FATA MORGANA

After a 15 year absence, the collective vision that is FLAMING BESS`returned, led by multi instrumentalist Hans Wende as the sole original member. A "Fata Morgana" is a superior mirage on the horizon, often shapeshifting, and not an inappropriate description for the contents herein.

While presumably the saga of the protagonist continues to evolve, and the jazzy symphonic style remains largely intact, several more mainstream and conventional songs with simplistic messages could relate to pretty much any story. While they are funky, well played and undeniably catchy, "The Power" and "Regenkind" ("Rainchild") are also painfully generic. On the other hand, "Hoffnung (Hope Song) rises through pained lead and acoustic guitars to an emotive second half in which guest vocalist Bernd Hammes leaves all on the table. Elsewhere, we find plenty of fine tunes spanning the BESS spectrum, mostly not earth shattering, although "Dau"", "Erbarmen" and "Gedankenspiele" are pretty hard to put down, with their later CAMEL/later NOVALIS/tame FINCH/UK take on accessible, quasi-instrumental prog.

All in all, another success for the BESS, a band seemingly fated to quality entertainment.

How I've said in my review (#918083) about " Veronelt Velt " posted in Saturday, February 23, 2013 "I don't know much about FLAMING BESS discography " and maybe due this fact I'm not the more qualified menber of P A community to write a deep analysis about none of their albums. But, I think which due to my knowledge about progressive rock, I'm able to write a review about this third album " FATA MORGANA". In terns of symphonic -prog music my sensation is the same as in "Veronelt Velt" - ... "The music shows in their arrangements so much few rhythm variations and in all of tracks they sounds like "dance or relax" music". I can cyte the 2 track "Arkana (Kapitel III)" are much more colse from space-prog or world music and not from a realy Symphonic-Prog music. The track 4 " Die Reise " is oher example that I said about the secound track. But the disk reserves some good moments (although not much) like track 12 "Fata Morgana" or track 13 "Für Mau-Ri-Tse " a beautiful ballad. But if you add this brief moments you can take about only 10 min in 66min 33 sec. Due this considerations my rate is only 2 stars !!!