AGAINST REASON

Isn´t it great when you see a band that has a very promising sound reach its full potential? A few years ago I found this CD called Rhetoric by the group Credo and thought it was really terrific. It was ok that the band was still emulating its heroes of Fish-era Marillion, but they were clearly devolping their very own personality and their perfomances were superb, as well as their songwriting skills. They still needed a little more maturing, so I was eagearly waiting for their follow up. But for a long time there was no news and I was afraid they might ended up like so many other potential great bands that break up before they could do their best (french band Arrakeen is a good exemple). But they did reappear in 2009 through their excellent DVD This Is What We Do. And now, almost 6 years after Rhetoric they finally release thier third CD of original material. And, man, was the waiting worth it!

Against Reason sees this band reaching another level completely in terms of songwriting and perfomances. They still are what I call a ´real´ neo prog band (meaning symphonic prog rock with more guitars, less pomp and lots of emotional, pleasant melodies), but they surely have outgrown the Marillion mold. The new compositions are bolder, more complex and exciting, while still retaining their fine melodic sense. In short, they have matured in a very natural way. Since the first notes of Staring At The Sun, I could tell that the other reviewes here were right when they praised the album so much. After all, it is not every day that you stumble upon a CD that has not a single weak track, which sounds fresh, powerful and convincing from beginning to end.

With a right production and strong perfomances, everything works on Against Reason. With tasteful. subtle arrangements you hear chimming electric guitars, elegant keyboards lines, brilliant bass runs and a versatile drummer. Singer Mark Colton has a very good voice and has a fine dramatic interpretation that, while still showing Fish´s influence, is now very much his own. Although all the tracks are excellent, there is always the case of some that you pick up as your favorites from the very start and those are the beautiful and highly emotional Intimate Strangers, the very inspired Conspiracy (what a brilliant marriage of clever lyrics and fine melodies!!!) and last, but not least, the 13 minute epic, The Ghost Of Yesterday, that rivals with Rhetoric´s The Letter as their best song ever.

With Against Reason Credo has graduated from a very promising group to one of the best neo prog bands of the new millenium. If you like the music of the great bands like Pendragon, Flamborough Head and Collage you should not miss this CD.

Rating: something between 4,5 and 5 stars. Highly recommended for the ones who think that symphonic prog rock should be pleasant to the ears like in the old times!