SONGS FROM THE LIAR'S LAIR

Ageness is in 1991 founded Finnish group. Their first album "Showing Paces" was released in 1992, followed by "Rituals" in 1995. That resulted in taking part in festivals prog of reputation. Finnish television was also interested in them. The group started to be exported worldwide with their third album "Imageness". Its singer and clavierist is called Tommy Eriksson. He's not unknown in the progressive world, as he's been taking a part in several projects of the Colossus magazine. For this new opus, the guitarist Speedy Saarinen joined. Their influences are unquestionably drawn from the seventies. "Martials Arts" reveals powerful percussions that a certain Peter Gabriel would not have disavowed. Perhaps the power of the music takes its sources in the 70's, but they have the energy of Marillion at the time of "Fugazi". This energy has a also little Rush in the veins. The expressive voice with wish of Eriksson gives the soul to the group. A great softness introduces "The Lie And The Liar" with the acoustic guitar. It is light, arrangements give an impression of examination, but they very neat and are finally excavated. The more the piece advances, the more one feels in a rock opera, captivated by the melodies. "Why Don' T You Go Away" takes the colors of Fish. The expressivity of the singer does not have nothing to do there. Arrangements sumptuous and are engraved. "Sons Of Madness" plunges us in the mood of post-Gabriel Genesis. The beginning of "The Lament Off Ghosts" is mysterious like the complaints of the phantoms. The alternation of environments tightens the atmosphere. The song "Liar's Lair" starts with a little piano accompanying the wonderful singing melody. Other voices come sometimes to support it. The keyboards then coats the whole for a quite beautiful rise to power. The rest of the song follows the traces of Pink Floyd. This new Ageness is a very good album which takes it's sources in the seventies by including more modern elements. One appreciates also the beautiful small pocket resembling the cut of an eye. The fans of progressive rock must listen to this opus, and they will undoubtedly not regret it.