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MIDAS

Symphonic Prog • Japan


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Midas biography
Founded in Osaka, Japan in 1982

Though MIDAS were formed in Japan in the early eighties, the band persisted primarily on infrequent live appearances and with a more traditional Japanese rock sound their first fourteen years. The band released only a single vinyl album in 1988 (since reissued on CD), before reforming with a more modern, aggressive sound, often with Japanese folklore leanings in their lyrical compositions, in 1992. They have released three additional studio and one live album since their reorganization

The band also added the electric violin around this time, with the inevitable result of them finding themselves often labeled as a progressive symphonic band. Leader Eigo Utoh pointedly distances himself and the band from other symphonic bands and particularly those of Japanese origin, which he suggests are too often influenced by the more well-known European bands. MIDAS instead has focused on developing their own uniquely Eastern-leaning sound that is heavily infused with synthesized arrangements from a variety of keyboard instruments. The newer MIDAS sound combines elements of jazz and classical music with the peculiar modern Japanese interest in complex electronica and dance, and even adds a heavier rock sounds at times. All this is textured with multiple layers of keyboard and violin and an comparative scarcity of electric guitar. With their last album the band moved closer to pop-leaning song constructions, although the violin and ever-present synthesizers ensure a neo-progressive bent of sorts remains in the music.

The band's lyrics are sung in Japanese with themes that are often socially and politically-charged, while just as often are folk-leaning. MIDAS' style is quite difficult to compare to any other, although OUTER LIMITS has been mentioned as similarly-leaning in their musical ambitions, if not in their actual sound.

MIDAS are still nominally active, and are reportedly planning a new studio album in 2006 or 2007.

MIDAS deserve recognition on the Archives for their unique blend of several progressive styles (jazz/fusion, RIO, metal, symphonic, neo, folk), as well as their intentional focus on developing an Eastern-leaning sound to distinguish them from European progressive bands, and to pave a way for the development of a new family of Japanese progressive music.

Bob Moore (ClemofNazareth)

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MIDAS discography


Ordered by release date | Showing ratings (top albums) | Help Progarchives.com to complete the discography and add albums

MIDAS top albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

3.87 | 42 ratings
Beyond The Clear Air
1988
3.13 | 19 ratings
Midas II
1996
3.84 | 12 ratings
Third Operation
1999
3.29 | 7 ratings
International Popular Album
2000
3.71 | 19 ratings
Touch the Clear Aira
2013
3.97 | 23 ratings
Eternal Voyage
2017

MIDAS Live Albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

4.20 | 5 ratings
In Concert
2002
4.00 | 3 ratings
25th Anniversary Concert & Early Rare Tracks
2009

MIDAS Videos (DVD, Blu-ray, VHS etc)

MIDAS Boxset & Compilations (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

MIDAS Official Singles, EPs, Fan Club & Promo (CD, EP/LP, MC, Digital Media Download)

MIDAS Reviews


Showing last 10 reviews only
 Beyond The Clear Air by MIDAS album cover Studio Album, 1988
3.87 | 42 ratings

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Beyond The Clear Air
Midas Symphonic Prog

Review by Mellotron Storm
Prog Reviewer

3 stars 3.5 stars. MIDAS are a Symphonic band out of Japan and have had a 30 year career although they have only released a half dozen studio albums and a couple of live recordings. This is their debut from 1988 and the only one with Japanese lyrics I believe. A four piece band with the singer adding violin then a bass/keyboard/drum setup. The violin and keyboards tend to be the lead instruments and while I'm not a big fan of the vocals they never seem to stay around very long. I'm not a big fan of the drums either but I like the bass and at times keyboards the most.

There's some good interplay between the violin and synths which is entertaining and we do get some power here usually with the organ involved in that especially the very start of the album. The synths feel so 80's on that opener and it's where I felt the drums sounded off the most. Man these guys hit us with two mammoth tracks in "The Slough Of Despond" at 15 1/2 minutes and the closer, the title track at almost 19 minutes.

A good album but I've had my head in Symphonic all Summer and this just doesn't measure up even though I have an appreciation for it. I actually picked this up because it was released in 1988 a weak year hoping for some light, and it gives that.

