Verdict (& Rating): Mild mannered prog (70%)
More Info: www.hamadryadmusic.com
Back in 2001 I reviewed this band's debut album, "Conservation of Mass" and had a positive reaction to it. In fact, that album went on to be their record company's, Unicorn, best selling album to date.
It came a bit of a surprise then, when I listened to this through the first time and found myself to have, well, no reaction at all. The best way of describing this album is as "mild mannered prog".
A litle bit of research revealed that shortly after the debut album the lead singer, Jocelyn, left the band. Rather than rushing in to find a replacement singer, Jean-François, who already sang one song on the debut album, stepped in as singer. The band then proceeded to adapt their style to suit.
The result is a style that isn't a million miles away Peter Gabriel fronted Genesis. I found the first two-thirds of the album passing by in a pleasant, well executed manner, but nothing that really caught my attention. It is not until "One Voice" where the band rock out a little that I start to listen more intently. "Polaroid Vendetta" is a complex piece that also captures your attention. Closing epic "Omnipresent Umbra" is another fine display of musianship.
Overall I found the album to be too "mild mannered" for my tastes with the band only stepping up a gear towards the end.
