CAST

While ''Sounds of Imagination'' holds strong similarities with the band's debut ''Landing in a Serious Mind'', the tracks are more conveincing and definitely fully symphonic-oriented, containing nice arrangements, proggy breaks and fine instrumental themes.Again GENESIS and MARILLION are the most obvious influences and the album offers twelve satisfying compositions with great keyboard parts and sufficient guitar work.A few of them still present a bit of AOR-oriented vibes in the vein of SAGA, especially in the synth parts, but even these are exposed with a very symphonic and grandiose approach.The vocals of Dino Brassea are theatrical, expressive and intense, much in the vein of FISH, and the music offers some really interesting moments, based on smooth TONY BANKS-like organ themes, careful guitar melodies, deep synthesizers.And while the album lacks any kind of monster compositions, the truth is that all of them are far from weak and often even flirt with the top-notch level.

Great second round by Cast.Smooth and well-developed Neo/Symphonic Prog with emphasis on keyboards, an album of decent value for all fans of the style.Warmly recommended.

IMO the best prog album from a Mexican band, IMAGINARY WINDOW makes me proud of being Mexican too. "Moving Universe", instrumental, with a nice flute work, starts joyfully, full of happiness, with a glorious feeling of plenty, and then changes to a dynamic symphonic prog rock, then to a psychespace hypnotic blues very intense. It continues changing and changing, masterfully, brilliantly, virtuosic, like the best progressive bands of the world!.

"Alter Ego" has vocals and flute too. All the singing in the album is in English with a good accent, so don´t worry about the language. This is more like a heavy neoprog song.

"A Blossom in the Spring" is a slow symphonic prog song that sounds a little like GENESIS or better, like the slow songs of AD INFINITUM or PFM.

"Dawn" is a dynamic instrumental prog song with many tempo changes, syncopated time signatures, well, you know, very proggy.

"Simple Things" (it´s not Carol King's song of the same name) sounds like those piano slow songs by ELP excepting for the voice. A very pretty song. It has so many chords in it that it also sounds like GENESIS.

"Snail" is like classical music, sweet and tender.

"Around and Around" begins fast and complex. It reminds me of the fast passages of "A Passion Play". After that, with the voice, the song changes to something like THE FLOWER KINGS, or something. A lot of changes, very symphonic, very progressive.

"Dessert Rainbows", the shortest song, is a keyboards only piece, with a MOZART feeling on it, that combines baroque, classical and jazzy moods.

"Cotton Dreams" starts like the JETHRO TULL of the recent times, and then it turns into a pastoral (not sure what it means, hope I'm not wrong) soft song, like soft MARILLION or AD INFINITUM.

I don't have enough words to describe "Imaginary Window" or "Where's the Light". All I can say is that those are epic, long songs, 100% symphonic prog of the first class, with every single thing you can expect from an excellent prog band. They're amaaaaazzziiing!!!

Well that's it. I tried to be objective, not emotional. And I've never been a fanboy of CAST, but this album is breathtaking. I'm still surprised. I didn't know that we had this caliber of music in my country!

Four round stars!

The first 5 tracks are from that 1998 concert and it totals in at around 42 minutes. Most of the songs featured from that event were from their "Beyond Reality" album.The final track from that event given here is a drum solo. I'm not big on these but I enjoyed this one.Next up is "Run In The Rain" recorded at an event in Mexico. A laid back tune for the most part with lots of piano. Disc One ends with another "ProgDay" concert track from Chapel Hill but this one's from 1996. An almost 20 minutes tune called "Echoes", no not that one ! This one is a ride. Great track.

Disc Two is more varied I suppose with 10 tracks from concerts as far away as Quebec, Canada to Panama as well as Spain, including concert tracks from the USA and Mexico. My favourite song on this recording is "Static Dreams" from their "Third Call" album recorded in California in 1997. I like the atmosphere with flute and other sounds early on.The tempo picks up and I like the vocals here the best of all the songs.The guitar cries out after 7 minutes.

Certainly if your a fan of CAST this is a must as it will give you live versions of many of their excellent early tunes. I didn't enjoy this as much as I did some of their later studio albums but it's a good release.

"Ladrona De Suenos (Part I)" is a top three track. An interesting tune with almost operatic vocals early on. I like when the sound picks up before 3 1/2 minutes. "The 911 Suite Part I" opens with atmosphere as fragile vocals join in. Piano after 2 minutes when the vocals stop. It's still pastoral until it kicks in before 4 minutes.Vocals a minute later.This is good. It settles after 8 minutes with reserved vocals before kicking back in late. "The 911 Suite Part II" is an uptempo instrumental. "The 911 Suite Part III" has the same sound they just slow it down some. "Volando En Uno Mismo" is a top three. A jazzy mode here with flute. It picks up after a minute with the guitar out front. It settles back again with flute leading as contrasts continue. "Suicio Nino Bien Part I" is pastoral with vocals. It picks up after 2 minutes but the tempo continues to change. "Suicio Nino Bien Part II" has some prominant horns part way through.

"Dias De Col Y Lux" has some female vocals this time but male vocals too. Flute and piano help out early. "Ladrona De Suenos Part II" features some atmosphere with laid back vocals and keys. "Ladrona De Suenos Part III" kicks in right away as spoken words then sax join in. Flute 2 1/2 minutes in. "Un Siglo De Invierno Part I" is mellow with flute and bass to start. Drums after a minute then it kicks in after 2 1/2 minutes. Nice. Guitar comes to the fore after 4 minutes. "On La Cueva Y El Bosque" has a classical vibe before turning Celtic then back to classical. Not a fan. "Reunion 2003" opens with acoustic guitar,percussion and flute. Piano then vocals follow. "Bojarasca" is mellow while the closer "Extension" is also a pleasant track with some nice guitar and horns.

