Reviews (28)

~What a find!~
While attempting to complete my Spock's Beard collection I happened to stumble upon this disk. After looking at some of the reviews [Mainly the Mighty Chimps]I thought what the heck, I might as well give them a shot. After completing my Enchant collection I can say that I am SO glad I followed my gut. In all of my years of fanboy music raving, I can tell you right now Enchant is singular. J9 or D10 is now one of my top five favorite albums. There is not a single song on this disk that is not astounding. From the shatteringly painful "What to Say" [Quite possibly the greatest song ever written], to the sweet and loving "Elyse," this is a phenomenal album. Ted Leonard is one of the most talented vocalists that I have ever heard. This guy can sing, and with passion. To hear him belting out pure visceral emotion on tracks like "Shell of a Man" or "Rough Draft" is a chilling experience. Douglas Ott is a tasteful and talented guitarist, and Paul Craddick quickly became one of my favorite drummers. Musical merits aside, the songwriting is what really hits home for this listener. Lyrically these guys have no peer. Dealing with issues ranging from the last wish of a dying man to someone dealing with the terror of Alzheimer's disease, you will not find more powerfully written songs anywhere else. Unless of course you purchase Tug Of War, Wounded, Break, A Blueprint of the World, or Blink of an Eye. Wait a tick, those are all Enchant albums as well ;)

Purchase and enjoy.

Some of the best rock out there
*If I could, I would definitely give this album 4.5 stars.

I purchased this album based solely on the reviews I saw on this site, and I must say I was not led astray. If you like prog rock and metal bands like Rush, Transatlantic, and Dream Theater, "Juggling 9 Or Dropping 10" is a must. Although Enchant bear more than a token resemblance to the above-mentioned bands (especially Rush), they turn down the bombast commonly associated with progressive music in favor of a more straight-ahead rocking approach. And rock this album does. In style and overall "feel" it reminds me a great deal of the Rush classic "Permanent Waves," and that's a very good thing. Even during its frequent acoustic moments it rocks pretty hard, and the obvious emotion in Ted Leonard's vocals adds an extra dimension too often lacking in the prog field. Ted's delivery is perfect for the catchy, melodic songs that abound here.I even think I detect some hooks on songs like "Bite My Tongue" and "Colors Fade."The musicianship is top-notch, and the songwriting is diverse and always interesting. One minute I'll be tapping my foot to an addictive melody, and the next I'm banging my head to some chunky metallic riffing. It's a somewhat similar approach to the one that worked so well for Porcupine Tree on last year's brilliant "In Absentia," although it should be noted that this album isn't quite as eclectic. While there are some solo spots where the band members (most notably Alex Lifeson-sounding guitar whiz Douglas Ott) get to show off their skills, they're typically integrated into the overall fabric of the songs rather than standing out the way they do in the case of, say, Symphony X. The result is songs that may not be the most complex or technical you ever hear, but that flow very well from beginning to end. It's a shame a band this good doesn't get more attention, but if you're looking for some well-played rock with lots of emotion, you can't go wrong with these guys.

Amazing.Just Amazing.
This is one of those albums I've been wanting to buy for a long time, and now that I've gotten it, I really wish I'd gotten it sooner.There is no adjective short of "amazing", "incredible", "godly", or anything in that vein that is suitable for describing this album.It is quite simply one of the most perfect albums I've bought in a long time.

Enchant is labeled as a progressive rock band (and I would agree with said label), however, if you're expecting a bombastic barrage of technical fury, you're going to be disappointed.While Enchant are extremely talented musicians, and the music they play is quite complex, it is a subtle complexity, rather than a full-on jam fest.There are a lot of subtle layers and inflections within the music, but the main focus is on the songwriting, and lyrics.This is some of the most well-written and emotionally touching prog. I have yet heard.

