PALLAS

Pallas is a british neo prog band who for many years were in the shadows of big names like Marillion, IQ or Pendragon in the '80's. While thir music is a good ex of how must sounds neo prog, they always seams not to gain so many aplauses as the rest of their country fellows, wonder why???. The cross and the crucible is their fifth album from 2001 and a very good one. With this album Pallas manage to come from behind and even to beat some bands well known from this subgenre. The neo prog they offer here is very well done, where the voice of Alan Reed goes hand in hand with the rest of the instruments. The musicianship on some pieces is top notch , like on title track, a nearly 10 min of high class neo prog, the best track from here without doubt, and one of thier better pieces from all the career, and Midas Touch - another smotth piece that shows Palls mean bussines in this genre, the rest of the pieces are ok. So, a good album that will please many fans of the band snd of neo prog in general, not quite close to a masterpiece, but a worthy release for sure. The cross and the crucible desearve 3 stars, and the reputation of this band must goes a little higher then is today, only because of this album and a fiew more from the past. Intristing band that will have a lot more to say in the future.

I came close to awarding 5 stars to this superb, outstanding work of art, but after reflecting on those albums I think are deserving 5 stars, I finally had to settle, with regret, for 4 stars for The Dreams of Men.

First, this is almost entirely a neo-prog album, yet one that I think will be remembered as a milestone in the sense that it elevated the genre to a new standard in many regards.

On the first listening, I immediately loved tracks 1 (The Bringer of Dreams), 3 (Ghostdancers) and 8 (Invincible). The Bringer of Dreams opens with the most beautiful intro that I can remember of on any album - a full two minutes of keyboard solo reminiscent of a cathedral organ greeting you into a mysterious place to which you owe the utmost respect.

The delicious Ghostdancers track cannot, I sincerely think, let anyone indifferent, prog lover or not. Mixing celtic and primitive elements, it needs no further comment as I think this song makes its case in and of itself on the very first listening, even for someone who usually needs more time before getting into an album or a song.

At this point, it is perhaps necessary for me to explain that my 4 stars rating is based on my assessment that this album features 4 songs that I rank as remarkable (tracks 1, 3, 8 and 9) as well as another that I happen to like very much but might not be progressive enough to some (track 7, Mr. Wolfe). So technically, an album with virtually no weak point and featuring as many as 4 songs worthy of 5 stars seems to me very close to being an essential. But whereas the album does not really have really weak points, it does have 4 songs that leave me more or less indifferent. Thus, obviously, this album is an excellent addition to any prog lover's collection, but perhaps not a masterpiece of the genre. But then again, I am to give 5 stars ratings quite sparingly.

So track 2, Warriors, provides energy to the early stages of the album and showcases Pallas musical proficiency, but the song lacks on the melodical side and its verse-chorus structure is not very original.

After Ghostdancers, the album continues with the more complex Too Close to the Sun, which in my opinion has some interesting moments, especially right before the song ends, but lacks a clear purpose or cohesion. No interesting melody here either.

Tracks 5 and 6, to me, are good enough to be listened to, like tracks 2 and 4, but still not enough to leave a lasting impression. They mostly seem like an interlude before what is to come, and the waiting is well worth it.

Mr. Wolfe is a somewhat simple song, and short, but I just happen to like everything about it, from its up tempo feeling to the voices and lyrics, and then to the chorus lines.

Invincible actually reminds me of Forgotten Sons on Marillion's Script for a Jester's Tear, although with different melodies and a more modern sound. The powerful finale, especially the "Break my will, steal my pride, as long as you are by my side - I'm invincible..." got totally into me.

The Dreams of Men closes with the peaceful, operaesque and delicious The Last Angel, slowly building up into something very different than what it started but without the listener even noticing it.

Overall, The Dreams of Men was one of my latest best surprises. I simply did not expect to get something that good out of a new Pallas album. Moreover, unlike many progressive works, it does not require many listenings before one can enjoy its many virtues. If you enjoy neo-prog and do not require from your albums that the whole running time be of 5 stars quality and can settle for, say, 70%, then you must seriously consider this classic in the becoming.

Also worthy of note, nice booklet, cover and disc design...

