GALLERY

Animator - this neo prog band from Illionois, USA, is an obscure band that manage to release only one album in 1990 named simply Gallery at Rotamina records. But I come now and say it loud, what an album, excellent from first to last note, unexpected pleasent surprise. I can compare with for ex Iq with some symphonic prog moments not far from UK. Great musicianship, inventive passages, very good pieces and above all an one hell of a keyboard player - Stacey Kreici - the cherry on the cake here. I must considered this unknown album as one of the most great neo prog albums from entire neo prog zone. Better then many neo albums praised all the time here, quite original in places, with strong ideas and solod arrangements. The voice is ok, fits perfectly in this kind of music,Tim Brooks is a great vocalist with a superb tone of voice, not like almost all other neo prog singers who sound like Peter Gabriel meets Fish, he is diffrent and good for sure. The music is complex, quite more complex then an usual neo prog album, developed, lenghty from 11 pieces, 6 alre over 7 min, enough room to show us thy know bussines in this domein. They succeded for sure with this Gallery, smooth piano or keyboards passages who interludes with guitar in a perfect manner. I must tanks a friend of mine from Turkeya prog lover like me, who gives me this album, because I, after 2 years of searching high and low of this album I lost the battle, but surprise surprise, he gives me a copy of this unknown and almost forgoten tresure of this subgenre. Great stuff, my fav pieces, A First Impression - the opening track, shows the excellent ideas this band had, only piano and bass - superb piece and very elegant, remind me a litle of Savatage in atmosphere, Cycles another worthy track and Choices, the rest are very ok. So a very strong album, desearves for sure 4 stars, quite unknown by many but worth to be discoverd for sure. Elegant and with a lot to offer, all neo prog fans must listen to this treasure, even those who like symphonic prog will find something intristing in some passages. Recommended, 4 stars easely. It's a shame that bands with such talent and imaginative ideas gone unnoticed in prog circles and with each year passing by they fall into oblivion deeper and deeper. Sad