GALAHAD

Those who have been (un)lucky enough to have followed by reviews over the last 20 years will know that I have long enjoyed the music from this Dorset-based band. 'Empires Never Last' is the most recent studio album which came out in 2007 but for reasons that I can't explain I haven't written about until now. For those who previously haven't seen my ravings about this group I do have to confess to some links: Stu has stayed at my house when I lived in the UK, my wife and I were at his wedding and I wrote the introduction to one of their rarities compilations. Now I've got that out of the way I would like to just say that this is the best thing they have ever done ? and given my penchant for many of their other albums I still can't believe that I am saying that.

This band has changed so much from the one that won the Radio 1 Rock Show Rock Wars all those years ago, who first came to the notice of many progheads at the same time with their debut CD 'Nothing is Written'. True, in Stu, Roy and Spencer they have the same singer, guitarist and drummer and keyboard player Dean Baker has been there for a while now (line- up completed by bassist Lee Abraham) but it is the maturity and depth of the band that is such a surprise. Okay, they have been building to this for a long time with each release showing another side of the band, but here it all comes together in a major tour de force. It may open gently enough with "De-Fi-Ance", but this really is just an introduction for the band to kick off blazing into "Termination". Second song in and already Galahad have the listener by the ears and the balls. From here it is a rollercoaster ride of power and emotion, the band kicking together and showing that prog can be a really strong and dynamic force in the hands of guys who really know what they are doing and what they want to achieve. If the last thing you heard by the band was their wonderful 'Sleepers' then you need to do yourself a favour and see what this band have grown into since then. The fact that Dean and Roy have been asked to join Twelfth Night in this year's reunion gigs show just what others in scene think of them. You owe it to yourself to get this album!!

Originally written in 2010

I have always loved the dramatic style of strong vocalists in the old Marillion Fish type vein and the accompanying dramatic music that makes up a large portion of the neo-prog genre. I love just about all forms of music aside from a very few which I am usually vehemently outspoken against. The kind of music that this album is made up of kind of is the water that I usually prefer to float my musical preference boat in. It is no secret that I love the old 70's "prog" music - old Genesis, Yes, Rush and possibly that is why I really enjoy dramatic music with almost classical music nuances attached to it. The opening track to this leads the way to the rest starting off sweetly with female vocals singing a kind of anthem and seguing into anger in part 2 of the track before crossing two sides of a coin - the sweet with anger. "Termination" starts of very gently with piano before heading into heavy dramatic territory with gusto. Very interesting, strong track. There is a definite Metal sound in the track which I do enjoy. "I could be God" - again is a very dramatic track that starts off in an almost operatic, metal drama way- it softens towards the third of the track mark into an interesting section where we hear a portion of Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech whereafter the music punctuates that speech with a lot of emotive hard music before the vocals come back. "Sidewinder" - starts of softly with childrens voices heard in the background before Nicholson's vocals come in and the volume gradually increases. In the track a feature is George Bush's voice giving some of his typical "pearls of wisdom". I have no doubt that this track is about following leaders who will only lead you into a whole mess of trouble as a people if you allow that. "Memories of an African Twin" - pretty much an instrumental track to break the angst of the previous tracks. "Empires never Last" - starts with a thumping bass that's joined by keyboard sound until it hardens before Nicholson's voice comes in in a contrast of emotions and nuances. This man can inflect just about any emotion into his voice. At times on this track he sounds like a bluesy crooner. A giant of a track. "This life could be the last" - starts again with piano and crooning (like out of the fifties). A third into the track the music fills out in a hard rock fashion.

I can't emphasise how impressed I am with this album enough. It holds a variety of pleasures throughout. It is an angry, in places sarcastic, album full of emotion and drama. Lovers of old Fish fronted Marillion will drink this album down with a great deal of pleasure. It isn't, by any means, a copy of old Marillion however it is in the same style with a little more emphasis on keyboards.

A four and a half star album for me rounded up to five stars as there was nothing that I didn't enjoy a great deal about the music. It's not perhaps an essential album to someone with a preferance for certain kinds of music but I would call it essential if Neo Prog is your thing or if you really enjoy dramatic music.

Prog metal and techno/trance don't work really. Despite the good intentions of the band to create something of new in this subgenre this album don't work for me. It's not enough to add some new acid synth effect or phased electronic drum to create a masterpiece. Some song have an industrial EBM feeling in the vein of Absurd Minds or the much commercial Marylin Manson, but despite these bands the singer is grundge oriented with weak teatrical moments.

