EQUINOX

After two harder rocking (but sadly very uneven) albums, Styx 'lightens up' considerably with this fifth album. They also abandoned their former record company and acquired a much more glossy production as well as strengthened their Pop sensibilities. This is a streamlined Styx. The result is a much more coherent, but also much more lightweight and light-hearted album, clearly geared for more mainstream audiences and the FM radio. Styx is sometimes said to be the American counterpart to Queen, but I prefer to see them as the American counterpart to The Sweet!

However, they did not completely abandon Hard Rock and Prog. These aspects of the band where still there and would remain so on subsequent albums. Traces of their old style can be found on several tracks. But the progressive moments, like on Mother Dear, often feel watered down and sounds a bit thin to my ears, lacking in substance. Songs like Midnight Ride, on the other hand, are just straightforward Hard Rock 'N' Roll with little or no distinguishing features.

It is from Born For Adventure onwards that the album starts to become interesting, but it is to late to save the album from a low rating. Prelude 12/Suite Madame Blue pretends to be progressive and this is among the best moments of Equinox.

In some ways this can be seen as a transitional album from the Wooden Nickel days to the more commercially successful Styx of the later 70's and early 80's. There are some good moments here, but overall this is not really my cup of tea. Styx made better albums both before and after this one.

Share this STYX review

Social review comments () BETA

---

---

Review related links

• Send comments to SouthSideoftheSky
• Report this review (#227592)
• Buy STYX music online with PA partners
• Show all STYX MP3/Stream
• Go to STYX page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to Equinox page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for STYX related discussions