For the greater glory

This great DVD captures Pallas performing live in the new millennium. With the exception of The Big Bang and Generations, their then new album The Cross And The Crucible is performed in its entirety. This excellent album - my favourite Pallas album, in fact - works very well in both studio and live environment and the performance stays fairly close to the original studio version. However, the performance of the album is broken up into two parts with a series of older songs in the middle. Here we are treated to the excellent title track from Beat The Drum as well as the beautiful piano ballad Blood And Roses from the same album plus a few songs from the 80's. The encore consists of a significant portion of Pallas' first studio album, The Sentinel, from the early 80's which is one of the seminal Neo-Prog albums. The set list is so much in line with my personal Pallas tastes that I could have chosen it myself! These songs performed here pretty much represent the best of Pallas, in my opinion.

Could you go wrong with such a set list? Well, not really. But this DVD is not perfect. The vocals of Alan Reed are very good, but I have the same problem with this live recording as with the studio albums by Pallas, namely that the vocals are too low in the mix. I have no idea what it sounded like at the night of the performance, but on the DVD the vocals are slightly buried behind the wall of guitars and keyboards. This is not a major problem, however. On the piano based ballad Blood And Roses, Reed's vocals are clear and very good. Some of the spoken introductions to some songs, on the other hand, are impossible to hear unless you are well versed in the Scottish language.

The last two songs are sung by a guest, Pallas' old singer from the time of The Sentinel, and he is a much more theatrical person compared to Alan Reed. I'm not very fond of theatrics and it does tend to get a bit silly on The Ripper. Still, it does not distract too much from the music.

The performance is energetic throughout and it is clear that they are having fun on stage and in the audience too. They may not be the most charismatic performers in the world with the drummer and keyboard player being rather laid back and the lead guitarist hiding behind his long hair for most of the show. The bassist and the lead singer are the front figures of the band often sharing vocal duties. The DVD is very well put together and has some short bonus interviews and nice art work (no booklet, though). Despite some minor flaws, this is an excellent live DVD.

Highly recommended!

Time to dream!

This album is the third in a trio of recent albums by Pallas (before these three albums there was a gap of some 12 years from their first batch of albums). Let me start by saying that all three of these albums are very good and very well worth having. But while many consider The Dreams Of Men to be the best out of the three, I am not quite as convinced about its merits as many of my fellow reviewers. For me Pallas peaked with the consistently excellent The Cross And The Crucible which is the better album in my opinion. Deciding between The Dreams Of Men and Beat The Drum is more difficult, however, as both albums contain some truly inspiring songs. Since I gave Beat The Drum three stars, that will be my rating here as well.

On the first couple of listens, I immediately liked the great opening track The Bringer Of Dreams and the wonderful Ghostdancers. But I found, at least initially, that the rest of the album did not live up to the high standards set by these two songs. However, even if I still find some minor flaws and slightly irritating moments on some of the other songs (and even if The Bringer Of Dreams and Ghostdancers still are my two favourite tracks here), The Dreams Of Men grew on me a lot over further listens. Like many Prog albums, it took some time and effort to get into it.

The Dreams Of Men is a concept album based on just that - men's dreams. However, it is a much looser concept compared to the previous The Cross And The Crucible and it is not at all the lyrical masterpiece that album was. However, there are some fine lyrics here as well.

One thing that strikes me while listening to this album is that the music seems to be almost tailor-made for the preferences of the people on this site; long songs, symphonic sound, instrumental workouts, keyboard solos, etc. All the characteristic ingredients of (Neo-) Progressive rock are here. You might suspect that the band worked hard to avoid potential criticisms of not being progressive enough (I have seen such criticisms being lodged against Beat The Drum and The Cross And The Crucible). My initial response to some of the passages on some of the songs was that maybe they are trying too hard; maybe they are moving outside of their comfort zone just to please the (Neo-) Prog community?; maybe they are applying a formula that is not truly their own? However, this negative feeling tended to fade with further listens. Pallas is still one of the most original Neo-Prog bands in my opinion, but I think that their own identity came to its right better on the previous two albums.

