THE FIFTH SEASON, LIVE IN CONCERT

This album is a belated audio only version of the gig captured on the 2006 DVD of the same name. It is a limited edition run of 1000 copies in a digipak cover, so fans of the band should be quick if they wish to acquire a copy.

The gig took place in Katowice, Poland in November 2005 before an admirably partisan audience. The set features the then new and somewhat altered line up of the band which includes Bartek Kossowicz on vocals. The featured songs are mostly taken from the band's then new album "SurREvival", the older songs being largely confined to an extended medley section here titled "Oldies but goldies". While the band hail from the current bastion of prog, Poland, the lyrics are mostly in English.

The new line up quickly demonstrates that they have gelled together instantly, with songs such as the long opener "Hands off" from the "SurREvival" album delivering controlled power driving highly melodic passages. The lush keyboard swathes of Zbyszek Florek are dynamic in themselves, while providing the perfect basis for the rest of the band to exploit. The title track from "SurREvival" offers a fine example of how it all comes together, the strong neo-prog influences contrasting with a harder edge largely absent form that genre.

The only song not from "SurREvival" to be played in full is "Sanktuarium", the first song to appear on a Quidam album. While some of the varied instrumentation which appeared on the studio original is absent from this rendition, this is more than compensated for by the symphonic keyboards and emotional lead guitar.

The "oldies but goldies medley" works well, blending the seven or so pieces selected into a dynamic instrumental piece. The following song "The fifth season", which gives this set its name, tastefully incorporates an extract from Genesis' "Los endos". Similarly, the closing "Not so close" blends Joe South's "Hush" (covered by Deep Purple) into its main theme.

In all, a fine live album where the sound quality is akin to a studio recording. The set offers a superb example of where the band our now, while also offering a glimpse of how they got here.

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