FROM DUSK TILL DAWN

This is a German band that made recordings halfway the Nineties but it lasted until 2006 to release an album. The CD From Dusk To Dawn contains 11 compositions, four are re- recorded a few years ago. Shades Of Dawn their sound is mainly in the realm of the neo- prog like early Marillion and IQ but without being a copycat. I am pleased with the tasteful and varied arrangements with a modern sound, from dreamy and spacey to fluent and bombastic. A strong point is the interplay between the guitar and keyboards but I am also delighted about the wonderful, often howling guitar runs and the pleasant keyboards work (from harpsichord and organ to string-ensemble and choir-Mellotron sounds). Due to the slight German accent and the melodic and harmonic sound, Shades Of Dawn their music reminds me at some moments of Austrian band Eela Craig but less symphonic and with a more modern sound. To me this CD is a pleasant effort that will appeal to the neo-prog fans.

This album is dedicated to prime mover Wolfgang Schmidt who died of a heart- attack in January 2000.