HIGH WHEEL

So many hyperbolic, vitriolic reviews about legitimate music. This is nice varied, well-played, and if not an utter masterpiece, then a superior genre work by skilled musicians who demonstrate imagination and reflexes within several prog-related subtypes. Less of an overabundance of cliche's than perpetrated by the cliche-makers themselves. Too bad the hard work of dedicated musicians ends up the target of self-appointed connoisseurs and guardians of the gates of Prog with a need to make their judgment superior to the creative efforts of others. Most of us try to keep our envy in check and just enjoy the music, and choose what appeals to us, rather than bash the music and the musician. This one is worth a few bucks and a good listen, and is worthy of wider attention.

In a display of endless inspiration and as the ink on the layouts of the ''1910'' CD's hadn't yet dried, High Wheel ented the Pegasus Musik Studio in Hohenrain to record their second album.The recordings took place between March and June 1994 and all compositions were written by Wolfgang Hierl.The band found also a distribution home on the Rockwerk label and ''Remember the colours'' was released during the second half of 94'.

This work shows a turn of the group towards more refined and polished compositions with an evident, clear symphonic attitude.Actually this collection of ten short and long tracks sounds a lot like the German answer to the rising American band ECHOLYN.GENESIS and GENTLE GIANT appear to be the biggest sources of inspiration of a group, that is not afraid to put powerful rhythmic runs next to laid-back pastoral soundscapes and this time they do it with so much comfort.Excellent multi-vocal arrangements are all over the album, supporting an otherwise very strong musicianship, that contains lovely piano interludes, nostalgic Hammond organs and careful use of synthesizers, far from the excessive display of the 80's and 90's Neo Prog acts.Some tremendous and bombastic guitar moves are surrounding the good keyboard parts and all tracks are full of sudden surprises, sensitive melodies as well as energetic performances with rich and dense instrumental ideas.Lots of mellow acoustic textures with light organs and piano and deep lyrical content keep a very good balance.The three long tracks are definitely in the right direction with strong symphonic and lighter folky influences, containing some great flute parts and a fair amount of shifting moods.On these arrangements High Wheel sound very close to Italians MALIBRAN except the aforementioned ECHOLYN comparison.

''Remember the colours'' is indeed a tasty fruit of 90's Symphonic Rock with blinks both on the past and present.Recommended to all fans of Classic-styled Prog, who love technical brilliance and intricate melodies in their music...3.5 stars.

3.5 for sure

Remember the colours of reality

Second album of this excellent band released in 1994 and named Remember the colours is another worthy album from their catalogue. I was simply shocked how low rated this band is, unbelievable. If their next album There was a stunning album, this is almost there, again captivating moments, solid musicianship and awesome passages. I like it a lot , very under rated and unnoticed band and is a terrible shame to be so, because High Wheel music is very demanding and each pieces show a great potential. Good towards great guitar parts, top notch keyboards, some fascinating flute arrangements, what else a winner for sure. The vocal parts are excellent, specially the choirs are simply amazing. The best track and high lights for me are Open Lines, simply awesome from start to finish, Gear-Wheels, The Four Reasons. So, a good towards great album, not as solid as their next album There but definatly a worth checking out release. I like this band a lot and have a soft spot for them for years. If not totaly essential album, this band for sure must be discovered or re discovered by many as possible listners, one of the top german bands from the '90's in progressive rock zone.

Not a bad album by any means from these Germans.These are fairly straight-forward tracks really that are well done, I just don't know if Prog fans will get too excited over this.The vocals are the weakest link but they are okay.

"Try An Error" starts off in a fantastic way with a great heavy sound and prominant organ. Sadly when the vocals arrive i've lost my enthusiasm. Still the instrumental parts of this track kicks some butt. "The Screamer" is over 12 minutes and divided into three sections. First up is "Before The Raid" with it's atmosphere and gentle guitar as reserved vocals join in. It stays mellow throughout. "Blasted By Screams" like the opening track sounds amazing with the deep bass lines and organ.Vocals come in but they sound better than they did on the first tune. Some nice guitar here too, especially before 2 1/2 minutes when it solos. My favourite track on here. "Silent Room" is back to the atmosphere but it does build as vocals join in. Drums to the fore 3 1/2 minutes in. "Sleepless" opens with strummed guitar as vocals join in. I'm not a fan of his singing when he delivers it in a higher pitch like here.The sound gets fuller. I like when the organ comes in at 4 1/2 minutes. "Void" opens fairly heavily with background synths too as vocals come in. Great sound 2 1/2 minutes in when we get some powerful organ and samples. Unfortunately it ends after 3 1/2 minutes and some weird vocal arrangments come in.

