Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Pallas
Label: Inside Out Records
Released: 1999
Length: 71:40
Rating: 4.5/5
Scotland’s Pallas, the ‘lost sons’ of the new wave of prog rock, decided in 1999 to return to the scene with »Beat the Drum«, their first studio album since »The Wedge« came out in 1986. The timing for the comeback of these almost forgotten but cult neo prog champions, who had only gone through one lineup change in all that time (original drummer Colin Fraser, who wasn’t interested in a reunion, was replaced by Derek Froman in 1998), couldn’t have been better. They had a new deal in their pocket with Inside Out, then a still-fresh German label that backed musicians from related genres. On top of that, interest in progressive rock was slowly starting to grow again, especially with the rise of the Scandinavian and American third-wave revivalists in the mid-nineties. Pallas had always had plenty of trouble with their previous label, the giant EMI, which, unlike with their famous neo prog peers Marillion, never managed to give the band proper promotion or the conditions for successful studio work. So it’s no surprise that »Beat the Drum« was only their third studio effort in almost twenty years of existence.
Longtime Pallas vocalist Alan Reed and three original members, namely guitarist Niall Mathewson, bassist Graeme Murray and keyboardist Ronnie Brown, created a lot of new material over those thirteen long years, and some of the best of it landed on »Beat the Drum«. Stylistically, the album more or less picks up where Pallas left off with »The Wedge«: symphonic progressive rock with a hard rock ethos, a strong melodic component and intelligent lyrical messages. Pallas were always one of the heaviest acts of the neo prog movement, so it’s no surprise that right at the start of the album they serve up a pompous, energetic catalyst called »Calls to Arms«, where the production of the synth textures is on the level of some AOR band. In this case that’s actually a good thing, since the melodic chorus amid the symphonic arrangements hits even harder this way and creates a thoroughly uplifting atmosphere. Mathewson’s sharpened guitar phrases are a real feast for the ears, and they add a generous dose of epic power to Pallas’s sonic collage.
The title track, which by now has become one of the Pallas classics, has a somewhat more complex structure than the opener. The gentle intro with fragile piano arrangements and Reed’s almost whispering vocals doesn’t last long, as it’s followed by a punchy and very inventive transition into a sprawling section with rich symphonic curtains. The drama builds from second to second and peaks in an epic, multi-voiced chorus, while mighty guitar-and-keyboard harmonies bring a high artistic quality. »Hide & Seek« is further proof that in 13 years Pallas haven’t lost their touch for creating pompous, hard-hitting arrangements with an anthemic chorus, all of it diligently commanded by Reed’s distinctive voice, which always succeeds in delivering unpredictable drama.
»Insomniac«, where electronically compressed synth effects rule and Reed even uses a vocoder for a moment, seems like a pretty odd experiment on first listen, but it later morphs into a classic Pallas epic journey, in this case through the deepest meanders of the human psyche and dreams. One of the most interesting songs on »Beat the Drum« is undoubtedly »All Or Nothing« with its intriguing keyboard phrase, backed by mighty drum fills and sprawling bass lines, while Reed, together with the backing vocal harmonies, creates a wonderfully intense atmosphere that can’t leave any neo prog fan cold. Mathewson has always been an excellent guitarist, and this time too there’s no shortage of a vast, fierce solo that easily ‘blows your head off’, while Scottish bagpipes can also be heard in the background during the instrumental section. The slightly more ballad-leaning »Spirits« is also among the album’s better moments, with plenty of contemplative passages and Reed’s melancholy singing, while the Scottish bagpipes in the background once again express the national pride of the only Scottish (neo) prog rock band that managed to win cult status.
»Man Of Principle« is a fast-paced energetic catalyst with a mighty chorus, an inventive arrangement of hard-hitting guitar passages and splendidly harmonized synth textures. After »Spirits«, it’s somewhat expected that one of the central pieces on the album is called »Ghosts«. This is a symphonic standard of epic proportions, with a heap of melodramatic sections that still thrill today with their uplifting atmosphere. »Blood & Roses«, the most wistful moment on the album, is a love ballad with mighty orchestral arrangements and Reed at the peak of vocal contemplation. In its first half it’s honestly nothing particularly shattering, but its epic instrumental ending improves it considerably.
The semi-autobiographical »Wilderness Years«, where Reed uses various metaphors to ‘tell’ how the band lived through all the ups and downs of those 13 years and came out even stronger, features potent, hard rock guitar phrases and complex synth textures that deepen the dark mood even more. What finally secures »Beat the Drum« a place among the best neo prog achievements of all time is the closing epic masterpiece »Fragments Of The Sun«, which stands out for its exceptional arrangement and lyrical depth and is therefore still among the Pallas concert classics today. It’s the most ambient and structurally complex piece on the album, and fans of classic prog rock bands, led by Pink Floyd, will enjoy it too (the ambient harmonies between guitar and keyboards in the central motif, production included, are reminiscent of something that could have ‘come off’ Pink Floyd’s »A Momentary Lapse of Reason«, 1987). The most important factor in building this ambient grandeur is certainly Reed’s moving vocal performance, which, amid mighty orchestral arrangements, delivers some worn-out but still important life messages.
With »Beat the Drum«, after a ‘resurrection from the dead’, Pallas made a great comeback album that somehow got overlooked among the pile of interesting (neo) prog rock releases of the late nineties, but it finally helped the band stay on the scene and successfully build for the future. They also won over a whole new base of ‘crazy’ Polish fans, hungry for quality prog rock after the fall of the ‘Iron Curtain’, who with their incredible support still keep Pallas and related acts alive today. As is typical of nearly all Pallas albums since the band’s return, the individual tracks on »Beat the Drum« ‘grow’ on you with every new listen, so their true value only reveals itself after many spins. By the way: the resemblance to the cover of the Manfred Mann’s Earth Band classic »The Roaring Silence« (1976) is purely coincidental.
Lineup
Alan Reed – vocals
Niall Mathewson – guitar
Graeme Murray – bass guitar
Ronnie Brown – keyboards
Colin Fraser – drums
Production
Niall Mathewson and Graeme Murray
Tracklist
1. Call To Arms (6:29)
2. Beat The Drum (9:18)
3. Hide & Seek (4:43)
4. Insomniac (7:41)
5. All Or Nothing (4:53)
6. Spirits (5:41)
7. Man Of Principle (5:44)
8. Ghosts (8:16)
9. Blood & Roses (4:52)
10. Wilderness Years (6:02)
11. Fragments Of The Sun (8:01)
