ANIMA

I am a big fan of Introitus' previous two albums, in fact their 2011 album "Elements" was near the top of my list for that year. So I had high expectations for this, their third release. Well, the Bender family and friends have not let me down.

"Anima" is another tour de force. Just great songwriting, arrangements, and musicianship. It starts with Matts Bender on keyboards, who plays his instruments with such power and versatility. As in the past, the keyboards are the dominant instruments here. Still, Par Helje does a great job on guitars, with some soaring Hackettesque solos as well as some blistering licks. And Anna Bender's crystal clear vocals just add to the power and emotion of the album.

Three of the 9 tracks exceed 10 minutes in length, and there is not a weak track on the entire album. Just powerful and emotional, loaded with great melodies and instrumental passages. Everything you could want from modern symph/neo prog. This album will certainly be in my rotation for quite a while as it just gets better with each listen. And a sure bet, like "Elements", to be near the top of my 2014 list of best albums.