PICTURES IN A DREAM

I got a whim to write a review of this album: "Pictures in a dream" by the Norwegian heavy prog band "Arabs in Aspic 2" from this year 2013. Immediately I got the feeling that this is a strong and talanted band which makes a kind of retrospective progressive hard rock. The thoughts of for example Uriah Heep is hard to don't get. I am not a big fan of the heavy genre but like some Uriah and some Rush stuff. This is a modern band from my neighbour country in the west which mostly sings in English but two of the songs are sung in Norwegian. It features Jostein Smeby (guitar, vocals), Stig A, Jörgensen (Hammond, piano, synth, vocals), Eskil Nyhus(drums, percussion)and Erik Paulsen (bass, fretless bass, vocals) and Rune Sundby participates as a guest singer. The cover is amazing like an expressionist painting with a big head from which other things happen to rise. Like on King Crimsons early efforts there seems not to be any text on the front page.

This is heavy but very melodical and sweet hard rock with high intentions. The groovy organs make this retro style which actually feels honest and original. The first song "Rejected Wasteland- Pictures in a dream" is very good. Most of the tracks are actually worth listen to where you can listen to the meanings of the guitars and in "You are blind" i hear something which perhaps is a theremin. "Lifeguard at Sharkbay" is one of the best tracks with a symphonic ending and a clear melody. I even like "Vi mötes sikkert igjen" where we can here how this music could could have been in Norwegian. I think it works out well.

Over all I must say the musicians are very good and the music has a great flow which is nice to fly in. But I don't like the vocals unfortunately. When they're not to screamy I just don't think they're good. I'm not either a fan of heavy prog in particular so this wasn't the best for me. The qualities of this music could has brought four stars, but I am a partial person so I give it three stars. Let me know your statements about this record!