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ALBUM REVIEW ARCHIVE
Copyright-Landmarq
LANDMARQ
Solitary Witness
From the opening chords and machine gun drums of "Killing Fields" you instantly know you are in for something
special as this is a crisp and direct positive sound which is full of energy, be it from Damian Wilson's vocals to guitars, keyboards and drums. This is high energy stuff and rocks
at a pace of knots and is a great opener.
On "Forever Young" the tempo drops just a tad and allows the keyboards to come forward to play their part. The vocals, as ever, are crystal clear and spot on. The
emotional guitar takes over and it seems to go on forever but eventually Damian comes back in to finish this song off.
Track 3, "April First", is an instrumental. The keyboards open this track and it almost has a Elizabethan sound although as the title suggests it does conjure up images
of springtime with its crispness and uplifting quality.
"Foxing The Fox" is another song full of energy and fills you full of anticipation with its directness. Grey Lady Down also have the same effect on me. Damian almost
sounds like a young Peter Gabriel with his half sung/half spoken vocals and it almost has the quirkiness that Genesis had at that time.
From this point onwards, with the track "Terracotta Army", it begins to dawn on you that this music is really like a rock opera. The way that Damian delivers his vocals
you can nearly imagine him singing these songs on a theatre stage production. This song, as might be expected, starts with oriental keyboard sounds and a marching beat from the
drums. You really can picture the army marching. This is a strange but dramatic song about what might be in the heads of the clay army's warriors.
"Freefall" is another instrumental with a piano opening and crisp guitar chords. This is a very energetic track with time and mood swings. The guitar at times reminds me
of Gary Chandler. This is another band (Jadis) with a direct approach to their music.
On "Tippi Hedren" seagulls herald the opening of this song which continues the flow of "Terracotta Army", i.e. rock opera, with Damian coming across as being
very emotional. Excellent keyboards and guitar finish this track.
"After I Died Somewhere" again is very dramatic. This is not throw away music. After countless plays you still discover new and exciting things in it. The guitar at the
end of this track sounds very Andrew Latimerish as on "Stationary Traveller" album.
"Suite: St. Helens" is definitely like a mini rock opera and is the best track on this amazing album with its time changes and four sections to it. The Latimer guitar
sound returns near the end to bring this track to a dramatic conclusion.
The Final song, "Borders", has gentle guitar and keyboards bringing in the vocals. Damian sounds very like Jon Anderson, in fact the whole song sounds very Yesish and
again a Latimer type guitar floats in and out of this very tuneful song.
Phew what an album.
copyright-Landmarq
LANDMARQ
Infinity Parade
"Solitary Witness" begins with a bagpipes and drums intro then Damian comes in over a slow guitar till
power chords and keyboards arrive to lift the tempo. This song is subtly different to all their previous material.
"Gaia's Waltz" returns to the previous styles and is very grand and European sounding. Damian Wilson is one of the best vocalists in progressive rock and this is shown to
its best advantages on this song. Both the vocals and music capture the feel of this track.
Track 3, "Landslide", with its slight jazz influences, is firmly in Jadis or even early Camel ("Rain Dances" period) territory and brings back memories of
the 70's. This track is an instrumental and rattles along at a fair pace.
"Ta Jiang" has a running time of 16 min. 31 sec. and is simply a masterpiece. The music can't be faulted with, again, some of the guitar solos sounding so like Andrew
Latimer's and the whole piece captures the feel of the story as it is unfolding with its mood and texture changes. This is a song to be proud of, it's so rich with musical idea's.
Damian as ever is in top form. Thank god he did not turn to pop music to make his living. The keyboards/piano also play their important part and occasionally sound classical and
add to the overall greatness of this outstanding complex piece of music.
"Tailspin (Let Go The Line)" (nearly sounds like a Fish Song Title) very nearly sounds like a continuation of the previous track and if not for that then it would be the
stand out song on this album. It is mellow and moody and the keyboards and guitar drift in and out of this outstanding track.
"The More you Seek, The More You Lose" has a catchy chorus that you can't get out of your brain once it's there. This is a strange song, at times it's nearly commercial
but then it drifts off to the progressive sound. It seems out of place on this album but sometimes you think, no, it belongs where it is with its very dramatic vocals and ending.
This album finishes with "Embrace" which is keyboard/piano based and is a ballad with background vocals by Eileen Ruthford. This is a haunting, emotional song
lyrically as well as musically and it finishes with a stirring guitar solo.
