CONFLICT AND DREAMS

Cairo is a symphonic prog band from USA who combines very well their music with progressive metal in places. Also their music is highly influenced by ELP, and here and there by bands like Asia specialy on vocal parts and UK. Anyway Cairo plays an extremly well crafted music, the musicianship is top notch, the songwriting is excellent, what elese, a great album. Almost all the pieces are above 8 minutes, 4 of them above 10 - enough time for the musicians to express themself in symphonic prog field, with plenty of good ideas. The music is very uptempo with a great energy of musicians who did an excelent job here. First time I've listned to this band i've noticed how easy this guys plays, very enjoyble moments through the album with catcy choruses and strong musicianship. Every single musician from here is realy good at his instrument, delivering some very inventiv and in the same time very effcient and strong interplays between guitar of Alec Fuhrman with the keys of Mark Robertson. The voice is very high with a lots of twists, sometimes he reminds me of Asia or John Wetton in places, but Bret Douglas has his own range and quality of interpretation. So the best pieces are all, not a weak moment here, every single one is top notch from A to Z, a real winner. Why they never make big with such clever music I don't understand, maybe because of the weak promotion, maybe because they disbanded after next album from 2001, who knows. Anyway it's a shame that bands like Cairo don't get so much attention these days, because their prog is among the best available on market, easely this album Conflict and dreams from 1998 is one of the top albums of the '90's and not only. I will give 4 stars without hesitation, very solid album with tight musicianship. Excellent and recommended.