THE SENTINEL

I suppose there are two ways of looking at Pallas's masterpiece, which in many ways defines the Neo-Progressive genre. If you're less of a Neo-Prog fan, you might just see The Sentinel as the cheesiest, most ridiculous prog album ever encountered. I believe, however, that The Sentinel is a clear milestone of Progressive Rock and did just as much to advance the Neo Progressive subgenre as Marillion's early albums.

The Sentinel is a concept album, written with the clear fears and paranoia of nuclear holocaust fresh in mind. The story I haven't quite grasped yet, but it has something to do with nuclear war, destruction and the rising up of the people of Earth to guide the planet into a renewed life. The Sentinel lays a very elaborate musical groundwork that effectively conveys the emotions one would feel upon a nuclear holocaust, but the music is not frightening or ominous (most of the time), but contains a sort of cold, science fiction feel. I believe the cover art on The Sentinel influenced my interpretation of the album as well: I get the feeling of a bright, sunny day transposed with a dark, terrifying future, all taking place in a natural environment. Ah well, we all interpret music differently.

The concept is interesting, but more so is the music. It all is usually very accessible, but it is by no means poppy or simple. These are well-composed, clear-cut songs with a definite direction in mind. There is little meandering and absolutely no filler. But this simple outline surely will not do! The key reason why one may end up loving or hating The Sentinel is the prominent, synthesized, definitly 80s-sounding, keyboard work. Know that there is a variety of keyboard effects (it's not monotonous, that's for sure), but depending on your prog leanings, you may find then to be highly annoying. It's one of those things you'll just have to take a chance one. The rest of the instruments don't usually stand out, but contribute well to the overall product. The guitar does get a chance to bring about some impressive riffs. It should also be said that I can't recall one solo of any kind on The Sentinel. It appears to emphasize the overall product and downplay individual excess, which is sometimes a very good thing. Your liking of they keyboards, however, with ultimately decide whether or not you like the Sentinel as a whole, I believe.

I see The Sentinel as being divided in to two parts musically. The first few tracks are rather simply-structured rock songs, but with interesting melodies, hooks, and excellent lyrics. Beginning with "Rise and Fall Pt. 1," The Sentinel moves into the more atmospheric, demanding songs. This last part, which garners more than 2/3 of the album, is one of the most cohesive and well-constructed of any Neo-Progressive album I've heard. The music retains the same elements of the first few tracks, but expands on them and incorporates many breaks and changes in feel and rhythm. The shifting tempos, crescendos, and joyously triumphant chorus in "Atlantis" make it my favorite song on the album, but the soft, echoing piano intro in "Rise and Fall Pt. 2" make it a close contender.

I believe The Sentinel, like so many great concept albums, has to be listened in it's entirety on most listens to achieve the full effect. I regard it as a staple of my collection, and it frequently sees the light of day as I play it quite often. I don't give it full marks, however, because of it's limited appeal. There are bound to be quite a few prog fans out there who would despise The Sentinel, mainly for it's divisive keyboard sound. Nevertheless, it is actually a fairly remarkable album.