 Touch the Clear Aira by MIDAS album cover Studio Album, 2013
3.71 | 19 ratings

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Touch the Clear Aira
Midas Symphonic Prog

Review by arymenezes

3 stars For those who don't know, their first release, 'Beyond the clear air', achieved a bit of success among prog listeners (something that contributed for that was an edition by french label Musea, making the work more accesible for Europe). There is a difference between these two efforts that is favorable to 'Touch...' ' they adopted english as the vocals' language. This doesn't mean that now I like the vocals, but at least they're not awful. Another good evolution made by the group was to lower the tone. The synth execution on 'Beyond..' is frequently too loud and high. Nevertheless, Beyond has better tunes.

Now I'll dedicate the rest of the review exclusively to 'Touch...'. The violin and synth performances are outstanding in almost all of the songs. But as described below, this doesn't mean that the album is outstanding.

On the first track, many changes of rythym and harmonies are made. They perform it well, but sometimes it gets confusing. And there are no melodies that catch my attention.

A good tune on piano opens the second track, but further on they don't explore it very well. Their is versatility and mastery of complex arrangements, but it's not enough to form a cohesive and admirable whole. When the song switches to a more lyric execution the music improves considerably, and it almost makes me skip attention from the poverty of the bass solo within it (thats when an acoustic guitar or a wind instrument could add some excelent notes, but the group doesn't have a guitar player and there are no guest musicians). Anyway, I have a high concept for this track, including the fact that it's entriely instrumental.

The performance of the two vocalists on next track is unfortunate. They try to get a bit theatrical, and add some spoken words, but it doesn't work. Besides that, instrumental executions are fine.

4th track has an amazing tune, and fortunately they stick to it while exploring some of its possibilities. The best track for me. Coincidence or not, it's all instrumental.

The option of singing in japanese on next track is surprisingly good. And the choice of giving the vocals more space to perform is even better. Drum work is brilliant on the whole extension of this song. On the middle of the track an outstanding harmony stands up, but instead of exploring it more, other less interesting harmonies takes more space on the song.

Japanese vocals on last track aren't so good, even though there's a snippet on which its lyricism is fine. And the composition doesn't seem to go nowhere.

I wouldn't recommend this album as one of the best symphonic prog efforts generated on the country of the rising sun. But it's a good achievement to lovers of prog rock from that part of the world. 3.3 stars.

 Beyond The Clear Air by MIDAS album cover Studio Album, 1988
3.87 | 42 ratings

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Beyond The Clear Air
Midas Symphonic Prog

Review by BrufordFreak
Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

4 stars The debut album by a Japanese quartet who were obviously inspired and informed by GENESIS but moreso it would seem, by the short-lived progressive rock scene in Italia in the 1970s. (What was it about the late 1980s that caused several Japanese artists to lock into the Italian rock progressivo sound and styles?)

1. "Sham Noctiluca" (8:07) a rather long intro in which synths, cymbals and violin make their presences quite known. Once the song is finally settled into a rhythmic flow in the third minute the flaws in sound quality, instrumental simplicity, and singer's lack of melodic connection become too obvious. The singer can sing, and the violinist and bass player can definitely play, but the construction is lacking in sophistication and/or originality (or something). (12/15)

2. "The Slough Of Despond" (15:33) opening with a New Age Celtic weave, it could be something from a CLANNAD soundtrack album. After 90 seconds there is a musical shift into a faster, more rock passage with some fiery violin riffs but then there is an odd and unexpected shift for the arrival of the vocals. Nice bass and drum play. The thickly instrument-supported vocal melody line beginning in the fifth minute is quite reminiscent of some modern RPI bands like UNREAL CITY, INGRANAGGI DELLA VALLE or LA COSCIENZA DI ZENO. This similarity holds true for the entirety of the rest of the song: this could easily have been lifted to create the La notte anche di giorno album that came out in 2015--27 years later! Impressive song. (27/30)

