Mavara

I have a personal interest in this particular band. Mavara is a prog rock band out of Iran that has recently set up shop in New England, USA. In fact, they have been touring the east coast and have even made the local papers (always good to hear a prog band do that). I've become acquainted with their neo-progressive style and I simply love it. Therefore, I have a personal interest in seeing this band succeed.
Mavara, in a word, are "lush". That's what I get over and over from their music. There are no empty spaces. There are no "this could really use a little more..." passages. The music is full and fluid. The core of their sound, in my opinion, is the ethereal application of piano and synth. This impressive foundation is bolstered even more by the excellent guitar work and solos. Add a dash of powerfully mixed drums and then a bass that won't quit, and you'll have an idea of what makes Mavara tick. On top of all this, however, are Ashkan's vocals. His one-of-a-kind voice is melodic and perfect for harmonizing with the fluid feel of the keys. He is grounded, but also quite emotional in his work.

On this particular album, "Forgotten Inside", the band really established themselves. While I do enjoy their newest album, "Season of Salvation", more than this one, I can hear the making of the lushness here. "Forgotten Inside" is intensely emotional, and also quite varied musically. "Something is Lost" is synthy and groovy, while "Old Pain" is slower and very personal. Ballads and rockers abound, but anguish-filled lyrics are a constant, too. Mavara are certainly talented, and I see great things in their future.

Second Life Syndrome | 4/5 | 2013-12-27 - ProgArchives / Second Life Syndrome (12/27/2013)

This is the third studio CD for the band Mavara its entitled Season of Salvation. Originally formed in 2001 in Iran, the band fled their home country and is currently based in New Hampshire, actively seeking asylum in the United States. The band consists of Ashkan Hamedi (vocals), Anis Oviesi (piano, keyboards), Farhood Ghadiri (keyboards), Arash Radan (guitars) and Sina Khodaiefar (bass). So far in their short time in the US they’ve been very active on the live circuit, playing a number of festivals. Musically their sound reflects a modern symphonic feel that is a bit of a throwback to the bands of the eighties.

Season of Salvation is ten tracks of varying lengths, the longest being just a few seconds over seven minutes. Stylistically the band lists their influences as being Riverside, Eloy, Porcupine Tree and a bit of Pink Floyd. Truth is these influences don’t come through very much as the band have developed their own musical sound but if I had to compare I’m reminded of Quebec based Visible Wind especially in the vocal department. Both vocalists display that same subtle accent that to my ear is quite captivating. The music is as you would expect, songs built around a core melody that then weave in and out of song segments providing plenty of musical detours. Musical change-ups show-up everywhere but not in a complicated fashion, instead the music just slides from one musical segment to the next. These compositions are cleverly crafted displaying plenty of musical chops and creative arranging. While not overly heavy they’re not afraid to turn up the guitar crunch once in a while, but it’s all very evenly measured so as not to take over. You may be reminded of early Marillion every so often; it’s that same kind of musical approach.

Mavara seem to be catching all the right attention and certainly their music is strong enough to speak for itself. Season of Salvation will have broad appeal to a wide range of prog fans that enjoy listening to Progressive Rock’s more melodic symphonic style. This is certainly a band to pay attention to. - The Progressive Rock Files / Jerry Lucky, (12/23/13)

Five Favorite Shows:

In a year full of great performances, some were exceptional:

Mavara
Milly's Tavern, May 19, 2013. One of several bands performing at an all-day Boston Strong Benefit, the Iranian prog-rockers owned the room with a set consisting mostly of originals, their passion for music palpable.


Five Favorite Local CD's

More than a few goodies culled down to this list:

Season of Salvation, Mavara - soaring, inspiring progressive rock from a band we need to hear more from. - Hippo Press "Year in Review 2013" (12/26/13) pgs. 66-67

Iranian Musician Anis Oveisi Risks Everything for Music


Outside in the night air, a security guard keeps watch for authorities. Inside, a beautiful young woman fidgets with her scarf, making sure her hair is completely covered. The band Mavara, for which she plays keyboard, takes the stage, but at the first sign of trouble they are ready with a plan to shut everything down. They are nervous, not just because they are about to perform, but because they don't know what will happen to them if they are found out.

