EYES OF THE WORLD

The debut album from this English prog rock band. I have to say I enjoyed the music a lot, OK there are some clichés and some snippets that sound awfully familiar but I don't blame the band for this lack of creatively, if it works in the context of the song then its ok. They are just starting out after all (I'd be less forgiving if it were the 4th album).

They reminded me of Enchant - only better. The songs are better constructed and there is a much better balance between guitar and keyboard. I liked the vocals but the bass could have been a bit more prominent on some tracks. The recording is a bit to bland for my liking - more dynamics are required.

The final four tracks show much more creativity than the first four, and of these The Vast Within is the best; the bass is more to the fore, there are different textures from lush keyboards to crunching guitar chords, the vocals are more emotional and there is a soaring guitar solo to end - brilliant stuff. The ballad Amber Skies has some poignant piano backed by fretless bass and offers a nice breather between the up tempo rocker Eccentric Orbits and the epic The Vast Within.

Of the first four songs, Erase. Rewind and Lapse of Sensation still have some good moments but nothing to give you goosebumps. The weakest song is Glass Tigers Eye a simpler song with a rockier style but I didn't find it particularly endearing - just too bland.

This is a good start and I hope we hear more from them. I think they have the potential to give us a great album. I struggled with a star rating; in absolute terms 4 stars is generous but I thought it was better that 3. I liked the album a lot so in the end I decided to be generous and give 4 stars.

Recommended.