HORROR EXPRESS

Four years in making, 'Horror Express' differs a lot from ANY Prog album of today. Prog-Metal/Modern- Prog tendencies? None. Retro-Prog filled with cliches and filler in order to reach 79 min of playing time? Wrong again. Best DISCIPLINE traditions combined with singer-songwriter attitude? You've hit it!!!

Starting from 'In the Dark', album carries you into Darkness just like that express mentioned in the title. 'In the Dark' is easily the best song on the whole record, just like 'Now' was on 'Astray' - dark, sincere, dramatic and epic. Then shorter songs follow, from utterly dark 'O Cesare' to unusually poppish 'Escape into the Future', with 3 instrumentals following each other, different in moods and tempo, sounding just like sections of a certain trilogy. 'Monsters from the Id', piano-driven killer, changes to 'Polly New', disturbing and sinister epic. 'All Done' is a future classic, another track that can be compared with best DISCIPLINE pieces, is a pre-last one. 'The Cutting Room', nervous and biting instrumental, ends this close-to-masterpiece album.

Matthew has grown in terms of songwriting; I mean, this is the closest thing to singer-songwriter stuff I heard from him. Some Dark Folk thrown in instead of Psychedelic/Blues influences that were on 'Astray', but I don't think Matthew cares for tags to pigeonhole his music. One of the best Prog releases from this year so far, 'Horror Express' is dark and moody. Don't dare to miss it! Highly recommended