DISTORTED MEMORIES

The reckless productions of Erik de Beer with Life Line Project continue in 2010 with another self-produced album, ''Distorted memories''.The man eventually got a real Mini-Moog in his hands in able to reproduce the monstrous feeling of 70's Prog bands plus he invited Josine Fraaij, whom he knew since his days with Tempesta Consort, to provide some electric violin in a number of pieces.Once more de Beer would draw influences from Folk Music in one track, while the two longer tracks, ''Life line suite'' and ''The final word'', date from the very early years of Life Line Project and the premature act Brancard respectively.

This is propably one of the most uneven releases of Life Line Project.The compositions are mostly excellent with myriads of keyboards and some nice electric guitar tunes and melodies interrupted by acoustic interludes, fine flute parts and the very good violin solos of Fraaji adding a very OUTER LIMITS/MIDAS-like feel to the material.But the bass and drum parts in particular along with a few piano lines sound so robotic, that apparently lower the otherwise well-composed well-pieces.It's like listening to a collection of natural and digital sounds mixed in interplays and the result is really awkward.About 2/3 of the album follow these stylings, still ''Life line suite'' is a really cool Symphonic Rock opus with neurotic keyboard flashing, folky touches and beautiful guitar solos in the vein of ODYSSICE.The following, rural-sounding ''Frozen heart'' with the decent, dreamy voice of Maruschka Kartosonto in evidence and the elegant flute, piano and guitar plays is also very good, especially if you count the powerful keyboard attack at the end of the track.The rest of the pieces are also in a very Neo/Symphonic Prog vein, featuring lots of Mellotron, synthesizers and Mini-Moog exercises, but not near as good as the aforemtioned pieces.Fortunately the later third of the album is pretty uplifting and more convincing, highlighted by the 13-min. ''The final word'', very suitable title, the last word belongs to this piece, no doubt.Bombastic keyboard-drenched Symphonic Prog with breaks into more ethereal moments, sensitive female vocals and some groovy flute work in the middle, containing also great guitar melodies and grandiose piano parts, very tight composition with interesting instrumental themes and endless changing moods.

''Distorted memories'' contains some of very best as well as some of the very mediocre work of de Beer with Life Line Project.The more satisfying tracks are flirting with masterpieces at moments, the less convincing are rather forgettable attempts on dynamic symph-oriented Prog Rock.Recommended release, at least two or three pieces in here are more than amazing.