3. "Mortuary" (4:46) synth and violin go back and forth, sometimes doubling up on the melody line for the first movement and then an accordion joins in on the action in the second movement! Very impressive musicianship! The vocal enters well into the second minute, almost squeezing into the complex weave of instruments as if not wanting to disturb them! My favorite song on the album and the one deserving of the most praise. (9.25/10)

4. "Beyond The Clean Air" (18:45) slow Genesis/Tony Banks-like pseudo-classical intro which is joined by nice violin play before the music spreads out to allow space for Eigo Utoh's impassioned vocal. Except for the fine violin play, the music sounds like it comes right off of the BABYLON album: twists and tempo turns allowing for different displays of the leader's prowess as both vocalist and violinist. And the instrumental passage in the second half is way to drawn out and single-minded. (34/40)

Total time 47:11

I'm sorry but, despite the fine musicianship and artistry of Eigo Utoh and company, adequately complex song compositions, and fairly clean sound reproduction, the music on this album sounds too dated and too imitative of others that have come before. Those late 1980s keyboards are embarrassingly cheap and outdated! The bass playing is excellent, the drumming very good but so rotely Neo Prog.

B/four stars; a fine first album of Neo Prog for these accomplished musicians. Tune in to their next albums: they get even better!

 Beyond The Clear Air by MIDAS album cover Studio Album, 1988
3.87 | 42 ratings

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Beyond The Clear Air
Midas Symphonic Prog

Review by Warthur
Prog Reviewer

4 stars This is a solid Japanese symphonic prog offering which, though hailing from the 1980s, feels more like a continuation of the classically-influenced 1970s prog styles than it does as part of the then-contemporary neo-prog movement. Eishyo Lynn's piano and synthesiser work has a stately, refined tone to it which lends a certain bombast and gravitas to proceedings.

However, the band's real secret weapon is Eigo Utoh; without Utoh, they'd be a perfectly competent power trio in the ELP synths/bass/drums mode, but with Utoh's violin work and lead vocals go the extra mile in giving the band their own distinctive character which saves them from being a mere nostalgia act.

 Eternal Voyage by MIDAS album cover Studio Album, 2017
3.97 | 23 ratings

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Eternal Voyage
Midas Symphonic Prog

Review by HAMGJoe

4 stars After months of anticipation, one of my favorite bands has released a new album. Midas are a symphonic rock band based in Japan who started their career in 1992 with their debut album "Beyond the Clear Air" released in 1988.

Their newest release was a surprise to me. They originally had a website i would visit frequently to try and see whats happening with them, even though the articles are in Japanese you do get a sense and understanding of what happened from accompanying photos. Unfortunately the website seems to have been down for the past few months. However a week or so ago i did a search on them to see if there was any news on them or a new website, and sure enough i found something great!

Their new album "Eternal voyage"

The albums opens with the intense instrumental "Air brewer". an exciting, dramatic and all round musically talented piece that introduces a new style for Midas. Friends i have played the track to make reference to metal and rock bands for the playing style mixed with folk, the reasoning can be heard around 3 minutes in where the section is started by a driven bass guitar, really cool. The continues with a synth solo and ends with a classic Midas violin solo from Eigo Utoh.

After this we spring into "a Trip for Five Seasons" which opens with a chippy cheerful synth riff, this opening highly reminds me of two tracks from their second album "Midas II". The pieces in question are "La Festa" and "The Night Sky Lies Without a Word", the latter of which was re recorded and released on their previous album "Eternal Voyage". The second section of this song contains English lyrics which is good, i unfortunately can't speak or read Japanese haha. The lyrics seem to cover themes of just carrying on and not worrying about the past, continue on and follow the seasons. a good message there. For those of you who may be confused about why it is "Five seasons" and not for (which was totally not me haha), in Japan they have an extra season between Spring and Summer called the Rainy Season. I think you can guess what it's like from the name?

"a View of Sierra De Cobre" opens with a cool 80's sounding synth bass line and merges with another one of Eigo Utohs classic quite mysterious sounding Violin solos. Listening just now i was thinking. I've listened to Midas for a while and they are one band that made me go into making music myself, i never really realized how much of an influence they have been really. Meanwhile back to the review. The song is actually one i have heard from a you tube video which upon a search or two i cannot seem to find. although the introductory violin solo was not there, it was a live video of them playing a year or two back and it was this song, or at least an early version. When i watched the video i knew they'd be releasing a new album. This is probably actually my favorite track because of it, i dunno. But it this song specifically just does stand.

