MAN IN THE MOON

'Man in the Moon' atmospheric intro, Wallian, good fat neo and a slap in the back of the head; it's symphonic, solemn, Olympian, based on a crescendo that grows, the keyboards are strong. Hein's voice a little withdrawn, on IQ, but it's so fresh. 'The Voice of Black Mountain' continues and distills a strong neo, the tune that makes you tilt in your head. Atmo piece at the start that goes on IQ again, a melting melodic guitar solo. The typical neo melodic sound with its take-off just to keep the rhythm; the solemn break with keyboard and guitar on Marillion, emotional spleen. 'Inside the Bulb' dark on the attack, superb Marillionesque reek, that of the bewitching Fish era. Sensual, folk tune, on a rowboat on the North Sea coast; grandiloquent rise, the few bass notes wake you up so as not to forget the port. 'The Dreams that Never Were' a marshmallow ballad, those who read me understand. The break with divine choirs halfway through reinforces the solemn side, looking at Kayak. It's simple but very well constructed; the most Chris' solos. 'At the Break of Dawn' for the break, the ambient, atmospheric interlude with this very beautiful guitar and keyboard duo solo by Ardie. Rob's pads bring 'Across the Frozen Lake' for the unstoppable sequence with phrasing vocals reminiscent of a Barclay James Harvest title; military climb before the neo prog variation smelling good of Pendragon.

'Cambridge' and its dancer in her bottle as an intro, a synth pad, a plane passing by, neo. Air that rocks to the purely Floydian sound and its catchy choirs; another superb guitar solo well soaked before the martial finale and the musical bottle. 'Returning to the Day' short, energetic, prog metal track on IT, Lonely Robot or Ricocher; catchy with a nervous solo to conclude. 'Waves and the Wind' on the same pompous framework; a tune that searches for itself with the keyboard before the symphonic delivery giving goosebumps. 'The Wizard' tribal drums, fat video game synths, vibrant bass, the track that launches the guitar solo and the typical tune. The chorus in front could make a radio edit if the musical world was still going round. Pensive medieval finale launching 'Lost in the Blue' at the end eyeing Pendragon for the syrupy neo-prog ballad. It rises with a sax solo like in the good old days.

Ice delivers a millimetered opus in the pure neo-prog tradition; a fresh, nostalgic sound with powerful, emotional guitar flights, cottony layers of keyboards. Originally on Progcensor.