THE CROSS & THE CRUCIBLE

Pallas is a british neo prog band who for many years were in the shadows of big names like Marillion, IQ or Pendragon in the '80's. While thir music is a good ex of how must sounds neo prog, they always seams not to gain so many aplauses as the rest of their country fellows, wonder why???. The cross and the crucible is their fifth album from 2001 and a very good one. With this album Pallas manage to come from behind and even to beat some bands well known from this subgenre. The neo prog they offer here is very well done, where the voice of Alan Reed goes hand in hand with the rest of the instruments. The musicianship on some pieces is top notch , like on title track, a nearly 10 min of high class neo prog, the best track from here without doubt, and one of thier better pieces from all the career, and Midas Touch - another smotth piece that shows Palls mean bussines in this genre, the rest of the pieces are ok. So, a good album that will please many fans of the band snd of neo prog in general, not quite close to a masterpiece, but a worthy release for sure. The cross and the crucible desearve 3 stars, and the reputation of this band must goes a little higher then is today, only because of this album and a fiew more from the past. Intristing band that will have a lot more to say in the future.