The big problem is that all the songs and above all the longer epic tracks doesn't flow naturally, leaving the listener disoriented and frustated. There aren't any solo to remember because the guitar is busy to create noise. Sometime there are good keyboards and mellow passage with good and symphonic melodies, and the singer sing well in the much melancholic moments like in the "Richelieu's Prayer 2012" but these aren't so frequent, so i should give to this just 2 stars. Recomend just to fans of Marylin Manson or industrial metal that would try something to different

Having been given a progrock compilation at Christmas and finding GALAHADS 'Empires Never Last' on the first CD and then replaying that track continuously I naturally became intrigued with what else the group had done. I bought the back catalogue and set about listening.

Unfortunately the experience was in the main wasted ? Fish era Marillion was the overriding verdict. However the self title album 'Empires Never Last' immediately stood head and shoulders above any of their previous material, here was an accomplished album that blew the past cobwebs away taking them into new territory.

GALAHAD had arrived at their zenith.

This album, for me, epitomises what is best about Neo Prog; tracks that are allowed to naturally develop, that has that ability to lead the listener on an adventure. Arguably it is the keyboards that drive this album forward, however without the 'heavy' guitar and drums it would never have held up. As an ensemble the 'whole' works extremely well. The only downside (and this applies to GALAHADS other material) are the lame lyrics, not only repetitive but shallow, almost jingoistic, however Stuart Nicholson's vocals and his belief in them adds immensely to the experience.

Though veering on the heavier side, musically, the musicianship cannot be questioned in any way, shape or form. However 'Memories Of An African Twin' is somewhat of a throwaway track when placed in context with the rest of the fare.

Strange that the compilation album that introduced me has chosen, probably, the best track from this excellent album, and group.

GALAHAD has certainly come of age with this release.

In 1996 Galahad cover Camel's ''Lady fantasy'' for the tribute album ''Harbour of joy'', followed by the first official live CD of the group ''Classic Rock Live''.However keyboardist Karl Garrett decided to leave the band at the end of the year.In 1997 the reduced Galahad release the compilation ''Decade'' with songs from the first three albums on German label Bluestone and finally find a replacement for Garrett on Dean Baker.With the new keyboardist the group released its fourth studio album ''Following ghosts'' in June 1998.

Seems that the group eventually made clear that reproducing an already saturated style would lead to nowhere.With ''Following Ghosts'' Galahad tried something different, adding a bit of personality in their sound, which is still not fully conveincing but definitely heads into a different yet attractive direction.The familiar atmospheric Neo Prog style of the group is now enriched by a variety of flexible instrumental tools, like sampled string sections, loops (much in the vein of MILLENIUM) or electronics to come up with a partly original approach, blending modern Prog with Neo Prog and Pop/Rock.The melodies and choruses sound more memorable despite the stylistically wide array of the group, most of the arrangements are well-crafted and the deep atmosphere is the basic element of the release.The contrast between the Mellotron waves and loops is certainly a different view in music, credited to these Englishmen.On the other hand there is still room for improvement.Some tracks remain very accesible compared to others, while the album's balance needed also a bit of work, especially on the heavy use of sampled instrumentation.

Overall ''Following Ghosts'' was a great achievement by Galahad and a step forward compared to the previous studio releases.This could best described as contemporary Art Rock with strong Prog inspirations as a whole and marks a nice starting point for anyone willing to meet the band's more recent styles.Recommended.

I've seen many reviews for this album, and I generally agree with the others: This album is one of Galahad's finest. 2012 saw Galahad busily releasing two albums among other things, Battle Scars being the other release. Both albums represent the best that Galahad has to offer.

The performances on Beyond the Realms of Euphoria are top-notch. They used a very synthetic approach here; but piano, awesome drums, interesting bass lines, and excellent guitar work are also prevalent. The vocals, as always, are outstanding: One of my favorite singers in Neo-Prog (or Modern Prog Rock, as they like to be called). So, the album has some very catchy tunes, some very proggy ones, and all of them are well executed.

However, I do take issue with this album. The philosophy, concepts, and lyrical content of an album mean just as much to me as the music itself. I don't feel connected to an album until I have reaped the philosophical harvest that an album has to offer. So, I loved Battle Scars especially for its wonderful themes of condemning inhumane activity to humans, emotionally scarring other people, and so on. I felt it was quite appropriate. Beyond the Realms of Euphoria, however, contains a philosophy that does not quite match up with their last effort. I don't want to explore this too much, but let's just say that "Believe in your own bloody, beating heart" doesn't quite jive with their message against arrogance in Battle Scars. Why would I place all my faith in something so fragile and prone to error? The album only spirals out of logical control from there. The philosophy in Beyond the Realms of Euphoria is faulty and fallacious at best. Because of these conceptual problems, my mind cannot give this album anymore than a 4/5, though this still represents a great album.