People begin to arrive. They are also a bit on edge, but motivated by the chance to gather with their underground community to indulge in the music they love, played by a beloved band. They have all heard about the concert through a complex, secret network of texts from unknown numbers and word of mouth. They found out the date and time a few days ago, but couldn't know the location until the last minute. They had to call another cell phone -- but never from their own personal cell phones -- to find out the address. Because they are in Iran, they could all be arrested and jailed; the band could have their equipment confiscated, get heavily fined, go to prison, maybe worse.

The progressive rock style of Mavara is unacceptable to the governing religious authorities. Iranian musicians can approach the Ministry of Islamic Guide and Culture to ask permission to play their music, but if it is not the classical, traditional Persian, or sanctioned versions of pop music (which often feature religious lyrics), their music might as well be illegal. The founder of Mavara applied but was denied because of their genre.

And if a musician is a woman, there exists a whole other level of offense, creating a higher level of intense fear. A woman who plays or sings music pre-approved by the Ministry can only perform in private to an audience of women only, with no cameras recording and no men on the staff or crew.

But on this night, as the crowd gathers in a private music school under the auspices of a class, the future is at stake. An unauthorized woman found playing restricted progressive rock music on stage in front of a mixed crowd could be imprisoned, tortured, or endure any combination and duration of unknown punishments; those who have been caught before don't speak out about what goes down. Anis Oveisi is the only woman in the Iranian progressive rock group Mavara.

Think about your greatest desire, your most cherished dream. Then ask yourself if you would actually put your life on the line to have it, to do what you dream about. Most Americans cannot fathom having to make such a choice. For Anis, making music has always been worth this risk. "I have such a strong desire to make people happy, to create a good time for them" through music, she says.

"I play music and music plays my life," is her mantra. A life without music would not be a life at all. And so she carefully tucks her hair under a hijab, just in case the authorities do raid their secret performance, since being uncovered on top of playing music illegally would make the punishment much more severe. Her keyboard is positioned to the back and side of the stage, for an easier escape. If they are caught, she is automatically the one in the most trouble.

Mavara was formed in 2001 by composer and keyboardist Farhood Ghadiri. Today, the band includes Ashkan Hamidi on vocals and guitar, Sina Khodaiefer on bass guitar, Jim Welch on drums, and Anis on the keyboard and synthesizer. Anis dreamed of playing piano as a child, and she played all her life. At 16, her father bought a really nice piano, encouraging her talent. At 18, she began studying composition at Tehran Conservatory.

There she met Ghadiri, who broke the ice by asking her questions about complicated rhythms. He asked her to play keyboard with them. It only took a few rehearsals for them to fall in love and decide to get married. She considers him her partner in crime.

Anis' Muslim family is supportive of her music, but knowing the risks a woman musician takes, they did try and influence her so that she would not get hurt. They urged her to work for the family business, a popular path for young women for basic reasons of protection and safety. Women do not often get safe opportunities to work outside the family, without running the risk of being sexually harassed, being taken advantage of, or even sometimes becoming a sex slave for their employer. Jobs for women are often menial with a very low salary, although in the capital city of Tehran, the prospects and conditions for professionally trained women have improved.

But Anis has never been interested in safety.

She and the band have been in the United States now for less than a year on a music work visa. It took almost two years and a very complicated process to make it happen, but Transit Music Group, the record label who found Mavara on Facebook, loved their sound and sensibility enough to help them come over. They are playing venues from Boston to North Carolina and beyond. They still have a tendency to set up in their "quick exit" formation, with Anis poised to the side. But she is emerging in many ways, wearing her hair however she wants, expressing herself in new ways, learning to interact with audiences, feeling out her freedoms.

