INGET NYTT UNDER SOLEN

After an impressive debut album, I found this one to be disappointing. Sure, there are some good songs. The opening epic, Skenet Bedrar, despite some annoying shouted vocals, is great, as is the live version tacked on at the end. But my problem with the album is the apparent straining to sound like Genesis. In too many songs keyboardist Hans Lundin sounds like he's trying to imitate Tony Banks' arpeggios. On Awakening / Bitterness, the vocals simulate Peter Gabriel's or Phil Collins' (take your pick) thin, buzzy vocals. On the first album, this band proved that they were better than that. They should have stuck with creating their own style.