The Masquerade Overture

This album is widely regarded as Pendragon's best ever album. I am not an expert on this band so I do not know. But I will now express my opinion on this album and this album alone.

The opening title track promises a symphonic prog album, but the rest does not quite deliver on this promise.... We are talking symphonic neo prog, the PENDRAGON way. The second track As Good As Gold is as far as I am aware of their best ever track. It is catchy neo prog and just neo prog. Maybe the best neo prog out there. Paintbox is a rather dull track and best forgotten. The Pursuit Of Excellense is a short hymn, badly let down by Mr. Barrett's vocals. ENYA does this better than you, Mr Barrett. The next track is the excellent Guardian Of My Soul.... or is it Guardian Of Genesis Legacy ? This track comes across as a mix of neo-prog and GENESIS like symphonic prog. The track is excellent and my comments is meant in a complimentary way. This is PENDRAGON at their best. The next track is also a long track called The Shadow. It starts out as a ballad and develops into a symphonic tune at the end. Excellent. The closing track Masters Of Illusion is also very good with some good keys and vocals.

I am not a fan of neo-prog, but I really like this album. This is an album which largely bridge the gap between neo prog and symphonic prog. The artwork also underlines this. As a symphonic prog fan, this is an album close to my heart.

http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=1114