The band has also gotten used to some less-than-warm welcomes in America. They've learned that Americans will peg them as crazy Iranians or Muslim fundamentalists. After the Boston Marathon bombing people called them terrorists. One article published online about Mavara garnered some nasty comments from readers using ridiculous stereotypes as weapons.

But Mavara's music is all about the opposite of that reaction: peace, compassion, and the beauty of universal similarities among human beings. The band is known for its deep, emotional lyrics developed by all of the members during their discussions about the great philosophies of the world. Their lyrics ruminate moodily on who God is, what it means to be human, and how to live whole in the universe. The song "Season of Salvation" haunts listeners with an almost religious tale of a time when Spring was the only season, alive and pure, before decisions humans made ruined it. But it bypasses all the damnation and picks up on the lessons we learn, the way human beings can look back on past history and create a better future. It is not an unpredictable, bipolar God who rescues condemned sinners in exasperation, but humans who learn from mistakes and push on with hope and cooperation toward salvation, with God's benevolent love as guide.

Mavara's own philosophy is that music is a story to expand people's minds, to make us think differently about how we live and what life is about. When I hear some of their songs, I know that we Americans could benefit from listening to these soulful Iranians. The sound and meaningful message is a far departure from what makes it big at our little "Party in the USA." Anis does not want their style of music to change because they are in the U.S.; they plan to hold on to their probing poetry and reflective style.

After hearing Anis' harrowing and triumphant stories of her journey from Iran to a new life, I can't help but wonder how she would advise her younger self. If she could say one thing to young Iranian girls, it would be "don't let go." If you find something you really love doing, she says, then go for it; no matter the risk, take advantage of every opportunity. When I ask what she might say to young American girls, she pauses for a moment.

"All that you may complain about -- school, clothes, friends -- you can still go wherever you want." In light of her own overwhelmingly difficult and often terrifying experiences -- taking the ultimate risk of leaving family, possessions and financial security behind to pursue her dream of making music -- she wishes for American girls a sense of gravity. "Don't waste your freedom," she says.

Anis is Iranian, but should also be an American progressive rock role model. She is living a life beyond her wildest dreams, because she believed in herself, believed in the love of a unifying God, and fearlessly followed her dream. It is fitting that the name Mavara translates, "beyond everything you think." - The Huffington Post / Jennifer Danielle Crumpton (12/6/13)

Mavara are definitely a pionner in the Rock scene of Iran.The band was formed by keyboardist Farhood Ghadiri in Karaj in 2001 and was a regular performer around the Tehran and Karaj areas.The group suffered from line-up changes in its early stages, but in 2005 they managed to release their debut ''Ultimate sound'', sung in Persian with gifted singer Ashkan Hamedi on vocals.Four years later the band takes its first attempt on releasing an album in English.Year of release 2009 and the title was ''Forgotten inside''.
Several spins later you will definitely recognize the band had made the right choice.''Forgotten inside'' is a beautilful little treasure with sensitive melodies, accesible music and excellent vocals by Hamedi, the man has a unique voice, which sounds hoarse and emotional at the same time.Regarding the music, the album does not go after any prize of complexity or intricacy.This is pretty easy-going material with a creative style, flirting with Melodic Rock, Neo Prog, Electronica and even a bit of Post Rock and Alternative Rock, clearly influenced by Hogarth-era MARILLION and PORCUPINE TREE.The tracks are basically guitar-driven with nice rhythmic parts, cool solos and careful riffs around, while the keyboards play a rather supporting role to add some depth to the sound.The overall style reminds strongly of some Polish lyrical groups like MILLENIUM, ANANKE or LOONYPARK.As so, Mavara's textures are characterized by lovely lyrical soundscapes with a smooth instrumental background, but when needed they really can rock their boots out with more fiery and pronounced electric guitars.The material is trully memorable and well-composed with some pretty great songwriting.

