Some people in this band have been featured here before. Steve Walsh (vocals and keyboards – Kansas) and Mike Slamer (guitars – Seventh Key, City Boy). Together with Billy Greer on bass (Seventh Key, Kansas) and Tim Gehrt on drums, the pair delivered this melodic hard rock album that ranks very high in my all time favourite rock albums list.
This album is filled to the brim with timeless songs. Walsh performs at his peak, Mike Slamer delivers stunning fretboard techniques in every track (and makes you wonder why he isn’t on top of every best guitarist list, and Gehrt and Greer provide the backbone to these performances.
What makes this album so special to me, is the fact that they infused their melodic rock with various progressive styled elements. No wonder with City Boy and Kansas roots present. Yet the melodies present carry every tune and set the room on fire.
Listening to this again, with tracks like Don’t Look Back, The Nightmare Begins, Broken Glass, or the title track, it is unbelievable how these songs have stood the test of time. Still sounding fresh after all those years! Okay, the drums do sound a bit electronic, but it fits the overall feel of the album well. A pity it never got the recognition it deserves (at least the way I see it). Make up for that and buy it at all cost…
