STRUGGLE FOR LIFE (ESSENTIAL)

Fantastic live album by the symph masters from Hungary. These guys are some of the most talented in the business and they pull off their sound, mini-orchestration and prog, with flare and dynamicism. Right off the bat, 'Viaduct' is in your face, bombastic in an ELP way and rocks! In fact, if you're a fan of ELP, you'll love these guys and they will do a killer King Crimson when need be, (last track is the classic KC song 'Starless' with John Wetton on vocals and bass!). It's when you listen to the monumental 31:32 minute track, 'Conclusion' that you'll realize how fantastic these guys are. It's a tour-de-force that has to be heard. My only complaint is the spoken-word music-less track, 'Radio Rarotonga'. Why they would do something like that in a live setting is beyond me. Sure, it works on a concept album, but live? Naaa! But that's a minor quibble. This is one of the best live albums of symphonic prog recorded in the 90's and a must have. 4.5 stars for sure.