A DREAM WITHIN A DREAM

Yet another one-off courtesy of the Garden of Delights label, A Dream within a Dream sounds rather more like the work of seasoned and synergistic musicians. And with reason, for they had actually been together for years and produced an album under another name, but this is the one to get. Sort of a companion piece to APP's "Tales of Mystery and Imagination", "A Dream within a Dream" sounds curiously similar to Parsons at times, perhaps in the vocal style and treatment. Sure there are updates resulting in a more polished 1980s sound, but it does not detract in the least, and the songs develop enough to feature some appealing progression, particularly in "valley of Unrest", while "Dreamland" is a fine number whose origin I question. I cannot find songwriting credits but the chorus sounds like something I have heard before. Other highlights are "Alone" which begins sleepily and develops into a Gothic tune with plenty of organ, synthesizers, jangly guitars and vocal harmonies, "Feathery Bird" and "If I could tell you". I am reminded of Eloy at times, but the voice is less accented. This is a disc that traps a spacey atmosphere and draws you into it as in a dream. Recommended to fans of German symphonic rock.