MAIDEN VOYAGE

This album came out of the blue! Hadn't heard of the band before. Or should I call it collaboration since it's the only recording so far with Linus Kase of Brighteye Brison and Christian Rivel of Narnia in the foreground. Doesn't seem to be any activity going on in the Flagship camp, not really since the release of Maiden Voyage in 2005. I got hold of this since I encountered the great Brighteye Brison a while back and I have to say that it would be wonderful to hear more from Flagship since this is a stunning progressive rock release. There are plenty of symphonic instrumental passages, skillfully arranged by Kase and the crew also consists of amazing drummer Mick Nordstrom who performs the songs with great technique and taste, Brighteye Brison bass player Kristofer Eng (always enjoyable) and guitarist Carljohan Grimmark (Narnia). With violin added to these 70's influenced sounds it is easy to draw parallells to Kansas, not least when Kerry Livgren himself is a guest star on his own composition Ground Zero. The opening track Heart Is The Center starts of true Kansas style but goes through several moods, not so Kansas like, before reentering the intro part. Apart from this Flagship stands very much on its own. Kases rearrangement of Ground Zero is a updated version without the originals quirky 80's roboto like vocals on the chorus. The vocals of Per Hallman (also Brighteye Brison) are pure beauty to me. Energetic and smooth at the same time. It is new and fresh but like the album as a whole it never goes into metal territory, it's 70's prog bonanza! The Kase original Windy City is a masterpiece which fits the bill perfectly with it's part-glam-Elton John-meets-Kansas-goes-Genesis style. Maiden Voyage is a joyful gem of prog music that really deserves a follow-up. I only hope Rivel and Kase will make this come true once more!