FÖLD ÉS ÉG

Heading to the middle of the 90's After Crying were about to face an upset in their career, as leading figure and composer of the band Csaba Vedres would participate in his last work with them.The album ''Fold es eg'' would see the band return on the familiar houses of Periferic Records and After Crying would perform for the first time without any guests, entirely based on the talents of the regular 6-piece line-up.This work was released in 1994.

There are many indications that this would be a totally different work compared to the academic sound of the previous releases.Firstly, the absence of guest participants meant that the band was not having any access to additional string or wind instruments.Second comes Csaba Vedres' apparent decision to leave the band after this work, so he wanted to put up a keyboard show to remember.The result was the more conventional but no less intricate effort by the group so far, showcasing a move from the Chamber/R.I.O.- and more KING CRIMSON-flavored style of the past and the sinking into a keyboard-drenched sound with some serious E.L.P. influences, even introducing strongly the use of synthesizers next to the standard work on piano and Hammond organ.So quite a significant part of the album is consumed in powerful organ workouts and Classical piano interludes with good bass and drums support, much in the vein of Keith Emerson & co., the enviroment is mainly instrumental, sometimes flavored by mellow acoustic themes or sweet polyphonic choirs to calm things down.On the other hand the band did not abandon the symphonic/acoustic orchestrations, as the latter tracks of the album contain a good bunch of cinematic, orchestral themes in absence of Vedres, with great trumpet and flute parts.These pieces also offer often a more balanced sound in the Symphonic Rock realm, eventually the guitar sound is more pronounced and the collaboration between the members seems more tight and genuine with constant executions on guitars, keyboards, trumpet and flute.

An unexpecting turn by After Crying on this work, which sounds heavily inspired by E.L.P., seemingly losing much of its originality.But the second part is full of the delicate, ethereal and complex sounds of the band, split between Chamber Music and Symphonic/Classical Rock.Yet another strongly recommended work by the Hungarians...3.5 stars.