BACKDOOR POSSIBILITIES

The band had pretty much eschewed hard rock entirely by this point. Frenzel's guitar was still very up-front, but now it shared the spotlight with Held's many layers of synthesizers and other keys and Noske's ever-growing battery of tuned/orchestral percussion. The Gentle Giant-ish touches are still present, along with an ever-growing jazzy bent.

Ostensibly a conceptual album, but it rather unravels after Side Two. That's not terribly important, as this is some of their most intricate and trailblazing music ever. Noske sings lead throughout, and is in perhaps his finest voice. Held adds saxophones to the album's jazziest number, the instrumental "La Cigüeña de Zaragoza".

So, not a whole lot to offer fans of their earlier more hard-rocking style, but an excellent album of highly creative progressive rock.