▄█████▄ ░█████▄ ▄████▄░█▄ ░█▄ ▄█████▄ ███▄██ ▄██ ▄█▄ ▄██████ ▄█▄ ▄███ ░████░██▀████▓ ▀██ ▄██░▀█████ ████ ███▓ ██████▓██ ▓███████ ███▓░▀█▀████ ███▓ ███▓ ▓███░ ██ ██▄ ▄██▓██ ▓███▓██░ ▓███░███░███████████▄ ███░███░ ███░ ▄███ ███ ▄█▀░ ████████░██ █████████▄ ▓██░███ ███▓█████████ ███████ ███ ███░ ███████ ███▓ ░██ ██ ██████▓ ░██ ▀██ ███░███▓██████ ███▓███ ███ ███ ████████░███░ ███ ██▄ ██▓███░ ██▄ ██░██▓ ███ ▀▀████ ███░███ ███ ███ ███▓░███████░ ███ ███▓██ ███ ███▓██▓██░ ███ ▓████ ███ ███ ▓██▓ ███ ███░ ▓██████ ███ ▓████ ▓██▄ ▓████████ ███ ▓███ ███ ███ ███░███ ███ ░██████ ███ ░████ ░███ ███▓███▓ ███ ░███ ███ ███ ██▓███ ███ ███▓██ ███ ███ ▓██▄ ███░███░ ███ ███ ███ ███ ░█████ ███ ██▓░██▄ ███ ▓█▀ ▓██▄ ███ ██░ ███ ██▓ ███ ███ ░███▀ ░█▀ ██░ ██ ░█▀ ░███▄ ▀ ▀ ▓█▀ ███░ ░█▀ ██▀ ██░ ▄██▀ ░█▄ ▄███▀ ░██ ░ ██ ▓░ ▓░ ██░ ▓█░ ░█▀ ▀█░ ░█▓ ░ ██ ██ Artist: Glass Hammer ██ ██ ▓ █░░ ■█ Album: Untold Tales █■ ░░█ ■ █▓▀ █ Year: 2017 █ ▀▓█ ░ █ ▓ Rel. Date: 2018-05-05 ▓ █ ▒ ▒ Genre: Progressive Rock ▒ ▒ █▄ ░ Label: Sound Resources / Arion Records ░ ▄█ ░ █▄ ░ Source: CD ░ ▄█ ░ █▓ Type: Album ▓█ ░ ▓ █ Quality: VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo █ ░ ▓ ▓ █ █ ░ ▓ ▄ ■ ■ ▓ ■ ░█ █░ ▀ █ This CD features rare and previously unreleased █ █ studio and live recordings spanning the 25-year █ █ history of Glass Hammer. █ █ █ █ --- █ █ █ █ ThereÆs are some bands that have been with me █ █ since I first started really getting into █ █ progressive rock music and have stood the test of █ █ time because I like their music and how they have █ █ developed over the years. However, because I am █ █ what is classed as a relatively ælate adopterÆ to █ █ the genre it also means that there is a fair █ █ amount of back catalogue stuff and undiscovered █ █ gems that I have never heard. █ █ When a band releases an album of æPreviously █ █ unreleased tracks and more..Æ it often only █ █ appeals to the completists among the fanbase and █ █ doesnÆt tend to draw in new listeners or fans who █ █ have only started to like the artists later in █ █ their career. So, what would Glass HammerÆs █ █ æUntold TalesÆ give us, I wonder? Starting with █ █ songs from 1993 and concluding with a live █ █ recording from 2017, it promised to be something a █ █ bit different from the usual archive offerings. █ █ Comprising of 13 tracks in total, including █ █ instrumentals and the aforementioned live track, █ █ æUntold TalesÆ offers the listener a sizeable █ █ chunk of never heard before Glass Hammer music. It █ █ opens with a couple of interesting instrumentals, █ █ Shadows Of The Past reworked in 2008, Fred █ █ Schendel reworking the opening track off æJourney █ █ Of The DunadanÆ using techniques unavailable on █ █ first release in 1993 and it has a suitable █ █ cinematic soundscape to its orchestral █ █ magnificence. Infusion is a piece of music █ █ originally released on the album æLove Changes û █ █ Featuring Glass HammerÆ by artist Tracy Cloud. █ █ ThereÆs a pared back, ethereal wonder to the three █ █ minute instrumental with its haunting piano, flute █ █ and keyboards and stylish bass playing. █ █ The heady Identity Principle is one of the █ █ standout tracks on the album and is pure Glass █ █ Hammer. Steve Babb literally found this song █ █ hiding on a backup drive. The band were never █ █ quite satisfied with the mix on the ending. They █ █ recorded a new performance of the ending which █ █ matches up very well. Thus, this track was █ █ recorded in the early 90Æs and just a while ago. A █ █ wonderfully involving track with great vocals from █ █ Walter Moore and an elegant guitar combining █ █ really well. It has that great Glass Hammer trait █ █ of taking you on a complex and involving musical █ █ journey, one that always holds you attention. The █ █ melodies entwine and the guitar takes on its own █ █ vocal note, to me this is one of THE great tracks █ █ from this enduring band and, as Steve himself █ █ says, itÆs a crying shame