SILENT CRIES AND MIGHTY ECHOES

Since acquiring this album two years ago, I have always felt it was a very good album, perhaps even the best of the five Eloy albums in my collection (no, I don't have 'Oceans' yet). On my way home last night, I listened to it again all the way through, bonus tracks included and I have to say the after the main album had concluded, I was left with the impression that I had just ridden on a parade float that was composed largely of clouds of stardust with some flashing lights bursting here and there, all the while the wheels and motor kept turning and churning below.

As I remarked in my review of 'Floating', Eloy don't come across as technical wizards, neither do they attempt to put on a show of mixing genres or playing a variety of instruments. What they do is write and perform music awash in keyboards and backed by an electric guitar that knows when to keep its machine heads down and when to step up with some strong chords or a melodic solo. The drums often just carry the beat, which never really gets too fast even when the bass would have you believe so, and drum fills come in aplenty though mostly seem like level two textbook examples for those who mastered elementary drum fills. The bass is often near the forefront of the mix but never more than necessary. It doesn't do too much. Eloy's bass guitar works closely with the drums to keep the rhythm moving, usually at mid-tempo.

Now, while it may sound disparaging to say that much of the music is rather un-technical and not so experimental or advanced, the album is still rather good. It could be compared in a way to Pink Floyd's 'Wish You Were Here', which is a comparison Eloy leader, Frank Bornemann would probably be very delighted to hear about. 'Silent Cries and Mighty Echoes' keeps a musical theme, a colour if you like, perhaps green like the cover, throughout the album. It is a vehicle for the message behind the lyrics of Eloy's music, which I believe could be summed up with a line from 'Mighty Echoes': 'Do we know that we are composed of the trinity of Heart, Soul, and Mind?' Lyrics about recognizing our need for higher spiritual learning and growth. Do Frank B. and Uli Jon Roth hang out together?

So, about the Pink Floyd thing, I mean, the music doesn't get too advanced but instead creates this big roving spacey cloud, green as it may be, with lots of synthesizer and some well-placed guitar solos. At times, the music even sounds a lot like it was inspired by 'Wish You Were Here,' such as the introductory piece 'Astral Entrance' or the closer 'Mighty Echoes'. Mind you, this is not to say that it is of the same level as Pink Floyd's music. But the inspiration is easily detected.

My two favourite tracks are the 14:56 multi-part 'The Apocalypse' and perhaps the most rocking track on the album, 'Pilot to Paradise'. This is where the green cloud has most of its flashes of brilliance and rolls along almost briskly. 'Master of Sensation' and 'Mighty Echoes' are also worthy of mention. The two bonus tracks do have a very different sound from the rest of the album with more pop energy. They provide an enjoyable reprieve from the main album, but it is also clear that they wouldn't have suited the atmosphere.

For fans of symphonic space rock and a journey toward astral inclinations, something not too aggressive or diverse but just a steady voyage to the stars kind of thing, this album could appeal. I find it has its allure, though now that I have heard all the way through once again, I will likely let it rest for a while.