Another thing that strikes me is the broad array of influences. I can detect influences from World Music, New Age, Metal, Folk, etc. Some unusual sounds (compared to earlier Pallas albums) are heard here; we have fiddle on a couple of songs, a Gospel Choir, a traditional Native American singer, a female Opera singer and more! Some of these sounds work better than others. The inclusion of a fiddle on The Bringer Of Dreams and Ghostdancers appeared to be to be something of a masterstroke. It really works to great effect to enhance these songs, especially the latter. This superb, folky song is about the European emigration to America and its consequences on the Native American people. The song ends with a beautiful, short, traditional Native American a cappella vocal that really lends atmosphere to the song. This blending of traditional musical influences from both sides of the Atlantic (Britain and America) is quite brilliant and really fits with the theme of the song.

Bringer Of Dreams features all the Pallas trademarks and one of the best instrumental breaks the band has ever done which is introduced by Alan Reed whispering 'time to dream!' - possibly the most memorable line of the whole album. The album continues with Warriors which starts with a rather simplistic guitar riff that is hardly original. It sounds rather like the kind of simple riff that aspiring guitarists will learn first. However, the verses and chorus of the song are among the finest in the Pallas catalogue and make the song overall very strong.

Too Close To The Sun brings the band closer to typical (Neo-) Prog territory and is a very varied song that took some time to sink in. Messiah features the clichéd line 'I'm walking the walk, I'm talking the talk' as well as a short guitar passage that is strongly reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix! Is it perhaps a deliberative quote? This song also features a Gospel choir, all this in the same track. I have started to like this one too, but it is probably my least favourite on the album together with Mr. Wolfe.

Northern Star is a lovely, relaxing, New-Age-like guitar instrumental. Considered on its own merits it is perhaps not very interesting. It is just the kind of thing that Steve Howe, Mike Oldfield, Steve Morse and many others has been making in large quantities. However, this little instrumental becomes a perfect interlude between the surrounding, harder edged songs. With Mr. Wolfe Pallas almost enters Metal territory and they seem to be rather comfortable there and it sounds rather good, but there is nothing to make this track really stand out from the crowd. The riff on which the song is based reminds me slightly of the riff from Dream Theater's Never Enough from their Octavarium album.

Invincible continues partly in the Metal mode, this time with some slightly more aggressive bits. Here I find that Pallas, especially Alan Reed's vocals, are moving slightly outside of their comfort zone, but they mange to bring it all together in the end. While I strongly agree with the moral sentiments of the lyrics, I think that the line 'it's my life and you can't have it!' is being repeated at least one time too many.

The Last Angel finally slows things down and is a kind of symphonic, operatic semi-ballad. It has a lovely melody and an excellent vocal performance from Alan Reed. The first part reminds me of U2, but it builds towards a more symphonic sound and is then handed over to the female Opera singer to change the nature of the song. I find the song to be perhaps a little bit too long for its own good, but otherwise a fine closer and one of the album's better songs together with the first three or four tracks. But while this is the song on this album that comes closest to being a ballad, I really miss a genuine ballad on The Dreams Of Men like Who's To Blame from The Cross And The Crucible and Blood & Roses from Beat The Drum.

With a running time of well over an hour, I find this whole album slightly too long for its own good. It is a common mistake in the age of the compact disc to put too much material on an album. Some of the songs could probably have been shortened slightly. But despite its few flaws - mostly concentrated to the middle of the album - The Dreams Of Men is still a very good album. Like with Beat The Drum - which also contained some really excellent songs - I wanted to give this four stars, but these albums are not quite there.

This review is starting to get absurdly long now, so I better end it by saying that I am very happy to have discovered this great Scottish band and that their three latest albums are all very enjoyable!

Spirits and ghosts

Like several other Neo-Progressive bands, Pallas too has produced their best material in more recent years. In Pallas' case it is with a trio of very good albums starting with this one from the late 90's and continuing with The Cross And The Crucible and The Dreams Of Men in the new millennium. Since Beat The Drum was Pallas' first album in 12 years, it was probably hard - even for the band's fans - to really know what to expect from them after all that time. For many of us though, the band's more recent string of albums was our first exposure to the band. And for me, not being a fan of the Neo-Progressive genre in general, I was positively surprised. My usual problem with Neo-Prog bands - that they are too derivative and stay too close to other bands (most often 80's Marillion and 70's Genesis) - is not a problem I have with Pallas, at least not all of the time. This band has a sound of their own and the very good vocals of Alan Reed have a distinctive quality and he is never trying to sound like Fish or Peter Gabriel or anyone else.