Another good album that fails to get that 4 star rating. 3.5 stars.

"Viajero Inmovil" has this drum / keyboard intro that is fairly aggressive as sax joins in. Killer sound here. It changes completely though 1 1/2 minutes in when it settles.The tempo does continue to shift though. Good tune. "Jerezcali (Pueblo De Dos Mundos)" has an orchestral vibe as sounds also pulse. A calm after 1 1/2 minutes then the piano leads followed by vocals. It does get fuller as vocals continue. Synths swirl after 6 minutes. "Encrucijada" is a long 17 1/2 minute instrumental. Piano to start then it turns heavier quickly. Horns before 2 minutes start to come and go. It settles with piano before 8 minutes then it picks up again with piano still leading. It's heavier again before 13 minutes. "Lamento Del Gato" is fairly powerful to start then it settles back some after 2 minutes. It settles even more after 3 1/2 minutes then reserved vocals join in. Flute too.Good song. "Damajuana" is an instrumental that ends disc one. Piano melodies to start then flute and a beat arrive before a minute. Other sounds join in. Not a bad track.

Disc Two begins with "Vionto".This is mellow with fragile vocals, flute, piano and a beat. "El Puente" opens with piano and a beat. Guitar starts to lead before 3 minutes then it backs off some as keyboards and drums help out. Piano only before 6 1/2 minuites then reserved vocals join in. It does pick up but the tempo continues to shift. Some prominant vocal melodies come and go late then soaring guitar ends it. "La Bellesta" is piano only really until around 4 minutes when the flute and vocals help out. "Ensamble Al-Maya" opens with percussion as guitar joins in. It's heavier around 3 1/2 minutes. "Ansia, Angustia Desesperacion" is a fairly powerful instrumental song to end the recording. It does settle 4 1/2 minutes in then the guitar comes in as it picks back up.

This is a really good recording and in my opinion one of their best.

"Castopolis" builds then settles in.The guitar solos for a while then the flute leads 3 minutes in.The guitar is back late. "Movieland" is keyboard led and the tempo picks up around 3 minutes followed by guitar.Vocals 6 minutes in for the first time. "Yuridia" opens with piano and atmosphere as fragile vocals join in.This is cool. "Never Expect Them To Smile" is the longest song at around 14 minutes. Piano and guitar lead early as reserved vocals join in. Drums around 2 minutes but way too loud. Otherwise I really like this.Guitar takes the lead before 8 minutes. It settles with piano 9 1/2 minutes in then builds.

"Infinity" builds quickly with ripping guitar and powerful drums. It does settle back.Vocals after 3 minutes. It settles right down late to end it. "Nature's Way" is vocal led with lots of keys too. A fuller sound before 1 1/2 minutes with some lead guitar. "Illusion" is mellow to start then it changes after 1 1/2 minutes and the vocals join in. I like this except for the drums. A good instrumental section comes in late to end it. "Nightmare" opens with fragile vocals and keyboards.This has an almost haunting atmosphere. It does pick up though. "October Winds" is an ethnic Folk-like track. A good beat with flute starts to lead at one point. Not a bad track.

Barely 3 stars for me.

"Imitation" has a temendous drum intro before everyone else joins in as we get this impressive instrumental display. "We Don't Belong To Heaven" is a short keyboard and vocal led track. "Reality Or Misanthropy ? (Mixup)" sounds good with the guitar soloing in the background as the vocals lead with keys,bass and drums. An intense instrumental section takes over around 3 1/2 minutes.The vocals are back before 6 minutes. "What We See / The Increasing Sorrow Of The Earth" puts the focus on the vocals early and the tempo picks up before 3 minutes but it does shift often here. A classical flavour before 6 minutes. "Angels And Demons" opens with piano and there is a classical flavour on this one too.

"Revealing Signs Of Love" is a vocal track. Synths do solo after 2 1/2 minutes followed by guitar. A great sound after 6 1/2 minutes as we get another intense instrumental display to the end. "Fallen Angel" features piano and drums that standout.Synths join in but there are lots of sounds here in this Classical sounding tune. "Loneliness" opens with piano,vocals and guitar. Good sound. A calm with piano after 3 1/2 minutes but then everyone joins in. Some Oldfield-like guitar follows. "Fire In The Sky Fire In The Earth" opens with piano and classical vibe. Aboe too. A beautiful instrumental. "White Lies? Brief Story Of Freewill" reminds me of Phideaux vocally.Vocals stop and drums take over. Back to the original soundscape 2 minutes in with vocals. An excellent instrumental section follows to the end. So good.

3.5 stars for this one.

I have been advised that Cast has chopped around their style quite a lot. Although they have always stayed close or within the Symphonic Prog genre. This album though is a bit of a detour and I would argue; a detour into Neo Prog. The sound is pretty much in the vein of IQ and Pendragon. The vocals is Pendragon out and out. There are also some strong Genesis elements (not surprising !) in their sound and some faint Flower Kings and ELP elements. If you love Pendragon and IQ; this album should be purchased (if you can find it) just because of the lush sound.

The quality of this album is not that impressive though. The problem is that the songs are simply not good enough. There are three really good songs on this album though. The Genesis dominated Spirit of Man and the title track. Those two songs are really epic and takes us through various landscapes. The final song Nostrabamos is like ELP goes Neo- Prog on a boat in France. Those three songs are great. The rest of this album is OK.

It is a pity that this album is so difficult to get hold of because it is rather good. I really like this band.

3 stars