SHADOW GALLERY

Definitively an album to be reminded, this is an excellent release that reveals a unique initiative from a band that has been known for their very magnificent compositions. Of course, this one is not an exception. It is a fascinating debut that should be remembered for the special clearance in composition that mixes crystalline and dark nuances involved into a clear and smooth ambient, the one from a new style that was emerging by those times, the beginning of 90's. It's a fantastic record with exceptional musical performance and well-thought lyrics that deserves an A in creativity and professionalism.

The keyboards of Chris Ingles are very predominant and refreshing. The seductive and clear voice of Mike Baker fit in no better manner with the rest of the band. Brendt Allman is a guitar man that has the perfect addition to guitars. And though, the band reveals a particular style very different from their later releases, the presence of flute lines and several ambient effects are the result of a serious effort of high category musicians. In this album you can find excellent and captivate tracks but "The Queen of the City of Ice" is probably the best, it is an epic of five chapters with very emotive episodes.

Personally, I think there are only two reasons why this album does not deserve five stars: the first one is that the production is kind of poor, and the second is that the band was not mature enough to consider this as a real masterpiece, such as his next release "Carved in Stone". Prove of their immaturity was that they did not have an official musician in drums yet and there was just one guitar. I do not want to say by no means that Brendt Allman is not good, in fact Brendt is a very inspired and fine guitar man, but there is a clear absence of Gary Wherkamp. Anyway, I do not to use these details to penalize this real piece of art.

This debut is a very good beginning for a band that would change the course of music in the future, Magnific band, maybe one of the best in Metal Prog World! If you like bands such as Cairo and Queensryche, or love symphonic prog undoubtedly you will love this release, Highly recommended!.

"The key that opens up a thousand doors of mystery unlocks a basement full of fears. Start to unravel in it you might as well be blind she saw my fright and closed her eyes" -

Shadow Gallery- Darktown

Good Progressions!!!

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