FANTASMA

A truly amazing album from what can only be described as one of Europe's finest progressive rock acts of all time. This album is one of the band's darkest. Both music and lyrics are truly haunting, while still retaining their Everon trademarks that is melodic, symphonic and powerful progressive rock. No one can question the musical genous of the band's singer/keyboardist/lead guitarist Oliver Phillips.

It is hard to pick a favorite track on this album. But some of the tracks that really stand out on this album - and can hold their own to the prog classics of Gabriel era Genesis and Wakeman powered Yes - are "May you", "Ghosts" and the "Fantasma suite" (the last actually being five songs in one).

A certain level of musical maturity separates this album from it's predecessor "Venus". Not that Venus is any less of a masterpiece (I rate them equally). But you can definitely tell that something happened to the musicianship between Venus and Fantasma. A change that would stick and be a constant factor in the albums to follow. Less raw, less youthful, less wild. More deep, emotional and dare I say bitter?