CARESS OF STEEL

I really do not understand what people have against this album. For me this is Rush first real prog album and it definitely ranks higher in my book, than Neils, Ayn Rand fanfiction.. err, i mean "2112". All kidding aside though, this is the album where the group definitely gained my interest and made me a fan. There is still a touch of Led Zeppelin in the first two songs, but "Bastille Day" is still one hell of an opener that really makes you feel as if you are a part of a screaming mob, on their way to make dog food of Marie Antoniette during the French Revolution. "I Think I'm Going Bald" never really interested me but "Lakeside Park" is real nice with a dreamy theme that befits the nostalgic lyrics about Neils youth. "The Necromancer" continues on the dreamlike theme, with an intro that actually reminds me of the song "Solar Winds" from fellow Canadian Devin Townsends album "Ziltoid The Omniscient". Townsend seems to be a big fan of Rush so it is no surprise if it was here he found his inspiration. I dont particulary care for the fantasy lyrics, though and obviously Neil didnt either since he stopped writing them completely after this album.

"The Fountain Of Lamneth" is Rush first real epic wich tells the story of a man in search of the titular fountain since he believes it holds the meaning of life, only to in the end realize that it was the dream of the fountain that was the meaning of his life. (See what nice lyrics Neil can create when he is not writing about Hobbits or how awesome Capitalism is!) It is slightly weaker than their later epics. The songs actually consists more of a series of individual segments that have been patched together rather than one coherent song and most of it is in 4/4 believe it or not. Yet, it overcomes this trough the beauty of these segments alone, and some very good lyrics.

Caress Of Steel is not Rush magnum opus. That title is reserved for the latter album " Hemispheres" in my opinion, but it is a strong album well worthy of a buy.