I.C.U.

ICU(no periods between the letters) were a six piece band out of Germany, listed here under Symphonic but Neo-Prog is what I hear for the most part. I did think of NO NAME as Bogdan mentions in his review and this is a concept album with lyrics in English. We do get some female vocals from the flautist but male vocals dominate and they're okay but nothing more. This hour of music was released in 1995.

"One Life" opens with atmosphere as acoustic guitar and flute take over. Sounds like mellotron after 2 minutes then reserved male vocals arrive before 3 minutes. A beat kicks in then a full sound as the vocals turn more passionate. Guitar a minute later before an atmospheric calm arrives 6 minutes in without vocals. Picked guitar and vocals take over a minute later then the tempo picks up. I like this. Another calm then the vocals return 10 minutes in. It kicks back in with some nice bass and synth work.

"Another Life" opens with organ then it kicks in with some punchy drumming and much more. The guitar comes in over the top then female vocals before 2 1/2 minutes as male vocals join in then take over. Keys and drums stand out then the guitar soars over top. Themes are repeated. I like the dark calm with spoken words 4 1/2 minutes in. It builds back to a full sound with vocals. Love the atmosphere after 9 1/2 minutes.

"The Same Old Way" opens with flute and lots of depth. Acoustic guitar plays over top as reserved male vocals join in. A good laid back tune. "Two Steps Ahead Of Time" features lots of keys early on then we get a bass solo 1 1/2 minutes in which signals the start of a full sound. Processed vocals after 2 minutes. I like the bass and drums when the vocals step aside briefly. It's fairly powerful here, at least for this band but then it settles back after 5 1/2 minutes.

"A Pair Of Hands" is my favourite song on here. Nice guitar and bass to start, in fact really nice as it builds. Vocals 1 1/2 minutes in as the sound changes some. This is good. I like when it settles back after 2 minutes with atmosphere, bass and guitar as the vocals return. Themes are repeated.

"Challenge Of The Unknown" opens with atmosphere followed by a scream and voices as the atmosphere continues. Acoustic guitar then reserved vocals join in. Organ replaces the acoustic guitar until the electric guitar arrives after 4 minutes. Synths swirl 6 minutes in, riffs also arrive as the tempo picks up. It settles back followed by soaring guitar leads as the vocals step aside to the end.

"In Every Stranger's Eyes" starts with atmosphere before keys and vocals arrive around a minute in this pastoral passage. It does turn fuller after 2 minutes with the guitar replacing the vocals. Vocals are back a minute later as the tempo picks up. Catchy stuff and lots of synths too as this plays out. Atmosphere and whales? ends it.

A good album for sure and for my tastes 3 stars is the right rating.

3,5 stars!!! In this third studio album from the Germanic neo-prog band I C U "ICU", they presents a sonority between JETHRO TULL's prog-folk and CAMEL's symphonic-prog style... This is easily noted along the entire audition, however, in some moments : mostly in some vocal choirs whit male/female counterpoints or pure instrumental solos, the sound gets a certain "self- identity" , like in track 3 "Just Over the Hill" ( one of the best tracks in the album) or in track 4 "Quest for Life" with a almost "reggae" vocal moment. Another detachable moment is the track 6 " Silent Girl " a very sweet ballad . In a gemneral way the album is very pleasant and in spite not be exceptional, deserves at least one audition. My rate is 3 stars !!!

German band from Sindelfingen with a decent 8-year career.They were formed in 1989 and led by guitarist Thomas Glonkler.By the time of their first album the line-up included also Ralf Grossmann on lead vocals/acoustic guitar, Steffen Herrmann on keys, Joachim Lauber on drums and Hartwig Dieterich on bass.This was recorded between 2nd and 20th of August 93' in Boeblingen and released the same year on Gaumoggel Records.

''Moonlight flit'' is an almost full hour of dynamic Neo Progressive Rock in the vein of ANTARES, ZIFF, COLLAGE and EGDON HEATH, having a very rich sound and a very good production to surround the band's adventurous ideas.What a lover of this style expects can be excessively found in ICU's debut.The compositions are filled with the emphatic guitar work of Glonkler with plenty of great grooves and emotional solos and the bombastic keyboard work of Herrmann.There are some nice interplays, symphonic grandiose passages and sudden breaks to lead to acoustic crescendos in ICU's sound, making them far from a flat Neo Prog band.Another positive asset is vocalist Ralf Grossmann and his expressive, non-accented voice with its multiple colors.The great balance between the lyricism and fiery instrumental sections will definitely please the fan of progressive music, again the problem of another album is the lack of a monster composition to push it to the next level.

