BENEATH THE VEIL OF WINTER'S FACE

This has been quite a hiatus since their last studio album ''Destiny'' (1998). Nine years during which the band only released a compilation with new versions of tracks from their first three albums (although highly concentrated on their third and last one: ''Destiny'').

The music presented in '' Beneath The Veil'' ranges from AOR (a little) to neo-prog (a lot). One of the assets of this band resides in the good vocals from Benoit David. Expressive, high pitched, very convincing. The band has changed from line-up since ''Destiny''. It is articulated around their leader and founding member Michel Saint-Père (guitars and keys) and Steve Gagné is still sitting behind the drum kit.

This album is enjoyable thanks to some fine musical passages (guitar, keys), but don't expect complex compositions. Good neo-prog like in the title track and ''Snow White'' are welcome and provides an enjoyable moment. Actually, neo-prog freaks should rather like this work.

The band has evolved towards a harder or a more metal approach (as lots of neo-prog bands have done recently), probably for marketing reasons (youngsters prefer metal to prog). As such, the long ''Travel To The Night'' is the first attempt here to catch new types of fans. A good song though?

I can't be as positive for the average and heavy AOR ''Scarlet Eye'' or ''Third Dream'' which are quite hard to swallow. I have never been keen on this sort of music, and these are no exceptions.

I far much prefer the symphonic atmosphere of the good ''Voyage To The Other Side'' and the delicacy of ''The Sailor And The Mermaid'' which has a lot to share with ''Pendragon''.

The mini epic of this album (''The Awakening'' - just over 11 minutes) is also a pleasant experience. Everything is combined here to please the neo-proghead: performing vocals, superb and emotional guitar solo and heavy keys.

''Beneath The Veil'' is a good album. Depending on where your prog interest resides, it could range from two to four stars. I have an intermediate rating: three stars.