2005-12-13
Neal Morse, one of the most brilliant artists of our time, is also one of the artists who changed their life from one way to another, taking the risk and hoping for the best, but the best is very relatively here, as with this guy every album seems to be his best.
Morse, ex Spock's beard, left the band after having a religious epiphany during the recordings of their greatest masterpiece "snow", he also left his side project with Dream theaters Mike Portnoy, Flower Kings guitarist Roine Stolt and Marillion bass Player called Transatlantic for the same reasons.
Since he left his old band mates he dedicated himself to the lord and his worship, he has released to albums since then, both were nothing but excellent, the first was Testimony, which is his own life story, and the other was "one" a concept piece that described the relationship between mankind and God, in which in the beging Man is deported from heaven and is separated from god, 'till the point where man understands how much god is important to him and does anything he can to feel complete again, the reunite with god.
The new album, seems like a new step for Morse, his lyric are more mature as well as his music style a bit more varied, and comes up with some new surprising tricks. This one is a concept album as well, and deals with the Tabernacle, the biblical dwelling place of God, and the entire lyrical journey around it sets up a story with countless dimensions, personal once as well as universal once.
For this project Morse has selected a few of the finest musicians around, Dream Theaters Mike Portnoy and Jordan Rudess, Flower kings leading man Roine Stolt, Spock's Beard guitarist and brother Alan Morse, and legendary Genesis guitarist – Steve Hackett. Man, could this get any better?!.
And now the main course!
This concept piece, in the tradition of prog rock album, is composed in a structure of a classic masterwork, with numbered musical and lyrical motives, which come back any now and then in different ways and forms, develops all the time. It begins with a simple piano, and a guitar lick, reveals the first motive which is "the temple of the living god", and from that point on there's no stopping.
Every song in this album is great, no doubt about it, perfect in any way, "Another world" has some of the funnest and more flowing melodies I've heard in a prog. album in a long time, filled with biblical quotes which comes naturally with the music and concept, "in the fire" has some great guitars on it, there's the "sting-oriented" "Solid as the sun" which is kinda jazzy and the choruses gives me this Sting kinda feeling, the one that follows has an amazingly wonderful church choir part, and goes on and on, all songs here are perfect in any way, it could take days to mention all that there's in those songs that is great.
The artwork Is unique and complex just as much as the concept is, Morse hides all kinds of hints about the album, the member who play on it, he really tries to get us all into this world he is building throughout the album.
Morse is a fine whine that seems to get only better and better, in each new album surprises me more and more with his developing lyric style, making it more deep and more powerful then ever, making his music more complex but still very friendly.
His past two album were unbelievably great and counted as one of the best album on their year of release, this on is not among the best, but is the best one of 2005. Morse in his prime!
Roy Povarchik
