DELUSION RAIN

If Neo Prog has to be over-the-top bombastic, let it be like this band, Mystery, and this album, Delusion Rain, their best to date. Simply the best sound, best song construction, best lead vocalist, best tempos and best lyrical topics I can think of in the Neo Prog realm. So what if they sound like 80s hair bands WHITESNAKE, SKID ROW, QUEENSRYCHE, GREAT WHITE, DEF LEPPARD or BON JOVI. They have a clarity and consistency, a masterful command of melody and chord progressions and a solid confidence that puts them in your face but in an emotional, sympathetic way.

1. "Delusion Rain" (10:04) A solid song that just never elevates itself into heavenly standards of memorability. (8/10)

2. "If You See Her" (6:11) A prog ballad by the numbers but done to perfection. The keyboard embellishments and restrained guitar soli (especially in the fifth minute) are wonderful. (9/10)

3. "The Last Glass of Wine" (6:47) Great pacing, great singing and lyrics, incredibly engaging chord progressions and melodic hooks, amazing sound and instrumental clarity, and hugely chunky bass, and yet nothing over-the-top or overdone. This is about as good Neo Prog can get. (10/10)

4. "The Willow Tree" (19:30) A few choices misfire and a few opportunities were missed--and it may drag on a bit longer than it needs to, but, still, overall, another beautiful and wonderfully restrained presentation. "Have you seen your eyes" is definitely a brainworm. (9/10)

5. "Wall Street King" (6:39) Despite the cogent topic and pleasant opening, this is the only dud on this otherwise stunning album. (7/10)

6. "A Song for You" (12:35) is a little on the cliché bombastic side, but I cannot argue with the gorgeous melodies, heart-wrenching chord progressions, tasteful guitar soli and amazing synth soli. Change the first 6:15 a bit and you have an outright masterpiece. (8/10)

Sorry, Thomas, but this, Delusion Rain, is the greatest Neo Prog album ever made. (Just kidding. That honor would go to either Moonshine or Seven.) If all Neo Prog were like this, I might like more of it. Also, whoever is doing the lead guitar work in this album is amazing--one of the top ten or twenty working in the business today.