AT THE DAWN OF A NEW MILLENNIUM

MYSTERY is a Canadian symphonic/progressive rock band that sounds like a mix between JOURNEY, KANSAS, RUSH, SURVIVOR and TRIUMPH. The vocalist Gary Savoie is a dead ringer for Steve Perry (JOURNEY), but with a little bit of Jon Anderson of YES in his voice too. The band has been around since 1996 and they have 3 albums in their back-catalogue. This is a re-mastered compilation of the best songs from these albums. It's quite surprising that they're releasing a compilation album after just three albums, especially when five out of ten songs are from their most recent album "Destiny?" from 1998. The three last songs on "At the Dawn of a New Millennium" are also the three last songs on "Destiny?". The songs are very similar in style to each other, and if I didn't knew that this was a collection from three separate albums, I could easily mistaken the songs for being recorded simultaneously. Although I think that it is a little bit early to release a collection after just three albums, I have to say that MYSTERY are a very professional band with skilful musicians, complex compositions and a strong vocalist. This isn't something for the already initiated, but it could serve well as a good starter if you haven't heard MYSTERY before. And it's definitely one of the best "Best Of" releases the recent year.

Mystery are one of the top progressive bands to come out of Canada, and with the departure of their vocalist Gary Savoie they have decided to release a retrospective. That is not to say that the band is calling it a day, as they have a new vocalist in Benoit David and will be releasing a new album before the end of the year. This is seen as a closing of the first chapter and this album includes tracks not only from 'Theatre Of The Mind' and 'Destiny?' (both of which I have reviewed in the past), but also from their debut mini-CD 'Mystery' which I had not heard before.

Mystery is very much the baby of guitarist/songwriter/producer Michel St-Père, and the fact that these songs are played by three different line-ups with only Michel and Gary featuring on all tracks, yet sounding as if they are from the same session is a tribute to him. Sometimes a bit Floydian, sometimes a bit Kansas, this is a very polished progressive sound which will be of interest to all those into structured music whether they like this particular genre or not.

Feedback #58, May 2000

Summing up the first era of Mystery

I normally don't rate compilation albums, but I am always ready to make an exception if there is some previously unavailable material featured. In the case of Mystery's At The Dawn Of A New Millenium, there is only one track that I hadn't heard before. This track (Cinderella) was originally featured on the band's self-titled EP which is now unavailable. The rest of the tracks here are all taken from the two first full-length albums Theatre Of The Mind and Destiny? For those (like this reviewer) who already have both of those albums, the present compilation album is of only minor interest. And for those who don't have these two albums, I would recommend to start with them instead of this compilation album. The best place to start with Mystery is with the excellent Destiny? and then move on to Theatre Of The Mind. Only after that is it worth to acquire At The Dawn Of A New Millenium for that sole track (unless, of course, you happen to own that rare self-titled EP).

Now, Cinderella is a good song in the same style as those of Theatre Of The Mind. It is by no means exceptional, but worth hearing if you are a fan of the Gary Savoie-era of Mystery. This compilation does a good job summing up this first era of the band's career, but as most "best of"-albums, it adds little to what is already out there. It is mostly excellent music, but it is all better heard in its original context.