BLITZKRIEG

There are 4 tracks on this album and only the 2nd and 4th contain vocals and even then, these are not full blown songs. The first track begins with keyboards playing a bit furiously and giving the basis for the guitar to join and accompany it. They, then play with each other, each time the other instrument playing the lead part. The music is frantic and a bit loony as the title suggests it. Then at about 4:40 it relaxes a bit and the show continues in the same vain only slower. At about 7:00 min it returns to the initial speed. The keyboards are played very fast and it is admirable. This is a very good track; relentless, ongoing energy flowing from it and it goes on for almost 12 minutes. Just don't expect the instruments to sound clear - The blurry sound if them is very fitting and gives this the mysterious touch that makes it even more compelling. Theme opens in a more majestic way with a piano sounding keyboard and a slower tempo. Then the supporting guitars and mellotron bring in more of the magic, and then the music halts a bit and in come for the first time the vocals. IMO, the vocals are the downside of this album, cause more powerful and enthusiastic vocals could have given this much more of an impressionable effect. Towards the end of the 5th minute the music starts speeding up and the interplay between the different instruments begins again - this is where the blues and rock side of this band shows. They do a fantastic job at this. At 7 min's the music stops and the piano resumes its role as leader of this song with the original tune, which sounds, as I said, majestic. And again the rest of the band joins and accompanies the piano. This is a basic structure: initial tune performed by one instrument, the band joins in s and amplifies the sound, improvisations on the tune, back to the roots of the tune, and overall ending. Manhattan Project, the longest track at almost 14 min's, is perhaps the best. The music itself is beautiful and the musicianship is very good and there are variations in this song to the basic format I mentioned in order to keep things interesting. This track is more emotional in nature, slower overall, and the piano/keys play the major part. It is too bad the guitar is kept behind, sound wise. It should have been brought forth during the mixing, (or whatever procedure is done when producing an album) in order to be fully appreciated. Another thing is the song's ending, which should have been shortened a bit, as it sort of, drags on a bit. Audiences begins with the piano again and immediately the vocals by Berkers. It starts as an old rock song and goes on like this until ~2:10 when the piano and the percussions decide to change the atmosphere to something more proggy and with more interesting tempo until about 4 min where it relaxes and at ~6:30 the song resumes its origins. To me this the weakest track, but still very good. It could have sounded better, had it been for the feeble sound of the mellotron in the back. Why was it done like this? Maybe production obstacles.

Overall this album is very pleasing and enjoyable. There is excellent musicianship and beautiful music. I love to listen to it and enjoy it always. What I think should be here, are maybe more than just guitar and keyboard shows of ability and more compositional demonstration. Manhattan Project is thus the best track cause it does aspire to this, but does not quite make it. Some instruments are too weak sounding to be fully appreciated (Mellotron, Guitars) and that is a shame. In spite of these, I think this is a necessary album in every prog fan CD library. Therefore, I give it 4 stars.