SATELLITE

From the ashes of a major break-up in Karnataka, Panic Room were formed by four ex- members of the Welsh band with Alun Vaughan brought in on bass duties. Now on their second album Panic Room occupy a harder hitting more mainstream rock area than the delicate, ethereal and floaty sounds of their former band. With Anne Marie Helder, who supplied backing vocals and flute to Karnataka's Delicate Flame Of Desire, they have an excellent singer more suited to the material than Rachel Jones' (Karnataka) more airy tones would have been.

I like complex and challenging music as much as the next proghead but sometimes it's nice to have something that cuts straight to the chase with immediately catchy melodies and strong hooks. Satellite fits the bill nicely with its collection of more mainstream/AOR moments none better than opening two tracks Freedom To Breathe and Picking Up Knives and ballads like The Fall and Sunshine. Occasionally things get a little heavier like on the riffy Black Noise and it's all tastefully done on well thought out without being overly complex arrangements. The standard of musicianship is very good with some pleasing guitar and keyboard work and a solid rhythm section including some tasty bass work from Vaughan who I suspect is capable of more than the material here requires.

A limited edition is available, only from the band website I believe, which contains a bonus disc of an extra twenty five minutes of material. It's worth getting hold of as this is not the dodgy outtakes that usually make up these discs, but four songs that can sit head and shoulders with the songs on the main album. Overall then, a strong and enjoyable collection of songs, which has received many plays from me already.