BRIDGE ACROSS FOREVER

I'm just going to come out and say that Duel With the Devil is one of the finest compositions I've ever heard, orchestral, prog or otherwise. It almost carries the album, but Bridge Across Forever strikes me as filler, and Stranger in Your Soul seems forced. However, I have one caveat. I had a problem making friends listen to this album because I found they you just can't appreciate it as well as you should if you haven't heard a lot of prog beforehand. To me, it is the prog equivalent of T.S. Eliot. Something that very few can REALLY appreciate, but everyone can at least enjoy it. I think, personally, that I found the album at exactly the right time in my life, and it (believe it or not) has changed the way I look at and write music. Either way, I think to really appreciate this album, you have to have listened to at least some of the stuff from all of the members' respective bands, and some Genesis, Gentle Giant, ELP, and Yes (I think Yes is trite, but you still should hear some before this album). Because the music references all of it in some way or another. As for a sort of track by track thing, I'd have to say that Duel with the Devil is a friggin' masterpiece, worth listening to a hundred times in a row. That song is just...wow, although I could have lived without the children's chorus. Not that I don't like the compositional aspect so much as I don't like children's chorus. I give it a 7 out of 5, it was that good. Suite Charlotte Pike is just goofy. I thought the lyrics were very fun and the music was quite fresh and original, and I still chuckle every time I hear "In the temple of the gods...we can get it onnnnnn" heh, good stuff. I'd give it a 5/5. Bridge Across Forever was just...stupid filler. I give it a 2/5. Stranger in Your Soul felt like a good idea to me, but it reminded me of my own compositions that I rushed and didn't get meaningful material in; they seem to just be going through the motions in that song, it does nothing for me. I give it a 4/5. So my combined score for this album is (7+5+2+4)/20 or 19/20 Duel with the Devil almost carries it for me, but too bad. It's definitely in my top 5 albums ever, though. I recommend you get this album and make your friends listen to it, although make them listen to other prog first.