X RELIGION

The press release mentions bands such as Pink Floyd (most definitely) and ELP (I can see where they are coming from with that one), but in truth there is a lot more going one here. There are sections that with just a small amount of mixing could belong on Chemical Brothers while at others it is quite hard rock. One of the joys of this album is that it is not just possible to deduce what is going to happen next, yet at the same time it does seem to fit together as a whole.

Musea state that the album "is as ambitious in its conception as it is successful in its production" and I wholeheartedly agree with them. Not an album that I thought I was going to enjoy but it is very good indeed.

Originally appeared in Feedback #71, Dec 02

All music here is instrumental with vocals used as instruments. This is one fifty minutes long suite with no letups. The music is a mix of new age, fusion, a lot of Pink Floyd'ish space rock, Russian symph prog and avant-garde. Think Little Tragedies and Karfagen. A bit Fromuz is also present here. There is also a lot of Eastern folk and classical music present here.

The music ebbs and flows throughout with a lot of change of themes along the way. The first part is very Pink Floyd. The final half an hour is much more classical music.

Quality wise, this album is good. There are some great melody lines along this ride and I find this album pleasing, but not great. A good album, nevertheless.

3 stars

First of all, if you can't bear electronic drums, stay away. The whole album is recorded on electronic Yamaha drumkit, so you may guess how drums sound like.That's , probably, the only flaw here - besides, I CAN understand pecularities of Uzbekistan Prog scene and overall "flat" sound of the album doesn't frighten me much, because the music itself is very good. Heavily orchestrated and arranged, it sounds like ELP jamming with DT and MAHAVISHNU...If it'd be only better recorded, it'll recieve far more positive reviews I guess. Highly recommended despite these NON-MUSICAL problems. Check it out

I would like to give it zero stars, but unfortunately I couldn't find the option how to do that. All numbers are absolutely similar to each other, no solos, the drum sounds like a electric synthesizer, there are no guitars (no electric as well as no acoustic, only Bass), no wind instruments.

Anyway, I would like to recommend this record to all Progheads, because I think all we should to know how the Progressive Rock music must not sound like!!!