The album starts out strongly with two of its best songs. Call To Arms grabbed my attention quickly and the title track, with its excellent verses and memorable chorus stuck in my head. The lyrics are often thoughtful and reflective. The following two songs, however, are closer to that typical Neo-Prog sound and Hide & Seek features a distinct 80's flavour that is distracting somewhat from the interesting mood that was set with the first two tracks. All Or Nothing, despite having very nice verses, has a pretty awful chorus. This is just too catchy and melodic for my taste.

The atmospheric Spirits finally brings us back to the more substantial and reflective mood again. However, this song also features a repetitive drum loop that becomes a bit tedious after a while. I don't like drum machines, and despite an excellent vocal and some lovely bagpipes at the end of the song, these make the music sound a bit sterile to my ears. This song might remind you of Mike Oldfield.

Man Of Principle is again an up tempo 80's flavoured Pop Rocker that I don't care too much for. Ghosts is possibly the most progressive song on Beat The Drum, but it is not the best. With a running time of well over an hour, there are moments towards the end of the album when it becomes hard for Pallas to keep the listener's full attention. It is a common mistake in the age of the compact disc to put too much material on an album. In my opinion there are a couple of songs here that could have been left off the album in order to make the album more concise and engaging. The lovely piano ballad Blood & Roses is somewhat lost on these tired ears so far into the album, and the closer Fragments Of The Sun is not strong enough to bring the album to the conclusion it would deserve.

Overall, Beat The Drum is a very enjoyable album with mostly good songs and a couple of excellent ones. It would however be first with their next album, The Cross And The Crucible, that Pallas would really make an excellent album.

"How can these mighty opponents be reconciled?"

Despite the fact that the opening track of this excellent Neo-Progressive album is called The Big Bang, it certainly does not open with a bang. At first I did not understand the point of this very discrete opening sequence, but now I find it quite brilliant. As the title implies it is about the big bang. Make sure you play this loud otherwise the quiet, discrete vocal will pass you by; 'From a single point of light, the universe began'. Talk about taking the bigger perspective on things! The theme of this album is about as far away from the typical themes of conventional Rock and Pop as you could possibly come! Yet, while on paper it might sound pretentious, it does not come across that way at all. Rather, I find this profound and deeply reflective.

The title track also begins very quietly, but the powerful bass line that enters about one minute into the track finally breaks the stillness with a bang. We are now treated to a full on band with howling guitars and powerful symphonic keyboards over propulsive bass lines and dramatic choir vocals. All this becomes all the more powerful in contrast with the very quiet opening of the album. This song features an excellent lyric that continues the theme of the first; 'In the beginning there was Darkness, and in the Darkness there was Fear, and Fear gave birth to God, whose rule was harsh but clear. But reason led to questioning and God became a man, he retreated to the skies, though some began a search to comprehend the universe, the men of God screamed out - you must not question why!' Utterly brilliant!

This song also features possibly the most memorable line of the whole album: 'How can these mighty opponents be reconciled?' - the opponents in question being reason and religion, the conflict between which constitutes the overarching theme of the whole album. But as with all great conceptual albums, the individual songs do not stay too close to the theme, allowing them to express something each on their own too.

The vocals are fragile yet powerful and have a unique tone. On the first couple of listens I thought the vocals were to low in the mix, but I now suspect that this might be intentional and it does not bother me any more - provided I play this loud! (which is probably the way the band intended it to be played). Though, I strongly recommend following the lyrics on a lyric sheet while listening to the music, because it is often very difficult to hear clearly what Alan Reed is singing. This is especially true given that these lyrics contain some words that probably never have been used before in a Rock context! After all, how often do you use the word 'crucible' in everyday speech? Or make a reference to the Dogon tribe of Africa? Or use the expression 'promethian fire'?

I have seldom found such potent and effective lyrics and this clearly gives the impression that the lyrics were written first and the music was composed to fit the theme rather than the other way around. I don't know if this is how they did it, but it comes across that way.