Despite the low level of "self-indulgence" on display here, the musicians still shine.Douglass Ott is an amazing guitarist, kind of a combination of Alex Lifeson, John Petrucci, and Allan Holdsworth.He can shred with the best of them, but his playing is overall very tasteful and melodic.You wouldn't think that a guitarist of this nature would fit in with this style of music as well as he does, but he does just that.Paul Craddick is quite the exceptional musician as well.He is a very dexterous and intricate drummer, but still very laid-back for the most part.Even in his faster moments, he never seems to be "overplaying".Then we have the star of the show, Ted Leonard.This guy is just a fantastic singer.Great melodic tone, tons of emotion, and very impressive range.Definitely a new favorite of mine.

Picking a favorite song out of these gems is no easy task, but there are a few that stand out."Rough Draft" and "Colors Fade" are very catchy and light-hearted tracks, "What to Say" and its reprise "Know That" are extremely touching ballads, and "Traces" and "Broken Wave" are excellent melodic prog, with some killer musicianship.If I had to pick a favorite, I'd probably go with "Juggling Knives".It's one of the more aggressive cuts, with some really interesting guitar work (it sounds a bit like slap bass, but I'm pretty sure it's guitar) and a great chorus."Bite My Tongue" is a bit tongue in cheek (no pun intended), and kind of reminds me of Live in a way.There are plenty more great moments to be found here, but I'll leave it at that.

Features

• Import
• Live

Reviews (5)

Of A Mixed Mind...
I usually only review movies (and that, rarely now since most are milktoast formula schlock). But I decided to do a few CD reviews. Mostly older stuff. CDs with a unique style, mostly Prog, and NO HairBands...

IQ is supposedly `legendary', which they may be in the U.K. Here in the U.S., they are quite the near-unknown underground stuff closet Proggers smoke a rope and nod to. While I enjoyed this CD very much, it splits me on what I appreciated.

I find Pete Nichols vocals to be more of a wimpy Ziggy Stardust style, while the instrumentals make me wish his voice was a bit reedier and more etherial. Perhaps more venturous into the Gabriel/Genesis and Fish/Marillian cut. He seems to over pronounce his lyrics, instead of letting them smoothly flow. Not that he doesn't have a decent voice (jeez, beats the hell out of Tony Banks) but the meticulous perfection of the instruments behind him really demand a bit more. At times he seems to strive for a bit of a Jon Anderson (Yes) sound, and that very well may be.

The music itself is tight, tempting toward the instrument style of Hackett/Banks/Rutherford, but staying its own course. Judos to Pauld Cook who does a great Prog jog of changing drum beats to create a different sound. Holmes and Orford create rock-to-etherial tranfers nicely.

As to the songs. `Overture' (NICE!) and Infernal Chorus are my fav's. The rest roll nicely but seem a bit...well...TOO perfect.

I AM glad I bought the CD. It will set my mood as I go cross-country on my touring bagger (Motorcycle) Perfect for the morning hours and a slow wake up.

An high IQ in music
Note: I have the studio version

Disc one
Is simply incredibly good.First "Overture" title that I really like (It's about time!).Guess where the band Arena got their inspiration for song "Butterfly man" answer: IQ Overture ."Provider" is beautiful with mostly etheral singing and conduct us, to magnificient "Subterranea" that has the Rickenbacker bass sound that I like (cheesy low-tone metallic sound).The more we go on the album the better it is and my peak is on "Infernal chorus" then it goes down after.

Disc two
Is excellent but a different identity.I think they have listened a band called Iluvatar (album of 1993 and 1997) to write song "Capricorn" and "Unsolid ground".Nevertheless they are awsome songs anyway.

I find beggining of "Somewhere in time" sounds like an Alan Parson's song.Sorry to say "The narrow margin" song is boring zzzzzz...

Concept on disc one is done so intelligently.

Reviews (1)

Great Work Of 2/4 Quarter!!! OPEN YOUR MIND AND HEAR!
Thanks to My Forum's leader, I Heard This album with member's sign before Imported in Korea....

If you like metal or music any genre, OPEN YOUR MIND!!!

Features

• Import
• Live

Reviews (11)

Marillion at their BEST!
If you could only have 1 Marillion CD, this is the one. The songs on the CD are their best and are performed with more intensity and better sound quality than they are on the studio work. Beginning to end ... perfect. 'Nuff said.

