MEMORY ASHES

"Pulsar" is attempting a difficult come back some eighteen years after their last album "Görlitz". Very few bands are successful in such an approach. But this album is very much similar with their early work and sounds much better to my ears than "Conseil D'Administration" or "Görlitz".

As usual "Pulsar" will propose an ultra long song on this album. Even if it is divided into four pieces this album almost consists of one song (like "Halloween") which lasts for about twenty-six minutes.

Ambient and very soft mood for the first section of "Memory Ashes". Comparable to some "Lands End" offering. But the mood is a bit too mellow and uniform here.

The second part of "Memory Ashes" is fully atmospheric, with pleasant piano, good bass play and smooth guitar. Very melodic "Pulsar" was at its best. The emotion included in the guitar solo is a great musical experience. My favourite part by far of this long song.

The third part rocks a bit and it's not too bad. Two third are really close to "Ange" work from the early eighties (not their best of course). The last part of the song will go back to the ambient atmosphere and merge into the final section.

This long suite is best comparable with "Görlitz" (the track). Pleasant but too uniform to be great. But rather relaxing.

My preferred song are "Monks" and the fully Floydian "Respire" (no wonder since this means.breathe). "Monks" : indeed! It starts with a long choir as if a chorale of monks were singing out there. One has to wait for about five minutes to see the crying guitar entering the scene. The whole sounding very close to "Echoes" before the abyssal and spacey break. Great work and an appetizer for the closing number from which the Floyd inspiration is obvious as well.

Three stars and a pleasant return even if the past grandeur has not been matched. Maybe for their next album ?