▄█████▄ ░█████▄ ▄████▄░█▄ ░█▄ ▄█████▄ ███▄██ ▄██ ▄█▄ ▄██████ ▄█▄ ▄███ ░████░██▀████▓ ▀██ ▄██░▀█████ ████ ███▓ ██████▓██ ▓███████ ███▓░▀█▀████ ███▓ ███▓ ▓███░ ██ ██▄ ▄██▓██ ▓███▓██░ ▓███░███░███████████▄ ███░███░ ███░ ▄███ ███ ▄█▀░ ████████░██ █████████▄ ▓██░███ ███▓█████████ ███████ ███ ███░ ███████ ███▓ ░██ ██ ██████▓ ░██ ▀██ ███░███▓██████ ███▓███ ███ ███ ████████░███░ ███ ██▄ ██▓███░ ██▄ ██░██▓ ███ ▀▀████ ███░███ ███ ███ ███▓░███████░ ███ ███▓██ ███ ███▓██▓██░ ███ ▓████ ███ ███ ▓██▓ ███ ███░ ▓██████ ███ ▓████ ▓██▄ ▓████████ ███ ▓███ ███ ███ ███░███ ███ ░██████ ███ ░████ ░███ ███▓███▓ ███ ░███ ███ ███ ██▓███ ███ ███▓██ ███ ███ ▓██▄ ███░███░ ███ ███ ███ ███ ░█████ ███ ██▓░██▄ ███ ▓█▀ ▓██▄ ███ ██░ ███ ██▓ ███ ███ ░███▀ ░█▀ ██░ ██ ░█▀ ░███▄ ▀ ▀ ▓█▀ ███░ ░█▀ ██▀ ██░ ▄██▀ ░█▄ ▄███▀ ░██ ░ ██ ▓░ ▓░ ██░ ▓█░ ░█▀ ▀█░ ░█▓ ░ ██ ██ Artist: Galahad ██ ██ ▓ █░░ ■█ Album: Empires Never Last (Deluxe Edition) █■ ░░█ ■ █▓▀ █ Year: 2015 █ ▀▓█ ░ █ ▓ Rel. Date: 2019-01-05 ▓ █ ▒ ▒ Genre: Progressive Rock ▒ ▒ █▄ ░ Label: Avalon Records ░ ▄█ ░ █▄ ░ Source: CD ░ ▄█ ░ █▓ Type: Remastered ▓█ ░ ▓ █ Quality: VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo █ ░ ▓ ▓ █ █ ░ ▓ ▄ ■ ■ ▓ ■ ░█ █░ ▀ █ The english veterans have combined mood tunes with █ █ several very strong songs here, with a soundscape █ █ that is really fascinating. █ █ At the most mellow you may associate the music █ █ with early Marillion and late 70's Eloy, while the █ █ harder parts stretch out towards prog metal █ █ territory. █ █ And the mood of the album is a dark one, filled █ █ with sadness, grief and anguish - and something █ █ undefinable "more". █ █ As for instrumentation, the synth is central in █ █ adding to melodies and soundscape, as backdrop or █ █ floating above the other instruments in the █ █ soundscape. The guitars are dark, polished but █ █ somewhat gritty, and played so that you'll hear █ █ each individual tone to a shorter or longer extent █ █ rather than plain riffing. Rhythm section is █ █ energetic and hard, often played in a fashion █ █ reminding of prog metal. And the vocals are used █ █ as an instrument in it's own right as well. █ █ █ █ --- █ █ █ █ A few weeks ago I wrote a review about Galahad █ █ their new DVD entitled Live In Poland - Resonance. █ █ I was delighted about the exciting prog by this █ █ current line-up, the last time I heard Galahad was █ █ in the mid-Nineties during a triple prog concert █ █ in Holland with a very disappointing Galahad █ █ performance so I decided to focus on other bands. █ █ This new album is produced by guitarplayer Karl █ █ Groom who played in the neo-prog bands Casino and █ █ Shadowland (with Clive Nolan) and mainly with prog █ █ metal formation Threshold along guest work on █ █ records from Mercy Train, Strangers On A Train, █ █ Peter Gee (Pendragon) and Tracy Hitchings █ █ (Landmarq), most musicians had a contract with SI █ █ Music, allied to SI Magazine, the Dutch progrock █ █ magazine I worked for many years in the Nineties. █ █ In general the 7 compositions sound bombastic █ █ featuring sumptuous keyboard layers, propulsive █ █ guitar riffs, howling and fiery guitar soli and █ █ expressive vocals (from warm and dreamy to ominous █ █ and dramatic). The captivating elements in Galahad █ █ their new sound are the great tension and lots of █ █ musical surprises: an intro with fragile piano █ █ runs, then a compelling and bombastic climate and █ █ a break with sensitive electric guitar play in █ █ Termination, an intro with exciting sequencing, █ █ splendid guitarwork, excellent vocals and a █ █ majestic church-organ sound in the alternating and █ █ emotional I Could Be God (quite cynical view on █ █ mankind and religion), a swinging bass, mellow █ █ Fender Rhodes piano and a bombastic final part █ █ with fiery guitar in the captivating titletrack █ █ and wonderful keyboards (from fragile to sparkling █ █ piano, bombastic synthesizers and soaring █ █ Mellotron) and a closing section featuring howling █ █ guitar runs in de alternating final song This Life █ █ Could Be My Last. █ █ I am impressed by Galahad anno 2007, what a █ █ compelling musical experience, way more █ █ interesting and original than the pleasant but █ █ predictable neo-prog like the debut CD ½Nothing Is █ █ Written╗! █ █ █ █ --- █ █ █ █ While the "towne" vicar was sipping his afternoon █ █ tea, munching on some crumpets, the choirboys were █ █ engaged in a spirited cricket test with Anthony █ █ Phillips' squad, in the field beyond the garden █ █ wall. Meanwhile, in a nearby burg's (now, would █ █ that be Dorset?) most relevant "Ye Olde." pub, a █ █ dedicated band of old 50 something progfools, all █ █ expert musicians, decided that they are finally █ █ agreeing to progress instead of treading in the █ █ same progressive lagoon. Because the true maxim of █ █ our current times is most assuredly "Empires Never █ █ Last" and since new ones inevitably always appear █ █ (anyone learning mandarin?), why not go for the █ █ gusto! Galahad has a long history, one of the █ █ early stalwarts of the neo genre, together with █ █ IQ, Marillion, Pendragon, Jadis, Abraxas, █ █ Clepsydra and Arena, pushing out excellent albums █ █ like the classic "Sleepers", the puzzling █ █ "Following Ghosts" and the edgier "Year Zero". █ █ Now, they have hit their peak with a very rare and █ █ hence, very laudable diversion from their usual █ █ musical philosophy, proposing an outright █ █ punchier, electro-drenched set of highly political █ █ commentary, desperately needed in our times of █ █ ultra-egoism fueled by total disinterest. █ █ Keyboardist Dean Baker seems to be the catalyst of █ █ this sudden surge of power, giving an █ █ appropriately aggressive platform for guitarist █ █ Roy Keyworth to kick into some shimmering forays, █ █ full of electric verve and Θlan. Baker's synths █ █ are a very modern version of the prime TDream █ █ aural tapestries, pinging and ponging, washing and █ █ cascading, gurgling and bubbling. The material is █ █ razor sharp, concise and hard hitting, egged on by █ █ a tight yet unpretentious rhythm crew and carves █ █ out a podium for unheralded lead lung Stuart █ █ Nicholson to step up to the microphone and really █ █ get into it and snarl a tad. Their DVD "Resonance" █ █ live in Poland I have already drooled over (See █ █ review), as it offered five of the seven main █ █ tracks of this, at the time upcoming, studio █ █ album. Even that shows some progressive balls, █ █ releasing a live album with new, not yet released █ █ studio material! Not too many have dared to be █ █ that bold, especially in the 70s where big record █ █ companies would nix any hint of entrepreneurship █ █ in the bud! The stupendously appropriate cover art █ █ depicts the famous raising of the conquering █ █ Soviet Army's red flag in war-shattered Berlin, █ █ when that "evil empire" felt it was eternally █ █ invincible. Amusingly, the hammer and sickle █ █ replaced by the letter G. (Err.. God, Goodbye or █ █ Galahad, hmmmm) .One empire down and in order to █ █ appear politically correct and current, who do the █ █ lads go after; well I guess you must be "bushed"? █ █ If IQ's stunning anti- war, anti-Cheney epic █ █ "Harvest of Souls" was compelling enough, Galahad █ █ take it to an even more satanic level, to say the █ █ least. There is bile, venom, anger, doom, despair █ █ and sarcasm, spewed out without guile or rancor. █ █ The stirring opener "De-Fi-Ance" begins with some █ █ plaintive female vocal and some explicative lyrics █ █ "Just because we are not youngsters, just because █ █ we are not hip, doesn't mean we are less valid", █ █ all blanketed in an aggressive musical wrapper. █ █ Yes, Galahadlads, yes!!! "Termination" also █ █ conveys a rather gloomy outlook on the consistent █ █ stupidity of the human race, remindful of one of █ █ Einstein's more progressive quotes:" There are two █ █ infinites, the universe and stupidity, but I am █ █ not too sure of the first one". You got it, █ █ Alberto! Dead on! "I Could Be God" sets the █ █ "general" tone from the very first beat (or is it █ █ byte?), thrashingly playful rhythm guitar raising █ █ the pressure to unsustainable heights, pounding, █ █ hammering, bombing with cruise missile like █ █ precision, pleading for the rage to explode. █ █ "Sidewinder" smokes with the same fury as a Top █ █ Gun dogfight, full of military innuendos, and an █ █ anthemic drive, the anti-war message as blunt as █ █ an exploding warhead: "It's a dangerous path we █ █ are taking; beware of false prophets spinning █ █ yarns of deceit"! Enough to give the Veep heart █ █ tremors! "Memories from an African Twin" assuredly █ █ addresses the endless African enigma, where life █ █ is seemingly cheap, a few grains of diamond dust █ █ from Sierra Leone, blood-soaked Hutu machetes, █ █ empty sacks of flour in Darfur, etc.. and the █ █ lyrics go like this:" ba, ba, ba, ba etc.." Pretty █ █ sad. The dizzying acme is the glowing title track, █ █ (you can almost hear the phosphorous canisters █ █ fizzing and crackling in the background), a █ █ blistering attack with no holds-barred, where █ █ Nicholson positively unleashes some of the most █ █ vitriolic vocals in prog, sheer genius coated in █ █ abject anger, with fiery repetitive words echoing █ █ the pounding chorus, "Always remember, Empires █ █ never last, they always crumble and fall". How █ █ true! The disc ends mercifully on what sounds like █ █ a typical soldier's lament, "This life could be my █ █ last", a cat has nine but how many lives does a █ █ trooper have? They are trying to bring decency and █ █ (cough) democracy to people who have been █ █ rejecting it for thousands of years, very valiant █ █ but very hopeless ("I know that there's no sense █ █ in much that we do.") . The photo of a young lad █ █ in full flying ace outfit, smartly saluting is the █ █ perfect depiction of the roll of honour gone into █ █ making this