Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Pallas
Label: Inside Out Records
Released: 1984
Duration: 57:26
Rating: 5/5
“The Sentinel” was the debut from the legendary Scottish neo-prog rockers Pallas, who, alongside Marillion, IQ, Pendragon and Twelfth Night, are among the most important names of the new wave of progressive rock that broke in the mid-80s. “The Sentinel” boasts an always intriguing, captivating concept about the rise and fall of Atlantis. At its core, the concept is about the war between the civilizations of Atlantis and Lemuria (the eastern rival for world dominance). At the same time, you can find plenty of parallels with the (back then still very current) Cold War themes, the “eternal” conflict between East and West. Atlantis shows up in the lyrics mostly as an effective metaphor for the collision of two civilizations.
The “Sentinel” in the lyrics is a special defense mechanism and a kind of peacekeeping balancing factor between the two superpowers, one that (sadly, without success) keeps the two from destroying each other in the end (so, something like nuclear deterrence). The final conflict is unavoidable, and the end of the concept brings the collapse of both mighty civilizations. Pallas weren’t the first prog rock band to touch on the Atlantis concept, since the legendary Germans Eloy had already tried, on their best work “Ocean” (1977), to warn where a war between two different worlds and ideologies can lead, but they were one of the few bands that “dared” to put out a concept album in the mid-80s, even if not quite the way they originally wanted.
It’s worth mentioning that the album has a pretty fascinating, almost dramatic backstory of creation and production, handled by none other than the legendary producer Eddy Offord (best known for his work with Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Yes). The original version, released in 1984, is nowhere near the band’s real ambitions and vision. They had conceived the album as a far more complex piece of work, headed by the ambitious “Atlantis” suite, but the label EMI forced them to change their original plans. The album tanked on release, since even the three more commercial tracks didn’t have the desired effect, while the band’s fans were properly gutted for years because they couldn’t hear the “Atlantis” suite in full, only through a combination of different LPs and the half-baked original release. That huge mistake, which almost broke the band up, wasn’t put right until many years later.
The band’s original vision was first presented on the album’s reissue in 2004, when it finally came out with the complete “Atlantis” suite, and it’s precisely this version that this review is dedicated to, since it’s not only one of the best studio debuts but also one of the best albums in the history of neo prog. Whereas the version made at EMI’s dictate is dominated by the more commercial tracks and has only three parts of the “Atlantis” suite, in the wrong track order, the reissue is a real treat. Especially in its second half, it’s marked by fantastic symphonic arrangements paired with clever guitar phrases in the best tradition of 70s symphonic prog rock, as well as unusual epic grandeur and outstanding cohesion between the individual compositions and the concept of Atlantis’s downfall.
What first and foremost makes “The Sentinel”, and the original version of Pallas in general, one of the most interesting acts of the genre is Euan Lowson’s fantastic vocal performance. Alongside Fish (ex-Marillion), Geoff Mann (Twelfth Night) and Peter Nicholls (IQ), he’s without a doubt one of the most charismatic singers in the history of neo prog. It’s a real shame that he left the band soon after “The Sentinel” came out and quit the music industry altogether.
The first three tracks serve as a “warm-up” and present a punchier, let’s say somewhat more commercial face of the band, while what follows, headed by the “Atlantis” suite, which is “carved up” into several interlinked tracks, is true manna for all prog rock devotees. The energetic “Shock Treatment” is still one of the band’s most beloved songs today, thanks above all to Lowson’s excellent vocals and the outstanding flow between Niall Matthewson’s guitar phrases and the futuristic synthesizer arrangements courtesy of Ronnie Brown, while Derek Forman provides the necessary heft in the individual drum breaks.
“Cut And Run” boasts ominous guitar phrases and a build-up of drama thanks to unpredictable transitions and consistently superb vocals. Especially thrilling is the sudden shift into a pompous instrumental section that sounds like it was lifted from some sci-fi movie. The anthemic “Arrive Alive” is a full-blooded Pallas classic that still can’t be missing from any of their gigs, and also by far the most radio-friendly track on the album (by usual Pallas standards, of course). The epic grandeur of the synth parts, potent guitar phrases, rhythmic dynamics and a mighty chorus that sounds like a battle anthem calling for revolution make for a perfect combination of melody and experimentation, which puts “Arrive Alive” among the unforgettable classics of the 80s.
