ON TO EVERMORE

This is a difficult album to place. Glass Hammers influences are varied, almost too varied, as each song seems to have a different style. The one constant and saving grace are the excellent keboard parts and fills.

The album opens with On To Evermore, an exciting piece, that reminds me quite a bit of Echolyn. The Mayor Of Longview follows. This song sounds like the power pop era of Utopia (but with better keyboard solos than Roger Powell was playing at the time).

Next comes The Conflict, which begins with a Deep Purple-like keyboard into, but disappoints when it becomes a Styx-like arena piece. Arianna sounds like it's trying to be a Genesis song, down to the buzzy vocals. It's only saving grace is a spectacular keyboard & rhythm break in the middle.

Only Red is a fairly straight rock song, with a coll and heavy bass line. And This Fading Age, with mandolins is a nice prog folk song. Junkyard Angel again sounds like Echolyn, this time one of their more sedate songs, especially in the vocals.

Twilight On Longview is a simple, but king of nice keyboard & piano feature piece. And Wind breaks in at the end, with sound effects and a few chords.

The performances are fine on this album, but the wide variance in styles make this a hit or miss affair.