THE SERAPHIC CLOCKWORK

The more conceptual Vanden Plas become, the harder they are to penetrate. More often than not story-driven concept albums tend to consist of shorter songs-chapters. Here, after two deceptively catchy rockers (check out the 3 back-to-back widely different bridges of Frequency) songs average 9 minutes in length and include long instrumental parts. But I think that they managed to stop right at the point beyond which more would have been tough to digest.

Stylistically, this is their most eclectic album. Their brand of Dreamtheatre-esque esoteric but catchy prog metal enriched with more symphonic and classic rock (by way of rumbling organ and some folkish inserts) influences. Andy Kuntz has finally shed his early- days hair metal histrionics and developed into a more serious type of a theatrical singer. Give this a couple of spins at least.