PURE

Pure is a live, mostly acoustic release from German neo-prog/heavy prog/new-wave act Crystal Palace. With one exception, it contains outtakes from the Reset album (so, you don't get their two more known releases, System of Events and Dawn of Eternity). To me, an acoustic set is an ultimate test for proggers, because when you strip down the bombast, you can see how strong the melodic foundation is. It works for Crystal Palace, for you see how their songs can be ballad-y reflections that touch you on a personal level. On The Darkest Hour the original beginning heavy part gets a more pronounced Eastern feeling, and Distant Shores, on the other hand, gets an extended bluesy rendition. Its a short album, five live tracks and a glacial ambient remix of several themes from Reset.