TESTIMONY

Not many words to be written about one of the major figures of modern-era progressive rock.NEAL MORSE was born in Van Nuys,California on 2 August,1960 and he is mostly known as one of the founders of SPOCK'S BEARD and key member of the supergroup TRANSATLANTIC.He left both (succesful) bands in 2002,after feeling that he wanted to introduce through his music a more spiritual state of mind,undoubtfully connected with his deep faith in Christianity.''Testimony'',his awaited concept release,was presented in 2003 by ''Inside out'',where NEAL MORSE was helped by great musicians such as Kerry Livgren of ''Kansas'' and Mike Portnoy of ''Dream Theater''.

Dedicated to his daughter Jayda (following her serious heart problems),''Testimony'' is a 2-CD album,containing the well-crafted sounds met both in SPOCK'S BEARD's and TRANSANTLANTIC's works.The album is somewhat split between heart-felt song-based parts and and fully progressive-oriented themes.The quieter moments are led by MORSE's sensitive vocals,ethereal piano passages,melodic guitars and touches of the mighty mellotron with an evident pop/rock feeling and focusing on the introduction for the listener to the concept's atmosphere.However,there is also a mass of superb progressive rock in this one,featuring tons of MORSE's beloved Hammond organ and mellotron,a very tight rhythm section,nice guitars,multi-vocal harmonies and even some good violin solos pop-up here and there.These parts are characterized by the beautiful interplays,the awaited sudden breaks and the constantly alternating rhythms.NEAL MORSE was partly asided from the big lights,but didn't forget to compose and performe some great music and ''Testimony'' is the strongest proof for that.Strongly recommended!