progression underneath in 6-8 time. Then at 5:25 the vocals return and the rhythm changes subtly. The choir sound returns by 6:00. There are a few brief seconds of Wakeman-style keyboard flourishes before the music comes back down around 6:25. Acoustic guitar, vocals & keys take over again, then bass joins. There is a drum fill then. The band kicks back in full-force and a final chorus is sung with phenomenal harmonies joining at 7:25. Keyboards solo over the closing segment, or at least I thought it would be! They tricked me again with a quick tempo and the return of Wakeman-style keyboards with 15 seconds remaining which does lead to the ending. Marvelous track!

Track 7 - Homecoming

This one was written by keyboardist Antoine Machaud. Like Pageau's song earlier, it was submitted some time before this album was recorded and finally chosen for inclusion. It is the shortest track at 5:10. It begins with some wind chimes and clean electric guitar arpeggios. Pageau's vocals are doubled an octave below when he enters. Cymbal rolls provide nice atmospherics. There are some great harmonies along the way and the first verse uses a delay effect at the end so that the phrase "good bye" echoes several times. The rhythm section kicks in for the second verse. The "good bye" trick returns for the end of this verse. As the instruments pause. Then a bass fill brings the band back for a guitar solo. Another pause follows that solo, but at 2:40 the music becomes more rhythmic and the guitar solo resumes. Vocals return with this rhythm continuing, singing in a higher register and harmonies. The "Good bye" echoes out again, but this time the beat remains steady and a keyboard solo takes over. Another round of "good bye"s mark the transition from keys to guitar again. They do it again, but this time it signals a rhythm change at 4:49 as the song comes to a close with a final, softer "good bye" that echoes out.

Track 8 - Is This How The Story Ends?

I don't know about the story, but this is how the album ends? with a 19 minute + epic, of course! Mystery carries on a frequent prog tradition with the "closing epic." It begins with accented power chords and a melodic guitar line. By 10 seconds though, they settle into a groove that reminds me a bit of the Flower Kings. A tasty guitar solo leads to a change of rhythm to a quicker feel. The guitar plays a repeating motif. A keyboard solo follows.At 1:28 however, they give us a nice proggy odd meter. (5-8 I believe). At 1:50 a variation of the earlier motif returns. The opening segment comes to a close at around 2:42 with a sustained chord. A chimey electric guitar strum takes over (possibly a 12-string) with lots of echo and almost underwater effects. Some acoustic 12-string lines play over that. Vocals join at 3:15. Excellent use of a harmony part echoing a lead vocal line happens at around 3:45. The 12-string acoustic layers nicely with the electric one before a drum fill brings the rhythm section in at 4:05. I hear a bit of Hammond-style organ in the background. The verses in this section are ending with the line "Don't think too much about it," much like Rob Thomas sings the line "or else forget about it," in Santana's "Smooth," not in vocal tone, but in the way that line stands out from the instruments. Around 5:20 a guitar solo takes over, with a slightly David Gilmour feel (that's a compliment). A chorus follows and then things change again at 6:30. A rhythmic synth line takes over, then smooth, clean, electric guitar chords are strummed over the top. At 7:04, the rhythm action kicks in with distant lead guitar lines and a spoken word part. They lock in and start rockin' at 7:30! However, an ascending chord progression follows and leads to more vocals. They get into a steady groove as this section continues. The rockin' riff is used for the turn around between verses here, cool! A new melodic variation hits at around 8:55, modulating to a higher key and the turn-around riff return in that higher key. They modulate up again at around 9:44! A solo distorted electric plays the turn around at a little after the 10 minute mark. Then the band kicks back in. They REALLY hit a hard groove here! This is cookin'! They tone the riff down slightly and Pageau sings another verse. GREAT vocals here when the riff amps up again. Another verse follows. Lovin' this! At 12:15 they go double time into 7-8; progtastic! At around 12:45 that section comes to a close and then there are sustained power chords with amazing drum fills. Goyette is a top-notch drummer! Then they hit a short accent chord and Pageau sings a capella for a line, to transition to a more easy going feel. I love the harmonies when they sing "it's just another train passing by?". Following that, they go back to the "Don't think too much about it," motif. Then there is a new part, at 14:12 where a piano and light electric guitar takes over. Pageau joins in on vocals; this part is like a piano ballad. Between verses, there is a melodic guitar part. The rhythm section enters at 16:11. Now it's a little more mid tempo rocker. It is leading up to a grand ending. A melodic guitar solo follows. Interesting chord changes to end the song. WOW! What a ride! Amazing epic!

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

As with when I listened to it before, I am very impressed! There is not one thing that I would change about that album. It is top-shelf modern prog from the beginning to the end! Mystery deserves much more recognition. St-Père has assembled a fine group of musicians and really delivered here. An easy 5 out of 5 Stars.