THE TIDES RETURN FOREVER

As many of the listeners who loved albums like "Power and the Passion" and "Ocean", I'm not used to give a spin to the later Eloy's works, but this "The Tides Return Forever" is surely an improvement compared to "Destination". At least it seems that Bornemann has learned how to better use the 80s electronics, has also partially corrected his German accent, and most of all the music on this album is not too derivative. I have always seen Eloy as a very good band with the defect of trying to sound similar to somebody else. After about 25 years of activity we finally have a band which sound is not innovative but at least it's "original".

Apart of the opener, "The Day Of Crimson Skies", which still sounds like Trevor Rabin's YES with a touch of Alan Parsons Project, the following song is excellent. "Fatal Illusion" has strong melodies which I feel on the same line of KAYAK. The same for "Childhood Memories".

Then some 80s-like poppy-YES sounding song: "Generation Of Innocence seems coming from 90125. Well, that's an album that I like, so I can't say that it's a masterpiece, but it's not a song to skip. In its slower parts, when the 80 drones shut up, it's very nice.

"The Tides Return Forever" deserves to be the title track. Maybe a bit radio-friendly (but over 6 minutes long), has a strong melody even if it's based on very simple and common chords. I think that the female vocalists are a bit misplaced but they do an excellent work adding maybe a touch of ROGER WATERS to the sound. It's the year of Amused to Death but I think to Radio KAOS.

"The Last In Line" is in the wrong place. A pop song which may have been a commercial successf if launched 10 years before. It sounds like THE CARS of Candy-O. I confess that I like the Cars, too and I have also bought some Ric Ocasek's solo albums, but this is not what I expect from Eloy.

Finally the closer. "Company Of Angels" is luckily totally different from the previous song. This is the real highlight and one of the most "original" songs ever come out of Bornemann's pen. An album made of songs like this would have been a 5 stars one.

A good album with some highlights, not enough to consider it an "excellent addition",mainly because they are counterbalanced by some lowlights.

A honest three stars effort.