The hard rocking For The Greater Glory, and the acoustic ballad Who's To Blame also feature lyrical passages that will either make you think or make you cry, or both! Towers Of Babble and Midas Touch are among the longest tracks of the album and perhaps the ones that comes closest to the typical Neo-Prog sound with slightly more theatrical vocals, keyboard solos and nice guitar work. Otherwise, I think that Pallas has their very own sound that is not very similar to other bands. My usual problem with Neo-Progressive bands - that they are too derivative and stay too close to other bands (most often 80's Marillion and 70's Genesis) - is thus not a problem I have with Pallas.

Generations is a more conventional song both lyrically and musically, but within the context of the other songs, this too gains a deeper meaning that it would not have had standing on its own, I think. The album closes with Celebration, which indeed sound a bit like one!

To sum up, The Cross And The Crucible is a great album with truly intelligent lyrics, quite distinctive vocals and very good musicianship. It both requires and deserves repeated listens. This is clearly one of my favourite albums in (the otherwise not too favoured) Neo-Progressive category.

Highly recommended!

With Euan Lowson departed and new frontman singer Alan Reed filling in the former's shoes with a more technical approach at singing, Pallas went headlong for a continuation of a progressive musical vision well instilled in the sonorities that were becoming more and more abundant in the British/European pop and rock scenarios from the mid 80s onwards. By that I'm referring to the use of explicitly polished melodic ideas and an abundant utilization of synthetic ambiences and ornaments. A fine example of this, regarding the major development of the band's compositional imagination at the time, is encapsulated in the majestic 'Dance Through the Fire'. Its mysterious woodwind intro and its sophisticated catchiness make it a perfect opener (for the "Wedge" tracklist), and why not, a perfect closing song too (this CD puts it in the penultimate position, an anti-climatic mistake, if you ask me). 'Stranger', on the other hand, could only be an opener: the opening chorale word, and its Asia- meets-Toto-meets-80s Queen mood bears an irresistible drive that almost makes it a prog guilty pleasure. This song and other two, 'Sanctuary' and 'Nightmare', come from the "Knightmoves" EP. 'Sanctuary' has got to be one of the most brilliant compositions ever in the Pallas catalogue: this piece somewhat recaptures the overwhelming epic momentum of the "The Sentinel" concept, developed in a more mature set of instrumental arrangements and an irresistible escalade toward the grand finale. If only 75% of this tracklist were like this! 'Nightmares' is also great, building on the creepy side of Pallas (perhaps for the last time), even featuring a fabulous synth solo by an ever- inspired Ronnie Brown. The "The Wedge" doesn't come out as impressive, despite its obvious highlights. One of them has already been mentioned - other ones are 'Executioner' (with its controlled use of dramatic variations), 'Just a Memory' (bearing an eeriness that makes the patent melancholy almost tangible), and of course, the mini-epic 'Ratracing', owner of a moving power properly enhanced by strategic mood shifts and occasional unusual signatures. 'Throwing Stones at the Wind' is a clever while not brilliant AOR-ish tune, while 'Win or Lose' turns out to be a pleasant ballad. For Pallas at their most AOR-ish, there is 'Imagination', catchy yet not special at all. I find 'Dinosaur' more enjoyable, but it wasn't included in either "Knightmoves" or "The Wedge", so. that's how it is. All in all, you can tell that the band feels more confident performance-wise, and that includes the constant couplings of Reed and Murray's vocals for each and every song. Additionally, songs like 'Sanctuary', 'Ratracing' and 'Just a Memory' show the presently decadent Yes and Genesis how you can still make good prog rock in the 80s, while 'Nightmare' and 'Executioner' rival the plastic-oriented grandeur of 82-87 Rush. It is true that the renewing fresh airs brought in by Reed didn't catch Pallas at their creative prime, but patience will pay off later with the band's releases in the 90s and the 2000s (their best era, in my opinion), but that's a story for another review. Regarding this item that comprises "The Wedge" and "Knightmoves", here we get a nice repertoire of melodic neo-prog with lots of hints at AOR and hard rock, and also some bits of progressive grandeur Pallas-style. Not great, not essential, but certainly good and with traces of the better future to come (from the "Beat the Drum" album onwards).

