VIGILANCE

Secrecy is their second album and aswell their swan song, released in 1997 and issued at saame Music is inteligence. Keeping the same attitude as on previous album, progressive metal very german in sound with moderate succes to the public, Vigilance mange to come with another worthy album if far from being excelent overall. Again long pieces, quite complex parts, the guitar have an important role here. If the instrumental parts are good even great in places like on longest piec Symbolic, 13 min of solid and complex arrangements in prog metal, the voice is little sub part with rest. The voice was never a forte point of Vigilance music but aswell I can't say is abd, is only usual and nothing more. Grave dancers is another highlight for sure. So, 3 stars again for this unnoticed band, who never made it in prog metal realm. Fans of the genre can list to both albums, they will find in places some great moments. Both albums are available at Gregs label and online store Syn-phonic.

Vigilance is one of the forgotten and unknown progressive metal bands from Germany. They manage to release only 2 albums in late '90's and then gone into oblivion. First album named Behind the mask released in 1996 and issued by the excellent lable Music is Intelligence proves that Vigilance had potential in prog metal realm but somehow they've lost along the highway couple of years later. They play a kind of progressive metal tipical german in sound, teutonic how I like to call it who rely more on guitars and vocals, but aswell the keybords are also good and have some nice moments. The album is little over an hour with quite long pieces, the best are the title track and Calls over ashes, the rest are also ok , if nothing is groundbreaking here. Pleasent prog metal with vocalist sounds sometime to in front sometimes in comparation witht the instruments, good voice but not fantastic. Some complex passages appera on longer pieces, nice and solid guitar solos combined with keybords. Overall ok, nothing is great but is enjoyble, a plus for the cover art and design of the CD. 3 stars