A TREE UNDER THE COLOURS

Usually when I hear an Italian progressive band it's bands like MUSEO ROSENBACH, PREMIATA FORNERIA MARCONI, MAXOPHONE, A PIEDI NUDI, MALIBRAN and BIGLIETTO PER L'INFERNO, but AElian is something completely different. Their music is a melodic FM-rock mix between FOREIGNER, JOURNEY, KANSAS, MARILLION, SAGA, STYX, SURVIVOR and 80's era YES. Their first album "The Watcher" was released on the Musea label (FGBG 4061 AR.) in 1993. The production is very professional, especially for being a progressive band that is still rather unknown. The sound is crystal clear, the musicians are skilful and tight and the compositions could equal any other, much bigger, AOR band. The vocalist Mark Aixer has a very strong and powerful voice and the rest of the band is singing marvellous background vocals with great harmonies. If all of this wasn't enough, the 16-page CD-booklet is very beautiful too, complete with lyrics and band pictures. This is a very impressive album from a band that deserves a breakthrough. Recommended to lovers of AOR, FM-rock in the same vein as YES "90125" album.