DESERT DREAMS

Last November, FUSONIC was suggested to the Symphonic Team by the site monitors, after listening a couple samples I was totally unimpressed but convinced they had to be added because their style is clearly Symphonic, something with what my team members agreed, so being that here was little information, sent a mail to the band and Ronald Hoogwout replied sending a short bio and offering me a copy of their debut CD "Desert Dreams", which I accepted more as courtesy than real conviction, because it reminded me of CAMEL, a band that I don't like.

So, a couple days ago received the album and placed it on the car stereo to listen it in the way to my work, and my opinion changed dramatically, what I first found unimpressive turned into beautiful Space Symphonic music with PINK FLOYD and FOCUS influences, peaceful, relaxing, but at the same time well elaborate and dramatic (I simply love dramatic music)

Unlike most bands rooted in classic Symphonic of the 70's, the guitar by "Teo" has a preeminent role. His style is very peculiar sounding like a blend of David Gilmour and Jan Akkerman, skilled but more worried of creating thick atmospheres than in shredding, in other words, a musician that plays for the band rather than for his own glory, as Steve Hackett did on GENESIS.

"Harry Ickelsheimer" plays keyboards and bass contributing to create that almost spiritual spacey sound that suits so perfectly with the music, but we shouldn't forget the important contribution of his piano and synth solos that add those dramatic changes that every Prog band requires.

The tro is completed by "Ronald Hoogwout" who has a perfect timing and even when the music of the album doesn't allow power drumming, is obvious that his technique is impeccable, almost a human metronome.

The band is completefd by the guest musician Sjak Franssen who adds extra keyboards.

Usually I make song by song reviews, but in the case of FUSONIC I won't, being that the album is a complete piece of wok that must be heard from start to end as a complete entity rather than divide it by parts.

Despite this fact, some tracks impressed me a bit more than te rest, ilike the opener "Beyond Music", "Yellow Horses, the absolutely delightful "Fata Morgana" and the impressive closer "New Feelings", but again, the album must be heard as an integral 74 minutes composition, because only in this way makes perfect coherence.

Normally I have problems when rating the albums, not in this case, because the quality of the performance and extreme beauty of the music deserve no less than four solid stars.