EPILOG

A second album of dense and challenging music from Sweden's virtuosic quintet of prog revivalists. While the quality of the musicianship is unrivaled, and the compositions clever and complex, there are, like in its predecessor, Hybris, many passages that prove a bit too dense of challenging. Luckily, there are many more melodic, accessible and even spacious moments on Epilog which is why this album has always pleased me more than Hybris. I listen to all of these songs--and to this album--way more than any other Änglagård album (though not as much since All Traps on Earth released A Drop of Light).

1. "Prolog" (2:00) Mellotron & flute are joined by acoustic guitar and then strings. (4.25/5)

2. "Höstsejd (Rites of Fall)" (15:32) (27/30)

3. Rösten (The Voice) (0:14)

4. "Skogsranden (Eaves of the Forest)" (10:48) (19/20)

5. "Sista Somrar (The Last Summer)" (13:10) (23.5/25)

6. "Saknadens Fullhet (The Fullness of Longing)" (2:00) solo grand piano recapitulates the melodic theme of the opener, "Proglog." Way more beautiful, stark, and powerful. (5/5)

Total Time: 43:44

A/five stars; a masterpiece of progressive rock music.