THE WHIRLWIND

When you come up with an album as stunning as Bridge Across Forever and when you take a hiatus for 8 years and announce a reunion, expectations will be heavy and it isn't easy to live up to the expectations. Yet how can you create an ever lasting impression when you have so called "reached the peak" with Bridge Across Forever? Its by coming up with a single track album cloaking a massive 78 minutes. Generally, bands hesitate to come up with long songs with the fear of exposing their weaknesses in songwriting, making the album less commercially successful, or making it quite boring. Yet, Transatlantic defied all the odds and came up with what could arguable be one of the greatest progressive rock epics, "The Whirlwind".

Right from the start, the Overture gives you an idea of what is to come throughout the full song. You wouldn't fail to notice the influences from possibly all the genres which progressive music covers. Take it classical or rock or funk or metal or ambient. The various progressions in the song are split into 12 tracks which do justice to the lyrics and the theme concerned.

There are a lot of positives in this album. 1)You need the guts to make a 77:54 minute song and make it not sound boring or technically mediocre. Even for soft listeners who don't like listening to long songs, this is an album/song which anyone can and will finish in one listen. Such is the journey the album takes us through 2)This album has something Transatlantic were criticized to not have. Equal vocal contribution from all the members. Everyone has their own uniqueness in their voice and their contribution adds to the diversity in the song. 3)Individually, everyone were at their peak. Neal Morse's voice has never been better and so are his keyboard parts. Roine Stolt does justice to the album with his emotional guitar work and singing. Pete Trevawas incorporate a lot of groovy and melodic bass lines which give a sense of completeness to the song. And Mike Portnoy able to steer the whole song with his technical drumming and increased contribution vocally. 4)The lyrics really add a new dimension to this album. The themes vary and deal with a lot of topics but yet gives a subtle emotion in each of the tracks. 5)The Grand Finale is something no one can forget. Dancing With Eternal Glory, which clocks 12 minutes in length, just blows the listener off with its intense emotion and atmosphere. Even though there are strong religious influences, it makes everyone shed a tear or two. Arguably the best segment of the album, this makes it hard for the listener to not listen to the whole track again.

However, a very critical mind can look at a drawback or two 1)Pete Trevawas, who blew everyone away with his strong voice in Stranger In Your Soul, wasn't given that much importance in the lead vocal contribution but that is compensated by the majority of the backing support. which he gives 2)The song stretches a bit during On The Prowl, Lay down Your Life and Is It Really Happening.

Overall, this is probably Transatlantic's greatest album and one of the best progressive rock albums of all times. Any music lover should listen to this masterpiece and let the world know what they are truly missing. The Special Edition version has a whole lot of covers as well Released on October 29.2009 through MetalBlade in the US and InsideOut in Europe, this 77:54 minute masterpiece is a must listen. A perfect 10.