WAKEN THE NIGHTMARE

Oh hi, let me introduce you to just another neo-prog from Germany (no insult taken please, I could easily said the same thing with other bands, something like "let me introduce you to another prog from UK"). But here I see strong chance of compare it with Martigan and others. Unfortunately, I don't want to pursue this path of compare everything with anything else, so let's focus just on music, shall we ?

Pleasant, forgiving, melodic, promising and giving. Feeling of fresh originality is always pleasant and I seek it more and more music I know, love and own. Not necessarily being experimental, just sounding new, or using sound patterns in new way. And this double CD monster, with its interesting lyrics (In the Captain's Room for example). And I don't care what exactly makes this music good, that's for you to find out, but I just enjoy that it works. A lot.

In fact, I hesitate between two best ratings at the moment to be honest. So first CD is perfect, there's little room to negative things, but second one is big mystery for me.

5(-), the answer (to the eternal question of life, universe and everything) is that their last stands is worth of masterpiece rating. Bring it on, more shine for this mildly dark band.

MORPHELIA are a Neo-Prog band out of Germany who have released two albums thus far. This is their second recording from 2009, a double concept album with a cool looking album cover as well. The music has a strong IQ / PENDRAGON flavour including the vocalist who is really good and has that Nicholls/Barrett tone down pat. There's some fairly heavy stuff on 3 or 4 tracks. This particular album certainly has received it's fair share of praise in the Neo-Prog camp.

"Walk Through The Park" opens with nature sounds and someone walking around as the piano kicks in. Vocals follow then the guitar. There is something emotional everytime the piano and vocals come in. "The En-Trance" is a short piece with atmosphere and spoken words before we get some guitar-led bombast to end it. "Hunt In The Hall" is a fairly powerful track with vocals. The guitar is quite metallic at times. I like the floating organ and the soaring guitar solo. "In The Captain's Room" opens with the sound of a door opening before laid back guitar and vocals take over, but the synths and keyboards also help out. The synths remind me of the "Wish You Were Here" album.

"Never Ending Steps" is surprisingly heavy as the vocals join in. The chorus is better but the instrumental section late is great. "Blue Chamber" is acoustic sounding with reserved vocals to start, then gulp...this section of pure emotion arrives. This will come and go and is my favourite part of the album. I should mention that mellotron is part of this moving passage as well. Contrasts continue. "365 Windows" is belivev it or not very METALLICA sounding instrumentally. "Mirror Labyrinth" is also heavy when it comes to the rhythm section and the guitar. "From The Room Of Silens" ends disc one with an intricate and mellow piece with fragile vocals. We even get an Eastern vibe before 4 minutes but it doesn't last long.

Disc two begins with "Imaginos(A Taste Of Evil)" with the organ swirling as the keys join in. It turns heavier as the vocals join in. A calm follows which sounds really cool then the guitar solos over top and this continues for some time. The heavier more urgent sounding rhythm section kicks back in with vocals after 5 minutes. "On The Roof(A Taste Of Freedom)" has these spacey background synths and prominant bass to start as the vocals join in. It builds as the drums join in. Some nice guitar in this feel good tune.

"In The Hall Of Stormy Oceans" is spacey with soaring guitar until a minute in when it settles with reserved vocals. It does pick up some with keyboards 2 1/2 minutes in. Pulsating organ follows then it becomes powerful and the vocals return with passion. A catchy guitar and vocal line after 13 minutes. "The End Is The Beginning Of The End(From The Inside Coming Out)" is the longest track by far at over 27 minutes. It's spacey early on as melancholic keyboards join in. An Eastern feel before 6 minutes then the guitar slowly solos, this is so good with all that atmosphere. Some aggressive guitar later on rips it up. Vocals return with more great sounding guitar and some power at times. It then trips along with vocals and the guitar before 20 minutes which reminds me of Italy's GARDEN WALL. The guitar solos over and over and then it ends like it began with nature sounds.

If your a Neo-Prog fan then you need this in your collection.