I find myself very surprised by this most excellent album. I have tried to listen to both BATTLE SCARS and EMPIRES NEVER LAST, but they did not hit me with the same force as BEYOND THE REALMS OF EUPHORIA. I get the "Pet Shop Boys" comments, but you know what? I don't care! I love this and have been playing it over and over since I got it last month. There is not a poor moment on the entire disc and the first 4 tunes that basically run together are pure bliss. I guess it is hard to say why it is prog- but it just IS! Great vocals, great lyrics, great playing...I much prefer this kind of neo-prog to that which reminds me too much of Marillion or other bands. Along with PASSION by Pendragon, this is the best Neo-Prog of the last 5 years. My opinion, of course. If you like bombastic music and loud/quiet/loud melodies this is it. 5 stars. Best album of 2012 along with Big Big Train's ENGLISH ELECTRIC.

I'd never heard any music from Galahad until this year. Though this album mostly reminds me of IQ's 2009 Frequency, I have to admit that the music here surprised me quite a bit: especially the presence of modern dance/house music and other 'tricks' from the world of electronica (on the opener, "Salvation 1: Overture" [4:11] [8/10], the album's IQ-like 'epic,' "Guardian Angel" [10:31] [9/10], and "All in the Name of Progress" [7:14] [7/10]); I'm often feeling that I'm listening to a heavier version of the PET SHOP BOYS or the THE. The chameleonic voice of singer Stuart Nicholson sounds so familiar. At times I'm reminded of the lead singer from IQ's 2009 Frequency, Peter Nicholls ("Salvation II: Judgment Day" and "Guardian Angel"), at other times I hear Guy Manning ("All in the Name of Progress"), and still others I hear FISH ("Richlieu's Prayer 2012"), and others like 80s rocker DAVID COVERDALE from WHITESNAKE (on the RUSH-meets-GARY NUMAN-like "Secret Kingdoms ..." [5:31] [7/10]), and even sometimes BLUE ÖYSTER CULT's Eric Bloom. The attempts to imbue the album with some feel of classical music is to my ears quite false and misleading as the piano pieces to which others must be referring are quite simple and straightforward--almost as if accompaniments to marches and other processional pieces; the intros on the last three songs aren't quite what I had in mind when I heard other reviewers mention the "classical influences" on this album. The time signatures here for the greater part also feel quite simple and straightforward. And the use of sounds and instruments from the realm of "heavy prog" sound quite straightforward as lifts from classic rock songs and stylings from the 1980s. I am impressed with the band's ability to gather, draw and synthesize sounds and elements from many diverse origins in rock/music history. However, I think that the smoothness with which they blend these styles and sounds can be improved upon.

Nice work that most proggers will enjoy--especially if you've a predisposition to Neo-prog.

3.5 stars rated up for its creative surprises.

One of my top three purchases of 2012, along with Rush's "Clockwork Angels" and Wobbler's "Rites at Dawn" and ahead of Opeth's "Heritage", Astra's "The Black Chord" and the Flower Kings' "Banks of Eden", I almost didn't get to listen to the album through until January 23, 2013. The original copy I got just before my two-week holiday break in December would not play on my computer and I always take a new CD home, throw it on iTunes, and dump it into my iPhone for my listening pleasure during my commute to and from work. The disc played on any CD player and in my car but my computer didn't accept it. I exchanged the disc for another copy but not before taking it with me on a one-day road trip. It was accompanied by four other CDs by artists the Flower Kings, Kaipa, Mystery, and IQ but "Beyond the Realms of Euphoria" hogged the CD player most of the time. I played it through three times before giving "Space Revolver" a chance. On the way back, I played it two more times and then listened to four of the songs a sixth time, and "Richelieu's Prayer 2012" a seventh time. I liked the album that much!

So what does this album have that appeals to my humble tastes so much? Let's see:

Heavy guitars. Check. The guitar sound here is freakin' wonderful to an old metalhead like me. The intro to "Guardian Angel" could have come straight off of a Dream Theater or Fates Warning album. It's heavy with one of those weird time signatures that would make Honda's Asimo trip over itself and short-circuit if it tried to walk to the beat. Some songs tread shamelessly into progressive metal territory in parts, and I was thrilled by the sudden break into speed metal near the end of "All in the Name of Progress", though sadly the machinegun fire riffs didn't last long (and a most out-of-place death growl rumbles menacingly at the conclusion of the song). The only thing missing from this amazing bombastic and heavy distortion is a killer riff like you'd find on an album by Wolfmother or the Sword. Nevertheless, I love it, especially in contrast with all the atmospheric keyboard work.