This album is more diverse than their first one. It has more mellow moments and not so much of the rock opera thing and is a progression of sorts. Depending on your mood it could
possibly be better.
Copyright-Landmarq
LANDMARQ
The Vision Pit
"Cutting Room" begins with symphonic keyboards then, like on their first album, chords and machine gun drums herald in the high pitched vocals. This is a fast and
energetic start to this album with biting guitar solos.
"Pinewood Avenue" is more in the style of their previous album with the lower delivery of the vocals and has a more subdued sound.
The third track, "Infinity Parade", opens with Damian in top form. There are good keyboard and trumpet sounds on this wonderful dramatic track which has dream like
passages and tempo and mood swings and at times sounds very regal.
"Game Over" follows and opens with guitar and keyboards drifting in and out. This song is excellent and melodic, especially the keyboard and synths on the chorus and end
section where they intermix with the guitar.
"All Performers Stand Alone" is in the style of the first album with time changes and Damian's theatrical vocals. There are also excellent keyboards on this song with
rapid drums, bass and chords rapping away all of which comes to a sudden end.
"Narovlya" is obviously the masterpiece of this album with a running time of 10.00 minutes and Damian's vocals surpassing even his own high standards. This is a very
dramatic song in 6 sections and is about the Chernobyl nuclear accident. As the story unfolds the structure is reminiscent of "Ta Jiang" and it is of a grandiose scale.
Track 7, "Ten Million And One", with its Elizabethan sounding intro soon becomes quite orchestral in content and is another outstanding track.
"Bed Of Nails" has a slow, moody and relaxed feel until the tempo builds up for the chorus. This track has strange but fascinating lyrics.
"Hanblechia (The Vision Quest), with its organ intro till the beat takes over a-la "Narovlya", has choral synths and chants and is about native Americans and the
visions they have while being in The Vision Pit.
This outstanding album finishes with an orchestral instrumental.
So there you have it. Three major albums by this outstanding English band.
The Landmarq reviews were written by the European Progressive Rock Review
AYREON
Universal Migrator part 1
The Dream Sequencer
This album is for all science fiction/space opera fans out there.
The flag ship named Ayreon returns from the "final frontier where no one has gone before" and he has returned with a God almighty space opera for us
earthlings.
This album proves that Ayreon has his finger firmly on the button that reads Melodic Progressive Rock. At this moment in time this concept is unequalled right down to the
magnificent CD booklet. Basically what is happening here is we have the last colonist alive on Mars and the air supply has almost run out. The food supplies have stopped arriving
from Earth since the final war of 2084. Our last remaining colonist turns to the Dream Sequencer "hoping it will sweeten his final days".
Each track deals with an event in a particular century, leading back to 50000 B C.
We will now enter the Dream Sequencer...............
The Dream Sequencer
This instrumental opens with swirling keys and mournful, then wailing, guitar. This is an atmospheric but at the same time powerful opening and resembles Eloy/Pink Floyd, at
times, as it links into..............
My House On Mars
Our colonist is back to his childhood.
This track continues the Pink Floyd influences with good percussion and sinister keys to match the sinister vocals. This song is always threatening to burst into the
thunderous beat and it does to a certain extent, at times. This is quite powerful considering that it is supposed to be an "Atmospheric Journey". Good vocals by
Johan Edlund and Floor Jansen, this is very stirring and uplifting.
2084
We are now back to Armageddon and all life on Earth is destroyed.
Lana Lane takes over on vocals and the track begins atmospherically with sirens, swirling keys and gentle guitar. Then drums, keys and electric guitar increase the power with a
slightly deep, thicker sound which eventually builds for the crescendo then dips back again for the last 30
secs.
One Small Step
20th century 1969.
This has bass and keys opening but soon regal sounds enter as gentle vocals take over with acoustic guitar. Then the big sound returns with regal keys and mournful guitar solos.
This has the hair on the back of my neck standing on end. Without doubt this album is the highest level of composing Ayreon has achieved so far. Great climax here as well as superb
vocals and lyrics.
The Shooting Company Of Captain Frans B. Cocq
!7th century and our traveller is a noble ensign-bearer posing for the Dutch master painter Rembrandt van Rijn.
Hell, this is just as good, dreamlike at times, good vocals all round. It eventually turns dramatic with one hell of a climax.
Dragon On The Sea
i6th century, he is now Queen Elizabeth sending out Sir Francis Drake.
