ZEN

Zen - this unknown band for many prog listners, but for sure needs attention. They came from Italy and releases one album in 1997. First impression was a good one remind me of Helloween (Michael Kiske era) on voice sometimes Andrea Polidoro is one on one with Kiske, and instrumental parts are sometimes close to Conception, Kamelot, Stratovarius and Helloween but with more keys added. Anyway these influences doesn't botter at all the album sounds very strong, with time signatures and vocal parts of the highest calibre. They change wery smooth the heavier parts with the mellow ones, delivering a strong prog metal album. Some intristing and in the same time very well played pieces are:Water can cover the next - the longest track from here and 137.999-Welcome to Zuffenhousen, the rest are also good. So finaly an excellent addition to any prog music collection worth to have this band in mind because they desearve it. 3.5 rounded to 4

Excellent!!!! I think they bring something new in a quite standard genre...they seem Dream Theater and Helloween in some passages....the singer Andrea Polidori is really closed to Kiske!!! I speak not this way because he had lived near to me for 20 years...:-))))