During their pre-historic era (pre-historic meaning the time before the release of their debut oficial album "The Sentinel"), this powerful neo-prog quintet from Scotland named Pallas had been building a solid repertoire (mostly filled with epic and dramatic compositions) and a fan base in many of the same small and medium venues that also welcomed acts such as Marillion, IQ, Twelfth Night, Abel Ganz and Pendragon (.and others). Well, the main input of Pallas consisted of a robust combination of hard rocking drive and ambitious melodic developments, stating a connection between the symphonic colors of Yas/Genesis and the heavier side of art-rock (Deep Purple, Rush), plus modern touches of what then used to be techno/new-wave and Goth rock. Truth is this Goth element can be noticed in some dense guitar riffs here and there, but mostly it was present in Euan Lowson's persona, whose peculiar vocal range (a limited yet effective mix of "baritonized Ozzy" and "Gabrielized Paul Di'Anno") and theatrical deliveries became an essential element of this adolescent Pallas. This is particularly true for the Amazing 'The Ripper', but we'll get at it later. "Arrive Alive" is the name of their first full length recording before the accomplishment of a proper recording contract. and it consists of 2 demos and 4 live tracks. This digital version brings an extra amount of 3 bonus tracks, all demoed - the sound quality is irregular and amateurish, but this CD reveals a somewhat improved sound mix. The title track opens up the album in a primitive form, a bit meandering but owning a sense of rocking power. It catches the listener's attention easily (or it should, anyway.). The album moves on with the first epic track, '5 to 4', based on long thematic developments and featuring a menacing mellotron (or Novatron?) in some strategic places. The abundant utilization of a slow 6/8 tempo makes the sense of menace work efficiently. It is in track 3, the anthological 'Queen of the Deep', that the band's melodic creativity begins to show in full splendor. With its synthesizer fanfare of Celtic allusions and its robust instrumental amalgam, the stage is set for a display of epic feelings and pompous colors in a typically progressive framework. It also comprises a lovely languid interlude that provides an air of ethereal mystery to the fold. An excellent neo gem, indeed! 'Flashpoint' intends to be as catchy as 'Arrive Alive', and it also finds the band indulging in a punchy jam that includes what are arguably the best Matthewson lead phrases in the entire album: 'Flashpoint' is hard rock a-la Rainbow with a symphonic rock guise. Now, here comes this other absolute gem of Pallas' pre-history: 'The Ripper'!! It is a 14+ minute journey to the sadistic mind of a serial killer, portraying his love for the rape and destruction of women's bodies as rooted in a horrible Oedipical sickness. The instrumental scheme states a powerful confluence of Goth-oriented terror, heavy psychedelia and Black Sabbathian metal in a progressive frame that evokes a sort of "Alice Cooper-ish" Genesis. Go figure! I won't even describe the tortured screams right near the end, where the horror of the female victim and the pleasure of the inner child mingle in one passion. Listen to the CD. and go figure! So sick that it can't help being lovely. Let's move on, shall we?... The album's official tracklist ends with yet another Pallas classic: 'Crown of Thorns', a song with similar epic intentions but a more spiritual tendency. This is Pallas at their most majestic for their pre-"Sentinel" era: the quintet is really headlong for the preservation of the legacies of Yes, Genesis and, why not, a bit of Uriah Heep. The bonus tracks are varied enough to show a band really concerned about bringing a clever eclecticism to art-rock: 'Paris Is Burning' is a well constructed semi-ballad with Chanson Nouveau allusions and a brief climax before the end; 'The Hammer Falls' starts on a very reflective mood until the 1'30" mark, when the band shifts to an extroverted ambience not too far from the sort of colorfulness we have found in 'Crown of Thorns'. Finally, 'Stranger on the Edge of Time' finds the band incorporating a stitch of Ultravox-related sonorities, albeit never giving up on the artsy element. A light-hearted closure for a very interesting item of neo-prog: this is Pallas showing off as a talented progressive adolescent headed for a maturity just around the corner. 2.75 stars for sound quality and production, 4 stars for the compositional skills delivered in the 6 official tracks, 4.15 stars for the energy... all in all, a 4 star rating for this one sounds OK for me.

