TALES OF MYSTERY AND IMAGINATION

I was introduced to this by my Dad and an old cassette of it he had. Then I bought the CD, because I liked it quite a bit. The opening "A Dream within a Dream" is amazing, and the thudding bass on "the Raven" is even more amazing. Then "the tell-tale heart" comes in with a lilting hard rock guitar sound and insane feel, also excellent. "The Cask of Amontillado" is also great, so is the "Docor Tarr.." one (my favorite on the album, actually, is this song) and then the so-called "masterpiece" "Fall of the House of Usher."

This song is good, but not excellent. Just because a song is long doesn't make it good. However, it is fairly good and exceptional at points. "Prelude" reminds me of an old Warner Bros cartoon in a haunted house. "Arrival" is my favorite part of the entire piece, and "intermezzo" is just a pointless interlude. "Pavane" is great as well, but "the Fall" is a bit anticlimactic. A disappointing close which actually is the main reason this album is not five stars. Then "To one in Paradise" closes the album on an upper note, and there you have it. An excellent album suggested to newcomers and veterans alike.