SPIRITS OF THE SUN

On this record I heard a lot of such prog I have missed this year, or from nowadays prog and therefore I rate this record high. I was fascinated of many items here. I cover with a flower garden, an impressionalist view clothes Vermilion Sands' second record. Their first(I haven't heard it) was released 1989(when I was born), twenty four years ago and this is their second one.

Japanese prog is something new for me, but earlier I have listened to Pazzo Fanfano di Musica, another fantastic record from the year 1989. Vermilion Sands is written to be a little like Renaissance, but I wouldn't agree with that. Renaissance is much more related to classical music. Perhaps it's the female vocals that's similar. Something strange with the voices is that I think they sound like Swedish folk music. That is especially clear on the second very nice track: "Streets of Derry"(8/10) which mixtures many great feautures: folk spirit, clear rock and great instrumentation. The first "Spirits of the Air" is also very good(I admit there's something Renaissance over it)(8/10) and the long closer "New Dawn" is a perfect exemple of that progressive rock I have missed from these modern times(8/10).

One special things with the lyrics is that they're sung in Japanese, even if the titles are written in English. I like it even if I had liked it more if the volume of it had been higher. A couple of songs were inferior, quite mediocre pop such as the fourth and the seventh tracks.

Though were the best tracks totally instrumental. I love the sound and the musical landscape of "Concentration" and "Autumn"(10/10), in my ears rather perfect prog.

I will give Vermilion Sands' "Spirits of the Sun" four stars, even if the record is uneven. The most fair had been 7/10 beacuse my average rating was 3,65.