CASSANDRA

Cassandra is the third release by Welsh-based trip 25 Yard Screamer, and a very promising release too.

Two long epic tracks dominate this album, opener Blacklight clocking in at 19 minutes+ and last track Cassandra lasting almost to the half-hour mark. Both tracks variate between almost ambient atmosphere filled segments, mellow melodic segments not too unlike Marillion's more melodic moments and harsher riff-based segments close to Rush in style and sound. Some more metal-tinged elements are added at time to. Good melodic vocals, stable rhythm section and skilled guitar playing alongside well crafted songs makes this an enjoyable release overall - although both epics are a bit too long.

Fans of Rush should enjoy this one, especially if they appreciate mellow melodic rock too.

Power trio from South Wales,formed in 2002 through the meeting of singer/guitarist Nick James, bassist Matt Clarke and drummer Donal Owen.They produced two little-known albums, ''The pictures within'' (2003) and ''Approaching From an Oblique Angle'' (2005), along with the two-track EP ''Blacklight'' from 2006.Actually the eponymous 19-min. track from the EP made it to the band's third and mostly known release ''Cassandra'' from 2007.

The album consists of four compositions,two long epics and two shorter tracks.The band seems to be heavily influenced by the energy of RUSH and the atmospheres of RIVERSIDE and a mix of these two styles give a good description of the band's sound.The longer cuts aren't exactly tightly connected,seem more like separate pieces of music stuck together with overstretched powerful heavy grooves and rather boring psychedelic passages with effects.Still the band produces some high energy and decent esoteric atmospheres,when vocals added, showing good potential.The shorter tracks are straightforward Heavy Rock pieces,again the level of energy is high,but they sound too commercial with simple structures and no surprises at all.

25 Yard Screamer have worked well on creating deep vocal-based atmospheres,but need huge improvement on the most important part of (prog) music:Composition.If this part is developed,then we can expect some really dynamic and interesting music by these guys.

25 Yard Screamer isa british heavy prog band little known outside their country.. Cassandra from 2007 is their third album I guess. The neo prog category , how is puted here on page is missleading, this album has nothing to do with neo prog, really, this is heavy prog with some prog metal elements thrown in, I can't trace any Marillion influences here or of any other neo prog band. Only 4 pieces, wich 2 are very long and the best from the album. Opening track Blacklight is something between heavy prog a la Rush with prog metal a la Fates Warning, is a nice well developed piece with tempo changes and good vocals from Nick James. The middle of the album, those two shorter pieces are forgetable and nothing to talk about. The last tune the longest , the title track Cassandra is the best from here, 30 min of good passages, odd time signature, nice vocals and good musicianship, remind me a lot of Fates Warning, more recent period around Disconnected. All in all, this is not a fantastic album, is decent and nothing more. 3 stars.