STORIES

What a strange album! Nothing really here to indicate all the pleasures inside: standard neo- prog line up (gt, k,b, d) that has no real "wunderkind" : a decent guitarist in Achim Frick who can sing okay, an efficient keyboardist, a good bassist and a very "ein-zwei" drummer who is unremarkable. The artwork is average, so what gives? A great menu, that's what! Of the thirteen cuts than span this hour long disc, there are a some VERY interesting and appealing songs that have the hooks, the melodies and that little something that pleases the ear. "Lady with a Past" "Soliloquy", "The Grim Reaper", "Crash Kids", "Genocide", "Poem for You" , the exhilarating and unforgetable "Mystic" and the elegant historical closer "Kristall" . The common theme here is war, prejudice, fascism, totalitarianism, suffering and pain . Basically lots of very gloomy fare. As I said, this album is loaded with faults and any progfan will find them glaring. But the material is truly amazing, played with enough passion and zeal to make this a prize. Their next album, though more polished , just doesn't have the meaty hooks, the emotive angst & the frisky delivery. I have listened to this record 20 times and still can't shake the thrill and I have never encountered such a bi- polar prog offering. Anyone feel the same way? 4 surprised stars