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I was blocked. I've been blocked for years and I've just restarted writing reviews. This is the reason why, despite having received a request for review from Pandora Snail in 2017, I'm writing it two years after. Aplogies to the band.

This release is so perfect that the fact that's a live is hard to believe. Usually with an instrument like the violin in the lineup, the guitar is sacrificed. Not here. There's enoguh room for guitar and piano, which can drive the melodies even in presence of the violin. Bass and drums on their side aren't just accompaining them. In particular I've noticed the harmoies that bass and guitar are able to produce together.

Not only, on a couple of tracks another "soloist instrument", the trumpet played by the guest Vladimir Basten adds complexity to the balance.

The music is instrumental, melodic and in some parts tendent to a newage mood, but even in those parts the prog element is predominant. A track as "Moment Of Eternity", to mention one, has odd signatures, changes of rhythm and in the structure, plus the trumpet which is excellent.

With a lineup of this kind, I see similarities with the last incarnation of ROZ VITALIS, at least on the mentioned track. (please consider that this album came out two years before the last Roz Vitalis). Pandora Snail is another example of what is happening in Russia. A lot of very good bands and artists between Moscow and St, Petersburg are showing that there's a huge musical movement going on, and considering that music is still very important in the Russian scholastic system, it's not a surprise if all the Russian artists show an amazing skill.

Back to this album, "Watching the Earth is a highlight. There's a lot of things going on here, from a relaxing melody to an exciting dark uptime. Last but not least, there's a 16 minutes closer which has also a bit of funky inside. This track only can justify the existence of the whole album. It moves from Crimsonian ambience to melodic parts with the violin in foreground, like a sort of instrumental CURVED AIR.

The only thing that I find strange is that the applauses at the end of the tracks are suddenly cut. In my opinion, they have their place in a live album and even if it's clear that the band is not playing at the Wembley stadium, it's clear that the public is enthusiastic. Let them show their enthusiasm in the next live, whenever it will be.

There haven't been other releases after 2017 but I sincerely hope to hear from them asap.