DEMON IN YOU

Keyboard and drumming duties were always a problem for Crystal Palace during their premature phase, the first part being permanently solved in 1998 with the addition of Stefan Weber, while different drummers helped the band around the time.In 2000 singer Helmut Hirt decided to part ways with Crystal Palace and bassist Jens Uwe Strutz took over the place, being familiar with writing the lyrics and arranging the vocal lines of the songs.2001 sees the release of Crystal Palace's second album ''Demon in you''.

Crystal Palace's sound comes from another age in this album, being very 80's-sounding and recalling the raw, underground acts of the British Islands, adding a few modern touches with distortions and effects at some point.Strutz appears to have a pretty nice voice with just a slight accent, efficient enough though to follow the music.The start of the album is really dissapointing with the rather straightforward opening rockers having certain New Wave influences but few good moments to remember, except for the self-titled track, which is quite nice with great, rough instrumental parts and decent vocals, even if a bit accesible.The quality will increase over the next tracks, which show Crystal Palace meeting their heavier and more bombastic sound, reducing the New Wave inspirations and getting back to a powerful Neo Prog, eventually with the keyboard player becoming an important part of the music and the guitar work ranging from sharp to virtuosic to even dramatic.This is definitely the band's best suited style, structured around passionate guitar riffs and breaks and slightly orchestral keyboard lines, leading often to more sensitive and light performances with romantic vocals and dreamy, background keyboards.Far from complex, the music remains still very interesting with an epic sound and compact songwriting, which switches from lyrical, ethereal material to grandiose and heavy musicianship.

Crystal Palace's nice debut was definitely more consistent, but ''Demon in you'' retains much of the first album's quality performances.Angular Heavy/Neo Prog with a dramatic edge.Recommended.

For their second album, Crystal Palace toned down somewhat the over-the-topness of their debut, but what remains is still synth- fueled bombastic rock with a mysterious vibe (though not strictly prog). The bassist Yenz Sturtz (the only ever-present member of the band) takes over the vocal duties. He can do a melodramatic and crooning delivery, but his better vocal work is still ahead. Instrumental work is strong - bass is ringing and guitars wail when need be. What makes the Demon In You album not an essential one in Crystal Palace's discography is the rather pedestrian nature of songs (the most complex one, the instrumental Aurora Borealis, has cool ideas, but is repetitive somewhat and marred by spoken word samples), not the strongest ones that they have to offer.