INQUIRE WITHIN

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!

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