UNDER THE SHADOW OF THE MOON

Colin Orr of Janus has crafted an unexpected addition to the band's legacy with Under the Shadow of the Moon. The epic title track was apparently first conceived in 1973 in the wake of the release of Gravedigger, but it's clear that it has undergone substantial work since then, since the production standards on the album are very modern and Orr shows no hesitation in working much more recent textures, instrumentation, and techniques into the album.

The end result is a progressive rock album which at one moment could have emerged from the genre's golden age and within a second can switch on you to show a very different and very modern sound. This impressed me a lot on its initial release, though it's diminished a little since, not least because the vocals at points feel a little strained and the title track ends up a little repetitive.