INQUIRE WITHIN

This is the debut CD from a German band named INQUIRE. The band was founded in 1996 and their music has lots of variations. What's really impressing is that this album is recorded live in the studio. The music is quite complex so I guess that it wasn't an easy task to record this CD. Sometimes their music is close to neo-progressive rock with lengthy instrumental passages and sometimes even prog metal with some reminiscences to CAMEL, EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER, MARILLION, PINK FLOYD and YES. The CD is a private release but it has a very professional packaging with a nice CD-booklet with lyrics and pictures. The only negative think is that Dieter Cromen's voice that doesn't reach the whole way at times, but instead he's a damn fine guitarist. As a debut CD from an independent band, this album is definitely worth buying. INQUIRE is already one of the best German band today in this genre, and they have all the potentials to become a big name even outside their own country.

Edited 10/4/2005!

Inquire's debut album was released under their own production and has been recorded in live studio sessions without using any overdubs. Musicianship is really quite good, only vocals by the excellent guitar player Dieter Cromen are not really perfect, but not disturbing as well since most of the album is instrumental. The sound is situated somewhere between Neoprog and Progmetal. There is a good balance between keyboards that sound a bit too synthetic and 80's-alike and quite heavy distorted guitar parts. Compositions are very versatile and divided into several parts without sounding too incoherent.

First track, the quite dark The Inauguration of King Kong is starting with strings (synths), sound effects and a short guitar part introducing some chords from the following Kongfrontation which is apart of a short middle vocal part almost instrumental as well and quite rocking, very good song. Kindergeburtstag is a bit surrealistic and presenting a motif in several variations from strings to solo guitar. Maze Of Despair is starting in a dark mood with a sound that reminds to a musical clock followed by strings, continuing with an IQ-reminiscent middle part and finishing with vocals. Der Mann (based on 'Toccata' by Aram Khatchatourian and the famous book 'Als die Ente Amok lief') - great title - an instrumental track again is a bit CRIMSON-alike, quite heavy and odd. When Darkness Turns To Light clocking 26 minutes is a very versatile track offering quiet and loud, rocking and atmospheric parts with mostly great musicianship apart of non-matching vocals and cheap-sounding organ parts. Overall Inquire Within is a quite good and enjoyable album, a remarkable debut and worth to be checked out by all fans of Retro-Prog. Not really an essential one, without the mentioned flaws one could rate it higher probably, but anyway very promising German band!