Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Galahad
Label: Avalon Records
Released: 2012
Duration: 55:52
Rating: 4.5/5
British neo-prog champions Galahad put out not one but two studio albums in 2012, which is a real rarity these days even in progressive rock, though in the seventies that kind of thing was nothing unusual at all. The ambitious Brits, who have been enjoying a genuine sonic renaissance and an undiminished level of inspiration ever since »Empires Never Last« (2007), weren’t satisfied with »Battle Scars« being, for many, one of the best prog rock albums of 2012. They followed it up that very November with its successor, »Beyond The Realms of Euphoria«.
The latter is a touch less ambitious than »Battle Scars«, but it still stands as one of the peaks of their discography so far, packed with a whole bunch of impressive compositions that will make the hearts of all the faithful ‘skip a beat’ with joy. It’s worth noting that, unlike the better-known neo-progressives of the eighties, Galahad only began their studio journey in the early nineties, and their beginnings weren’t exactly brilliant, the way they mostly were for their more notorious ‘cousins’. Only from »Empires Never Last« onward, when they shook up their style and started bringing in innovative elements of prog metal and electronica, which instantly gave them a far more recognizable sound, did people outside neo prog circles begin to appreciate them. During this time keyboardist Dean Baker, the main champion of the more electronic direction, became one of the central factors in the band’s new sonic identity.
Stylistically, »Beyond The Realms of Euphoria« is in many ways close to the rebellious-minded »Battle Scars« and is likewise a concept album, although its lyrics carry a much simpler ‘listen to your heart and everything will be fine’ philosophy, which some will of course find rather naive and downright worn out. Perhaps that’s also why it’s noticeably less dark in atmosphere, which you can already tell on the opening track, the instrumental »Salvation I – Overture«, with its sacred-flavored choral harmonies and trance textures with a cyberpunk edge. There’s just the right amount of the latter, and over time they give way to more refined symphonic passages, while the electrified guitar parts are ones no prog metal band would be ashamed of.
On »Salvation II – Judgment Day« in comes the trademark, charismatic voice of Stuart Nicholson, the only Galahad member who has stayed with the band without interruption since 1985, meaning since the very beginning (guitarist Roy Keyworth, for his part, took a brief ‘break’ in 1998). It’s a track with an incredibly powerful message, where Nicholson’s theatrical singing comes into its full right amid a melodramatic mood. The more-than-ten-minute dark epic »Guardian Angel« is a hard-hitting, well-timed achievement, where fierce guitar parts and combative drum fills dominate amid assorted trance motifs. That same electrified atmosphere reigns after the entrance of a subtle section with hypnotic harmonies and a melodic chorus under Stuart’s ever-charismatic vocal baton.
The more compact »Secret Kingdoms…« opens with a generously distorted electric guitar, after which total prog metal cataclysm takes over, with the occasional hellishly tinted solo variations, while Stuart once again transforms into a theatrical narrator of dramatic tales, and he’s especially effective when he reaches the melodic chorus. »Beyond The Realms of Euphoria« may not have a song as tastefully structured and unforgettable as »Seize The Day«, which was later released as an EP too, but it still has a few good near-misses whenever melodic finesse needs to be shown off. »…And Secret Worlds«, stylistically a bit closer to Galahad’s earlier body of work, opens with dramatic piano arrangements and mysterious vocal harmonies, after which, with the help of fierce guitar parts, an authentic Victorian ambient motif takes hold, one that will please fans of other (better-known) darker neo prog bands like Arena and IQ.
»All In The Name of Progress«, which opens with the sacred sound of organs before trance textures take over for a while, is the darkest composition on the album, as you can already tell from its title and socially critical lyrics. Still, amid the gloomy passages and wild time-signature shifts, an uplifting chorus takes shape, while Baker conjures up a distinctly neo prog synth solo with a retro flavor. »Guardian Angel – Reprise«, a typical neo prog drama, features a piano revisit of the main »Guardian Angel« motif and operatic vocal harmonies in the background that occasionally really do recall a heavenly choir of angels. Those ‘heavenly’ vocal harmonies also show up when the main chorus returns, this time wrapped in a mighty symphonic arrangement.
For a nostalgic finale, the album closes with a newly recorded version of the Galahad classic »Richeliu’s Prayer«, which originally appeared on their debut »Nothing Is Written« (1991) and in many ways is an upgrade on the original. Stylistically, this excellent epic, which sounds even more explosive and dramatic in its new production outfit courtesy of Karl Groom (Threshold), naturally differs quite a bit from the preceding »Beyond The Realms of Euphoria« tracks, since back when it was written Galahad still sounded much more like Fish-era Marillion than they do today, when they’re a completely unique band.
With »Beyond The Realms of Euphoria«, another neo-prog triumph, Galahad have matched the greatness of its predecessor »Battle Scars« and racked up two excellent studio efforts in a single year, which is a seriously rare feat to see and hear these days. »Beyond The Realms of Euphoria« is thus yet another of the modern neo prog rock gems, one that will make all the loyal fans of this cult lineup happy. Galahad albums are (still) a real rarity on store shelves, and the easiest way to get them is straight from the band’s website, as they’ve long been committed to their own label, Avalon Records. Their new studio album is supposed to come out in the fall of 2015, and most of the faithful are of course expecting another treat on par with both of its studio predecessors.
Lineup
Stuart Nicholson – vocals
Roy Keyworth – guitar
Spencer Luckman – drums
Neil Pepper – bass guitar
Dean Baker – keyboards
Production
Karl Groom
Tracklist
1. Salvation I – Overture
2. Salvation II – Judgement Day
3. Guardian Angel
4. Secret Kingdoms…
5. ..And Secret Worlds
6. All In The Name Of Progress
7. Guardian Angel – Reprise
8. Richelieu’s Prayer 2012