A nice suprise from a land you shouldn't expect.Atmospheric Neo/Art/Melodic Prog with fantastic vocals and often monumental guitar parts.Strongly recommended, this band deserves your attention...3.5 stars. - ProgArchives / Apostolis Psarros (9/15/13)

Iranian progressive rock band Mavara has been forced to play in secrecy in its own country for the past 12 years. Ever since the Iranian Revolution in 1979, musicians are forbidden to publicly perform any non-traditional music, and women are banned from singing. Those who are caught could face any range of penalties.
Since the band’s creation in 2001, the members performed under these conditions, playing as an underground band and risking everything they had to simply express themselves through music.
But as time went on, they realized enough was enough; it was time to leave Iran and find way to come to America where they could play their music in peace.
“All the Iranian bands, after some time, they break up and disappear,” Farhood Ghadiri, Mavara’s founder, said. “For us, it’s the last chance … this is a last hope.”
Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, David Roberge, president of the record label company, Transit Music Group, was actively searching for foreign bands to bring over to the states.
Transit Music Group began as an independent music label company about 12 years ago but slowly grew over the years, inviting foreign bands to play in the U.S. Ever since Roberge discovered a band from India a number of years ago, he’s been dedicated to finding other foreign bands with unique sounds and styles.
Roberge heard about Mavara and contacted the band members about a year and a half ago to start a discussion about working with them. Little did he know, the U.S. didn’t have good diplomatic relations with Iran, making what should have been an easy process extremely challenging.
“It certainly made things a lot more difficult in getting them here,” Roberge said. “I’ve brought bands from all over the world. It’s never been an issue. With these guys, it was an issue.”
In order to bring Mavara to the U.S., Roberge needed to help the band members obtain P-1 status visas that would allow them to legally make money while playing music. Multiple forms and documentations were needed to prove that they actually were musicians.
Mavara was finally able to make it to Lee, N.H., in mid-January, but more obstacles stood in the members’ way. Their drummer couldn’t travel with them because he needed to finish military service, they couldn’t get driver’s licenses until they went through a full driver’s education class because their documents aren’t recognized here, and they couldn’t work part-time jobs.
This wasn’t just helping a band find success. Roberge had been working with them for so long that it went far beyond that.
“… They are close to me, and I can have a more hands on approach with them. It’s gone beyond the music now,” Roberge said. “These people have become my friends. It’s not even about the music anymore. The music is cool, but it’s gone beyond that. The idea is to get theme here, have them live in a free world. We need to care for them.”
Since then Mavara found a replacement drummer and has played on stage more times than they would ever be able to in Iran, performing at the Hard Rock Café, the NJProghouse, and the Progday Festival in North Carolina.
“Because we don’t have diplomatic relations [with Iran], a lot of their documents are not recognized by the government,” Roberge said. “Everyday was an adventure. Everything you could think of, we needed to do. It was difficult. But we got through, and they’re functioning people in the United States. They’re managing.”
The band members plan to renew their visas for another six months, but one question still remains: is this the right area for them to perform?
Roberge thinks that an area predominately surrounded by college students isn’t necessarily suited for a progressive rock band, but for now, the band is happy to simply play without fear.
“For me, many times I wanted to quit playing as a professional musician and play as myself. Because of that, I am very happy to be here,” Sina Khodaeifar, Mavara’s bassist, said. “Our situation, we are not stable because I don’t have a job. But I’m OK. I’m happy because I’m here.” - The New Hampshire / Joel Kost (10/4/13)

As anyone that follows my reviews knows, I’m a sucker for great cover art. So, when I stumbled upon Mavara’s latest album, I had to hear it as the cover art is some of the most unique and hauntingly beautiful art I’ve seen of late. Fortunately, the music holds up to the excellence of the art, and they fit together quite nicely.

