THE ENDLESS JOURNEY

This is their third and to me most mature album. The opener delivers pleasant symphonic rock with a 'neo-progressive feel' (Marillion, Pendragon), the electric guitarwork is good (powerful and sensitive soli with echoes from Gilmour and Rothery), the keyboards sound lush (Banks-inspired synthesizer runs) and the music has lots of shifting moods (from romantic to bombastic). Remarkable is the variety in some songs like "The gift of life" (a bit ambient and dark, distorted vocals and a final with classical piano) and "Tempesta de neu" (fiery accellarations, Fripp-like guitar and flashy synth runs like Starcastle). The highlight on this CD is the epic titletrack: lots of changing climates (from mellow and bluesy to fluent or dramatic) featuring exciting bombastic eruptions, soft flute-Mellotron, great synth runs, beautiful guitarsoli (with echoes from Latimer), a piece with moving classical piano and soli on saxophone. The mediocre English vocals has a slight accent but this doesn't effect the music in a negative way, there is so much to enjoy (lots of instrumental parts) like in the final track "L9" delivering strong play on sax, keyboards and guitar (howling in a great finale). A WONDERFUL 24-CARAT SYMPHONIC ROCK ALBUM!

A huge disappointment overall.This band is from Spain and caused some excitement in their country when they originally got together as they were known as somewhat of a super-group over there.

The first track "L 10" really surprised me with those soft seventies pop sounds and harmonies. Sure there's some tasteful guitar and good keyboards but the vocals kind of ruin it for me. "The Gift Of Life" is ballad-like although it does get fuller. I don't like it at all though. "Tempesta De Neu" is a short instrumental with lots of keyboards and percussion. It's better. "The Endless Journey" is the over 25 minute epic. I like the mellotron especially and of course with a song of this length it changes a lot. The words are corny and the harmonies make me roll my eyes though. "Tempesta De Neu" is part 2 and another instrumental and the highlight of the album for me. I like the guitar that cries out. "L9" is much like the first track, it's too syrupy and sweet. The vocals drive me to drink.

Sorry but this is one album that comes off sounding too commercial in a bad way. I cringed way too many times here.