Opens with heavy percussion then the keys enter with excellent vocals by Lana Lane. This song resembles "Beyond The Last Horizon" from Actual Fantasy. There is a lot
going on here, very complex on the melodic smouldering side. The sound is big but controlled and restrained. You've just got to hear this one.
Temple Of The Cat
8th century, he is now a Mayan girl heading for the Jaguar temple in Tikal.
This has a different sound, with string and orchestral effects. Jacqueline Govaert almost sounds like the great Tracy Hitchings
Carried By The Wind
6th century. We are back to where it all began, he is now Ayreon.
This sounds like "Charm Of The Seer" from The Final Experiment. You'll love this, very stirring and uplifting as our traveller returns to the 6th century and to the blind
minstrel Ayreon.
And The Druids Turn To Stone
2800 BC. Our traveller witnesses the secret behind Stone Henge.
This track has a slow, deep sound. You can't help but notice the best vocalist in prog, Damian Wilson. This track has a soulful, beautiful guitar with the occasional burst of power
and emotional soaring vocals. This is a beautiful track.
The First Man On Earth
50000 BC. we are back to...........The First Man On Earth.
Has a more upbeat opening with Beatlish vocals as the tempo drops only to be replaced by some big sounds from the keys with the occasional drop of volume. Excellent
The Dream Sequencer Reprise
We are back to the place we started, an instrumental with gentle keys, acoustic guitar and eventual electric guitar. Again sounds Pink Floydish, I keep waiting for Dave Gilmour
to start singing. A peaceful ending to this first album.
Our colonist is back but he wants more, he wants to go back even further.......................
Wow, well, what a mighty part one this is. Powerful at times, not heavy but the usual full sound and multi
vocals, definitely melodic and also atmospheric. You would have to be ultra critical to give this anything other than full marks, hell it's faultless. This first CD is probably
aimed at fans of "The Final Experiment". I hope our hi-fi's can take the strain of the heavier part 2..
P.S. The CD booklet is one of the best with a great mug shot section, they could easily fit into an
N. Y. P. D. Blue episode.
AYREON
The Universal Migrator Part 2
Flight Of The Migrator
OK, where were we. I have returned and have replaced my old amp and speakers with some heavyweight equipment and
to be quite honest you need it.
First of all, I have only heard 2 tracks from Ayreon's "Vengeance" output so this review has no bearing on those past releases.
The Dream Sequencer is back on line and we head for proto space, before the Big Bang and the birth of the very first soul called the Universal Migrator. Do not enter unless you are
sure you want to continue. Well, we are really sure, aren't we ???????? ...........OK here goes, heading straight
for..................................................................................................................................................
.........................CCcchaaaaaooooooooosssssssssss
Chaos
This is well titled. There is some breathtaking, nay finger blistering, guitar work here, the likes of which I have never heard, not from Ayreon anyhow. Wow.
Dawn of A Million Souls
We are back into recognised full sounds of keys, strings, quiet vocal sections, heavy, chopping chords from the guitar and eventual emotional guitar. Is this big and grand or
what?
Journey On The Waves Of Time
A violin opening soon brings in the heavy side of things with busy drums, organ, keys, you name it, it's here. We've got some heavy prog here.
To The Quasar
a. The Taurus Pulsar
b. Quasar 3c273
This has an acoustic guitar opening with echoed vocals and eventually develops into a heavy, thrash type of beat with power chords, good backing vocals and wailing guitars. Pretty
dramatic stuff with good keys.
Into The Black Hole
a. The Eye Of The Universe
b. Halo Of Darkness
c. The Final Door
Big, dramatic opening, then the vocals enter as the sound drops and eventually take on more urgency as the sound increases. This is big, complex and loud, reach for your volume
control. Phew..............
Through The Worm Hole
Definitely getting pretty heavy here, nay super sonic, as Ayreon's finger slips from the Melodic Progressive button. Really, this is just average encore stuff for
Ayreon.
Out Of The White Hole
a. M31
b. Planet Y
c. The Search Continues
Heavy and complex with a hell of a beat, excellent guitar and vocals.
To The Solar System
a. Planet Of Blue
b. System Alert
Some heavy stuff going on here again but stays on course.
The New Migrator
a. Metamorphosis
b. Sleeper Awake
This opens darkly then strings enter, very uplifting. This soon turns heavy and very dramatic, another grower for the final track. You eventually see the light at the end of the
tunnel. Is this the future after the rebirth?????????
OK, down to the nitty-gritty, What does all this mean???????????
Yes, this is the heaviest album I have heard from Ayreon, so what's going on?
