BIENVENUE À MÖRGLBL LAND

Mörglbl drew the attention of the press already since their debut with Godin being praised as the new super guitar talent.The powerful trio visited several cities in France in order to promote their sound and soon entered the studio to release a second album.It's 1999 and Mörglbl return with their sophomore work ''Bienvenue à Mörglbl land'', released again on IHL Label.

Stylistically and tecnhically the trio remained at the same, if not higher level of their debut: Sudden changes, sound distortions and complex themes with a Prog/Fusion edge.The humurous picture of the three bandmates on the front cover shows the other aspect of Mörglbl, who always wrap their virtuosic music with humurous edges in some tunes or wordless vocals.However after two years the group did not escape from the influences of their senior release, offering a Fusion amalgam extremely similar to LIQUID TENSIOD EXPERIMENT or the heavier side of DREAM THEATER minus the keyboard parts.Not necessarilly a bad thing, but melodies and original ideas become scarce in a work, that lacks personality.Endless self-indulgent individual performances, numerous shredding guitar riffs and some very technical textures make ''Bienvenue à Mörglbl land'' a very hard listening at a real professional level, where emotion or true passion seem to be absent.The nervous delivery becomes boring along the way and the music occurs as cold and mechanical.Diversity is also an absent word in the album.Solos, riffs and complex lines are exchanging but fail to thrill the listener.

Complex but emotionless and monotonous Jazz/Heavy Rock, which can be an incredible lesson for instrumental enthusiasts, but I doubt it will be really appreciated by fans outside these interests...2.5 stars.