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IN THE GATES OF DREAM

La Tulipe Noire

Neo-Prog


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La Tulipe Noire In the Gates of Dream album cover
2.60 | 28 ratings | 4 reviews | 4% 5 stars

Good, but non-essential

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Studio Album, released in 1996

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Oblivion (9:05)
2. Through the Gates (4:22)
3. In the Haunted Forest (6:06)
4. The Sign of the Dragon (5:39)
5. Orange Flames (7:04)
6. The Messenger (5:48)
7. Gateway (4:35)
8. The Burst (6:44)

Total Time 49:23

Line-up / Musicians

- Lena / voice
- Alix / piano, organ, synthesizers, backing vocals
- Berkoulas / guitars
- Condakis / guitars
- Hyde / bass, additional keyboards
- George F. / drums

Releases information

Europa Records (1998)
#CD 103

Thanks to ProgLucky for the addition
and to Snow Dog for the last updates
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LA TULIPE NOIRE In the Gates of Dream ratings distribution


2.60
(28 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music(4%)
4%
Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection(18%)
18%
Good, but non-essential (46%)
46%
Collectors/fans only (25%)
25%
Poor. Only for completionists (7%)
7%

LA TULIPE NOIRE In the Gates of Dream reviews


Showing all collaborators reviews and last reviews preview | Show all reviews/ratings

Collaborators/Experts Reviews

Review by Greger
PROG REVIEWER
3 stars La TULIPE NOIRE's debut CD came as a surprise to me. The MARILLION influences that were almost too obvious on their second CD "Shattered Image" can't be heard at all on this album. Just as on "Shattered Image" their music is neo-progressive rock, but on this release they have their own personal style with female vocals. This is a good album, but all in all "Shattered Image" is slightly better, because it has stronger melodies and a more professional production. If they would combine their personal style from "In The Gates Of Dream" and the good production as well as the stronger performances from "Shattered Image", their eventually third album could be a real masterpiece.
Review by loserboy
PROG REVIEWER
2 stars A little while ago I was ranting and raving to some friends about a new prog band from Greece called La TULIPE NOIRE whose second album "Shattered Image" simply blew my socks off. Once again very rich in the Neo-Prog vein, "In The Gates Of Dreams" La TULIPE's first album pushes most of the right buttons for this music lovers with great symphonic touches and excellent guitar and bass interplay. Female vocals are handled by a different lady who goes by the name of Lena and also carries a kind voice (although not as strong IMHO as heard from Ima on "Shattered Image"). My only criticism on the album rests in the digital drum work which they always sound too synthetic IMHO to me. Instrumentally TULIPE explore some nice musical territory with nice tempo changes all while maintaining their symphonic presence. Fans of IQ and MARILLION will likely drool over this band's work so far... I have!!

Review by apps79
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator
2 stars LA TULIPE NOIR were born in Athens,Greece in 1997 out of the ashes of the group ''Mavri toulipa'',which is the greek phrase for black toulip.Actually this pre-LA TULIPE NOIR act recorded an album on Wipe Out Records in 1992,entitled ''Ta logia tou anemou'' (''Words of the wind'').The original line-up featured Lena on vocals, Alix (piano & keys), S. Kontakis (el. & ac. guitar), Y. Barkoulas (el. & ac. guitar), George F. (drums) and Hyde on bass guitar.The same year they recorded an album with Greek lyrics,soon translated into English,after the interest of foreign companies in the band.This one meant to be the band's official debut ''In The Gates Of Dream'',released on Europa Records in Greece and distributed by Musea throughout Europe.

STYLE: Modern Symphonic Rock flirting with Neo Progressive at moments,supported by the crystalline vocals of Lena.The sound is rather keyboard-driven with tons of synths,piano and organ passages,resulting often a dark mysterious atmosphere.Guitars can be quite melodic and a bit aggresive at the same time,while most of the tracks move in a mid tempo.Some sudden breaks add to the album a complex flavor.

SOUNDS LIKE: The overall sound is closer to bands in the likes of Polish prog (ABRAXAS, SATELLITE,COLLAGE,ANAMOR),though not of the same class.Early British neo/symph prog bands like IQ,JADIS or PALLAS are an evident influence.

PLUS: Very nice keyboard work with alternating synths,piano and organs giving the album a great amount of variety.Vocals of Lena are obviously decent with an operatic touch.Guitar parts are also good,though not something excellent.

MINUS: Awful production,making the whole album sound so plastic,the biggest dissapointment of this release by far.Compositionally the band stands on a mediocre level with plenty of unmemorable stuff.The combination of this style of music with such crystalline,almost operatic vocals is often unsuccesful.The line-up features a drummer,but it's hard to believe it's not a drum machine playing.

WILL APPEAL TO: Fans of modern Neo/Symph Prog and obscure collectors,trying to purchase albums from countries with a limited prog past.

CONCLUSION/RATING: It was the first album of the band,which excuses so many mistakes,like the amateur production,the mediocre song-writing and the questionable mix.Talent is there,the future would show...2 stars.

Review by b_olariu
PROG REVIEWER
3 stars La Tulipe Noire from Greece and their truly debute album from 1998 named In the Gates of dream. I said truly debute, because they were active with same line up as here since early '90 but under a diffrent name Mavri toulipa . Well what we have here isa combination of neo prog with symphonic elements added and the result is ok, with female behind the mic who is at least for me an aquaring taste , really. There are some very fine keyboards parts here like on Oblivion and on couple pieces more, but the sound is to plastic as other reviewer said, the drums sound like are drum computer. Even with that low points I find this album to be ok, and it sounds like theiy dicovered their own sound here and diffrent then their next one Shattered image who has a clear Marillion feel. 3 stars, no more no less.

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