SKYMIND

With their second effort, Taal are taking a form i really like and the pattern i think they must follow, unfurtunately we haven´t seen any other release since this magnificent album, wich i believe is more consistent than their first, becoming a more modern Prog act, but without going away from their roots, keeping their distinctive personality.

In this cd we can still hear all the streams they like to play, with many elements involved, different genres and lots of instruments, but with a coherent structure and going a bit heavier from time to time and nicely combining it with their symphonic side and their avant-garde edge.

Skymind starts with the title track, an amazing heavy tune wich begins with some electonics and violin and then poweful guitar riffs, adding some flute and soon becoming a violins/viola feast with guitar leading all the way. "Yellow Garden" starts very nice with piano and then the flute and violin appear to welcome the voice on an original (and funny) french way to later be attacked with all kind of instuments led by propulsive guitar and drums, to end with the same folky singing.

"Blind Child" is the 'mellower' track and begins with their classic piano and violin before Helen Sonnet start singing nicely compained with acustic guitar and cello to finish on an orchestral way.

"The Purple Queen´s lips" brings us back to the heavy track with the use of all the variety of intruments , with some breaks within and almost whispered singing giving the song and excellent balance, one of the best on the cd.

"The Egg-Sharped Moon" is another good example of the well achieved mixure of music styles and moods, nice smoothly distorted vocals with the very distnctive accent and a beautiful flute solo to end pecfectly the song.

"Stratus" is the longest track and begins with sound effects and then a very heavy intro, almost in a speed metal way, to slow down dramaticly into a middle-east/folkish greek melodic tune with weird vocals and sax in the third part of the song to end with the arabic feeling again.

Not a perfect album but near to get that label, and i´m sure will please most of progers, specially the ones with Metal and Avant- prog tendencies. For me is a record above 4 stars but not reaching the 'essential' tag so i´ll stay with 4.

Viva el Prog!

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