it has lain hidden for █ █ so long. Glass Hammer appeared at Progscape æ96 in █ █ Baltimore, Maryland and performed the classic █ █ Argent track Hold Your Head High. This studio █ █ version was certainly recorded around that time, █ █ probably in 1997 and is quite a bombastic version █ █ for a band noted for their Elfin lyrics and music. █ █ SteveÆs bass is driving and dynamic and Fred seems █ █ to be having ball on the keyboards, add the █ █ stylish guitar of David Carter to a powerful vocal █ █ from Walter and youÆve got a rather excellent █ █ cover version. █ █ I have to be honest, there are a couple of what █ █ IÆd call æthrowawayÆ tracks on the record and we █ █ get both in quick succession. Actually they arenÆt █ █ bad tracks but, compared to the prog-fest thatÆs █ █ going on around them, they do seem a little █ █ lacklustre. BabbÆs Bach is SteveÆs humble attempt █ █ to achieve something similar to tracks from █ █ æSwitched On BachÆ by Walter Carlos and just feels █ █ throwaway. It is immediately followed by And Then █ █ She Sighed which feels like a pastiche of any █ █ medieval tune, admittedly with excellent vocals █ █ from Laura Lindstrom Davis and a Girls Choir of █ █ Allison Savard, Kaytie Mitchell and Kendra Roden. █ █ You are brought out of any stupor by the excellent █ █ 80Æs synth-rock of Eiger Dreams, a charismatic and █ █ compelling track that bears comparison to Giorgio █ █ Moroder in my humble opinion. If you have seen the █ █ bandÆs æLive At The TivoliÆ DVD then you may █ █ recall this is the opening track. Included here is █ █ the never-before-released studio version recorded █ █ (or at least mixed) in 2008. █ █ Now onto another favourite on the album,the bandÆs █ █ cover of the Beatles track ItÆs All Too Much is █ █ great slice of prog-rock infused AOR music that █ █ has you rocking in your seat with its energy, █ █ dynamism and hooks. SteveÆs funky bass drives the █ █ track along, aided by swathes of FredÆs potent █ █ keyboards and the familiar vocals of the classy █ █ Susie Bogdanowicz. With a nod to a Steve HillageÆs █ █ version, the song was recorded during sessions for █ █ æThree Cheers For The Broken HeartedÆ in 2009. It █ █ was used as an encore piece for a few live shows, █ █ but never released. Here Steve and Fred replaced a █ █ pipe organ with a Hammond organ and the bass line █ █ with something a little more fitting than Steve █ █ had originally done. A track that I can only █ █ really describe as æGlass Hammer do SabbathÆ, █ █ Troll is dark and deliciously dangerous. Steve █ █ describes it as: █ █ ôPartly about recording a track with a █ █ super-fuzzed-out bass guitar. It was also partly █ █ about letting off some steam regarding the trolls █ █ who inhabited certain progressive rock internet █ █ forumsàö █ █ It features some incredibly angry guitar and █ █ keyboard playing and some amazing harmonica from █ █ Tim Starnes and is as far away from a typical █ █ Glass Hammer track as you could possibly get, I █ █ love it! SteveÆs final words on the song: █ █ ôWe have discussed recording more music in this █ █ vein, if only we thought our fans would let us get █ █ away with it!ö █ █ A Grain Of Sand brings you back down to earthy █ █ with its airy and laid back simplicity. Three █ █ minutes of delicate piano and Kamran Alan ShikohÆs █ █ graceful acoustic guitar layered with the █ █ minimalist hues of FredÆs keyboards. Recorded in █ █ 2010 as a possible track for æIFÆ, you can █ █ certainly hear strains of If The Stars if you are █ █ paying attention. Jon DavisonÆs vocal track was █ █ lifted straight from that song as a matter of █ █ fact. The next song is another powerful and █ █ dominant piece of progressive rock. Cool Air is an █ █ enigmatic and serious track which seems to have █ █ some real tension bubbling underneath. Steve █ █ explains: █ █ ôEver the Lovecraft fan, I readily agreed to work █ █ on this track for its ultimate inclusion on a █ █ Colossus (Finland) Lovecraft-themed album. We █ █ chose the tale Cool Air, one of the more gruesome █ █ stories and one I thought we might easily set to █ █ music and lyric. Recorded in 2012, my son, who was █ █ only ten at the time, joined me in the studio for █ █ a sound effects session. Fred wrote the music and █ █ I wrote the lyrics, with much help from the █ █ original text of the story, of course!