Truly, a great album and a great concert experience...
As a farewell present for fans, the double CD live collection of The Thieving Magpie is perhaps the closest to a Fish-era Marillion concert you'll ever be. This is the band during their heyday (at least in their peak album selling years) just as Fish was about to leave (or be dismissed, depending on who you ask). Here's a band known for its proximity to fans back when they performed to packed arenas. It is, without a doubt, a testament to a great band who, after releasing this album, went in two different directions with two very different results.

The two CDs are divided into a full live version of Misplaced Childhood (the band's greates achievement) and a collection of tracks from their three other albums. The results can also be divided into two groups: awesome and lacking.

Being able to enjoy Misplaced Childhood in its enterity is a true gift that the lads gave to us fans. This is one of those classic albums that transcends time and taste, and that should be around forever. It is also proof of the band's musical talents, both as composers and as performers. This is a 42+ minute track if you think about it!

The first disc starts off with an intro of Rossini's 'La Gazza Ladra' that segues into one of the bands best loved tracks, Slainte Mhath and then visits a varied collection of hits that are taken from different concerts. This disc could have been somewhat better, not because of the quality of the tracks presented, but because of the tracks missing from it. Granted, the band had already released Real to Reel and Brief Encounter, so a few of the better known pieces of Marillion's music was already out in live versions, but still, a better way to say goodbye and thanks to the fans would have been to include Forgotten sons, Assassing, Garden Party and/or Market Square Heroes.

Still, this is an album that should be owned not only by Marillion fans, but also by every and anyone who loves great music.

Editorial Review

Features

• Import
• Live

Reviews (4)

Before this start with "COMING OF AGE" AND"LIVE RECORD"
Well in my opinion you have to start with "COMING OF AGE" ,containing a selection of must have Camel tracks and also the fantastic live version of "The snow Goose", entitled "LIVE RECORD", which sounds much and much better than the studio album.

Anyway here, if you skip "City Life" (the unique weak track from "Nude"), "Hymn to her" from "I can see your house from here"and accept another version of the usual Lady Fantasy from "Mirage", which has been the song by which Andy has concluded a lot of lives, the rest is excellent stuff, even if They have forgotten here the essential "Beached" and "Docks" from "Nude", "Lunar sea" from "Moonmadness",...besides of course there isn't the stuff from "Harbour of tears",this CD being not issued yet.

Recommended, but start with "COMING OF AGE" and "LIVE RECORD" before this!!

Before this start with "COMING OF AGE" AND"LIVE RECORD"
Well in my opinion you have to start with "COMING OF AGE" ,containing a selection of must have Camel tracks, and also with the fantastic live version of "The snow Goose", entitled "LIVE RECORD", which sounds much and much better than the studio album.

Anyway here, if you skip "City Life" (the unique weak track from "Nude")and accept another version of the usual Lady Fantasy from "Mirage", which has been the song by which Andy has concluded a lot of lives, the rest is excellent stuff, even if They have forgotten here the essential "Beached" and "Docks" from "Nude", "Lunar sea" from "Moonmadness",plus the sweet "Hymn to her" from the normal AOR album"I can see your house from here"...besides of course there isn't the stuff from "Harbour of tears",this CD being not issued yet.

Recommended, but start with "COMING OF AGE" and "LIVE RECORD" before this!!

Reviews (4)

Long and waiting Utopia/POV!!
I have a long list and library that starts with Todd Rundgren and Utopia.This particular CD brings back wonderful memories of their process of excellant Rock N Roll.Roger Powell:keyboards,vocals.Todd Rundgren:guitars, vocals.Kasim Sulton:bass, vocals.Willie Wilcox:drums, vocals.From Play This Game to Monument all selections are unique and the vocals are superb.One of their best albums by far.Zen Macine,Mimi Gets Mad,More Light,Man Of Action take your pick all selecions are unique.What a chemistry for 4 unique musicians.Buy it, won't regret it!!!

Crybaby...superior!!!
I bought the original "Oblivian" record and fell in love with several of the tracks.I am still in awe of the power pop of "Crybaby". But my record was destroyed in an unfortunate house fire.Years later comes the compilation cd and I jump for joy and buy a copy. The best of the best.I do disagree with the other reviewers in their assessment of the first cd. I can find much to love about POV, but nothing will beat my favorite Utopia album, "Oblivion".