But the album only really kicks off after those first three tracks. The “Atlantis” suite opens with the excellent first part, “Rise and Fall”. It’s a two-part composition through which the listener finally gets a proper glimpse of the prog rock chops and the full virtuoso potential of this legendary band. The interplay of symphonic arrangements, guitar phrases and witty solos stays at a high level the whole time. So does Lowson’s vocal “storytelling” of the next chapter on the rise and fall of the legendary civilization. And, as it should be, it all comes with a melodic chorus you won’t forget easily.
“East West” is a much more melancholic piece, almost a ballad, with heart-wrenching singing that freezes your blood and dramatic touches on bass pedals, piano and mellotron. The lyrics and the way they’re delivered are almost chilling, especially for anyone who happens to still remember the days when the arms race and the Cold War were in full swing. “March on Atlantis” calms the dramatic mood down a bit in its first part and even brings in an aura of (illusory) optimism, but what follows quickly puts the listener back on solid ground. The instrumental section has some very good orchestral effects on the synth and dynamic drum breaks. In many places you can tell Pallas learned a lot from their famous prog rock predecessors, headed by Genesis and Yes, even though they hide it fairly successfully.
The continuation of “Rise and Fall” is less interesting than the first part, but it still boasts some appealing, rolling synth effects that crank up the tension, along with Euan’s narration, which instantly recalls Fish’s similar feats with Marillion. Niall Mathewson, who does shine with a string of interesting solo spots and witty phrases, hadn’t yet reached the expressive level of someone like Steve Rothery (Marillion) or Mike Holmes (IQ) at this stage of his guitar career, at least in terms of guitar subtlety, but he later made great progress and today ranks among the best neo prog guitarists.
The closing stretch of the album holds three excellent epics, and it would be hard to single out the best one. The first is “Heart Attack”, which serves up a heaping gallon of drama and pomp. Lowson once again shines with plenty of vocal acrobatics and uses his vocal abilities practically to the limit, while the transitions between sections and the flow of the arrangements are on par with the best prog bands of the 70s. The middle section even has some parallels with Genesis, mainly thanks to a whiff of pastoral, almost “olde English” atmosphere and symphonic touches.
“Atlantis” could be called the peak of the album, since it contains all of the band’s best and most representative elements. That means no shortage of punch and drama, with pompous symphonic keyboard arrangements and agitated guitar phrases fighting for dominance. Euan’s singing is fantastic again and peaks in the epic chorus. The story is also carried along by effect-laden narration, which creates a futuristic atmosphere even though the sinking of Atlantis supposedly happened millennia before our era. The closing “Ark of Infinity”, despite the final catastrophe and destruction of the civilizations in the concept, has a convincing blend of melancholy and solemn atmosphere, which makes it a thoroughly fitting finale to this first-rate album.
The reissue of “The Sentinel”, the 2004 version, ranks among the best achievements of 80s progressive rock and clearly shows what the album should have been when it first came out in 1984. It’s honestly at least two grades better, and had it come out in the right form back then, it could easily have gone toe to toe even with Marillion’s legendary debut. You really can’t fault the album musically in any way, and it also comes with fantastic Offord production. “The Sentinel” wasn’t the band’s first album, since they’d already put out the live album “Arrive Alive” in 1981, but it’s their most recognizable and still best work, one they’ll have a hard time topping in the future.
Lineup
Euan Lowson – vocals, backing vocals
Graeme Murray – bass guitar, guitar, backing vocals
Ronnie Brown – synthesizer, grand piano, backing vocals
Niall Mathewson – guitar, synthesizer, backing vocals
Derek Forman – drums, percussion
Production
Eddy Offord
Track list
1.Shock Treatment
2.Cut and Run
3.Arrive Alive
4.Rise and Fall. part 1
5.Eastwest
6.March on Atlantis
7.Rise and Fall, part 2
8.Heart Attack
9.Atlantis
10.Ark of Infinity
