Rating: 3.5 Stars (out of 5)
Veteran German proggers Eloy celebrated their 40th anniversary
in 2009 with the release of Visionary, the band's first
album in 11 years, dating back to The Ocean 2: The Answer
in 1998. The same lineup returns to prove once again that Eloy
are the kings of the German symphonic rock mountain. The band
seems not to have missed a beat in its decade-plus absence on a
mind-boggling 18th studio release.
Although lead vocalist/guitarist Frank Bornemann's voice has
seen better days - and it was never a strength of the band to
begin with - this album is unquestionably Eloy. All the old
elements are there, and the quality of the songs puts this
release squarely among other records in the Eloy canon. The
subject matter of the music once again alternates between where
mankind has been and where it is going. In other words, it's
more of the same from Eloy, and yet it feels fresh somehow.
Album opener "The Refuge" kicks things off nicely. Guitar
riffs drive the song, which alternates between softer and edgier
sections, punctuated with renaissance flute playing of guest
musician Volker Kuinke. Bornemann's guitar work alternates
between electric stabs and acoustic strums.
"The Secret" follows, with more flute from Kuinke, and
some unearthly processed vocals by Bornemann. Michael Gerlach's
keyboards frame the song, along with mini-moog playing by Hannes
Folberth. The Secret has an infectious chorus that
features backing vocals by more album guests, Tina Lux and Anke
Renner.
I was quite partial to the third track, "Age of Insanity,"
which starts with a cutting guitar riff and expands to
include Gerlach's keyboard wizardry and a rhythmic groove by
bassist Klaus-Peter Matziol and drummer Bodo Schopf. We also get
a throwback to the classic Eloy era with a spoken word voiceover
a few minutes in, before Bornemann cranks out one of his
patented melodic guitar solos.
Matziol's bass introduces "The Challenge (Time to Turn, Part
2)" with a reggae-esque groove. Like much of the album, the
song harkens back to an earlier time in Eloy's vast catalog, in
this case because it is a sequel to the title track of the
band's 1982 album, Time to Turn. Lux and Renner are in
the spotlight during the song's chorus. Another highlight of the
album. If "Age of Insanity" isn't my favorite track on the
album, then this one is.
Visionary takes a dreamier and spacier turn with "Summernight
Symphony." Bornemann and Renner harmony vocals float on an
ethereal keyboard foundation set by Gerlach and orchestral
sounds provided by yet another guest, Christoph Littmann.
"Mystery (The Secret, Part 2)," the longest song on the
album, clocking in at nine minutes, is a slow builder, opening
in trancelike fashion. Lux and Renner supplement Bornemann's
near-monotone vocal line and Gerlach colors the space with
vintage-sounding keyboard washes and licks.
Album closer "Thoughts" is a brief number comprised of
Bornemann's voice and acoustic guitar. An introspective little
ditty, it serves to leave the listener wanting more. One can
almost imagine the song leading into a searing guitar intro on
the next track, as the band shifts into a higher gear, but alas,
that moment will have to wait, or may never come.
Many older bands that have been dormant (and some that have not
been dormant) would have a difficult time putting out an album
of this quality. On Visionary, these German prog warriors are
not only faithful to their legacy, they actually build on it.
Track List:
1. The Refuge
2. The Secret
3. Age of Insanity
4. The Challenge (Time to Turn, Part 2)
5. Summernight Symphony
6. Mystery (The Secret, Part 2)
7. Thoughts