amazing recording. Galahad took their █ █ time to unleash their WMD (Weapon of Mass █ █ Devotion) and it can sit in my silo anytime, █ █ occasional wisps of steam rising from its O rings █ █ .. Masterpiece Neo sidewinder..honing right up █ █ your flaming. █ █ █ █ --- █ █ █ █ One can easily get lost in hundreds of █ █ contemporary Prog band, confusing names, styles █ █ and musicians. There are bands that hang on █ █ somewhere near, you may even know their names but █ █ never heard their music. Maybe one of it could █ █ become another favourite band for youàwho knows? I █ █ never waste a minute and grab every unknown Prog █ █ CD that I can - thatÆs exactly how I fell in love █ █ with ENGLAND, MAGENTA, MINDGAMES and many others. █ █ And thatÆs what I recommend to do FOR EVERYONE û █ █ donÆt hesitate, try everything and be grated. █ █ ôEmpires never lastö is my second effort to get █ █ into GALAHAD. ôIn Moment of Complete Madnessö once █ █ reviewed by me was a good but for █ █ Neo-collectors-only album. This one is quite █ █ another in mood (closer to Progressive Metal █ █ IMHO!), darker, stronger, better recorded, with █ █ killer epics like ôI Could be Godö, title track █ █ and ôThis Life could be the Lastöàbut it didnÆt █ █ click on me EMOTIONALLY. Still IÆd like to █ █ recommend it to IQ, MAGENTA, DISCIPLINE, ARENA, █ █ APPLE PIE etc fans, but GALAHAD seems to be a █ █ ôjust-for-the-recordö experience for me. █ █ Seriously, donÆt take it as offence, but it █ █ happens in different ways û some are blown away, █ █ some are totally ignorant after trying. But itÆs █ █ better to try than to not, I insist!!! █ █ █ █ --- █ █ █ █ Musically "Empires" is a pretty darn good listen █ █ with a dynamic sound that is categorized as █ █ neo-prog on this site although that categorization █ █ makes the band's vocalist Stuart Nicholson bristle █ █ a bit. He describes their sound as much heavier █ █ with industrial and electronic influences and more █ █ progressive in that they really try to change with █ █ each album. The playing is very solid, most █ █ notably the guitar work and the ever present █ █ keyboards. The vocals are also very inspired and █ █ just about perfect on the ears in every situation. █ █ The album is very ambitious for a group that's █ █ been around for so many years. The content deals █ █ with power in various forms and heavy social and █ █ political topics. Much of it burns with anger and █ █ disgust through Nicholson's scathing delivery. █ █ Here are Stuart's comments about the thematic █ █ content of this album: "ENL works on several █ █ levels, it's up to the listener to interpret the █ █ lyrics how they want. Yes, there is a certain link █ █ to politics and Governments within the song, but █ █ it is also about individuals who build empires in █ █ the work place or even at home. Therefore, I guess █ █ it is socio-political lyric. Basically the song is █ █ saying nothing ever lasts in this World and we'd █ █ be fools if we thought otherwise. I like to keep █ █ abreast of what's going on in the World at large █ █ and have my own opinions just like any other █ █ individual and, yes, these opinions do █ █ occasionally spill over in to the song writing. █ █ But we are not a political band as such, no." █ █ [Stuart Nicholson, interviewed by Giannis Tsakonas █ █ for Metal Perspective magazine, Sept. 2006] █ █ "Defiance" begins with beautiful female choral █ █ vocals setting a mood of anticipation before █ █ Stuart growls out his DE-FI-ANCE opening, then the █ █ mood builds with good drumming and keys. In █ █ "Termination" Stuart trades off very effectively █ █ with the female vocals as the band sound really █ █ picks up with heavy guitar. "I could be God" is █ █ the longest track at 14 minutes. The vocals are █ █ dramatic and Fish-like and there's a heavy Fugazi █ █ era feel though the drumming is more crisp and █ █ metallic. A quiet part around 5 minutes leads into █ █ excerpts of a Dr. Martin Luther King speech █ █ followed by electric riffing and later a solo. █ █ It's a good song the first few times but doesn't █ █ quite sustain the length after many plays. █ █ "Sidewinder" is also longer than it needs to be █ █ and features the predictable excerpts of George █ █ Bush greatest hits for your amusement, but has █ █ another great solo at the end. "Memories from an █ █ African Twin" is one of the album's nicest moments █ █ with the anger dropped briefly for some nice █ █ acoustic and electric guitar melody and uplifting █ █ wordless vocals. █ █ Then comes the powerful title track "Empires Never █ █ Last" which is a cool song and another of the █ █ album's highlights. The clever verses speak of █ █ Little Miss Glory, a dirty, lying, soulless, █ █ back-stabbing pariah who is destined to "crumble █ █ and fall." My first interpretation was that she █ █ represented America as Bush is referenced in the █ █ track Sidewinder but this is not the case. Rather, █ █ LMG is the portrait of an individual, a seriously █ █ messed-up one. While I have never seen Galahad █ █ perform live I can guarantee this title track is █ █ going to bring the crowd to their feet singing █ █ along, it's just a great song to highlight an █ █ album these guys should be very proud of. The █ █ closer "This Life Could Be My Last" is an █ █ emotional and pleasant middle of the road rocker █ █ with a well-crafted chorus. █ █ I don't think "Empires" is quite the masterpiece █ █ that others do but it is very enjoyable and I █ █ would recommend it easily to neo-fans of bands █ █ like Arena and Marillion and to prog-metal fans as █ █ well. The booklet features complete lyrics and █ █ provocative photos. █ ▓ ▓ ▒ ▒ ░ 1. De-fi-ance 5:46 ░ ░ 2. Termination 7:14 ░ ░ 3. I Could Be God 14:02 ░ ░ 4. Sidewinder 11:00 ░ ░ 5. Memories of an Africa Twin 4:07 ░ ░ 6. Empires Never Last 9:05 ░ ░ 7. This Life Could Be My Last 9:20 ░ ░ 8. Termination (Alternative Version) 5:17 ░ ░ 9. This Life Could Be My Last (Alternative 5:50 ░ ░ Version) ░ ░ 71:41 ░ ░ ▒ ▒ ▓ █ ░ ▓ ░ ■ █▄ ░ ██ ▀█▄░ ▄▄▄▄▄ ▓ ░ ▄▄▄▄▄ ░▄██░ ░ ▀████▓█▄▄█████████▓░ ███ ███▓░ █████████▄▄██████▀ ▓ ▓▀▓ ▒███████▀▀ ▀████████▒ ░████████▀ ▀▀███████░▓▀▓ ■ ░ ▄█░█▀▀▄████▄▓ ▀█▀ █▓░ ▒▓█ ▀█▀ ▄████▄ ▀███▄░ ▄█▀░ ░███▀▀▀███▄ ▀█▒ ██▓ ██ ▓█▀ ▄███▀▀▀███░ ▀█░ █▀ ▓██▓ ▄███ ▀█▓ ████ ▒█▀ ▓███▄ ▓██▓ ▀█▓ █▀ ▓██░ ▒██████▓ ▀█ █▓ █▀ ▓██████▒ ░██▓ ▀█ ▒ ▄██ ░███ ▓███▓ ▀░██░▀ ▓███░ ███ ██▄ ▒ ░█▀ ███ ▄▀ ███▄ ▓████▒ ▄███▀▄ ███ ▀█░ ▓█▀ ▄██▄█▀ ░ ██████████████ ▀█▄ ██▄ ▀█▓ █▀ ████▀█▄▓░▄█ ▀██████▀ █▄▓░▄█▀█▄██ ▀█▓ ░ ▄ ██▀ ▀████▀ ▀█▓▀██ ▀████▀ ▀███ ▄ ▒ █░█▓ ██░ █░ █ ░██ ▀██▒█ ███░ ▒█░ ▄ ▓ ▒ ░█▒ ▓███ ░ ▓██ ░ ██▓ ██░ ░██ █▒ ░ ░█ ▀█ █▀ ▓ ░ ░