POMPEII

This Triumvirat album is the last one to still have progressive elements. However, there are some simple pop tracks which less retain the attention. Barry Palmer's lead vocals are worse than on the "Old loves die hard" album. "The earthquake 62 a.d." is a variation on the same theme present on the "Vesuvius 79 a.d" track; it has a very good overdose of Hammond organ a la ELP; there is a celestial female choir part. "Journey of a fallen angel" is an ordinary pop song, containing rhythmic piano & keyboards and a too brief horns arrangement. "Viva Pompeii" is more catchy, having omnipresent clapping hands-like sounds, delightful piano parts, fast Fender Rhodes solo and fast & complex drums. "The time of your life" has catchy female backing vocals; there is a simple rhythmic piano and strings arrangements in the background.

On side 2, "The rich man and the carpenter" still has a pop style, although being quite catchy: it is an easy listen track; the female backing vocals past the middle of the track are graceful and addictive. Things become more progressive with the 2 next tracks: "Dance on the volcano" has a VERY heroic style: it is VERY catchy and addictive; the drums and bass support very well a delightful Yamaha polyphonic keyboards melody. "Vesuvius 79 a.d" is THE track: WOW! Curt Cress proves here that he is a GREAT drummer, and Jurgen Fritz plays very fast and complex keyboards; the bass is also VERY pleasant and complex enough to figure well. The last track, "The hymn", is still a pop song with simple rhythmic piano; there is, again, a beautiful melodic catchy choir.