UTOPIA Gets their POV across
This re-issue represents the compilation of two of Todd Rundgren and Utopia's best later-period recordings (early-to-mid '80s). I especially liked the 2nd of these, "POV," as one of the bands most creative and heavy-duty recordings. The songs are rich in thought and angst for the most part - try "Zen Machine" on for size for a good headrush!

Reviews (39)

"They're just waiting around, to die"
This is a very overlooked CD. Of all the Neal Morse-era Spock's Beard CDs, this one seems to get the least attention. I can't figure out why! This is one of the catchiest and best produced, focused albums the band has ever done. Now I'll explain why.

These songs are very well written. For Spock's Beard, they are short - The longest song on the album is Flow, at just over 15 minutes. Unlike a lot of the stuff the band went on to do, the songs on this CD are focused and quirky at the same time. The longer tracks have repeating themes, but don't get tiresome. They don't hit the other extreme Morse's epics tend to hit either - where they are more like a song cycle than an epic. This album's songs are in the perfect middle.

Let's take the first song, "The Good Don't Last." First listen - this song feels like three songs, the first being a Gentle Giant thing, the second being a pop song with a gentle giant reprise, and the third being a ballad. It seems disjointed! But keep listening... notice the intro contains the melody of the ballad (part 3), notice the chord progression for the ballad appears layered in with the last chorus from part two, and listen to how they keep reprising the gentle giant riff... this song is more focused and intelligent than you realise at first! All three parts of this song are amazing. The intro is quirky and fun, and the second two parts are beautiful. The guitar solo in "The Radiant Is..." is gorgeous!

Now for a string of short songs. The next song "In The Mouth Of Madness" is good, though it is better live. Its very odd, almost UGLY, but i love it. However the live version has less keyboards and more guitar, which is awesome. Then comes "Cakewalk on Easy Street", which RULES. the intro is fun and then it blasts into a kickass riff that strongly resembles "Marshmellow Fields" by King's X. The verse is creepy and the chorus is memorable, and the breakdown rules. "June" is a pretty ballad, though i think its overrated. When it kicks in at the end it rules. However, I think for SB ballads, "Distance to the Sun" and "Lay it Down" off the next album are far better. "Strange World" is actually radio-friendly, sort of. I love it! Fun lyrics, fun riff, fun song all around.

Now comes my favorite track on the album, "Harm's Way". It starts out with a very PROG intro... i love it! Then it goes into a pretty theme that we will hear many more times, in different styles. The second part of the song is almost funky or something, with a cool keyboard sound, an awesome guitar solo, and really cool, abstract lyrics. Then we go back to the theme after the intro, only this time just keyboards and vocals... and then BAM the song launches into a 7/8 keyboard thing... that is so incredibly haunting and beautiful that I get the chills every time I hear it, even having owned the CD for years. Then we hear that theme again, this time fully electric and the song comes to a dramatic close. It's brilliant.

The last track on the album, "Flow", took me some time to get into. Unlike the other two epics, this one is literally three five minute songs strung together with a little riff that they do between them. Regardless, its a great song. The first part is really cool. It's very slow and the singing is really haunting, some of Neal Morse's greatest vocal work (and I love his voice!) The second part has lots of guitar and is very catchy with a HUGE dramatic chorus. The last part is kind of boring but it has a cool guitar solo that ends the album well.

Many Spock's Beard fans seem to ignore this CD. I can see why. It doesnt stick out the way the others too. Like, every prog fan knows "THE DOORWAY" from _beware of darkness_, or "The Great Nothing" from _V_ or "The Water" from _The Light_, etc. But I think this album is possibly their greatest work. Check it out.

excellent, but sometimes lacks originality
Kindness of Strangers is a very good album by Spock's Beard. Some call it their best one, but I still can't hear enough Spock's Beard on it. Their style hadn't yet developed and it was still mocking Yes, Genesis, Gentle Giant or even Queen and Pink Floyd. Some songs still shine here. Strange World would have been an excellent hit single (a _very_ good song, excellent, rocks!), unfortunately Spock's Beard remains unnoticed by radio stations and TV.

