ROAD TO DARKNESS

Well. Gandalf's Fist second effort is finally available in my home country. The fact that such obscurity is gives me hope about the prog situation in Mother Russia, which, as I've always sadly argued, for its size, is seriously low on prog. Anyway, Road to Darkness sounds like a mix between lethargic country- bluesified Pink Floyd, traditional English folk, occasional heavier riffs and spooky effects from a lo-fi 70s sci-fi movie. For all its imagery as the sinister Dorothy in the land of Oz, Road to Darkness is not really intense or rich in contrasts, but rather has a breezy psychedelic flavor. Even though it has a swell sound (including some Roger Waters-esque upfront bass), it gives impression of a college-dorm effort, with guys sitting around throwing ideas around. Because really only Into the Dark and a lesser extent Council of Anderson and the little folk ditty, Untrodden Ways (with its sudden metallic shanty explosion at the end) sounding like well-developed songs. No wonder their later albums often feel like ideas first used here but better developed.