The
story
Two explorers travel to Africa and
stumble into a world of mystery and
intrigue. They discover lost tribes
living in vast underground caverns
and worshipping a living Goddess Ayesha,
the queen who is believed to be a woman
of vast age. She welcomes the explorers,
but her true motives soon become apparent.
Ayesha has been waiting for the return
of the man she loves…a man she
murdered 2000 years ago (source: Metal
Mind).
The
idea
Since his childhood Clive Nolan (Pendragon,
Arena, Neo) had been fascinated
by this story (a novel by H. Rider
Haggard, 1887) from the very moment
that he saw it on film. Ever after,
he had thoughts of composing a
progressive rock opera and he finally
made it.
The personnel
Two female singers, such as Agnieszka
Swita (broad accent but a wide
range of voice, not to mention
her theatrical approach) and Christina
Booth of Magenta (crystal and soft
timbre voice we all know and love),
plus Clive Nolan himself and Alan
Reed (Pallas, Neo) giving their
best. Moreover, there is a constellation
of high skilled musicians, like
John Jowitt (IQ, Arena, Jadis,
Neo), Mark Westwood (Neo), Hugh
McDowell (ELO, Wetton/Downes Icon),
Scott Higham (Shadowkeep, Pendragon),
Alaster Bentley (well known classical
musician) and Mark Kane (Tamlin).
The music
The blending of huge keyboards sound
with guitars and orchestral parts
lead to an epic result, which brings
to the surface memories of either
Rick Wakeman’s “Journey
To The Center Of Earth” (in
a much more accessible way of course)
or the rock operas by Andrew Lloyd
Webber. Theatricality overflows,
while almost every detail of the
story is being narrated analytically.
Here’s my objection, though;
I remain convinced that there ought
to be some instrumental parts instead.
The conclusion
All you need is to imagine the story
unfolding before your eyes, while
reading to one of the most generous
booklet (44 pages) I’ve seen
some time now. “She” brings
something new to the prog scenery.
Not that we are not familiar to
similar ambitious projects from
the past, but Clive Nolan is such
an unfailing source of inspiration
that you will never feel betrayed
by his moves. |
