Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Pallas
Label: Inside Out Records
Release: 1986
Length: 56:10
Rating: 4/5
»The Wedge« was the second studio album from Pallas, the Scottish neo-prog trailblazers who, alongside bands like Marillion, IQ, Pendragon and Twelfth Night, formed the golden core of the eighties new wave of progressive rock. Its predecessor, which was also Pallas’ debut, the conceptual masterpiece »The Sentinel« (1984), blew past even the wildest expectations artistically, even though compromises around the original version of »Atlantis Suite« meant it never fully realized the band’s original vision. Commercially it didn’t deliver what they’d hoped for either, so the guys in Pallas decided that on »The Wedge« they’d step away from ambitious concept ideas and, next to the expected complex, symphonic prog rock compositions, also come up with some tighter and, ideally, more radio-friendly material.
A big blow came in 1985, when original singer Euan Lowson, the charismatic frontman known for his colorful stage antics, left the band. They quickly found a fitting replacement in Alan Reed (ex-Abel Ganz), who stuck around in Pallas for almost 26 years. With him in the lineup they first recorded the EP »Knightmoves« (1985), where the epic »Sanctuary« stood out. That track also ended up on »The Wedge«, where it sits among the very best compositions.
Pallas have always loved their sharp guitar phrases, something guitarist Niall Mathewson has championed from the start, and you can feel it right on the opening bomb »Dance Through The Fire«, where a mighty chorus rules in the middle of an epic battle between biting guitar passages and fiery drum transitions. Shorter guitar passages, and above all the bass improvisations from Graeme Murray plus the swirling synth textures from Ronnie Brown, make sure this intriguing opening number doesn’t drift too far into hard rock waters.
Reed’s voice has always been among the best in neo-prog, and you can hear it loud and clear on »Throwing Stones At Wind«, which is soaked in funky rhythmic touches and where the singer goes for a somewhat more theatrical approach. The instrumental middle section, with plenty of guitar improvisation and rich layers of synth drapery, slowly builds up the dramatic atmosphere. »Win Or Lose« is an excellent power ballad with a majestic chorus and lavish symphonic arrangements, one that even hides a slight hit potential. Here Reed, helped out by backing vocals, once again proves a key factor in building a powerful, uplifting mood, while Mathewson delights with sweet-sounding guitar variations.
One of the more interesting moments on »The Wedge« is without a doubt the hyper-dramatic yet witty »The Exectutioner (Bernie Goetz a Gun)«, where some of the time-signature shifts and synth variations even nod a bit to what the Canadian art rock masters Saga often do. Once again Pallas, amid agitated passages and melancholic synth textures, wonderfully build a mighty, melodic chorus. The lyrics tell the story of Bernhard Goetz, a New Yorker who in 1984, in the middle of a subway train, took the law into his own hands and shot four aggressive, racist harassers, seriously wounding them. As always with this typically American problem, the incident set off a whole lot of heated debates about the civil right to carry guns, while the media gave Goetz the nickname ‘subway vigilante’.
»Imagination« has an almost AOR/melodic rock chorus, though otherwise it’s a thoroughly typical Pallas piece, with layered symphonic synth textures, complex rhythmic nuances, biting guitar phrasing and an epic vocal performance. The complex, symphonic prog rock treat »Rat Racing« is still one of the fans’ favorite Pallas moments to this day. A calm intro is followed by an interesting time shift into a fiery section with witty guitar variations and complex drum fills, while Reed’s vocals again play the central role in slowly building a mighty atmosphere that doesn’t let up until the triumphant finish. »Just a Memory« is another nifty power ballad under the heavy, electronic-tinged influence of eighties synth technology, which, especially in the chorus, recalls the approach of new wave bands led by Ultravox.
»Stranger« is pretty much a pure AOR U-turn in the vein of bands like Magnum, an unusual experiment of a kind they never dared before or after in their career. It still turns out great, especially the triumphant and tasteful chorus, driven straight through subtle synth lines and a mighty guitar phrase. Of all the songs on »The Wedge«, this melodic rock number clearly had by far the biggest hit potential, but Pallas didn’t have the luck, or the bad luck (depending on how you look at commercial success).
The symphonic prog epic »Sanctuary«, mentioned earlier, is the most ambitious piece on »The Wedge« and at the same time one of the most beloved achievements in the whole Pallas story. The tense, slightly gloomy mood slowly grows second by second, with Reed in particular delivering yet another top-notch vocal performance. The shift into a complex section with Celtic ambient touches is superbly pulled off. The band members once again show off with lots of complex improvisation, with guitarist Mathewson standing out most with his mouth-watering soloing. There’s no shortage of an epic finale in the ‘familiar style’ either, which is almost a given with Pallas. The album closes with the melodramatic »Nightmare«, which tells you with its very title that it’s the darkest piece on »The Wedge«, where Reed’s vocals sound menacing for the only time on the album and try to help conjure up the mood of some horror movie. Amid plenty of spine-chilling effects and yet another excellent guitar solo, the almost black metal-tinged, brutal chorus stands out for its sheer peculiarity.
»The Wedge« is still one of the best moments in the story of these Scottish neo-prog heavyweights, even if it felt like a near-letdown after the masterpiece »The Sentinel«, since Palllas went with a somewhat more cautious formula, shaped by some sonic compromises. Sadly, at a time when their neo-prog peers Marillion were enjoying the triumph of their career, Pallas didn’t get the success they deserved, and even though they never officially split up, they vanished from the music scene until 1999, when they finally released their third studio album, »Beat the Drum«.
Line-up
Alan Reed – vocals
Graeme Murray – bass guitar, backing vocals
Niall Mathewson – guitar
Derek Forman – drums
Ronnie Brown – keyboards
Production
Pallas
Track list
1. Dance Through The Fire (4:46)
2. Throwing Stones At The Wind (5:15)
3. Win Or Lose (4:32)
4. The Executioner (5:36)
5. Imagination (4:35)
6. Rat Racing (8:09)
7. Just A Memory (5:29)
8. Stranger (3:50)
9. Sanctuary (9:34)
10. Nightmare (4:24)
