REMEMBRANCE BRANCH

Another US prog band coming from the mainstream city of angels,Los Angeles.They were formed in 1993 under the forces of keyboardist Steve Barberic and bassist Kevin Hundt.By 2000 the main core of the band had finished with the addition of Fernando Martinez on drums,Cat Stevens on vocals and flute and Tom Graham on guitars.The first album of the band ''Remembrance Branch'' was released in 2002 on Radio Massacre International.

Forever Twelve offer dreamy but also rather complex Symphonic Prog in their debut with a very rich content and adventurous compositions.US legends like CATHEDRAL,LIFT,ETHOS,HANDS but also bands like EARTH AND FIRE and GENESIS pop out in mind whilst listening.The overall style falls somewhere between intricate and challenging instrumental passages and ethereal mellow vocal-led sections with an atmospheric vibe.The tracks are rather long with a number of shifting moods,compositionally the band stands very well despite some unfocused moments.Keyboard work is varied and professional with plenty of organ parts,mellotron waves and moog synth solos,but also some cheap synth sounds,while guitarist Tom Graham prooves to be a gifted musician,very balanced player with his style ranging from melodic soloing to slightly jazzy hooks in the vein of FOCUS.Unfortunately Cat Stevens' voice leaves a bittersweet taste,as she can't seem to explode the level of the music to higher grounds.

''Remembrance Branch'' is a well-crafted album for all fans of Symphonic and Classic Progressive Rock with strong vintage influences and the final taste,while not being by any means extra-ordinary,is decent enough to follow the band's progress through the years.Recommended.