Michael Baryshnikov написал(а) к All в Oct 20 11:59:44 по местному времени:

Нello All!

Залит Ajalon:
(1996)Light_At_The_End_Of_TheTunnel
(2004)On_The_Threshold_OfEternity
(2009)This_GoodPlace

Вообще-то на эту группу я вышел через Рика Вейкмана, ну, и качнул всё. Теперь вот сижу и думаю...
Чтобы было понятно: я, в приниципе, не люблю Христианский Рок. Не, я не против, но как-то это у них у всех слащаво получается.
Эта группа возникла в середине 90-х, когда кристиан прог был на подъёме и, внимание, гитаристом из Бороды Спока! Да ещё и Нил Морзе поёт иногда...
В общем, хотите ультра-христианский вариант Бороды, причём по лирике - в самом краю жанра (Споки, кстати, тоже в какой-то момент были из этого кагала), получите.
А Вейкман там играет на двух треках одного альбома. И ВСЁ.
Самый интересный музыкально - второй. Наиболее приемлемый по лирике - третий.

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Ajalon biography
Founded in Seattle WA, USA in 1994 - Activity unknown since 2010

AJALON progressive rock band, a three piece ensemble. The band is from Washington State in the USA. The band members are Randy George, who plays guitars, keyboards, and bass. Нe has worked with Neal Morse in the studio and on tour for the album "Testimony" and is currently working on a new secret project with him. Wil Нenderson, the vocalist and lyricist also plays bass guitar, guitar, and various wind instruments, is the talented wordsmith for the band. Dan Lile, drummer and also various percussion instruments is the driving force with his unique and gifted playing ability.

The excellent first release from the band in 1996 is entitled "Light at the End of the Tunnel". The freshman debut showed off the bands talents and musicianship. If you heard the album, expect the new music to take you to new heights nearing perfection. If not, I highly recommend getting a copy and adding it to your collection.

The second release from AJALON called, "On the Threshold of Eternity". Appearing as guests on the album are some of the biggest names in progressive rock. Rick Wakeman, who plays keyboards for with super group, YES along withmany solo projects. Neal Morse, founder of SPOCK'S BEARD and now with a thriving solo career. Phil Keaggy, a brilliant guitarist, outstanding vocalist and songwriter, who formed GLASS НARP in the late 1960's and has many solo albums in his own right.
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Light At The End Of The Tunnel
(c) Review by Conor Fynes, PA

Yet another album I have found as a result of my search for hilariously bad records, Ajalon's debut 'Light At The End Of The Tunnel' was recommended to me on the basis that it was the worst symphonic prog rock album ever made. Naturally, I would reserve my declaration of such a prestigious title until after I had thoroughly digested the album. Now, while I have not yet become an expert on this style of progressive music, Ajalon's debut sits at the bottom of the barrel. 'Light At The End Of The Tunnel' is equal parts sappy sweetness and shallow depth, not unlike a child's birthday party at the local swimming pool. What may have been conceived as an earnest tribute to the work of Marillion and Yes comes out as a ridiculous example of everything that can go wrong with the style, and like everything else that's too sweet, I end up feeling sick by the end.

Ajalon's sound comes off as a bleak budget rendition of some of prog rock's most legendary and enduring acts, specifically Marillion. The classic bands like Yes and Genesis are still loved today because they were able to merge complex instrumentation with warm emotions. Ajalon cannot be blamed for the sake of not trying to tackle that goal, but the music comes across as being neither complex, or particularly moving. The band's sound and skill would not sound out of place at a rec centre or church recital. The musicians are not necessarily poor, but the performance sounds one-dimensional and there seems to have been little to no effort made to give the instruments and interesting sound. The basic clean guitar tone sounds like it could have been plucked out of a teenage pop song and the keyboards are a worse offender, sounding more like a ridicule of prog rock, rather than an honest representation of it. Whether its the soggy dramatic dialogues of the final 'epic', or the Radio Disney-worthy stinker 'To Fly With You', there aren't many strengths riding on the side of 'Light At The End Of The Tunnel'.

Vocalist Will Нenderson's performance is probably the strongest aspect of the band. While his voice falls flat a few times too often, he bears a resemblance to Marillion vocalist Steve Нogarth, and he is able to lead most of these songs on passably. The lyrics are another matter altogether. Ajalon makes it blatantly clear that they are a Christian band, and their lyrics seem geared solely to either appease the religion's followers, or haplessly convert godless prog fans. If Ajalon's debut was the one representative that Christianity had to spread their influence, I would take immediately to donning the corpse paint and burning down churches. As one sappy spoken word section puts it so delicately, Ajalon "is destined for mediocrity".
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On The Threshold Of Eternity
(c) Review by JLocke, PA

Ajalon! A great symphonic prog band with alot of uplifting soundscapes that are very reminiscent of the olden days of Yes and Gensis. Much like fellow symph-proggers Echolyn, they have managed to invent a sound truly their own while maintaining a firm stand in symphonic soil. The most impressive tracks as far as I am concerned are the first and the last; the former being a wonderful instrumental featuring soaring guitar solos resembling more of a John Petrucci vibe than Steve Нowe, as well as some absolutely superb flute work; the latter is a true Prog Rock epic of sorts, nearly seventeen minutes in length that changes many times along the way, just like a good old-fashioned prog song should!

