MELLODRAMATIC

This is RETRO-PROG in deepest sense of the word. First of all, here we have LOADS of Mellotron - forget SPRING, MOODY BLUES and ANEKDOTEN! It seems these guys have trons everywhere, they sleep on trons, they eat on trons, they drive trons!!! The second positive thing is that Spirit of the Past - think of another great Retro-band BIGELF to understand me. DEADWOOD FOREST nither follow epic rules nor composing short Proto-Prog-like songs. Their tracks are average in timing (from 0'50" to 7'30"), but you never can tell whether they are epics or not. They begin with one theme, than switch into another one and develop it into something unperdictable. Yes, we had loads of examples of short epics' Art already (from early MARILLION to Modern Prog like PT), but this band bears label of experimentalism and discovery - just like back in 67-73, where you could mix Sympho with Hard and Psychedelia and Folk and enjoy it!!!

My only complaint - hence, 4 stars - that album is not enough catchy. Surely, it's no way a flaw - this even makes it more worthy among Progheads. But it means thata everytime you listen to it, you must listen the WHOLE THING to like it (personally I choose to listen few ANEKDOTEN-like instrumentals from it ... from time to time). Highly recommended!!!