THE XENON CODEX

After the parenthesis of the dreadful "Out & Intake" which was an album made of some left over and live songs, this album was the true next studio album to "The Chronicle Of The Black Sword" released some three years ago.

The whole stuff is very much known by the time: hard-rockish tunes of which the opening track is a pretty good example, some heavy-spaced track like "Wastelands Of Sleep" to remind their splendor and we won't escape the punkish / psyche one either. "Neon Skyline" is pleasant (or not). Depending on what side you are positioning yourself.

So far, the true prog lover has very little to appreciate and most of you should have left the listening of this album by now. And it is a shame because "Lost Chronicles" is a great track. A wonderful instrumental introduction just brings you to another planet. Delicate and hypnotic for two minutes, and then. another FANTASTIC guitar solo.

The sort of passionate song that just leaves you breathless. One like only the masters can deliver. The finale is purely new wave oriented and reminds me the best moments of a band as "Devo". (Gut Feeling). A highlight with no doubt.

Weak moments appear with both "Tides" and "Heads" but this is more in line with their latest production since if you would except "The Chronicle", the band didn't produce great stuff in the meantime (and including) this album.

Some experimental and useless ones ("Mutation Zone") won't add any quality to this work which is kind of weak so far. The dual structure of "E.M.C." doesn't really thrilled me. I guess that the recurrent beat might please some of us, but I can't be overwhelmed by such thin inspiration.

This album is just on par with a work like "Zones". Lots of average (at best) tracks. The final part of this album holds another very good song ("Sword Of The East") which is maybe a kind of wink to their "Chronicle".

Anyway, this album is rather a deception. Hawkwind didn't release a lot of average albums so far although the eighties were not at all their best creative period.

Two stars.