VISIONARY

A decade later Eloy return with "Visionary" to celebrate their 40th Anniversary, and of course there was much anticipation with this return of one of the most beloved prog acts hailing from the 70s and continuing indefinitely it seems. The real question is whether this album will live up to the reputation of Eloy or will it flop dreadfully. I am delighted to report that this album is a real grower and features some incredible compositions, not a masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination but this is one of the better releases of the recent Eloy albums. It is the consistent quality and effort put into every track that is most rewarding and at least 3 of these tracks deserve a listen by any progheads out there.

It begins with some subdued material in the form of a straight forward uptempo rocker 'The Refuge', with an AOR feel similar to the material on "The Tides Return Forever". The riffs are nothing special though there is some exceptional lead breaks from Bornemann. Hearing his distinct vocals is like returning to an old friend; Eloy are impoverished without this uniqueness. The renaissance flute here by Volker Kuinke works well to accompany the layers of synths.

'The Secret' is immediately back to the spacey quality of Eloy. It is a slow meandering song with far too many vocals and not enough symphonic key boards. I like the way the vocals though at first are processed to sound like vintage psychedelic prog. The feel is more poppier in the chorus and the uplifting melody is repeated ad infinitum and, as a result, becomes quite tiresome after an initial listen.

'Age of Insanity' is where the brilliance begins for me; a stunning song that I could hear over and over. This one has everything from the heavy guitar riffs to Michael Gerlach's beautiful synth lines. There is a powerful roaming bassline from Klaus-Peter Matziol that mesmirises. Bornemann even returns to his infamous narrations on this one, similar to "Ocean". The instrumental section is dynamic with Gerlach sizzling on keyboards creating stellar spacey soundscapes.

'The Challenge (Time to Turn part 2)' is the next highlight; space rock with an extraordinary rhythmic bassline driving it headlong. The loud synths are dramatic and pleasurable to the ear. There is a strong melody and it feels quite majestic, especially the way it builds in the chorus. It sounds purposely like the material on "Time to Turn" and this is a good thing. I love the way Anke Renner and Tina Lux's vocals balance out Bornemann's delivery. At 4:30 there is a welcome lead break, simple but organic with the bassline and sustained synths. The drumming on this by Bodo Schopf is also a step up from recent Eloy albums. Overall this is a spirited comeback thus far.

'Summernight Symphony' is the most symphonic feeling more like vintage Eloy of the 70s. The music is very measured like a cool summer breeze. There is a strong orchestration on keyboards and Bornemann's vocals are pleasant, with sweet-natured lyrics; "We share a dream enchanted by an overwhelming atmosphere, just you and I beneath the sky, side by side we're soaring high." The pretty melody works as a break from the rockier tracks previous.

'Mystery: The Secret part 2' is a continuum of part one but far better with more keyboard soloing to indulge in. The longest track on the album, Eloy attempt to throw in all of their patented ideas from previous albums but it doesn't come off as a highlight as sometimes less is more. However, it is still a decent composition, that could have been trimmed particularly the opening section that takes an eternity to get to its destination. The guitar riffs are nicely accomplished but Bornemann could have launched into a soaring lead break but restrains himself and yet this is a drawcard of his 70s musicianship, such as 'Castle in the Air' and 'Madhouse' that feature his guitar work at its finest.

'Thoughts' is a short acoustically driven conclusion but after a few slower songs it would have been beneficial to include an uptempo track to wake us up.

Overall, "Visionary" has a lot of merit to recommend it, and although it does not measure up to the adventurous classic 70s material it is still a great album. The band tend to steer clear of lengthy inventive soloing and opt instead for arena anthemic choruses and a plethora of vocals, and this is not necessarily a good thing. However, driven by melody and spacey atmospheres, it should appeal to Eloy fans and those who enjoy the mellow side of prog.