UNDER WRAPS

Compared to the previous "Broadsword & the beast", this record is quite more keyboards oriented. Plus, the electric guitar sounds more metallic, and the drums are programmed. Actually, most of the songs sound like Anderson's solo album "Walk into the light". It sounds like "I do not like this record" but it is rather the opposite: I find the compositions very addictive and PLEASANT to hear. Vettese's keyboards style is like on "Walk into the light": nervous, varied, elaborated and very futuristic. Anderson's lead vocals are excellent, and he uses many intonations; his flute parts are excellent too (how can he badly play the flute anyway?). There are also some interesting acoustic guitar parts. It is interesting to notice how well Pegg's bass is inserted through all that nervous digital music; the keyboards provide many rhythms too. I must admit that the repetitive hammer sounding drums may irritate more than one listener, but I find that it fits very well with the nervous keyboards. ALL the tracks are excellent and rather catchy.

Rating: 4.5 stars