The song Flow is a very good example of what the Beard does mixing oldskool prog music. I can hear Yes (Howe-like guitar playing!) Pink Floyd (Gilmourish solo!) and some Queen-like passages. This is generally a bad thing to do, but the Beard just doesn't seem to care and it all sounds good. If you can forget about all those prog bands of the past, it's a very good album. The melodies are catchy, the arrangements are very good (too intense for me at times) and you get some good instrumental show-offs.

I just can't stand that Neal left the band... :( sorry to whine, but it's so depressing. The band is not the same anymore...

Editorial Review

Features

• Extra tracks
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (43)

Real music from a real band
Now this is music. Before the hundreds of shallow pop bands that mostly dominate the music industry today, there was Kansas. Kansas created music with beautiful melodies, unique blends of various instruments, and lyrics with real meaning. The band was made up of true musicians, not a bunch of talentless individuals trying to blend in with the rest of the music industry. They created a musical experience unlike no other, and this album demonstrates some of their greatest musical creations.

Carry On Wayward Son - Wonderful vocals, great piano, and several smoothly performed tempo changes.
Point Of Know Return - Another great song, this one has very active violin during the chorus.
Fight Fire With Fire - Unfortunately, I would say that this song doesn't quite fit in with the rest of the album. It has more of a 80's feel to it, with more electric guitar than the other songs, not to mention a different lead singer.
Dust In The Wind - A slower song, but very, very good. A perfect blend of acoustic guitar and violin.
Song For America - Beautiful 3 minute intro in this one, it builds up to the lyrical climax. Very interesting use of synth in this song.
Hold On - The violin adds a heavy emotional atmosphere to this song, and the vocals uphold that atmosphere. Good song with good lyrics.
No One Together - Very talented piano, mixed with just the right amount of violin and synth.
Play The Game Tonight - Another song on the cd with John Elefante as lead singer, but this one blends better with the rest of the cd than Fight Fire With Fire.
The Wall - Good electric guitar intro, powerful but not too powerful. Good use of synth in this song.
The Pinnacle - This song is an epic song with everything: electric guitar, piano, synth, and violin. Great vocals, espeically near the end.
The Devil Game - Rousing song with good violin and synth. Great lyrics and vocals.
Closet Chronicles - This song is performed live. Good music and poem style lyrics. A good closer for the album.

All in all, this cd is a beautiful example of real music Kansas-style.

- Pale Mercury -

great compilation from a superb band
kansas's best of is terrific compilation from this terrific progressive rock band.this contains all their big hits like song for america,carry on wayward son,fight fire with fire,dust in the wind and the awesome play the game tonight.very highly recommended to rock fans who want all the biggest hits of this great band on a single disc.

Features

• Enhanced

Reviews (6)

Live CD by Legendary ex-Genesis Guitarist
I've been a big fan of Genesis for twenty years now - particularly of the Peter Gabriel era.Also, my favorite albums after Phil Collins took over the vocals were "A Trick Of The Tail", "Wind & Wuthering" and the live "Seconds Out".I suppose it's no coincidence that my favorite Genesis tracks featured Steve Hackett on lead guitar.

Also, in the mid-1980's, I bought the first couple of Steve Hackett solo albums but didn't really care for them at the time.Recently, I bought his CD "Genesis Files" which collects a number of his re-recordings of such tracks as "Watcher Of The Skies", "Firth Of Fifth", and "Fountain Of Salmacis", plus a number of other songs in the same vein.I was amazed and delighted with these songs and finally realized what a huge talent that Hackett really is.

My second Hackett CD purchase is this live disc, recorded at concerts in 1981 and 1990.Although I was somewhat disappointed that only one Genesis track is included (a very powerful version of the instrumental "In That Quiet Earth" - first released on 1977's "Wind & Wuthering" - that ends much too soon), I was delighted with many of the other songs.Two of my favorites are "Camino Royale" and "The Steppes".

