A
transatlantic "online" friendship
was responsible for giving birth
to a progressive band; it's
a rather peculiar case. Chris Brown
from USA and Ronald Wahle from Netherlands
joined forces in 2006 and it resulted
in "Cycles". Two years
later Ghost Circus are back with "Across
The Line", a concept this time
album about a man who crosses the
line to the other side, that is to
say from death to the hereafter.
Ok then, there's not a ghost
of a chance (as Rush would say) I'll
dislike this idea. Pans aside, I'm
in favor of concept albums, especially
the ones that are based on novel
musical ideas or even old but renovated
with a fresh touch and, at the same
time, manage to get these ideas through
to the listener. If the above applies
to this case, we'll find out
en route.
In contrast with its predecessor, "Across
The Line" sounds more mature.
Although it continues in the same vein
of melancholy and introversion, it
does have its prog metal outbursts,
like "Pathway" with some
Sylvan's traces or even "Holding
On" with its new age keys intro.
Volume lowers when "To Be" (totally
Marillion) & "Losing Time"(tips
the wink to Porcupine Tree & Peter
Gabriel) come in, to give their place
to "Through The Darkness" the
first genuine highlight, boiling over
with rage and enriched with a Gilmour-like
guitar solo and some lovely keys as
a background. With this track as a
link, we cross the line to the 2nd
half of the album. Two epic songs welcome
the visitors: "Through The Light" balanced
by its 8 parts, in which each and every
of Ghost Circus' influences appear
in front of you, and the grand finale
with the second highlight "Across
the Line", an orgasmic instrumental.
Here, if anywhere, you can tell the
difference between now & then,
simply by comparing this sublime instrumental
to "Let It Flow" of their
debut.
All and all, without being outstanding
it surely deserves every penny. It
has a musical structure that serves
the story's needs and, most of
all; the band's object has been
accomplished without fanfares. All
they need is a further touch of personality,
in order to find themselves a place
in the same division as their influences. |