Well, this certainly fits in with the concept of chaos, destruction, confusion and eventual rebirth of our colonist, Ayreon? What about life after "Dream Sequencer parts 1
& 2"?. Is this a pointer to the future? Is Ayreon himself declaring his own rebirth here, very much like the new migrator in that our last colonist has died inside the
Dream Sequencer where " his body sleeps forever but his consciousness must awake to the eternity that lays before him because he is now the New Migrator"?
"Metamorphosis". Is Ayreon telling us that he is now awaking to a new future? Will the future depend on which part of this concept sells the most?
Artists seldom, sometimes unfortunately, stand still. The knack is to know how far to drift from the things that are acceptable to their hard core masses. This is the major
question that confronts all major artists and which apparently now also includes Ayreon. Sometimes this choice brings down the curtain on some artists. Ayreon himself states
"Who really is my audience? That's what I hope to find out". hmmm, see my point?
Ayreon's finger definitely moves off the Melodic Progressive button, especially on track 6 "Through The Wormhole" and possibly on "To The Solar System",
so is this a future direction?.............. hmmm, time will tell. I could be reading too much into something that may be only in my mind but, of course, the question needs to be
asked at this point, 6 CDs into the ongoing concept. Personally, I love the unique, full, almighty, melodic side of Ayreon's music, it's too grand and important to turn away from,
which this CD nearly does. Yes, it's big and full sounding with the usual bucket load of singers and musicians but there could be a question mark here somewhere, depending on your
taste.
A great album, a major album of 2000.
(Review by the European Progressive Rock Review)
COSMAS
(Review by Juriaan Hage)
Summary of history: Damian Wilson is well known for his share in Landmarq and his singing for Threshold. Still, the man is not a progressive musician or singer as such, but in one way or another got involved with the bands. He himself is a singer songwriter and has now released a CD full of his own work, songs that have been with him for years. Homegrown was a track that could already be found on the iO Pages Sampler.
Oh by the way, Damian and Cosmas are saints that you will often encounter together. This is probably the reason for the title of this album.
The album: Striking fact number one is that none of the musicians are familiar to me and I guess they are not generally found in the prog corner of the music. Still, knowing that this would be a singer songwriter album, it is not so strange, but the difference with, for instance, Peter Gee's approach is clear. The album starts promising with the pianic and introspective When I Leave This Land. The instrumentation reminds me of albums by Ryan Harris of music by Jimmy Webb: strings and wood instruments playing very melodic compositions. The song is certainly very stately, but also a bit sad. Beautiful. The next one She's Like A Fable is a more playful folky tune, but I like it, although a lot less than the previous track. I Want To Build My World is also a nice track, a bit more up-tempo with more pronounced percussion and a good bridge. A big surprise is that Agony is a very happy track and You Hurt Me Inside can be compared to Only You in the version of The Flying Pickets that was a big hit once. A Monday Night In March is a soft track with a terrific melody. How Can You Turn So Coldly is a short sad one that moves directly into the bouncy Please Don't Leave Me Till I Leave You. A bit too happy, but it has its charm. Nothing In This World Remains The Same is a melancholy ballad and is introduced by the short I Can't Change Your Mind. The acoustic Naturally is an up-tempo track with accordion and then follows the already known Homegrown about weed, nature and god. I like this song very much especially the majestic part at the end and although I'm not a smoker of whatever myself, I do sympathize with the message of this song, that seems to be "can it be used with some common sense. If it's making rope it might as well be making us...". The lyrics throughout the album are very personal and in that sense contrast with the lyrics usually found in progressive that seem to be more constructed than felt. Many of the songs here are about love and stories about everyday life. After the Image I Saw we go into Naked that is the most rocking song of the album with some heavy guitar work. Also, the chorus reminds me of the latest Landmarq album, that by the way has recently been re-released on Landmarq's own label. The closer Just The Way It Goes is the best one, containing message, melody and emotion. Lastly I'd like to say that the artwork looks great with beautiful colours and no money spared. Conclusion: Wilson says in the booklet and in one of the songs "...you don't have to like the songs I write". I guess this is meant for the Landmarq or Threshold fan who buys this album for that reason only. Still, if you are a little open to other kinds of music, and most notably singer songwriters, there will be something on this disc for you. I don't admit liking all of it, but I have to admit as well that after a few listens the album (home)grows on you and it becomes easier for me to listen to the up-beat tracks (you see, I'm really not that fond of happy music). Best tracks on this album I found to be: Homegrown, When I Leave This Land and Just The Way It Goes.
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