THE SERAPHIC CLOCKWORK

This band is sometimes called Germany's Dream Theater. Of course there is a certain similarity with the American band, but while DT'S star is sinking, Vanden Plas get better and better with every album. A special feature about Vanden Plas' music I always found to be the almost incredible balance - between the instruments , between hard and softer compositions, between the prog and the more commercial stuff.

With this album you get what you expect from a Vanden Plas album: hard riffs, many melodies, tasteful arrangements, a good singer, and very strong chorus melodies. It's all there, and somehow it's more of everything than usual. Some songs you will dig at first or second try, others will keep you busy for a while till you know what the composer Stefan Lill was after. What you will notice when you are a fan of this band is that this album contains their hardest music. The whole album is a concept story about a man from the Medieval Age, making a journey through time to Galilee in 33 BC. Trust me, the music is far better than the story...

A special mention should be made to the bonus track 'Eleyson' you will find on the SE. It's an excerpt from one of the plays Vanden Plas wrote the music to - the band would not exist anymore if they didn't compose soundtracks to stage-plays. This bonus track is a live version, starting soft and mellow to finally end in a wonderful climax. One of the best pieces on the disc.

4 well- earned stars.

Favourite tracks: Frequency, Holes in the Sky, Scar of an Angel, Sound of Blood, The Final Murder, Quicksilver, Eleyson

Share this VANDEN PLAS review

Social review comments () BETA

---

---

Review related links

• Send comments to strayfromatlantis
• Report this review (#295887)
• Buy VANDEN PLAS music online with PA partners
• Show all VANDEN PLAS MP3/Stream
• Go to VANDEN PLAS page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to The Seraphic Clockwork page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for VANDEN PLAS related discussions