I highly recommend this CD to old-time Genesis fans; it's a great introduction to Hackett's solo work.

A Live Gem
Great live versions of some of Steve Hackett's best work, the best of which are "Camino Royale" and the instrumental "Jacuzzi." This album also introduces another classic Hackett instrumental, "Depth Charge." Longtime fans already have this album. New fans should join them soon.

A live "greatest hits" look at Hackett's solo career
This live album would be a good introduction to ex-Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett's solo career. Half was recorded in 1981 and half in 1990. Hackett's best solo work had sort of an uber-Genesis sound--he built a wall of sound from keyboards and then sliced through it with a wailing guitar. Most of Hackett's "greatest hits" are here: "Spectral Mornings", "Every Day", "The Steppes", and "Ace of Wands". The only missing track that really SHOULD be here is "Narnia". Only three of the 14 tracks include vocals, and one of those, "Hope I Don't Wake", is the weakest track here. As another reviewer pointed out, these renditions don't vary much from the studio versions. One that does is a run through the first half of Genesis' "In That Quiet Earth", with extended guitar, synthesizer, and flute solos.

Reviews (3)

PLEASE CORRECT THE PICTURE REF. TO PENDRAGON "THE JEWEL"
Well I have remarked the importance of this weak recording, which anyway could have been the right example to follow within the 80's UK new prog, instead ... well please notice my review ,that I have already made, as it's referred to the audio CD and not to Chuck Prophet, whose picture was inserted within it as for a mistake I think ...

Usually I don't like newprog,except on a few good albums
Usually I don't like the 80's UK newprog very much, except on a few albums by IQ and this work by Pendragon too... a promise being, afterwards not maintained !! Apart from the hit single "Higher circle" the rest is excellent, it's a quite personal stuff, characterized by fresh ideas, unfortunately not helped by the production, very weak, whose remastering I'm still waiting for!!
"Leviathan" is a stunning and original song; "Black knight" is probably their best; instead "Alaska" is better in the live version of "9.15" LIVE, whose interesting interplay between the guitar and the keyboards, in the 2nd movement, is memorable (however in the present studio album you find Nick Carter at the keyboards, while Clive Nolan plays the keys in the place of him in the live version...). At last a special mention for "Oh Divineo", which is perhaps the best instrumental composed by Nick Barret ...

Recommended even if it isn't a masterpiece !!

Reviews (9)

Cheeseball Story but absolutely Fantastic Music!,
Sooner or later I had to get to Ayreon

Should any of my readers not know who Ayreon is, let me edify you. Ayreon is not a band, not really. Neither is Ambeon. Let me explain. Ayreon and Ambeon are projects, you might say alter egos of brilliant Dutch composer and musician, Arjen Anthony Luccassen.

You see, Arjen has borrowed one from the book of the ever successful recording broker, Alan Parsons. He composes a Rock Opera and then like the mice followed the Pied Piper into the river, several well known, at least to me, guest singers and musicians follow our piperish leader, Arjen, into the studio to record, this wonderful music.

Now Arjen hasn't used this successful formula once or twice. No he's made eight exciting albums this way, two of which are double albums. Mind you now, I understand there's a waiting list to be in Arjen's next production.
I can see why, it must be fun, mingling with other very talented people and making this remarkably interesting and different music. It's probably like, if I may regress to seventies terms, a "happening". And how different it is!

Into the Electric Castle, as do all of Arjen's projects, tells a story and in this case it is a science fiction story centered around eight strangers brought together into a dimension of no space and no time. It seems, if Luccassen ever decides to hang up his guitar he could make a living writing sci-fi.

Here is a summary of the story from Ayreon's Website:

"'Into the Electric Castle' tells the story of 8 stereotypical characters from different periods of time who suddenly find themselves in another dimension. A Highlander, Knight, Egyptian, Indian, Barbarian, Roman, Hippie and Futureman each try to understand where they are and what they are supposed to do. It is then that a voice rings out from the sky to tell them that the dimension they have arrived in is built on dreams and fears. In order to find their way back to their own dimension and time, they must go in search of The Electric Castle. During the search every character is forced to confront his or her innermost fears, and not everyone survives the treacherous journey to the Castle."

