MARSBÉLI KRÓNIKÁK (MARTIAN CHRONICLES)

The 80's was a tough period for prog and good music in general. But in the middle of this decade comes the symphonic extravaganza of Solaris' The Martian Chronicles. Though rather obscure, the musical merit in this album speaks for itself. These guys play with the same symphonic prowess that Genesis and Yes did before them by flawlessly interweaving flute, synth, and all of the other instruments into an enjoyable mass of melodies.

This album is practically drenched in synth, as was the custom for many albums in the 80's. Some may not find it to their liking, but being one of my favorite instruments it's a welcome addition.

I won't analyze the album on a track by track basis as I believe most of the songs employ the same overall sound and technique as the last. In general, the songs are usually up-tempo with a plethora of interesting melodies played by a variety of instruments. No vocals are present, but in my opinion that just rids of a diversion to the wonderful music.

Perhaps the only flaw with this album is that there aren't any real standout tracks, and there is a slight lack of variety. I will also note it may have not aged well, but that's just a minor point. Overall, this is simply a wonderful 80's prog album and is great addition to any symphonic prog collection.

8/10