IN THE WAKE OF EVOLUTION

I just found out that I wrote a review for this album some...five years ago and never uploaded it. So...

Another Kaipa / TFK album ? My answer is definitely yes ! Even if Roine is not there...

An excellent opening number full of energy, melody, symphony augurs very well of a very good album. The only minus point is that this track could have been on each of the (very) long TFK story. Same sort of fine vocal harmony, same sort of 'Yes' feel, same sort of excellent guitar breaks. But I 've been hearing this quite a few times already (being 'Kaipa' or 'TFK').

The problem is that after this very good opening, the rest of the album is quite flat and not really worth your attention. There are melancholic vocals, some folkish atmosphere ('In The Heart'' or the short 'Folkia's First Decision'), sweet guitar etc. But at the end of the day; this sounds too much of the same. And it is not the first time that I can come with this conclusion while reviewing a 'Kaipa' album.

As a passionate of the symphonic genre, there are of course some very good moments, but globally this sounds too much repetitive and finally a lack of creativity is severely felt while listening to this album.

The best to depict this is probably the epic 'Electric Power Water Notes' which is full of all the clich's we would like to disappear. Some call this retro-prog; I call this prog with little innovation. You name it.

This album is also much, much too long to raise the interest from start to finish. At least it is my opinion. Over seventy minutes of about the same is quite a long exercise when you have to concentrate on the music to write a review about it.

An EP would have been sufficient to translate the ideas of 'Kaipa' here. As such, I can't be as optimistic as some of my fellow reviewers. By no means is this a poor album, but in terms of creativity it is a desert. Only die-hard 'Kaipa' or TFK fans can really elevate this work to the prog Walhalla. I am just an average one of them.

What comes after 'Electric Power''is rather average and isn't really worth a mention. Fillers all the way through IMHHO ('The Words Are Like Leaves'). One great opening song, a decent epic: this is how I can best summarize this album.

There are little to no surprise while listening to this album. But this is probably what the fans are expecting. But I was expecting a bit more. Still, three stars sound legitimate ('Arcs Of Sound' is not too bad after all).