From this we lead to my second favorite track "Long Lonesome Road", an epic instrumental piece that builds up from the ground, like a cowboy walking off into the sunset, something like that. It grows from a duel violin/synth leading and then trails into an organ solo by Eisho Lynn. Eigo Utoh and drummer Masaru Henmi get their own awesome solos. The Piece is finished up with another violin solo then re emerges to the duet with synth and Violin.

are Penultimate track is "Blood on the Sands" which is dedicated to composer Ennio Morricone who composed for films such as "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" and "a Fistful of Dollars", Both Clint Eastwood westerns which runs with the cowboy analogy. Reading the lyrics in the CD booklet just now i noticed a typo i think. The lyrics read "Feelig High" which i imagine is supposed to be "Feeling High". I can only imagine this song now to be like a showdown between three cowboys or something .

The album itself apparently has a concept, as on the credits of the CD it is listed on there. If it does then i'd imagine it to based around westerns and cowboys as that is certainly the vibe i'm getting.

Time Robber is a sad sounding piece, almost like it's about a failed love. Although i feel i like "Destiny Warriors" from their previous album better, it's still a nice closer, and has almost a sing along chorus because half the lyrics for the chorus are in English which is nice, the ones in question and i quote from the CD booklet "Time Robber she said, Time Loser He said". You can probably get from these lyrics why i get the impression of a love song from this one. It also contains one last beautiful and dramatic violin solos before the song it'self concludes almost cinematically and bringing the "Eternal Voyage" to a close.

All in all my view may be biased but i have to give this album a 4/5. It's got some really great instrumental work, interesting concepts and does a brilliant job at doing something i feel you should always do with your music and that is blend the old with the new. If you change your style completely you risk alienating older fans where as having the blend allows you to keep your old fans whilst still progressing and being fresh.

 Beyond The Clear Air by MIDAS album cover Studio Album, 1988
3.87 | 42 ratings

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Beyond The Clear Air
Midas Symphonic Prog

Review by Jbagwell

4 stars I first discovered Midas while searching different progressive rock bands on youtube. The song that first grabbed me was Sham Noctiluca and then Beyond the Clear air. I was still new to prog-rock and so i found the new songs to be daunting in a way but after listening in full i was hooked. I purchased ac copy of the 2009 musea/poseidon reissue complete with the bonus track 'Green Forest'. Unfortunately as the kyrics are all in Japanese i will be unable to comment on those but i will do my best to critique the music and production.

Sham Noctiluca - The opening track to the album bursts in with a steady yet epic introduction, opening the abum perfectly. Structure itself is quite simple with the intro then main section and closing with a reprise of the intro again. The main section of the song is a fast battle between synthesizer and violin where the vocals are abcent. Although being 8 minutes long the track seems to end quite quickly.

The Slough of Despond - Probably one of if not my favourite songs on the album (although there are not that many to choose from in the first place). The song opens with a quiet and forboding keyboard section and brings in the rest of the band concurrently. Suitably the song contains many different sections throughout and lasts around 15 minutes exploring odd time signatures various tempos and complex composition. It is Midas' second longest song in thier library beaten by the Title track.

Mortuary - This short song has an interesting european feeling to it with the addition of harmonica/accordian sounds added in by keyboard. The song itself is only around 4 minutes long but it sits nicely on the second half of the album and readies you for the title track in a way.

Beyond the Clear Air - The title ttack is what i consider to be a symphonic masterpeice almost with a few flaws. It starts slow with piano and violin. This leads into an ominous slow section and the first vocals. More time signature/ tempo changes and synth strings later we come to a long instrumental section with again more battles between the synth lead and violin. Half way through we return to the ominous sounding keyboards and violin. This leads into a very beutiful violin solo from Eigo Utoh and the onto the final sections of the song, closing in the same fashion as Sham Noctiluca with a reprise of the intro.