"At the end of the journey those that successfully dealt with their personal demons find out that the voice belongs to an alien named 'Forever of the Stars', a member of an alien race living in a distant galaxy. These aliens created planet Earth and its people as an experiment so they could study, and hopefully one day experience emotions, as they themselves lost feelings eons ago."

"'Into the Electric Castle' is a double CD. On disc 1 we experience the journey to The Electric Castle and on disc 2 we find out what happens when they arrive there."

Haven't I read something by Stephen King like that. Yeah, I know, the plot is pretty ch-e-e-ze ball but honestly the music is fabulous, here are some highlights:

"Isis and Osiris" is an eleven minute multi-part song.

"Let the Journey Begin" is the first part with Highlander and Indian singing in what is an ethereal, almost Moody Blues part. "The halls of Isis and Osiris" is sung by Roman and Egyptian as the pace picks up nicely with a choppy orchestral beat plus a sitar and guitar solo. "Strange Constellations / Reprise" the third and forth parts narrated by Highlander (Fish) with an atmospheric background and some remarkable guitar and keyboard work. This is an amazing piece of work that I could use a thousand words describing.

"The Decision Tree (we're alive)" sung by Barbarian and Highland, with all joining in on the chorus's. It is a medium slow very catchy song with lots of organs and synths.

"Across the Rainbow Bridge" sung by Knight, Roman and Hippie. Opens with acoustic then switches back and forth to electric while keyboards in background to a varied pace. At three+ minutes it changes with a chugging beat at a medium fast pace. really great song.

"the Garden of Emotions" is a ten minute multi-part song that opens Disc 2. "In the Garden of Emotions" sung by Hippie (actually spoken through a distorter of some sort) and Egyptian slowly and atmospheric. "Voices in the Sky" picks up with a heavy crunchy beat and some very nifty organ / synth work. sung by Barbarian, Roman and Indian. "The Agression Factor" is sung by Futureman , Knight and Indian and is a mix of the first two parts

"The Castle Hall" sung by Knight and Barbarian, starts out with some very deep heavy guitar work and ominous singing before mellowing out at a medium tempo. Great melody and hooks.

"The Two Gates" sung by Barbarian and Knight, played in a medium heavy beat and pace with some more great hooks and all singers join in and pace changes again. Excellent!(Trying to describe these songs is impossible, every couple minutes everything changes)
CONCLUSION

I have a soft spot in my heart for Ayreon. They, are the catalyst that has propelled me in the musical direction I have chosen. I accidentaly came across them while downloading and was so overwhelmed and intrigued that I wondered what else I could be missing. It turns out, it was quite a bit, so for the last two years I have been relentless in that nothing worthy gets by me.

The whole time I was writing this review I had this eerie
feeling that our characters, Highlander, Indian , knight etc. were members of that inane TV show, Survivor. Of course in our story the characters die instead of getting voted off. Oh, I didn't tell you? Sorry.

Ok, the conclusion. Ayreon is remarkable, and Into the Electric Castle is his most remarkable project. This is Progressive music like no others make. It is bombastic, highly varied (even within each song)and even at 100 minutes it captivates you. I just finished a review on another rock opera, a rather good rock opera I might add but it pales in comparison to this, this is chicken salad while it is chicken sh-i-t.

So, if you don't buy this album I'm going to report you to the consumer office of bad judgement for obviously following a path of mundane, mediocrity.

Rap?
I'll leave the in-depth review in the capable hands of those who have already submitted (although I'm still a bit mystified by the bad rap due to rap content -- I guess we all have opinions!).
I hear many influences in this work, all to great effect. Pink Floyd, Dream Theater, Marillion (because of Fish's voice no doubt), Alan Parsons, Supertramp, Holst, blues, even the Beatles! The sci-fi story is compelling and holds all the varied styles together nicely. This is great prog done by great musicians, with enough prog-metal and space rock to satify the most demanding listener. Many spine-tingling passages. Excellent!

Asin: B00005NJGA
Sales Rank: 222589
Subjects:  1. Rock/Pop