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In Continuum - Acceleration Theory, Part Two - Annihilation CD (album) cover

ACCELERATION THEORY, PART TWO - ANNIHILATION

In Continuum

 

Crossover Prog

3.89 | 66 ratings

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Steve Conrad
4 stars I'll Be the Light

Dave Kerzner and friends have a cosmic vision, and thanks to the heavens- there's hope!

There are certainly dark days for the planet Earth- we nakedly vulnerable, insufferably arrogant, almost irredeemably destructive, love-lorn creatures have, in this futuristic tale, nearly done ourselves in. Hubris, pride, violence...and the powerful beings who brought us to life and did their best to guide us into better, brighter paths, have given up.

All they can imagine is destruction of this failure to thrive, for the good of the solar system and all the universe, it must be so.

The music is grandeur and spiritual cinema

We are treated to enormities of talent, the highest levels of musicianship. The cast of characters who comprise "In Continuum" are reflective of the genius Dave and company bring to this project.

There are the soaring keyboards- piano, organ, synthesizers.

There are the impeccable components of the rhythm section that are so dangerously precise the listener can nearly overlook the meticulous construction undergirding these compositions.

There are the vocalists who each bring something to the table, the sinister, the sublime, the searching.

The Music

Melody, atmosphere, tastefulness, gentleness, yearning, hope (!), love, longing, searching- set with sounds of space, battle, glory, destruction, and reunion.

Songs begin simply, and the first half of the album allows various characters to develop.

Then comes the epic soul of the album, "Annihilation", which twists and winds and propels the story forward, inexorably toward the final reunion of nearly lost love.

The flaws

Oddly, what keeps me from giving this 5 stars has to do with the sheen of nearly impenetrable perfection that casts a spell over this massive work.

There were times I wanted more rage, more passion. I wanted something more raw and urgent and imminent.

There is such polish and poise in this production that it was hard for this flawed human listener to fully relate- although I suspected that the themes within this album are entirely relevant to our times- even if it is set in the future.

Isn't it relevant that human militancy, arrogance, hubris, and pride have brought our planet to the brink of disaster?

Such shining perfection keeps some of this horror at arms length for me as the listener. I wanted to get closer to the fray, to sense more keenly the urgency, pathos, and drama that was unfolding.

In conclusion

A remarkable, grand follow-up to the first chapter, driving us onward yes, with hope.

My rating: 4.5 glistening globes

Steve Conrad | 4/5 |

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