Green Forest (2009 Bonus Track) - The bonus track released with my copy is ok. The song has a similar structure to Sham Noctiluca and Beyond the Clear air however it feels clumsy compared to those. As far as i am aware this song was a previously unreleaesed song they recorded a year or two prior to this album. Negatives aside the middle section contains a very nice piano solo from Eisho Lynn.

Mixing/Production - The production on this album is quite good however i do not know if the version i own is a remix or just the original mix re-released. Excluding the bonus track the instruments are all well placed and nothing really clashes although the bass and kick drum can sometimes get overshadowed by eisho lynns synth strings.

Overall the album itself is definatelly worth getting for an interesting experience. I personally have become a big fan of midas and own all but one of their albums so if i was personnaly recomending banns to a friend i might consider them important but critically they are not one of the mose key bands to include in your collection.

I hope my review was good and informative, thanks for reading!

 Midas II by MIDAS album cover Studio Album, 1996
3.13 | 19 ratings

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Midas II
Midas Symphonic Prog

Review by apps79
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

3 stars Midas were seemingly falling in hiatus after the release of ''Beyond the clear air'', as Eigo Utoh was too busy with his normal job as a dentist to handle both a demanding occupation and the needs of a regular group.Three years would pass before his passion for music would come again on surface, reforming Midas with Eishyo Lynn again on keyboards and newcomers Kenjiro Kawakatsu (drums) and Shohei Matsuura (bass) (formerly of Mugen) joining in.Changing label, the group would now land on the endless list of Belle Antique bands and this way the new album ''Midas II'' sees the light in 1996.

The new album does not offer any significant changes in the style of Midas, which play an intricate mix of Symphonic Rock with touches from a U.K.-influenced Fusion, close to the sound of compatriots OUTER LIMITS.The violin work of Utoh with his instant Classical melodies is again on evidence with the most significant change coming in the keyboards section, where Lynn's performance is now a bit sharper and less grandiose.Vocals are still in Japanese and they are least bearable, the music on the other hand ranges from good to great, always delivered through fascinating arrangements, complex breaks and solos and pure, symphonic melodies.Both the synthesizers and the rhythm section sound a bit thin at moments, but generally the song structures follow Midas' familiar style, shifting from bombastic instrumentals to more elaborate and smooth plays.You often get the feeling the keyboards edges come from a Neo Prog album, the next time though Lynn's offerings get back to a very Classical-inspired mood along the principles of THE ENID.The romantic ''La festa'' with the alternating violin/synthesizers themes is propably on of the best example for the fascinating sound of Midas.

The first two albums of Midas could have been easily released in reverse order, as this one has a more 80's-like vibe overall.But the music is great, polished and well-executed and the group avoids any of the cheesiness met in the mass of Japanese bands.Great album, strongly recommended...3.5 stars.

 Beyond The Clear Air by MIDAS album cover Studio Album, 1988
3.87 | 42 ratings

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Beyond The Clear Air
Midas Symphonic Prog

Review by Tarcisio Moura
Prog Reviewer

4 stars Only recently was I aware of the japanese prog scene of the 80īs, and I have to thank PA for that. Somehow not a lot of prog fans seem to reckon that country fertile musical culture in the 80īs and 90īs. And I guess that was true to a lot of progheads, because thatīs the only possible answer when I found about this fantastic symphonic band and when I looked there was only two reviews concerning this CD and none by collaborators nor experts. So I am writing one now and warning all the symnphonic lovers about Beyond The Clean Air.

I was amazed by the incredible creativity and skill of those musicians, specially Eigo Utoh, their leader, violin player and vocalist. The guy is simply great on his instrument, sometimes reminding me of Curved Airīs Darryl Way. His interplay with keyboards maestro Eishyo Lynn are breathtaking! And while their music is definitly influenced by the british symphonic great of the 70īs, the sound on this work is still Midas own. Interestingly there is absolutely no guitar on this album. Even if I think it would be good to have such instrument added to the overall sound, I didnīt miss it too much.

