SPIRIT

Legend is a band that sounds like nothing else out there. Seriously. I can't think of even one band. They've been making music for over 20 years now, and they are still relevant. That is something that most bands cannot boast, especially neo-prog bands. Therefore, Legend's new album "Spirit" is great experience through and through.

Where to start? Well, Legend are a female-fronted prog rock band. Beck Sian, the vocalist, has a beautiful voice that borders on theatrical, but she never gets pretentiously long- winded. In fact, she has a huge range, and has a sweet spot for beautiful, melodious sustains. I quite love her voice.

The music side of things is equally interesting. This album features plenty of choir arrangements. This really challenged me for some reason, even though I generally love choirs. However, it just seemed new in an environment of spacey synth solos, organs, and thundering, hard-edged guitar lines. Indeed, Legend is a bit of an anomaly. Somehow, they play a rather technical form of neo-prog with blistering guitar lines and solos, blast beats, and wild organ passages; but they never feel "heavy". Yes, this album is lush and feels very "full". The keys only add to the effect with their variety and their spaciness. They create atmosphere for the choirs at times, and other times they really lead the music effortlessly.

Every single track here has special moments and wonderfully catchy choruses. "Leap of Faith" is a long opener that has a gorgeous ascending chorus and simply awesome instrumental passages. Beck amazes me time and again, though, with her awesome range. "Wood for the Trees" showcases this with some very low vocal passages that she pulls off easily. I think, however, my favorite track is "Crossing of the Ways". The keys are ghostly and almost foreboding, and the slow pace is just perfect. Beck sings alone on this one, and I feel that she expresses her vulnerability and emotion so masterfully. To end it off, there is an awesome guitar solo that simply wows.

Legend have really crafted a humdinger here. Yes, I just used that word. It's the kind of music that forces you to stop and pay attention, as it is unique and extremely pleasing. "Spirit" has a nice balance of just about everything, and I feel that this is the sign of true masters of their craft.