THE PUZZLE

A more recent project of Toxic Smile's keyboardist/sax player Marek Arnold, Seven Steps to the Green Door won the first prize in two different categories at the German Rock and Pop Awards with their unique blend of styles.The band features an expanded line-up with three vocalists ( Anne Trautmann, Ronny Grubber and Lars Koehler) with also bassist Heiko Rehm, drummer Ulf Reinhardt and guitarist Andreas "Eddy" Gemeinghard.Their debut from 2006, entitled ''The Puzzle'', was recorded in three different cases and was released independently.

If there is a band that should be labeled as Crossover Prog, this German act is definitely the one.With their special mix of melodic Heavy Prog, Progressive Metal, Fusion and Pop Rock and the presence of three different voices in the same album, Seven Steps to the Green Door can only be put in the same line with groups such as A.C.T. and PROFUSION.Impressive, still accesible musicianship all the way with powerful DREAM THEATER-like synthesizers, dynamic guitar moves, pounding rhythmic parts, excellent solos along with a certain touch of virtuosity produce a very rich and multi-colored musical content of high level.But these are offered to the listener with catchy choruses, plenty of melodic lines and even some softer ballad-like moments.A couple of these well-crafted compositions even contain some Rap-like vocal lines, that surprisingly work extremely well.In the opening tracks Marek Arnold delivers also some nice sax passages, yet they are offered more as an addition to the rest of the album's melodic lines.The closing track though is fully Jazz-oriented with a more improvised performance on clarinet, supported by a smooth but great rhythm section and a set of various piano/keyboard themes, another welcome suprise in the list of the excellent tracks.

Superb debut to say the least.A very tight and sufficiently compatible mix of different Prog-related styles create an album filled with charming, melodic and adventurous compositions.Highly recommended.