The More You Live, The More You Love

GALAHAD Beyond The Realms Of Euphoria (AVALON RECORDS GHCD11) Beyond The Realms Of Euphoria's is the second new album of Galahad this year. With this album the group impressively continues the musical path of Battle Scars. Through piano interludes that are not inferior to Beethoven, Mozart or Schubert the group uses the entire musical spectrum, also adding the trance and dance influences from Armin van Buuren, DJ Tiësto and David Guetta.  Perhaps these last ones for the traditional listener of progressive music feels like a shock. But progressive in my view means that the progress of a band has to do with the musical development of a band. Stagnation means decline, and keep copying yourself may lead to happy fans, but I think as a musician it’s drudgery. So I welcome the progression of Galahad. The group puts down a proper mix, where everything falls into place.  Keyboardist Dean Baker occassionally let the listener believe, that we are at a dance party,...

(AVALON RECORDS GHCD10) Empires Never Last dates back five years ago and finally here is the sequel: Battle Scars. An album which marks the parting of bassist Neil Pepper, who at 44 years old, died of cancer last year. Pepper, despite the discomforts of the disease, still managed to play all bass parts for both Battle Scars and Beyond The Realm Of Euphoria, with a planned release for later this year. Out of respect, the remaining band members decided to continue as a foursome and Pepper is mentioned on three tracks as the composer / writer. Mark Spencer (Twelfth Night) will take his place as bassist during the upcoming concerts. On Battle Scars the techno, ambient and dance influences, introduced since the recruitment of keyboardist Dean Baker, are strongly extended. The result contains a potpourri of styles and lifts Galahad, in terms of musical presentation, to the 21st century, while the progressive roots through Hammond and Mellotron samples are not forgotten. From th...