CRASH OF THE CROWN

Having been a fan of the band since their beginnings, their first album I felt was weak. That album and the next 3 were the proggiest of their catalog. The prog was mixed in with the hard rockers that JY would put out there along with songs that would constitute hit singles so Styx was never known as a prog band.

So when the album The Mission came out before this one I was not all that impressed with it. It was to me an attempt to see it they could still put out something. When this album reared its head I expected the same???. Instead, Oh Em Gee! What on earth am I listening to? I scanned through it the first time and didn't really notice anything that stuck out for me much. But after sitting down and sticking on a pair of headphones I am hearing a Styx that never existed before. Styx was never this prog through an entire album but this is a constant and consistent piece of work.

It is unusual that the tracks are all shorter without any that stick out as extended pieces which adds to the unusuality of it all. The instrumentation is done well and musically they are tight. Neither JY or Tommy seem to be able to hit those super fast solos from days of old that I can hear of really but the musicianship is very good. I can even hear some Dennis DeYoung sounding vocals.

It would be interesting to note what DeYoung's contributions to this thematic idea would have been; hopefully not with more ridiculous love ballads to his wife. We get it Dennis, you dig your wife but Lady was more than enough! It was a shame that his control freak nature essentially destroyed what had been so well put together as he was very talented and his prog entries into the band's early days were great.

In all, this is the most prog album this band has ever released and it is worthy of that title. i would rate this album easily in their top 5.