Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Pallas
Label: Mascot Records
Release: 2011
Rating: 5/5
In recent years, some rock bands have been pouring a lot of fire into albums meant to pick up where the biggest achievements of their careers left off. Until recently this trend was mostly a heavy metal thing, but it now seems to be catching on in progressive rock too. It was only a matter of time before the cult Scottish neo-prog rockers Pallas went down this road, and with “XXV” they set out to make a conceptual successor to their most beloved album, “The Sentinel” (1984).
Usually there are only two possible outcomes with experiments like this (and the sequel almost never tops its predecessor, especially when it shows up more than two decades later): a total flop or a decent follow-up. “XXV” falls into the latter category, and alongside its predecessor “The Dreams Of Men” (2005) it ranks among the three best studio efforts in the band’s story. It certainly helped that it’s only a conceptual sequel and not a musical one, which would of course have come off as completely anachronistic and anti-progressive, in other words at odds with the band’s compositional philosophy.
Before this album came out, Pallas found themselves in the middle of a major change, as longtime singer Alan Reed left after 26 years. They found his replacement in Paul MacKie, previously best known for his contribution to the popular video game Grand Theft Auto. That was undoubtedly an extremely risky move, but still just one of many the band has made in a career spanning more than thirty years. Luckily, MacKie, as his contribution to “XXV” proves, has fully justified the faith placed in him as the successor to the charismatic Reed. His voice is even a little similar to his predecessor’s in places, which means he can be just as dramatic and theatrical. And when it comes to expressions of rage he’s even more convincing than Reed, which matters a lot on this album, since it’s one of the darkest and also deepest Pallas releases to date.
“XXV” features an apocalyptic concept that’s a direct continuation of the one from “The Sentinel”, where the listener witnessed the fall of the ancient civilizations of Atlantis and Lemuria. Both human civilizations were in fact by-products of extraterrestrial beings who landed on our planet twenty-five thousand years ago. The mighty, high-tech civilizations perished in a devastating war, but an army of highly intelligent mechanical constructs, led by the enigmatic Sentinel, the leading representative of the aliens, managed to survive the cataclysm. He stayed behind to warn and protect humanity from any potential catastrophe, or from a repeat of it. Through the centuries that followed the fall of Atlantis, the Sentinel lay dormant and watched closely what was going on, without meddling in individual events and conflicts, as humanity slowly began to haul itself out of the mud of its own worthlessness…only to land right back in it.
At the start of the 21st century, humanity is once again threatened with destruction, in a war between the leading civilizations of the West and the East, while both Koreas and the Middle East burn. The Sentinel, whom some naively label the long-awaited messiah, becomes active again and decides the time has come to step in. The key event is a terrorist attack on the UN palace. Despite his warnings that they should lay down their weapons and start building civilization on new foundations (he even offers them help in leading humanity into a golden age free of any conflict), the world’s leaders remain deaf. So he decides to set things straight and, with his mechanical, technologically far more advanced army, punish the wayward humanity before it can, in its boundless arrogance, wipe itself out in a fight for dominance over the planet. His alien mind has realized that man is his own worst enemy, and that the planet will be safer if a new race of machines guards it after the apocalypse, until humanity’s development cycle starts over (and finally, for once, ends on a positive note).
“Falling Down” is a bombastic, almost aggressive opening to the album, and it also acts as a bridge between “The Sentinel” and “XXV”. You could call it a proving ground for MacKie’s vocals, where he convinces right away that Pallas have landed yet another singer with a wide emotional range. Besides the superb vocal performance, the drum fills from Colin Fraser stand out, while Niall Mathewson doesn’t skimp on dramatic guitar passages. Sprawling synth textures, led by a fantastic solo from Ronnie Brown, push up the lively, upbeat mood even further, which is in complete contrast to the apocalyptic lyrics.
It’s a bit hard to believe, but “Crah And Burn” hits even harder than its predecessor. The complex instrumental section is especially impressive, with a real drum cataclysm and a barrage of razor-sharp guitar phrases backed by energetic layers of Hammond organ. This track is an important conceptual moment, when the Sentinel’s army decides to shoot down the plane on which the terrified world leaders are fleeing the UN conference to dodge the inevitable catastrophe.
