MARSHMALLOW MOONDUST

So my first review here and it happens to be on the new solo album from Karfagen's mastermind, Antony Kalugin. What is there to be heard on this album? Two 20 minute epics, clean production, and some derivative, yet good songwriting. Antony Kalugin keeps his Symphonic Prog train rolling by sounding like an instrumental The Flower Kings and Camel cross sounding album. The keyboard solos show Peter Bardens like qualities, Steve Hackett/Roine Stolt type guitar playing, and chord structures that resemble the seventies prog style. In my eyes, this album definitely has its moments, however the songs don't stick to anything solid long enough. When gold is finally struck, the songs found don't hold onto that found gold long enough. There is too much wavering and not enough to keep you one hundred percent interested. A few things that I think could've improved this album, vocals, and extra acoustic tracks between the two epics. This album could've gone really far if it had vocals, and a few acoustic tracks, but there isn't anything I can personally grasp to.

Marshmellow, the first half title track has a more pastoral vision but yet again, is a bit robotic in places, very well produced but has a bit of a derivative sense. Good solos, great production again, but yet again as I have stated, there isn't much to cling to. 11/20

Moondust, the last half title track is a bit busier than the first half, great production, again a bit robotic, and once again a bit derivative. Good solos again, but, and I feel like a broken record, it doesn't have much to cling to. I do think this is an improvement over the first half, I like the more busy aspect with the pastoral/nostalgic sound. 15/20

Score: 26/40 Percentage: 65%

Good, but non-essential.