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Novalis - Sommerabend CD (album) cover

SOMMERABEND

Novalis

 

Symphonic Prog

3.81 | 231 ratings

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febus
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator / In Memoriam
5 stars CAN NOVALIS FOLLOW UP WITH ANOTHER MASTERPIECE! YES!! (almost)

This album SOMMERABEND just follows the path taken by its predecessor S/T NOVALIS album.One of the 2 guitarists CARLOS KARGES already left after only one album, but listening to SOMMERABEND, you won't notice the difference as DETLEF JOB is doing a great job. Moreover, this is the band of keyboardist LUTZ RAHN anyway!!

There are only 3 tracks; 2 10ms-ish for thr first side and a long suite on the second side of the then-LP. Let's be straight: the first 2 tracks keep the momentum of the precedent LP. Majestic music, lavish instrumentations, only in good taste. The first track AUFBRUCH is quite an energetic instrumental that will lead you again to one of this wonderful world where everything is beautiful. The same goes with the poignantly sung second track WUNDERSCHUTZE. How is it possible to create such magnificent music?? 2 absolute gems that every prog lover SHOULD listen to.

The good thing is that NOVALIS was quite successful,not like bands like YES or GENESIS of course , but they sold relatively well in their native Germany and neighboring countries. Of course the fact to sing in German was not going to open the doors of the rest of the world for them.

The suite SOMMERABEND starts wonderfully with synths layers that bring you once again to this dreamy country where the grass is greener, the sky bluer, the women beautiful , lead by gentle and wise wizards ,where everybody loves each other, but the piece drags a little bit after that with this repetitive acoustic guitar, but things get better later with a -of course-wonderful guitar solo and great singing from DETLEF JOB. It even gets ''wild'' (but not too wild-hey it's NOVALIS!) after that , but overall the result is not on par with NOVALIS first 2 songs.

So it's not one of my 6 stars album, but that still very good music and a highlight of my collection! Should be in your collection too, ELOY, early GENESIS ,NEKTAR lovers!!

4.5 stars rounded to

5 STARS

febus | 5/5 |

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