Things calm down a bit for a short while on the ethereal “Something In The Deep”, where Pallas take us to the depths of the ocean, and the Sentinel rediscovers an abandoned Atlantean base that holds technology useful for his plans to save humanity. Ambient layers of synthesizers create a serene atmosphere and show off a subtle, often less explored side of the band.
“Monster” is an exceptionally dark piece, especially in the lyrics, which plainly lay bare why humanity is hurtling ever faster toward ruin. Punchy guitar phrases are backed by Paul’s raging vocals, boosting the tense mood of paranoia and anticipation of the end. Niall’s weeping guitar solo also adds a lot to the emotional intensity.
“The Alien Messiah”, with its oriental vibe, is without a doubt among the album’s highlights. This is where the Sentinel reveals himself to the world for the first time, giving a speech in front of the pyramids at Giza. Thousands of young people proclaim him the messiah and start making the pilgrimage to Egypt to hear him. The whole thing, also thanks to the many ambient samples, really sounds like some huge concert festival in front of one of the wonders of the world. The composition gains intensity minute by minute, driven by the energetic vocals and metallized guitar phrases. Paul delivered his spoken sermon in nearly flawless ‘BBC’ English, which isn’t exactly an everyday feat for a Scot.
“XXV Part 1” is the album’s pivotal moment, when humanity rejects the Sentinel’s offer of paradise on Earth and chooses to carry on with its wickedness. Among other things, they can’t agree on his well-meaning proposal for twenty-five honest, incorruptible leaders who would lead them into the golden age (hence the album’s title). This is another composition of exceptionally high intensity, with great, emotive vocals and majestic symphonic arrangements. The hard-hitting “Young God” is steeped in an aggressive mood, as the Sentinel has run out of patience and announced the final hour of human depravity. The composition is full of contrasts, from nimble-fingered keyboard wizardry to brutal guitar phrases with raging vocals splashing over them.
The hard-rocking “Sacrifice” is dominated by a galloping rhythm and a sharpened guitar riff running through a compact melody. At this point humanity decides to fight Atlantean technology despite the futility of its efforts. “Blackwood” is an ambient instrumental with the backing vocal harmonies of Melissa Allan, and also the intro to the gorgeous ballad “Violet Sky”, where humanity finally realizes it has missed its last chance and that it’s all over now. The wiser ones find comfort in spending their final moments of existence with their nearest and dearest. A beautiful jazzy piano melody and Paul’s emotional vocal performance put it on the list of the most beautiful prog rock ballads of all time.
“XXV Part 2” is the apocalyptic finale, when all hope for humanity is gone and the Sentinel, using advanced technology, decides to drain all of Earth’s oxygen reserves. Mighty curtains of synthesizers, delicate piano arrangements, heart-wrenching singing, and Niall’s reprise and expansion of the guitar solo from “The Sentinel” classic “Rise And Fall” make for a phenomenal ending to an album that’s excellent in every respect.
The soundtrack to the apocalypse hasn’t sounded this good in ages, not since “XXV”. A refreshed Pallas made exactly the right move, deciding at exactly the right time to follow up their greatest masterpiece. The album is a vivid demonstration that, after a successful change of singers, they’re full of vigor and fresh ideas again, so it’s a real shame that “XXV” probably won’t make a bigger splash outside the prog rock world. Pallas spent twenty-six years finding their footing and have now finally returned to the level of quality their devoted fans have been patiently waiting for over the years. It’s kind of hard to believe this is only their sixth studio album, but anyone who knows the band’s past will remember what bad luck dogged them for years after “The Sentinel”. That’s over now, because “XXV” heralds a new era for a strengthened Pallas.
Lineup
Paul Mackie – vocals
Graeme Murray – bass guitar, backing vocals
Niall Mathewson – guitar
Ronnie Brown – keyboards, backing vocals
Colin Fraser – drums, backing vocals
Production
Pallas
Tracklist
1. Falling Down
2. Crash And Burn
3. Something In The Deep
4. Monster
5. The Alien Messiah
6. XXV [part 1]
7. Young God
8. Sacrifice
9. Blackwood
10. Violet Sky
11. XXV [part 2]
