KILROY WAS HERE

STYX is a U.S. AOR band who enjoyed massive popularity but is usually maligned by progheads. They have never been among my favourites but I have a carefully chosen self-burnt CD to listen to once in every third year at maximum. Before that I have had a couple of used vinyls I was disappointed with (Crystal Ball and Paradise Theater). But before all that, in my early teens, I knew this album (my brother's vinyl) and had some interest towards it. I still remember fondly the moody nocturnal song 'Just Get Through This Night'.

The worst songs I must have happily forgot completely. Other songs I remember, namely 'Mr Roboto', 'Don't Let It End' and 'Haven't We Been Here Before', are more or less annoying (two of them also syrupy!), so I don't wonder why this album has such a low rate even in the generally low STYX scale. A pity, because the concept is quite interesting. Reminding a bit of RUSH's '2112' inspired by an Ayn Rand novel, it tells of a future totalitarian society where rock music is strictly banned, and of a young man who fights against the system - or something like that. Robots and robot masks were involved in the adventurous plot.

Well, most of the album is probably awful, but I believe this is not really STYX at their very worst. Maybe progheads hate to see a concept album (with a story that would be very much at home in prog) which is NOT prog. As a product of U.S. rock from 1983 this surely doesn't stand out as being terrible. A good effort at least. Two stars for that, and for one great track.