Giona

As a proud subject of Her Majesty, I can do nothing but bow before such a remarkable achievement.

A nice (though somewhat bittersweet) description of a scenario all too familiar for the "eccentric" enthusiasts of progressive music. The album is a valuable relic of German jazz-blues-rock, deserving special praise especially for the piano-flute pairing in "Simple Headphone Mind" and for the drums-sax combination in "Change Will Come."

Thank you Mr. Money, Jargon, and Macaco. If anyone is interested in exploring the band's career, I would like to emphasize once again the indispensability of the excellent "Cheval" (1989) and, above all, the subsequent "The Voyage" (1992), "MIND Vol.1" (1997), and "MIND Vol.2" (which presents extensive live excerpts from the previous three albums, integrating them with numerous unreleased tracks - 2001). For my part, I also find particularly enjoyable the early progressive steps captured in "Sagan om Ringen" (1981) and "Sagan om den Irlänska Älgen" (1983). With this, I do not want to deny the qualities of "Sea Reflections" (1985) or "Eight Moments of Eternity" (1987), as well as generous portions of the compilation “Lost Eggs” (tracks recorded from 1976 to 1993, none of which included in the main studio works), but it must be admitted that the jazz rock contained in them is not as recognizable and personal as the following, much more impactful, orchestral experiments, where the Isildurs reveal their incalculable talent. Volumes 3 and 4 of the "MIND" project deserve a separate discussion, as one is the nemesis of the other: the first obliterates any predetermined musical structure, settling into austere yet evocative territories of improvisation (being familiar with King Crimson's similar adventures is a decisive aid for the listener); the second, on the other hand, fully recovers the so-called "song form," approaching the heterogeneous style, albeit more symphonic and devoid of world elements, of Peter Gabriel's solo albums (the DVD "MIND Vol.5 - The Observatory" showcases much of the material that makes up the fourth volume in concert). Both chapters, while not lacking merits, nevertheless suffer from reduced longevity, as they fail to maintain unaltered interest and listening motivation once their content has been adequately assimilated.

Thank you ProgRock & Bartle. I tried to make the writing as straightforward as possible, but ultimately, I didn't have much leeway, having to guide all the previously discussed themes toward the conclusion of this series. The main aim was to reasonably resolve the dominant theme of contrast introduced with the Änglagård, which, examined in every aspect through the unity of opposites (violence-peace [Anekdoten-Viima], stasis-change [Sinkadus-Uzva], bitterness-sweetness [Makajodama-Circles End], measure-excess [Wobbler-Simon Says], despair-serenity [Landberk-Scarlet Thread]), reveals its superior harmony and consequent nature as medicine through the Isildurs Bane. Weaving the main discussion with the theme of the journey and its conclusion, as well as with that of the progressive world and the role played by the Nordic scene within it, is likely what has contributed to making this last chapter particularly convoluted. However, I am now thinking of limiting myself for a while to commenting on reviews instead of writing them, even though, considering my past, I don't know how long I will be able to carry on this intention.

Yes Nico, you’re right about the use of accents, but the acute and circumflex on the "o" aren’t on my keyboard and I didn’t bother to look for them. I was just interested in briefly recalling the motto in Greek because it’s very famous.

I see that Greek characters are not well received...

"Know thyself" (gnothi seauton)

An album of certain value, with several noteworthy moments (from the remarkable horn work in "Time Lament" to the majestic piano base in "Take Me Back to Doomsday," to the continuous metamorphoses of the drums in "Bring Out Your Dead"), which, however, in my opinion, suffers from the cumbersome presence of less inspired and impactful episodes. A 3.5 is certainly deserved.

An interesting and well-crafted album, although the sugary flavor and grandiose sounds can get tiring very quickly.

Your latest suggestion aimed at listening to sweet and flute-like melodies, huh? Not even a track with a name as innocent as "Classical Music Medley" offers a miserable moment of respite...