STALAGMITE STEEPLE

This is the 5th album from UK prog band Returned to the Earth. They also feature a moody, atmospheric style, but more low-key, melodic, and gentler than most other prog bands, but beautiful and quite evocative. They are musically reminiscent of Pink Floyd and the gentler side of Porcupine Tree, Pineapple Thief, and Airbag. The subject matter of the songs can be quite sad or heart-wrenching, but the music remains beautiful and moving, if a bit melancholy. Overall, this may be a bit too low-key musically, as in some places it could some more punch, as there are some songs that seem to have a slow build to something bigger, and I keep expecting it to break out and explode into a big finish, but it never does and just trails off. Certainly, need to be in the right mood for this album, but it delivers some quite beautiful and moving pieces. Best Tracks: Dark Morality, Stalagmite Steeple, Die For Me, The Raging Sea. Rating: 3.5 stars