The debut album from these Scottish proggers are regarded as a classic album in this genre. Maybe so...

This album is almost divided into two parts. The pop like songs and the serious symphonic like stuff. The album opens with some pretty lighthearted (music wise) pop like songs like Arrive Alive and Cut & Run. These tracks reminds me a lot about the first SAGA album and the 1980s British pop scene. Not good memories and these tracks makes me cringe. The quality picks up with the March On Atlantis song. This is much more symphonic and proper neo-prog. Still pretty much SAGA, but still good. The following songs are decent too. The best song on this album is Atlantis which is bordering to symphonic prog. The song is majestic, pretty complex and epic. The same can also be said about the closing song Ark Of Infinity. These three songs (March On Atlantis, Atlantis and Ark Of Infinity) is great songs. The rest of the album is at best pretty good.

I would compare this album to SAGA, the Brit pop from the 1980s and RUSH. This album sounds a bit dated today, despite being one of these classic neo prog albums. But this is still a good album.

3 stars

A dream prog album

Pallas's latest release at time of writing is a magnificent effort, and undoubtedly their most accomplished work to date. After the superb "The cross and the crucible", Pallas took a further 4 years to complete "The dreams of men", which was released in 2005. As the title suggests, the loose concept of the album is the aspirations of mankind, thus allowing the band to draw in a number of disparate specific themes.

With nine lengthy tracks in total, the album offers a fine diversity of sounds. The opening "The bringer of dreams", which serves as a lyrical overture of sorts, has a symphonic, quasi-classical sound, the 10 minute piece only truly revealing itself towards its climactic ending.

"Warrior" deals with darker matters such as terrorism and suicide attacks. Musically, the piece is heavier than we are perhaps used to from Pallas, leaning towards metal at times. There is however a fine instrumental core to the track which offers a counterpoint to the hard main riff. A couple of tracks feature the violin playing of Paul Anderson, the most obvious being the delightful intro to "Ghostdancers". The song deals sensitively with the mass migration from Europe (and specifically Scotland) to the Americas. The lyrics examine the contrast between the success of the immigrants in their new home with the less favourable impact they had on the native population over time. The song is immensely powerful both lyrically and in terms of the anthemic nature of the music. The guitar work of Niall Mathewson is particularly moving here.

"Too close to the sun" is a truly progressive affair, running to over 11 minutes and featuring complex time signatures which change with great frequency. There are elements of Yes, ELP, Pendragon and so forth, the results being a highly rewarding and refreshingly challenging number.

"Messiah", which looks at the egos and strategies of world leaders, is a straightforward pop rock orientated number. There are hints of Peter Gabriel in the slightly funky melody, the song almost being a potential single. "Northern star" offers a delightful counterpoint to all the power and bravado which surrounds it. This largely acoustic instrumental is very much in the "Local hero" vein, painting a picture of home as seen from far away.

The power returns with a vengeance for "Mr Wolfe", a piece which sets out with all the pomp of early ELP before developing into a Fish era Marillion like number with an irresistible instrumental section. The album ends with a couple more epic numbers, both running to over 10 minutes. "Invincible" remains in the disturbing territories of "Mr Wolfe", describing resistance to a "1984" like totalitarian society. There are times here when Alan Reed sounds like Ian Gillan(!), the track as a whole having a menacing atmosphere. As the song moves towards its climax, it takes on an Arena like identity, the guitar and vocals driving things ever higher against a magnificent keyboards wall of sound.

The album closes with "The last angel", which features the guest vocals of Pandy Arthur alongside Reed's. After a delicate start, the song once again builds into a fine piece of symphonic prog with a superb structure and arrangement. The inclusion of Arthur is something of a master stroke as she turns out to be an operatic style vocalist. The album thus concludes in a truly awesome and overpoweringly emotional crescendo.

In all, a quite remarkable album which sees Pallas continuing to develop their magnificent brand of epic prog. It is stunning to think just how far the band have come from since the days of "Arrive alive". "The dreams of men" is thus far their crowning achievement.

The "Special edition" of the album includes a second disc replete with remixes, additional tracks and other deleted scenes. Overall, the atmosphere of the second disc is somewhat more ambient, especially when it comes to the work in progress pieces.