KEY TO ETERNITY

A great symphonic sound blended with heavy distorted driving rhythm guitars.

The entire album can be heard here on the PA stream but its worth getting hold of for sheer musical virtuosity. This album was produced before Shane Lankford joined the ranks with his crystal clear vocals. Here is a range of instrumentals all played with well executed finesse. Piano is heavily featured and although the guitars are distorted the sound is very uplifting.

There are a wide varity of time sig changes and progressive structures throughout. Some tracks are very melodic while others feature the raw intensity of a metal sound.

The Return begins the album well and is featured in two part form. Romans 10 is apparently based on the Bible chapter of the same name and is very catchy. Living Proof has a jagged guitar riff and is edgy music that features a soaring guitar solo that rises above the other instruments like a double edged sword. Angleic Shield is melancholy prog with flute and clean guitar picking. The guitar solo is wonderful again. The Message has clean guitar and tom tom drums and creates an ambience to end the album on a high note.

I have not heard a bad Visual Cliff album. All are worthy of 4 stars. I recommend it to any one who likes a heavier but not too intense metal sound.

With Eric Fuller now permamently taking over the bass duties Visual Cliff would move on to the recordings of a secnd album in 2004, ''Key to eternity''.''Lyrics for the living'' became a sell-out after all and the decision for the making of a sophomore work was pretty easy.The album was released on Rob Perez'es self-distributing Trinity Records.

Another solid instrumental Prog Rock effort by the Americans, dominated by the heavy guitars and the measured use of keyboards and piano, this work was pretty much influenced by RUSH and their take on intense and dynamic music, filled with tempo changes, atmospheric breaks and orchestral keyboards.Very modern-sounding stuff, where the sound of Perez'es guitars prevail, both in acoustic and electric deliveries, occasionally moving into tight Heavy Fusion with the style obtaining a jazzy feel through the endless electroacoustic moves and the variety of rhythms and solos.It's not a very complex album, albeit technically efficient, ''Key to eternity'' even contains some pretty hard riffs and there are even moments with a sinister KING CRIMSON instrumental mood.Perez appears to be the main hero here, but the album features also an extremely consistent rhythm section and the injections of orchestral keyboards and piano lines by Rob Klan add an even deeper and convinving sound.A dose of similarity between the tracks is evident throughout the listening, but the material overall is well-played, executed with tension and offering a good composing level.

Instrumental Heavy Prog with Fusion leanings.You will love this stuff especially if guitar-dominated music is among your preferences.Recommended.