THE VISITOR

1. "Helvetia" (21:13) (36/40) - i. "Let the Rain Fall - opens like a cross between The Who's "Emminence Front" and some melodramatic instrumental by PINK FLOYD - ii. "Bullet Train - then it becomes more Mike Oldfield like - iii. "Kaleidoscope By Numbers - iv. "Through the Narrow Passages" there's even some Tangerine Dream and Believe-like motifs here. - v. "Counterpoint - vi. "Flight of the Swallow - with some excellent chunky bass play here.

2. "The Nature of Evil" (10:21) cheesy melodrama and bombast, but still solid . . . for NeoProg. (17/20)

3. "Bones of the Mountain" (19:53) More Oldfield / Alfonso XII stuff. (34.6667/40) - i. "The Sun Always Rises - ii. "The Weburn and the Dart - iii. "The Open Road - iv. "Hound Tor - v. "Bicycle Race - vi. "Wistmans Wood - vii. "StormWrack - viii. "Rocks and Rainbows

4. "Spered Hollvedel" (8:25) nice Celtic Prog Folk that sounds like it comes from the campfire around which Dave Brons, Iona/Dave Bainbridge, and Big Big Train might be gathered. I like the fact that even when the electric instruments start to wail the acoustic instruments still remain prominent and important in the overall weave. (18.25/20)

Total Time 59:52

This album kept me coming back to it due to its very well-engineered and -mixed sound coupled with nicely sophisticated (but never drifting over into angular avant-garde) instrumental weaves throughout.

B/four stars; a very nice, highly engaging and listenable album of high-quality, melodic Celtic Mike Oldfield-like collection of prog.