"Dark" opens with flute and acoustic guitar. Some mellow vocals join in. Not a fan. "Blind Archer" is the 10 song epic at 32 minutes. First up is "On The Archer's Hill". I like the guitar intro then heavy bass and drums kick in.Yes ! Great sound here.Vocals a minute in as it continues to be heavy. A top three track for sure. "Harvest" is laid back with solo piano to start. It does get fuller and vocals join in. Some excellent sounding guitar before 5 minutes. "Twisted" is a short piece of less than 2 minutes. Organ and a beat are joined by spacey vocals. Cool track with some flute too. "Intersphere" is heavy with organ,bass and drums standing out.The vocals before a minute are okay but they bring the song down in my opinion. "Man In The Clouds" has some guest violin leading the way. Mournful stuff as fragile vocals join in. It does get fuller as violin and reserved vocals continue. "Globes" is spacey throughout. I like it ! "Strings" is almost funky as sounds dance around the soundscape.Vocals a minute in and there are some GENTLE GIANT-like vocal arrangments here. I think this whole song is inspired by them as well. "Arrows" is kind of epic as the guitar soars.Vocals also soar when they come in. "Hall Of Fame" sounds like the same song as the previous one until it settles back. "Archer" is spacey and atmospheric.

A good album with some brilliant sections in it. Defintely check this out if you can because if you like the vocals I think you will rate this high.

In two words - sheer brilliance

High Wheel is a progressive rock band from Germany releasing so far 4 studio albums and a live one in 2006 since then no one heared any new about this band. I was realy shocked to see how low rated this band is here, and aswell on another couple of sites. Man, I simply can,t belive what ratings and bad reviews has this band, is the world lost intrest in good prog music and become some comercial and fake listner of today. Their third album release in 1997 named simply There is a killer album in my opinion, is a concept piece with 20 tracks divided into 9 parts clocking in at just around 76 minutes, is about a troubled soul who commits suicide and his journey in purgatory meeting diffrent creatures and all that kind of stuff, pretty complex concept, realy, it took me more then 4 listnings to fully appreciated the album. About the music, is one of the most acomplished band I.ve heared in last years, even the album dated from 1997 is very actual and inventive in same time, never boring or unpleasent. The opening track Into Voyage , is an instrumenta killer track near 9 min in length, simply excellent, spacey atmosphere with brilliant song writting and musicicianship, top notch opener, realy solid piece. The title track, There, clocking around 20 min is a monstrous epic piece, one of the best I,ve heared in long time, top-notch progressive gem. Odd time signatures are punctuated by a heavy, complex bass lines. The complex progressive arrangenents flows from soft moments with flute combined with bombastic and heavy elements where the guitar realy shines. These are my fav pieces from the album, a real tought concept to swallow from first listning, but worth to be investigated for sure. Now, the voice of Wolfgang Hierl is the cherry on the cake, the second cherry if you like, the first being instrumental passages. What a fantastic singer, who fits like glove in this kind of music, brilliant performance, diffrent moods almost all the time in his voice make to be one of the most forgotten great singers from the ninetines. Helped in some parts by Kigler and Lobinger as backing vocals, this trio never stop to amze me, having some spectacular a cappella moments, very much like master Gentle Giant in good old times, fantastic church organ interluded with the voices, gives a very special atmosphere. To be short, otherwise this review will be formed from 2000 words or more, but is very hard to make one in just only 100 words, the complexity of the music and lyrics needs much more then that. One of the most underrated bands and specialy this album in the history of prog , realy to give less then at least 3 stars is preatty lame IMO. I can say that is an essential album to have and a prog rock album of the highest calibre, very unnoticed to larger public and very unfairly overlooked by most of serious prog listners. Highly recommended, realy, 4 stars easy, maybe 4.5

VERY SERIOUS PROG ROCK FROM GERMANY,in the vein of RUSH,sometimes ECHOLYN,and with KING CRIMSON influences!This band has only the handicap not to be signed to a major ,but they are so serious and commited o their musical mission,and each audition of any albums of HIGH WHEEL is a pure delightment and enchant for any amateur of very good music made!Pure prog ,with very competent musicians,this third HIGH WHEEL album is their most ambitious to date.Very well defined musical direction and an only little minus,this German accent which may seem not very pleasant for everybody!Long tracks,elaborated passages and stunning instrumental parts,combined in a very pretentious and atrractive form!A concept album has the quality to be a strong and ambitious musical try,with a strong conception and great moments of unleashed imagination!And this is what THERE offers!More then 70 minutes of great German prog .THERE is the kind of album that is listenable from the first note to the last one,discovering a musical crescendo and developing ideas,passing from quite and calm moments to the ones thet are really furious,but with the passion of some young musicians to prove their ambitious musical ideas ina very elevate form!Good production,not so rich but competent technically speaking and some interesting ideas everywhere!4 WELL DESERVED STARS for an ambitious concept album!

