BE

Notable difference between their previous album ("Not Everybody's Gold") and this one. Instead of some "Yes" or "Genesis" oriented music, this time you can expect some more "Kansas" stuff like "Nowhere Is Home" or "The Great Steropticon". Big deal.

It is of course not bad per se, but I preferred some of their more melodic and earlier music. "Salem Hill" is even attempting to produce some prog metal music with "Children Of The Dust". They already headed for a harder sound in their "Catatonia" album without really achieving anything. The same applies to this song. The only fine moment being the fine vocal lines combined to sweet music in the middle part (you know, like "Kansas" could do.).

The length of this album (over seventy minutes) is also a handicap. Must be a disease to be willing to fill the CD as much as they can, but doing it with fillers like "So Human" (so painful), "Underneath" etc. was not the best idea.

Under these circumstances, "Love Won't Save The World" and Beings sound as jewels: in line with their good and melodic style, they do stand out. Truly symph prog. And even if the tranquil interlude "Seattle" is not too bad, the band gets back to some AOR/hard-rock with "The Red Pool". The most funny one is I Didn't Come For You. Even Sabbath is revisited here! To be fully honest, the melow closing song is also bearable. A fine guitar solo is the highlight of this one (same could be expererienced in Beings).

If you liked "Catatonia", this album might suit your taste. Be warned though that it investigates the heavy sounds even more ("Apollyon"). Only four songs can be related to symphonic prog.

I am not very enthusiast about this one but if you would except "Robbery Of A Murder" and "Not Everybody's Gold", I never considered their work as good. Only average, like this "Be".