2112

Rush, while already submitting two excellent albums full of top-notch progressive rock, had finally broken ground with their astounding classic, 2112. The band was at their creative and musical peak, and have combined to write this classic, which no prog fan should be without. The title track, 2112, is an epic about a man in the distant future where rock and roll is outlawed. The lyrics throughout the album are incredibly thoughtful and in-depth, and the song 2112 is inspired by novelist/philosopher Ayn Rand. While the remaining five tracks have often been criticized as unable to stand up to the grandoise epic, they are an excellent, albeit often overlooked representation of Rush at their best during this period. This epic album should be had by everyone who calls them a prog rock fan, as it rivals all other prog releases to date: It surpasses King Crimson, and is a peer to Yes' Close to the Edge. Rush, in this album as well as others, created the genre of Progressive Metal, and created one of Prog's timeless classics.