STORIES

Reroptedly the band was formed in early 80's Achim Frick (guitars) and Michael Gross (bass) and started performing in pubs and clubs with German-sung material.Entering the 90's and after a couple of demos ZIFF decided to write english lyrics,so they gained much attention,especially when their debut ''Stories'' came out in 1995.The english-sung tracks seems to fit them very well,as the vocals are quite strong and without evident signs of their German origin.

Surprisingly for a neo-like sounding band,ZIFF's arrangements aren't that easy listening,as you would expect.Their sound is characterized by the grandiose,sometimes bombastic synths of Marco Vogel (reminding the Japanese symph bands of the 80's) and the elaborated guitar melodies of Achim Frick,featuring also numerous interplays and complicated breaks,resulting a style very close to COLLAGE's works.Of course,there are also some more straightforward songs based on grooves and rhythms,but again you'll be astonished by the superb musicianship ,the strong melodies carried by keys and guitars and the rich,dynamic sound of ZIFF.Then is when bands like GREY LADY DOWN,CASTANARC or PALLAS come to mind and in fact ZIFF sound often more english than the English!...As for conclusion,I only can recommend this work more than highly for any prog rock fan,especially those who search for the best combination between melody and atmosphere!4 ultra-shining stars!

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