A TOWER OF SILENCE

On first listen this album took my breath away and for the first time in a long time I found myself restarting tracks consistantly in order to keep the music flowing and in order to varify that what I was hearing was as good as I was percieving it to be. After many listens now I am still blown away each time I spool this up.

"The Passing Bell (Part I - VI)" - This is an absolute giant of a track. It takes me on a trip outside of my head meaning that I get very personally involved in the music - it demands absolute attention. To compare it to something else is not easy as it holds melody and structures that remind me of the very best of all of my very favorite prog bands within the flowing, changing music scapes that make it up. It emulates none of the of the old prog giant tracks or bands however it encompasses them all. Quite simply this is at the top of the heap of my very favorite tracks along with "Supper's Ready" and the like.

"Archway of Tears" - To begin an album with a track as strong as the first one was and to keep the momentum would be difficult but Anubis get this track right as well. The bass lines in this are especially interesting to my ears.

"This Final Resting Place" - Not as strong as what came before but that isn't a negative as this is still extremely strong musical nirvana. Again I find the bass lines very interesting indeed.

"A Tower of Silence" - A quieter more moody piece. Very emotive and powerful. If the listeners mood isn't melancholy to start with this track will take him by the hand and take him to that place where loneliness resides. Very, very emotive and emotion inducing.

"Weeping Willow" - A short piece that continues the mood - it serves as a lull in the emotional storm of the music and in that it is brilliant.

"And I Wait for My World to End" - Musically this track kind of lightens the mood. Sounds very much like Floyd in parts, in a good way.

"The Holy Innocent" - With every listen I pick up things that I haven't heard before in this and that is a sign of really good music.

"All That Is" - Ends the album on a strong note. One feels as if one has been on a long journey after this closes.

This remains one of the strongest albums that I've heard and it remains at the top of my "will listen to again and again" pile of albums. It is a stunning whirlwind of emotion and intensity. I can't really categorise the music into the Neo Prog pocket however that is probably what it is closest to. A very solid 5 star effort as far as I'm concerned and I'm very suprised that this band and album haven't found more popularity here than 292 ratings suggest that it has especially where those 292 ratings average out at a 4.11 average rating.