LogFAQs > #952815455

Lulz guys don't even try to understand the lyrics/story on this, they're about as close to pure nonsense as you'll find

some notes I scribbled on the train this morning:

Overall - The rare sort of album that completely transcends its sound and becomes a must-listen even for people who don't care about the scene or style from which it emerged. It's not something I reach for often, but a worthy addition to the modern metal and prog canons.

Oblivion - An iconic pop-metal opener in the enter sandman mould, totally encapsulates what's great about the album. Critical eye says that the only truly great thing here is the chorus, but who cares about that really

Divinations - Lots of energy and a decent tune, but lacks the atmospheric flair that allows the longer songs here to really breathe

Quintessence - Yeah, this doesn't do much for me. The transitions are super jarring and the major key chorus isn't good. Cool gnarly Mars Volta-esque guitar in the verses though.

The Czar - This is where the album really breaks open for me, and the band's ambition (the best thing about the album) really becomes clear for the first time. The sneaky secret is that large parts of the song - cool atmosphere aside - actually aren't that stellar. Lovely textures though, and the "spiralling up through the crack in the sky(e)" climax section is an absolute epiphany

Ghost of Karelia - Maintains the cool mystical atmosphere of The Czar and begins to hint at the sludgy heaviness to come in the title track. Immaculately sequenced. Not the strongest song overall, but the crunchy heavy parts here rip more than I remembered.

Crack the Skye - Oh hell yes. For a long time this was my favourite song on the album, and the added crunch here is really appreciated. Scott Kelly's volcanic bellowing gives all of the surrounding mystical silliness so much more gravitas, and the moment he first blasts through the wall is a top tier moment. The song itself might not be quite as good as I remember, but it's still essential shit

The Last Baron - Yeah, this really has to be #1, doesn't it? As with most prog epics, it's a little bit of a mess, but it's a glorious mess, and no song on the album better brings together everything great about Crack the Skye. It almost sounds like an updated version of Sabbath's sound at their most coked out and proggy, and I am always here for that. Last five minutes in particular are spectacular.

1. The Last Baron
2. Oblivion
3. Crack the Skye
4. The Czar
5. Divinations
6. Ghost of Karelia
7. Quintessence

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And if you don't know, now you know.