TIME TO TURN

This album is like I often heard it describe as: never reaching the heights of "Planets". This was the conclusion of "Planets", itself an album meant as a double album, but the record label rejected the idea, so the band had to record this followup. The band did witness a minor lineup change. Their British-born drummer Jim McGillivray was ditched because none other than Fritz Randow (who last appeared on "Power and the Passion") made a return. Unfortunately the return of an old drummer didn't help. "Time to Turn" sounded like the band just going through the motions, pretty much doing what they did better on "Planets". The synth sounds are even more '80s-sounding here. But it's not a bad album, there are good songs here like "Behind the Walls of Imagination", "Magic Mirror", "End of an Odyssey", and the rare-acoustic piece called "Say, Is it Really True".

But the album doesn't quite have the energy or punch of their previous album. Also, if you plan on getting this on vinyl, don't get the UK printing on the Heavy Metal International label (the one with the Rodney Matthews cover artwork). The reason for that is the UK version lacks "Magic Mirrors" and sometimes has in its place "Illuminations", which had already appeared on "Colours". Get the German version (with the Winfried Reinbacher artwork) on the Harvest label (the UK version of "Planets", also with Rodney Matthews artwork, luckily has all songs intact). Basically, make "Planets" your first purchase before you come here.