HIGH WHEEL's history begins in late-80's ,when Wolfgang Hierl and Erich Kogler set themselves apart from the thrash metal scene and their band ''The Hammers'',searching for more melodic and refined musical paths.Their new project would never become true,if they hadn't met excellent drummer Uli Jenne and after a few rehearsals they decided to form officially a new progressive rock act.With the addition of Andreas Lobinger on keyboards their debut ''1910'' came out in 1993 as a private press,recorded at Tonstudio Rixner near Tegernnsee.

Nothing on this release reminds of a German band,no cosmic music,no obscure synths.HIGH WHEEL sound a lot like an American band influenced by the British giants of the past,close to the likes of AKACIA or GLASS HAMMER with a little GENTLE GIANT throw in for good measure.The album consists of four tracks and three of them are over 11 minutes!There are some beautiful multi-vocal harmonies blended with trully complicated and dark musicianship led by Lobinger's keyboards (like the magnificent and very atmospheric clavinet parts),that bring GENTLE GIANT to mind.Melody is also present through some good guitar passages and decent Hammond organ,something like a hybrid between CAMEL and YES.HIGH WHEEL are most of all a rock band,so expect to hear a few groovy yet progressive rock music,not far from what KANSAS offered two decades ago.A mixed bag of progressive tunes with a lot of space for developing ideas.A recommended album.

This band is often considered to be very much Floyd oriented but I couldn't find too much of this in their debut.

Actually, the music that is available here is rather boring to say the least. The big chunk consists of an ultra long track of about thirty-five minutes (yes, 35). OK it is split into two parts but still.Don't expect any SOYCD of course. There is no vital emotion in here, no vibrant passages, no inspiration. And when it lasts for this long amount of time, I confirm that the experience is not very pleasant.

Vocals are flat, music doesn't show any trace of a fine solo. A long and dull piece of .music? The content of this very long track is empty. Long tracks are fine when the inspiration is so high that the band needs to bring them over in an epic format. '' High Wheel in the Sky'' doesn't fall under this description.

The short ''Conjunction Of Upper Spheres'' is a decent neo-prog song with real connection to any model and the relatively long ''Outside the Circles'' has the same blatant limitations than the epic: lack of inspiration and dull vocals.

I don't like this album very much, it really doesn't speak to me. Two stars.

German proggers High Wheel have been around for quite some time now, and fans will probably appreciate that they after 17 years decided to issue this double live CD.

Their melodic blend of neo-prog and classic melodic rock spiced with elements from metal and prog metal should have a potentially big audience; and as a live act this release documents the band as a tight, experienced live act.

Still, not everything is perfect here - some songs drag on for a bit too long, some have too many changes of style too fast, and some just aren't interesting. For me.

Fans of bands like Spock's Beard, Genesis and neo-prog groups like IQ and Galahad might want to check out this release, especially if they don't mind some harder metal sections to individual songs.

The sound of this group reminds me a bit of other German band Jane (fiery guitar and lots of organ) but High Wheel their vocalist is better and has a less obvious accent. From the very first moment High Wheel plays fluent and powerful featuring great work on the guitar. This man plays strongly in the pure rock tradition, from propulsive riffs and sensitive soli to howling licks and at some moments he totally freaks out like in the long composition There (strong mid-part with compelling duel between guitar and keyboards and some church organ) and the final track Hate Hounds (wah-wah drenched). And in Into Voyage he even plays similar to David Gilmour, wonderful! Most of the 12 songs (2-CD's) have a long running time (mostly between 10 and 30 minutes) but High Wheel succeeds to keep the attention with lots of flowing and tasteful shifting moods, from dreamy with soaring keyboards and acoustic guitar (The Screamer) and moving with organ (High Wheel In The Sky Part Two) to bombastic with fluent synthesizer flights (The Four Reasons). High Wheel doesn't make very refined or surprising prog but for sure they sound dynamic and inspired!

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