There are no real highlights, although the epic 18 minute title track with its shifting moods and dazzling violin and keyboards solos is a classic. The only weak spot I could find in the whole CD is on the vocal front, and yet only partially. Utoh does have a nice voice that sits very well for the slow to midpace parts. On the fast numbers it is simply annoying. Still, I can live with that. The production is fine, the songwriting is superb and the arrangements are very tasteful. In other words, everything youīd expect from a first rate group. highly recommended. 4,5 stars.

 Midas II by MIDAS album cover Studio Album, 1996
3.13 | 19 ratings

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Midas II
Midas Symphonic Prog

Review by toroddfuglesteg

3 stars Since this is the first review of this album, I would like to endorse what Bob Moore (ClemofNazareth) wrote about Midas in the band presentation. His words very much describe this album. So if the band presentation made you interested in this band; this is an album you should check out.

On this album, Midas combines classical music and Celtic type folk music with the likes of THE NICE, ELP, GENESIS and in particular YES. Maybe that sounds a bit familiar and so what ? to you. But then let me add that everything on this album is drenched and layered in an Eastern soundscape and this album becomes a original piece of music. The electric violin is everywhere and is supported by superb keyboards. The vocals are in Japanese and a bit weak in my opinion. But I am starting to get used to the thin Japanese vocals now and it seems like this is the normal type of vocals over there. So instead of critizise them, I should rather call them untraditional to my ears.

The song structures are both complex and simple at the same time. Yes, they do follow the typical YES formula for songs. That means many layers of melodies and riffs. But Midas also brings the music down to earth with some flirtation with easy listening classical music and in one instance; Celtic folk music. But mostly; the music is pretty hardcore symphonic prog. The songs are not particular long (average six minutes long) and that is my gripe with this album. I wish Midas could had written some longer songs on this album because they have all the abilities of the likes of YES. The musicianship here is superb. The music is good. Unfortunate, the music is a bit anonyme at places. I have problems with the vocals due to reasons mentioned above. But I still like this album a lot. I think is has a lot of promise and I will keep it in my prog rock cellar like I keep good wine in my cellar. I incidently store prog rock albums like these together with the fine wine I buy. I guess I will pick this album out again when I opens some nice bottles of Chardonnay. Albums like these never fades away. They just taste better with the age. Roll on the rocking chair, some nice mature wine and this album.

3.5 stars

 Beyond The Clear Air by MIDAS album cover Studio Album, 1988
3.87 | 42 ratings

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Beyond The Clear Air
Midas Symphonic Prog

Review by apps79
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

4 stars While the 80's decade was the worst one for progressive rock with a lot of prog bands releasing commercial albums,it was exactly the same time when the best prog rock bands emerged in Japan heavily influenced by the british and US prog rock of the 70's.Among those bands were MIDAS,who were formed by vocalist/violinist/guitarist Eigo Utoh.Eigo was a big fan of symphonic rock and baroque music.After several live appearances,through which MIDAS earned some fame,''Black Vinyl'' label gave the band the opportunity to release their first work,''Beyond the clear air'' in 1988.

And this is a fantastic album.Eigo's violin dominates the whole album through complex interplays with the keyboards of Eishyo Lynn or even with fast rhythmic passages.The synthesizers and strong piano work of Lynn give the album a bombastic taste.But there is also a lot of melody in this album except the grandiose complex symphonic moments.I would say that the album comes as a succesful combination of OUTER LIMITS and PAR LINDH PROJECT with a fully symphonic sound torn between melody and adventuruous playing.Eigo's vocals are also mostly great,especially when he sings in a calm ethereal or operatic style.It seems that there is a little problem in his more aggresive rockier style of singing...But the most obvious problem of the album is the mediocre production,that causes some problems in the dynamics of the band's grandiose music...Sometimes it's like these great compositions lose some of their energy due to the production...At the end of course it's the music where I personally focus on and the result is fabulous...

MIDAS'debut album is one of the most underrated gems of japanese prog.It's an album full of romantic vocals,adventurous moments and ethereal symphonic passages with top notch violin and keyboards' interplays.The only reason I can't give this album a 5 star rating is, unfortunately, the weak production...However this is an absolute essential album for your collection,especially if your deep into symphonic rock!

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