MARILLION, IQ, PALLAS, ARENA and PENDRAGON fans will love ICU from the first listening and the high degrees of both emotion and execution are likely to satisfy more fans than only those deep into Neo Prog.Strongly recommended...3.5 stars.

Their third album and aswell thir swansong before disbanding an year after 1998, to me this selftitled album from 1997 is as good as previous one. Again nice passages going very much in neo prog realm with nice guitar parts, keybords, voice and a very good amount of flute on almost each piece. The opening track Poem is just excellent very strong and tight musicianship very worthy keybords and very strong guitar. Followed by another top notch piece Queer, I.C.U are still in bussines big time. I don't know why is considered the most unsuccesful and unintresting albums from their catalogue because contains some very strong pieces with brilliant passages that for sure keeps the same attitude as on their second offer Now and here. Maybe the pieces are not so long and very well develeoped as on previous albums but have a very strong sound and the flute is very well integrated in the mix, better and with more parts then before. I really like this album, no weaker parts. Just Over the Hill the longest tune from here clocking around 10 min is a total winner, complex neo prog at it's best. The course of the sun have a very positive and happy feel, specialy because of the keybords parts and aswell the guitars are top notch, the flute is also fantastic on this piece. Sometime some parts from here remind me of another geman band from the '80's Rousseau, beacuse of the flute arrangements. So, 4 stars again, another obscure and forgotten band managing to make some very fine albums who gone unnoticed world wide.

Great and totaly unknown german neo/symphonic prog band from mid to late '90's with 3 albums under their belt. Quite obscure release their second offer from 1995 named Now and here and managing to have a moderate succes, but to me this album sounds truly great. Most of the time neo prog with some symphonic prog traces here and there I.C.U really made an excellent album that every prog fan must take a listen. Sincere and very discrete Now and here is almost a lost little tresure in this realm. From melacholic almost sad vocal parts to the great instrumental passages, this album is a winner. keeping the flag high in neo prog zone. Complex arrangements where the guitat and keubords are melted very well with quite intresting passages, the perfect example are Another Life or Challenge of the Unknown. This is not another neo prog clone of the well known giants in this field, at least for me, even the vocal parts remind me of bands like No Name or Arena in places. To me was and still is a pleasent surprise this band. Nice flute parts in some sections giving avery original atmosphere overall. 4 stars easy.

One shot neo prog wonder! Their first and third albums were really not all that interesting , looks like they spent all their energies both musically and compositionally on this special gem. Murky cover artwork notwithstanding, this recording sizzles from the shining opener, the epic "One Life" , a three part mini-opus with stunning vocals courtesy of Ralph Grossmann, inventive clear production that highlights a strong rythm section and lots of mood changes and accelerations, culminating in the finale "Magic Eyes" . No real weak moments here , as demonstrated by "A Pair of Hands" and the pulsating finale "In Every Stranger's Eyes" . Great guitars, occasional flute, lush keys , solid bass and thumping drums not withstanding, its the material that really sticks to your brain, remaining very current/modern as opposed to another neo-Genesis clone. This is closer to The Cure than any Trick of the Tail!!! I am not an unconditional fan of vocals (let's all admit now, once and for all that real good singing is not one of current prog's forte, as we still consider Greg Lake as the best???? Go figure... ) but this recording really delivers the lyrics with gusto, passion and fire. Arguably, one of the 10 best Neo albums all-time, on par or better than any IQ, Arena,Marillion, Galahad or Pendragon .Give this a good serious listen , you will fall under the spell Now & Here. 4.5 doctored units

I.C.U not very original, maybe typical symphonic progressive band,but we have very nice felling over this band 'Now and here' second cd of band is a concept album with nice melody.The flute play by Ava-Maria form a litle classical aspect whit piano. and also great backing vocal byAna-Maria. I think is very nice addition for many prog fan.