IN THE LAND OF DREAMS

It comes as absolutely no surprise to me that Silver Key began as a Marillion/Fish tribute act, because the style of progressive rock they play here is something I might be tempted to call retro-neo-prog. First there was good old classic-era prog, then there was neo-prog which used 80s production techniques and instrumentation to refresh the classic-era sound, then there was retro-prog which deliberately used vintage instruments (and, in some cases, recording techniques) to recapture the classic sound directly, and now we've got retro-neo-prog bands who seem to be deliberately trying to sound like they live in the 1980s.

That's not a slam, mind - just as some retro-prog acts can give the originals a run for their money, so can some retro-neo acts make enjoyable contributions to the genre. Like Credo's Rhetoric, Silver Key's In the Land of Dreams applies the benefit of hindsight to the Marquee-era neo-prog sound, avoiding creative cul-de-sacs and taking things in their own direction. As the band name, album title and track list imply, here and there the band take inspiration from H.P. Lovecraft's horror-fantasy stories of the Dreamlands, but by and large (aside from the acoustic and slightly overlong Dim Carcosa) this doesn't really have much impact on the music, which draws on the likes of early IQ, Marillion and Pendragon and recent Credo - and, perhaps most notably, Jadis, whose sunny tones can be detected on the opening In the Land of Dreams. Yuri Abietta deserves props for his clear and fluent vocals and the band as a whole do a good job, though if you don't have at least some affection for the early neo-prog sound the album's not likely to make you a convert, and if you do it will likely not offer much new.

Silver Key is a progressive rock band from Milan whose roots date back to 1992. After many problems, a long hiatus, some line up changes and a period passed performing Marillion's covers, in 2012 they finally released a début album featuring only original compositions on the independent label Ma.Ra.Cash Records, "In The Land Of Dreams". The current line up features founder member Yuri Abietti (vocals, acoustic guitar, samples) along with Carlo Monti (electric and acoustic guitars), Alberto Grassi (bass), Davide Manara (keyboards, synthesizers, samples) and Viviano Crimella (drums, percussion) but in the studio they were helped by some special guests such as Ettore Salati (guitar ? from The Watch, The RedZen, SoulnginE and Alex Carpani Band) and Massimo Parretti (keyboards ? from the historic band Alusa Fallax). The overall sound is in debt with bands such as Genesis and Marillion, of course, but Silver Key managed to add to their music a touch of originality and all their love for the works of writers as Howard Phillips Lovecraft and Robert William Chambers with excellent results.

"Calm, lasting beauty comes only in dream, and this solace the world had thrown away when in its worship of the real it threw away the secrets of childhood and innocence... There are twists of time and space, of vision and reality, which only a dreamer can divine...". (H.P. Lovecraft, from "The Silver Key"). Well, the band was named after the title of a short story by H.P. Lovecraft and I think that this short quote along with the beautiful art cover by Claudio Bergamin could introduce you to Silver Key's work better than all my words.

The evocative, dreamy title track, "In the Land of Dreams", opens the album inviting you to look at the world as it is in your dreams, even if it's very difficult at times. The following "More Than I Can" is darker and reminds you that life is too short for all the things you would like to do. Next comes "Learn To Let Go" which is about the need to break free from the chains of your worries and fears to escape from the daily grind. After comes "Millennium" that begins softly, then the music and lyrics conjure up apocalyptic visions with black clouds of fiery angels pouring down from the sky.

"The Silver Key" is the main course of the album. It's a long, complex suite featuring lyrics inspired by the literary works of H.P. Lovecraft and R.W. Chambers. The silver key opens the gates of a fantastic dreamland but as we grow up we risk to lose our capacity to enter the realms of dreams. In this sumptuous suite the music and lyrics try to take us on a dangerous journey through forgotten memories and dark, fantastic cities, in a quest for our lost innocence.

The conclusive "Welcome" begins with a delicate piano pattern. It's a bitter-sweet ballad that blends hope and regret with a strong sense of melody... "I welcome myself / Standing on the edge of what I'm going to be / I welcome my death...".

On the whole a very good album, especially recommended if you like bands such as The Watch.