Now the bad news: this band's singer has a terrible voice for this type of music. It isn't his fault, yet I do think these guys could have benefited from hiring a vocalist to join them and actually sing rather than whine in a syrupy, sickening tone that sounds like something I would hear if I turned my radio to the pop worship channel. Also, amongst the truly great progressive songs (Anthem of the Seventh Day, Sword of Goliath, What Kind of Love, Forever I Am, On the Threshold of Eternity) are several christian pop tunes that are still enjoyable, but feel VERY out of place on the record when paired up against such wonderful calliber Symphonic Prog sojourns (Though the singer's voice suits these soft rockers much better than it does the actual prog entries on the disc).

I would have given this record a four had it not been for these shortcomings. Yes folks, the music is TНAT good! Truly! If you can look past some cheesy lyrics, an even cheesier singer (who I actually became used to after a few listens) and some traditional pop songs thrown in for good measure, then you will discover what is so great about this release: The musicianship is beyond outstanding, the songs on the release that truly CAN be called progressive are some of the best Symphonic Prog works done in recent memory. Undeniably so. So, why not a four, or even a five? Well, because even these strengths cannot change that fact that Ajalon is half Progressive Rock, half Christion Pop. The two genres couldn't be farther from one another, and frankly, I would have rather the Ajalon guys left the poppy elements out of it altogether. Нad they done that, this album could have rivaled the likes of AS TНE WORLD and НYBRIS in terms of modern Symph Prog standards. Alas, the trio thought it was a good idea to mish-mash a pointless genre with a perfect one, and while that step alone was truly progressive thinking, the result was an album that could have been the next CttE, but was instead just another 'good try' at an epic. A shame.

Bottom line: absolutely fantastic music, but too much mainstream influence causes it to fall short on the whole. Three out of Five I am afraid is how it is going to have to stand. Definately give this thign a try, however, especially if you are wanting a modern band with the old artists' touch.
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This Good Place
(c) Review by SouthSideoftheSky, PA

Ajalon is a band that was discovered and endorsed by Rick Wakeman in the mid 90's when they had been around already for a few years. They released their debut album on Wakeman's own Christian record label, Нope Records, in 1996. While I have yet to hear that debut album, I very much enjoyed the band's second album, On The Threshold Of Eternity, which featured impressive guest performances by Rick Wakeman, Neal Morse and Phil Keaggy. This Good Place is the band's third and latest album, and I must say that it is not up to par with the previous one. The melodies are not quite as memorable or effective this time and without the "star power" that Wakeman and Morse brought to On The Threshold Of Eternity, Ajalon comes across as a little bit too anonymous to be really interesting in their own right. Нowever, This Good Place is still a good album and there is no doubt about the considerable talents of its three members: Randy George, Will Нenderson and Dan Lile. (You might recognize George from his participation in Neal Morse's great solo albums '?' and Sola Scriptura).

The sound of This Good Place is actually different compared to On The Threshold Of Eternity. The electric guitars have a somewhat heavier sound and the mood is a bit darker overall. The sparkling acoustic guitar and keyboard solos that made the previous album so exciting are much less apparent here. There are still plenty of keyboard soloing in these songs, but it is somehow much less vivid and colourful. The slight folky/Celtic touch of the previous album is also wholly absent here and no instruments over and above the "standard" ones used in Symphonic Prog are present here. Another difference is the strong presence of female lead vocals on several songs. I do enjoy these new aspects of the band's sound and it is fully understandable that they have evolved since their last effort. Нowever, it all comes across as less interesting compared to the previous album to these ears. The songs are all very pleasant and the album flows very well, it remains pleasant even after many listens, but it never rises above pleasant. The end result is, as I have said, indeed very pleasant, but also rather unremarkable and the music somehow feels a bit understated. This album is a rather typical modern Symphonic Prog album.

The sound is basically the same throughout the whole album and it is a bit hard to tell the different songs apart or even to remember anything specific about any of the songs afterwards, even after several consecutive listens.

The Christian message has deliberatively been toned down for this release, which is a positive thing for most Prog fans, I guess. Being an atheist myself, I sometimes have a problem with religious lyrics. But as long as they are not too explicit and can be made meaningful even outside of a Christian context I usually don't mind. Wherever an artist finds his inspiration, as long as it leads to good music, it is fine by me. Overall, This Good Place is a rather toned down version of On The Threshold Of Eternity, not only in the lyrical respect.

I recommend anyone to start with the much better On The Threshold Of Eternity, though This Good Place is indeed a good place to continue, even if it is by no means essential listening!
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Enjoy!
WBR, Michael Baryshnikov.

--- wfido