ö █ █ I wasnÆt a big fan of the vocals when I first █ █ heard it but repeated listens have shown me that █ █ they fit this dark and eerie tale perfectly. █ █ Disturbing and sinister in parts, it creeps under █ █ your skin and becomes quite addictive, like a █ █ horror film that you canÆt take your eyes off. █ █ Doctor Who for the more cerebral of us perhaps? █ █ The Impulsive Type is a more straightforward rock █ █ infused track and reminds me of Frost* or even █ █ Rush with itÆs catchy chorus, edgy, staccato █ █ guitars, stylish rhythm section and Carl Groves █ █ polished vocal performance. Was that Rush I said? █ █ well Steve explains all: █ █ ôIn 2014 Dave Kerzner of Sonic Reality asked us to █ █ perform a track with Neal Peart. WhatÆs that you █ █ say? Well, actually it was a request to write a █ █ song on top of NealÆs drum tracks that were █ █ recorded during the making of Sonic RealityÆs █ █ ôNeal Peart Drumsö sample library. The tracks you █ █ hear are live drum tracks however, not the █ █ samples. Was it possible to write a song over █ █ NealÆs tracks without it sounding Rush-influenced? █ █ No. Enjoy!ö █ █ The album closes with a fantastic live rendition █ █ of No Mans Land (from the 2016 album æValkyrieÆ) █ █ recorded at The Camp House in May 2017. A fan █ █ favourite from its first release, it is utterly █ █ involving and enthralling as a live track and █ █ finishes this stellar collection on quite a high. █ █ Another archive release for those completist fans █ █ then? Absolutely not!! æUntold TalesÆ is an █ █ excellent collection of rarities that has lots of █ █ appeal, both to the dedicated Glass Hammer fan and █ █ those new to this exceptional outfit, a group of █ █ musicians who are definitely one of the best █ █ progressive rock bands around today. █ █ █ █ Line-up: █ █ Steve Babb - keyboards, bass, percussion, vocals █ █ Fred Schendel - keyboards, guitars, drums, █ █ percussion, vocals █ █ Kamran Alan Shikoh - guitars (10-13) █ █ Aaron Raulston - drums (13) █ █ Susie Bogdanowicz - vocals (8, 13) █ █ Walter Moore - vocals, drums (3, 4) █ █ Jon Davison (Yes) - vocals (11), backing vocals █ █ (10) █ █ Carl Groves (Salem Hill) - vocals (12) █ █ Laura Lindstrom - vocals (6) █ █ David Wallimann - guitars (7) █ █ Matt Mendians - drums (7) █ █ David Carter - guitars (4) █ █ Randall Williams - drums (11) █ █ Neil Peart - drums (12) █ █ Tim Starnes - harmonica (9) █ █ Jon Michael Babb - sound effects (11) █ █ Allison Savard, Kaytie Mitchell, Kendra Roden - █ █ girls choir (6) █ ▓ ▓ ▒ ▒ ░ 1. Shadows of the Past 2008 2:25 ░ ░ 2. Infusion 3:16 ░ ░ 3. Identity Principle 12:38 ░ ░ 4. Hold Your Head Up 4:17 ░ ░ 5. Babb's Bach 3:18 ░ ░ 6. And Then She Sighed 1:59 ░ ░ 7. Eiger Dreams 2:23 ░ ░ 8. It's All Too Much 4:36 ░ ░ 9. Troll 5:03 ░ ░ 10. A Grain of Sand 2:58 ░ ░ 11. Cool Air 9:44 ░ ░ 12. The Impulsive Type 4:38 ░ ░ 13. No Man's Land Live 14:44 ░ ░ 71:59 ░ ░ ▒ ▒ ▓ █ ░ ▓ ░ ■ █▄ ░ ██ ▀█▄░ ▄▄▄▄▄ ▓ ░ ▄▄▄▄▄ ░▄██░ ░ ▀████▓█▄▄█████████▓░ ███ ███▓░ █████████▄▄██████▀ ▓ ▓▀▓ ▒███████▀▀ ▀████████▒ ░████████▀ ▀▀███████░▓▀▓ ■ ░ ▄█░█▀▀▄████▄▓ ▀█▀ █▓░ ▒▓█ ▀█▀ ▄████▄ ▀███▄░ ▄█▀░ ░███▀▀▀███▄ ▀█▒ ██▓ ██ ▓█▀ ▄███▀▀▀███░ ▀█░ █▀ ▓██▓ ▄███ ▀█▓ ████ ▒█▀ ▓███▄ ▓██▓ ▀█▓ █▀ ▓██░ ▒██████▓ ▀█ █▓ █▀ ▓██████▒ ░██▓ ▀█ ▒ ▄██ ░███ ▓███▓ ▀░██░▀ ▓███░ ███ ██▄ ▒ ░█▀ ███ ▄▀ ███▄ ▓████▒ ▄███▀▄ ███ ▀█░ ▓█▀ ▄██▄█▀ ░ ██████████████ ▀█▄ ██▄ ▀█▓ █▀ ████▀█▄▓░▄█ ▀██████▀ █▄▓░▄█▀█▄██ ▀█▓ ░ ▄ ██▀ ▀████▀ ▀█▓▀██ ▀████▀ ▀███ ▄ ▒ █░█▓ ██░ █░ █ ░██ ▀██▒█ ███░ ▒█░ ▄ ▓ ▒ ░█▒ ▓███ ░ ▓██ ░ ██▓ ██░ ░██ █▒ ░ ░█ ▀█ █▀ ▓ ░ ░