MIRRORS

Hangover Paradise is a prog rock band from Holland formed few years ago, it might be considered a young band, but the musicians involved are not quite youngsters, they are really good over 45 in age, minus the keybord palyer who is the twin brother of the main keybordist of the band, in fact are two use of keybords on the album. The band released few months ago their first album named simply Mirrors and was and is well recived both by critics and aswell fans. I really like the album a lot, is on the melodic side of prog, going towards neo in places with some popish overtones, but excellent combined together those two genres. What I like quite much is the keybords, they sound so '80s , imagine beside keys the overalll bands sound is like Eloy (Planets era) with Saga, the result is Hangover Paradise. Some great passages on opening track I rest my case, melodic lines with great use of each instrument, warm pleasent voice from Elias de Vries, a totaly winner, anopther highlight is Take Away little more up tempo with fascinating keyboards and aswell quite impressive guita lines, it sounds like in 1983 for example, great, and the main atraction of the album the moster piece clocking around 9 min - Army of Innocents (feat as guest on vocals Bert Heerink), kick ass tune, with everything that must have a prog piece today to be really solid, inventive and damn intresting, both in arrangements ans aswell lyricaly. The album ends with another up tempo tune combined with more calmer moments , the title track, who is aswell quite pleasent. All in all this is a fairly solid and damn catchy debut by this dutch band, everything is calculated, pleasent, warm and elegant. Easy 4 stars from me, one of the best from this year for sure, at least for me.