FOREVER

In my search for all sorts of unknown neobands you can't expect to meet just class acts. And in fact here we have one that really isn't my cup of tea. I'm only the second person on PA who checks this album out and that wasn't already a very promising sign.

The funny thing with this album is that the few songs that are (short) instrumentals aren't that bad at all, they are even quite good. But when the very mediocre (if not poor) vocals come into the picture the compositions and sound of these songs don't come out at all. These songs are flat, poorly executed and also the production isn't really what it should be.

Besides the few nice short instrumentals there's one song that really stands out, both in compositional as in executional way and that song is called Is there a Place ? This is actually a very good song with good vocals this time and a very good instrumental part. But all the other tracks are way below par I have to say.

What they sound like ? Imagine the least Saga album and then even less. That is more or less the style we are talking about on this album. Or in other words, this one is just about too good for the lowest rating but two stars is the best I can do.

It would take Crystal Maze some seven years to return with a second album.It appears that guitarist Christoph Arndt quit from his duties at some point and the band continued as a trio, recruiting Sorin Badin to help them out in the guitar parts of their sophomore effort ''Forever''.Despite their long abscence from discography Music Is Intelligence decided to release the band's follow-up to the nice debut ''Waiting in the spider's web''.

At a time when Prog Rock was taking its baby steps towards a second huge wave in the 90's, Crystal Maze seem to take the opposite path and their music became extremely radio-friendly.Basically ''Forever'' is an AOR/Pomp Rock effort along the lines of SAGA and ASIA with minor progressive influences.Despite the strong use of symphonic keyboards and extended use of piano lines, the focus now is on compact, standard song-based tracks with emphasis on melodies and emotional passages, giving priority also on striking choruses, sensitive solos and tapping, rockin' grooves with the addition of a couple of ballads for good measure.The keyboard work is pompous and often grandiose, supported by some edgy guitar playing, but most of the lyrics are cheesy, while the unimaginative arrangements and the flat production are far from the progressive standards established by the band a few years back.Otherwise the performances are enjoyable if you like this kind of style with memorable tunes and vocal sections.But a honorable mention must be made to the pair of great, instrumental tracks included in the album, which come close to the style of ODYSSICE or FLAMBOROUGH HEAD, featuring some dramatic melodies and a discreet CAMEL influence in a much more Prog-oriented enviroment.

Proggy AOR/Pomp Rock, which will propably dissapoint anyone having listened the band's first album.Still a pleasant listening for fans of catchy music with plenty of melodic parts and bombastic keyboards...2.5 stars.