OVERTURE

Sort of a Japanese supergroup,formed by musicians coming from the very best of Japanese 80's prog groups.The project was an idea of Gerard's guitarist Yukihiro Fujimura and Outer Limits' keyboardist Shusei Tsukamoto,who were joined by Novela's/Mugen's drummer Ryuichi Nishida and ex-Afflatus and later Gerard's bassist Toshimi Nagai.The band was signed by King Records and released their debut ''Overture'' in 1998.

''Overture'' contains some of the greatest elements of 80's Japanese prog but at the same time suffers from the cheesiness,that characterized this music.The opening ''Follow you'' is actually quite good,somewhat pompous Symphonic/Art-Rock with some complex themes and guitars and diverse keyboard sounds.The follower ''Seek a sign'' is pale Pomp Rock of a groovy path with horrible partly-Japanese,partly English vocals,really amateur.The long ''The metamorphic time in paradise'' is great Hard/Symphonic Rock in the vein of NOVELA with Tsukamoto,delivering an excellent symphonic intro with harsichord and church organ,while his flashy synths later are also outstanding.The guitar work is strong and consistent.Vocals are again a problem,but they are lost in the depth of the great musicianship.The eponymous track is a lyrical disaster with awful vocals,but the flashy Neo Prog-ish solos of Tsukamoto and the driving guitars of Fujimura will save this track from being a total failure.''Magic motion'' is more of the same,the vocal arrangements are decent but Fujimura's voice is absolutely cheesy,a track with a Pomp Rock edge and some cheap symphonic keys,rather forgettable.We will have to wait for the closing 10-min. ''Canone'' for some really good music again.Opening with Tsukamoto's bombastic cinematic keys,the track unfolds as a grandiose ballad,interrupted often by powerful guitar- and keyboard-driven symphonic sections and an excellent finale with a dynamic performance.

Vienna's debut has plenty of beautiful as well as amateur moments and it sums up very well what was going on in prog Japan during the 80's.Uneven release,however the good moments are more than the bad and this is a good recommendation for fans of pompous Symphonic Rock.