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: : The Dreams of Men : :
Where to start. I’ve been a fan of this band since
I heard their first CD back in the early 80’s. Pallas and Marillion were
proof to me that progressive rock was alive and well. In the intervening
years (up to say 1998) I had lost track of Pallas and grew to really
dislike what Marillion had become.
Then The Cross and the Crucible was released and it blew me away. That
was 2002 and I was sure they could NEVER top that release. Once again,
dear reader, I was proven wrong.
What the Pallas bros have put together here is nothing short of a
brilliant CD. Full of all the wonderful prog flourishes we’ve come to
expect from them but also a sense of strength, of power, of a new
commitment to the music that was not even present in TC&C.
The CD starts off with Bringer of Dreams, a song that both points out
from where dreams come and from whence they go. Warriors is pretty
straight forward and addresses ALL the many types of warriors we have in
our lives, that we must be in our lives and what we must fight in our
lives.
Ghostdancers is very moving and heavy. You get a feeling of the old
making way for the new but in fact falling short of the glory they were
seeking. Of turning from the early pagan days lived by the builders of
Stonehenge to the earth worshipping of Native American people. This is a
strong song and one that takes more than one listen to “get”.
Too Close to the Sun is the longest song on this CD and does showcase
each member’s musical contributions to this band and CD. It is of course
retelling the old story of Icarus but you know, the truth in the story
is so relevant to today’s world.
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There is one real rocker on this CD that reminds me of the sound found
in Arrive Alive from Pallas’s first CD and that is Mr. Wolfe. A killer
bass and drum lead in set the stage for the music to follow. It is in
fact progressive ROCK music after all. Yep, Mr. Wolfe rocks and seems to
be about those things that haunt us, stalk us, and blow our houses down.
The last song, The Last Angel is a perfect closer. At over 11 minutes in
length the listener is once again treated to musical foreplay that leads
to the consummation of this wonderfully musical passionate moment we
call Pallas. I specially love the use of real operatic voices in this
song. It must have been fun in the studio to work with these voices and
make them fit in so perfectly with the feel of the song and with the
mood of the moment. It is captured perfectly to my ears.
I highly recommend this CD. Any previous Pallas fans will not be
disappointed; heck anyone who truly loves wonderful, melodic, and
masterfully played music should really dig this CD.
Rating: 9 of 10
Reviewed By: Stephen Ellis
: : Visit the Artist’s Website : :
: : Discography : :
Arrive Alive - 1981
The Sentinel - 1984
The Wedge - 1986
Knight Moves To Wedge - 1986
Beat the Drum - 1998
Live our Lives - 2000
The Cross And The Crucible - 2001
Mythopoeia - 2002
The Blinding Darkness - 2003
The Blinding Darkness (DVD) - 2003
The Dreams Of Men - 2005 |
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