Synthology - The Fairest Of Moments - 2001
intro
One of the things I hate when I write a review is when I´m listening to a band that, having all the members a high skill, one of them doesn´t reach the overall level. It is like a chain with strong chain links... if there´s only one weak chain link, the strength of the whole chain will be always determined by that weak chain link. If the member in question has a secondary role in the band probably it doesn´t mind; but the thing is different if we´re talking about the lead vocalist of the band. The voice is one of the most important instruments because the rest of the instruments rotate around it. Of course not all the vocalists are like Jon Anderson, Greg Lake or John Wetton, but if all the "big bands" have taken care of this aspect, they would have seen some reasons for it!.
review
In this case, Synthology is a band formed by a magnificent John Alarcon playing keyboards, a powerful Peter Warren playing bass and 12 strings guitar, a skillfullyJon Graham playing guitars, a correct Luc Hebert playing drums, and a mediocre Marysa Hardini as main vocalist.
The track list is as follows:
The Falling Sky (6:04)
The Bridge (2:49)
Seven Wonders (8:04)
Edge Of The World (5:11)
Through The Doors Of Time (6:41)
Lost In The Cathedral (3:31)
The Fairest Of Moments (18:51)
IV) Days Of Inocence
V) Of Moon And Stars
VI) End Within An End
In every track we can notice a good feeling among the band´s members and we can find high quality instrumental moments as, for example, the first minutes of the CD, the final minutes of "Seven Wonders" or "Lost In The Cathedral". In the same way there are lots of different styles, from E.L.P. to Genesis. There are also lyrical moments in "The Bridge", and frettless bass and wonderful keyboards a la Emerson in the final suite, with a great guitar. In addition to the aforementioned, we can find another deficiency in some melodies extremely repeated along the whole CD. In the same way, and although they contribute to the dynamism and variety, some changes of rhythm don´t find their place inside the general structure and sometimes the listener could have a feeling of boredom and bewilderment.
conclusion
Anyway we must value the instrumental skill of the members and their ease creating imaginative and exciting atmospheres.