AWAKENING

The modern new progressive wave (or "crossover prog"- as you often call it) sometimes is characterized by strange compromises...like their use of melodic but too much predictable dark lines (a bit easy in some circumstances), even though enriched by means of a good vocalism.

Well actually such vocalism, along with three different strong voices, is partially ruined by the recording (the sound is too much compressed and the mix is not perfect, also regarding of the bass guitar!!); and moreover They never forget the modern exigencies of the modern market, almost forcing them to lose their precise music direction!! Besides the final track "Within Cold Glass", featuring Steve Rothery on guitar, could make us change idea about it, as perhaps you find a leading guitar here, but it's not their usual mood.

"Awakening" has got a standard sound, standing in the middle between a typical n.w.p. music genre and the crossover genre, but a better production could have improved this tune. Instead that unique style by "The Reasoning" could meet your taste, despite of finding a song like "Playing The Game", with its sensible rhytmical section (do you remember the bass guitar within the ensemble of "Magenta"?) and a fairly good piano as well...nevertheless their production is not so modern (in the true meaning of this word, that is in the technological and polished manner, for example in the vein of a Terry Brown' sound engineering I mean!!...), so that is becoming a defect after a repetitive listen. However their typical rock is always present in the other songs, without any surprise, and They don't grow on me, also by recognizing their split from the commercial sound of the UK, which let us hope for their better music productions in the future!

You can add an half star, at the end!!