THE INCONSOLABLE SECRET

So, this is Glass Hammer first double album an i say this could have been a lot better, knowing what they did before and their new album. However, i don't say that because i think this album sounds like somebody else's nor because of its retro sounding, since i like the 70's prog sound and like very much bands like Genesis an Yes (if i can't notice VERY CLEAR signs of emulation, like listening exactly the same melody being reproduced, i am happy).

The real problem here is really the unnecessarily long, even sounding as if it has fillers, but i think that they only got uninspired half way through the second disc, since both its opening and closing tracks are amazing. With few notable exceptions, the middle of the second disc is mostly dull and, i hate to admit it, quite boring. Because of that, if the album were just a simple album divided in two parts (part 1: the knights and part 2: the lady) it would be much, MUCH better. Maybe the concept would have been ruined if they did that, but at least the music would have been better.

However, besides the obvious issues of disc two, it is not completely worthless, being a good decent disc. Disc one here have the highlights: both tracks are a absolutely sensational display of traditional symphonic progressive rock. Some say that Glass Hammer's fixation on sounding like a 70's band is a bad thing, but i say that its their strength: like it or not, it was during the 70's that prog reached the top, being that top the album sales, popularity and the very foundations of progressive rock (since the most important pieces of music were produced and recorded during the 70's), and emulating the 70's sounding, with a generous dosage of originality, was what drew some bands from the anonymity into the mainstream media (like Marillion for example) and that is exactly what they are doing in most of their albums, including this one right here.

Another interesting thing in Glass Hammer is that the clearest influence they have, at least in my opinion, is the ELP influence. Their music, including the music made for this album, is keyboard oriented music, with ever present bass and drums, much like ELP and Triumvirat did back in the days.

So, before bashing this album (or any other Glass Hammer album), remember that still today many people say that Marillion's Script for a Jester's Tear was the last Genesis masterpiece with Peter Gabriel and that Eloy's Ocean is just another Pink Floyd album with ridiculously funny vocals.

Grade and Final Thoughts

So, besides disc 2 being clearly inferior to disc 1, this is still a pretty damn good and enjoyable album. Who cares if it is derivative or emulative? Just because they sound like Yes and even got a Roger Dean cover it does not means that their music is worthless. It is damn good music and should get a good grade for it. 4 stars and end of story.

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