Atmospheric keyboards. Check. Right from the album's opening I was amazed and delighted by the techno electronica sound. Looking at the cover and listening to the beginning of "Salvation I ? Overture", you'd be perfectly excused for believing that you'd purchased a Euro/electronica techno dance album. Actually, I am not a fan of this style of music but I do like the electronic sounds, and on this album here in minimal doses and backed by more traditional neo-prog keyboards and heavy guitar I gladly welcome it in my ears. And how about those traditional neo-prog synthesizers? There are wonderful atmospheric sections, spacy journeys, beautiful passages both modern and classically influenced. There are times when only the keyboards carry the music or they are supported by bass and drums but no vocals or guitar. You'd almost think that was a Dean Baker (keyboards) solo album or Galahad featuring Dean Baker. The guy is so darn good at composing and mixing sounds that each solo section is a musical journey.

Classical piano. Check. Mr. Baker proves his ability goes beyond cosmic journeys and techno dance grooves. In songs like "and Secret Kingdoms" and "Richelieu's Prayer 2012" there are some breath-taking classical piano passages, and in the case of "Richelieu's Prayer", electric guitar plays in tandem with the piano to create a kind of Genesisian classical rock music. Incredibly tight and a sheer joy to absorb between the ears.

Great vocals and lyrics. Check. Alright, I admit, I rarely pay much attention to the lyrics but some parts catch my attention and I think they are at least good if not rather usual in a good way. "Richelieu's Prayer 2012" in particular has my attention because, though I know nothing about the song other than it is a re-recording of one of the band's old classics, I surmise that it relates to some social unrest that led to violence and I feel that occurred very near to the homes or hearts of the band. Stuart Nicholson's vocals are wonderfully smooth and effective at conveying the moods of the lyrics and music. Sometimes the singing reminds me a bit of IQ or Pallas but Nicholson manages to stand apart from his peers to his credit. Once again, the impassioned vocals of "Richelieu's Prayer 2012" really touch a chord with me, though Nicholson's good throughout the album.

Multi-part songs. Check. The songs average between 7 and 8 minutes in length and although there's a commonality they all share (heavy guitars, techno synth or classical piano, atmospheric instrumentals, etc.) each song stands apart from the others in composition. The thing I love most here on this album is that you never know which way a song will turn as it runs its course. Take for example "and Secret Kingdoms". Here are the notes I prepared for this review: "Classical piano intro. Such a keyboardist! Reminds me of Renaissance. Vocalese oohs and ahhs to piano. Heavy guitar rock band over piano. Bass solo section and piano joins. Classical piano with bass. Next dramatic rock. Begins to sound a bit like Pallas from "XXV". Heavy rock and classical piano. Great stuff! Vocals return. 'Secret Worlds' reprise. Perhaps first real guitar solo, melodic. Music fades leaving only piano to finish the song." Each song is like a musical journey but one that takes you back home again. The songs tend to wind up near their beginnings, unlike many songs by, say, the Flower Kings which I feel are more like musical migrations that leave you in a different place than you began.

Repeat Plays. Check. About five of the eight tracks get repeat plays apart from the album in my listening devices but much of the time I just let the album play all the way through. I did the same with "Clockwork Angels" frequently. Usually, I pick out a few songs that I really enjoy and listen mostly to those. But with "BtRoE" I am content to and even desirous of listening to the album from start to finish.

In some ways, I can hear that Galahad come from the same musical mould as IQ, Pallas, and Pendragon, but at least on this album ? my first Galahad purchase ? the band has defined their differences from their neo-prog peers. Regarding the techno sound in their music, reading reviews of older albums it seems that this addition came with the boarding of Dean Baker on the Galahad train, and this sound is something that the other class of the 80's neo-prog bands don't have. Sometimes after listening to this album I feel like listening to IQ's "Frequency". But then "Beyond the Realms of Euphoria" ends up getting played again.

I understand that 5 stars is a very generous rating but 4 stars just seems too low and there's no 4.5 option. In any case, 4.5 seems too low too. How about 93/100? Five stars.

The TRUE successor to 'Empires never last!'. Just when we thought that the gap of five years had been too much for them to carry on the impetus of 'Empires', they come out with this!

I don't know where 'Battle scars' went wrong. I didn't particularly like it, that I DO know. But as soon as 'Beyond' started it felt RIGHT.

Having seen (and condemned, visually at least) Galahad's 'Live in Poland' DVD, it was obvious to see the kind of 'trance/dance' music that the keyboardist, Dean Baker, had leanings towards. But it enhances Galahad's sound, in my opinion, and is crucial to the best of their work.

But the album isn't just about keyboards. The whole band work really well together to create such a strong sound. It's never contrived.

Quite frankly, this is the best Prog album I've heard in 2012, but I'll only give it 4 stars, because the music isn't QUITE up there at 'Empire's' level, though it's still really good.

Personally, I'm really pleased that 'Galahad' have rebounded with another album in the vein of 'Empires never last.'