RELEASED

For their second album Jade Warrior retreated to safer psychedelic territory and greatly reduced the more unusual elements of their musical style compared with their debut. The influences of musical styles from across the world are toned down greatly, as are the shimmering, ethereal walls of sound that were so wonderful to lose oneself in; in their place are harsh, brash, psychedelic rock pieces which when they work are decent enough songs of their type but when they don't work - as on the chorus to Reason to Believe - they risk becoming irritating.

This would be an unfortunate backwards step for the group, were it not for the fact that these commercial concessions are made up for by the excellent Barazinbar, a nearly 15 minute epic which constitutes perhaps the most progressive work of the Vertigo era of the band. Call it three and a half stars, or 3.75 if you have the rather nice Esoteric rerelease, which is a great sonic improvement over prior CD versions.