CHAINS

As for their previous recording, there are very little commented reviews for this album (the only ones that counts as far as I'm concerned) which turns out to be their latest one so far (almost five years later).

Little to no surprise with the music offered on these ''Chains''. The usual neo-prog album that can be expected: fine vocals (above average I would say), good song writing (but nothing from the other world), pleasant synthesizers like in the closing section of the first epic ''Virtual Images'' and some short guitar breaks.

One of the most emotional part of this album is the short ''Bitter ears''. One has to listen to these melodic vocal lines and according background band. A very nice track indeed, which is maybe somewhat pop-oriented but it is combined with such a nice flavour.

No major highlights nor blunders (even if the first section of the second epic is too much cliché). It is followed by some interesting sax during the ''Reflected'' part. But these metal lines which start ''Silhouette'' are not my cup of tea.

As you can read, there are some pros and cons with this album. I would say that they are spread evenly and that they concur to generate an average to good album. The music from ''Ricocher'' is accessible, straight-forward neo-prog. But they can't be considered as a guiding light, for sure.

Nothing as powerful as ''Arena'' (although the band tries to sound like it during ''Breaking The Chain''). Nothing as moving as ''Pendragon''. Nothing as melancholic as ''IQ''. And nothing as creative as the Marillion Mark I (even if the band tries to sound like it during ''Questions Within The Answer'').

But these comparisons are maybe not fair.

This album holds almost one hour of good music but we aren't really flirting with the Walhalla to be honest. Here and there, some fine guitar breaks (''Whispering Voices'') but these are too few to make a glorious album of course. Three stars.