CALATEA

Well this is where it all started for the Swss band FLAME DREAM. As Progbear has mentioned in his review there is a light jazz feel to this debut that is not found on their following releases.The keyboard work of Roland Ruckstuhl is clearly what dominates this record. This is a concept record about three friends who go through this huge gate and find this world called Calatea. It is a beautiful land with strange geometrical shapes, pyramids, orbs, clusters and spheres.They are so amazed with this world, but after the novelty has worn off and they become hungry, and in their search for food things start to deteriorate as they become destructive.The harmony of Calatea is ruined. A volcano erupts and covers the landscape with flaming dust resulting in Calatea turning cold. They find their way back to the huge gate, and now looking at their (our) world they had left with the sun warming their bodies, they now look at it with new eyes. I took most of this information from the liner notes.

There is mellotron on "Gate To Calatea", "Volcano" and "Gate Out Of Calatea". The piano especially shines on "Volcano" where there is also a prolonged flute melody. This is my favourite song by the way.There is some sax on this record too and the drumming was actually very impressive.There are two vocalists as well on this album.

I have to say that this pales in comparison to both "Elements" and "Out in the Dark" but it is still a three star record. Start with the other two albums though.