Mavara is a band from Iran that fits well into the crossover prog genre. They certainly have a foundation of neo-prog, but they also feature a hefty portion of dark post rock and also heavy prog. “Season of Salvation” never rests on its laurels. It is quite impressive in structure, style, and overall atmosphere, too.

The one word that comes to mind when I hear this album is “Lush.” The album feels so whole, and it even seems to pull off a sort of oceanic vibe, though I’m not sure how in so many words. This is no technical album, as the expertise is shown more in excellent structure (Period of Innocence) and dark, soothing ambiance (Endless Illusion). There is a certain amount of maturity here that is apparent throughout the entire album.

“Season of Salvation” has many strong points. For instance, the vocalist has a unique voice that perfectly fits the musical style presented. I’m not sure why, but the vocalist reminds me of Jim Grey from Arcane and Caligula’s Horse, though with a deeper and darker tint. The vocals are often sublime, though there are a few weak spots. Another strength of this album is the keyboard work. The overall feel of the synth is either haunting or that of light cutting through dense darkness, so the album has a very mature tone to it. The soaring and falling of the layered textures elates and deflates our emotions staggeringly well. In my opinion, that is one sign of a fantastic album.

The rest of the instrumentation is quite adept. These guys (and gal) impress whether they are focusing on ambiance or on a great jam, though they do far more of the former. This is definitely a moody, emotionally raw album first and foremost. Indeed, this album seems to be a cry for meaning and peace in a sea of questions, mysteries, and possibilities. This theme lends itself to emotional music, and I feel Mavara has nailed that. This album is very strong, and I thank the band for providing a copy for my review.
- ProgArchives / Jason Spencer (8/14/2013)

“I had heard of this band through a friend of mine, who had seen the band perform live somewhere in the Northeast US. Upon his recommendation, I purchased the MP3 version of the CD and was completely blown away. Progressive rock with melodicism! Not prog/math or prog/avant garde[and I love both], but prog that I could actually sing along with and groove on and , in some cases, even head bang to. Sort of like Yes and Pink Floyd back in the day. The singers accent takes a little getting used to, if you are from the US like I am, but after a while you do not even think about it, especially because the music backing it up is exquisite. Not a weak song in the bunch. Looking forward to hearing more from these guys” - Amazon (Customer Review "Scoop") (5/4/2013)

First of all, I am not a big fan of Progressive rock or Neo-prog, I am more of a Progressive Metal fan and I enjoy extreme music with viking-aggressive riffs! However I listen to progressive rock sometimes. In Neo-prog scene I am a complete newbie. I bought Mavaras latest album two or three weeks ago after a mini live performance. Forgotten Inside is a dark masterpiece in my book. Sometimes I wish I could mix some of their riffs with my own music! Some remarkable tracks are about social disorders and sub-conscious pains and complexes, which is barely felt as it is like a sleeping dragon at the end of a mysterious cave.
Lyrics indirectly move you. The tracks carry a heavy load of creation and some tracks like Forgotten Inside are really catchy, even for a viking-obsessed freak like me! The singer has a good potential and a good voice. Vocals however, is pretty good on a few songs, and just ok on some other (by pretty good, I mean PRETTY DAMN GOOD!).

Songwriting is pretty creative, some tracks are extremely guitar-based, some are keyboard-based and some are a mixture of both with vocals taking the lead. So I can say Something Is Lost is completely a different story compared to Remote Place (which is another favorite of mine in this album). Arash Radan, shows his complete and brilliant set of skills on guitar in tracks like Heaven and Hell and Try to Understand just like Farhood Ghadiri, who puts his soul in the keys, before he pushes his fingers on them. The album ends with another perfect song Old Pain - and pushes you to go back and shuffle the whole album again!

This is an EXCELLENT work of art, I suggest you get the album somehow or visit the bands myspace page and listen to the freely available tracks like Forgotten Inside (Strongly suggested), Something is Lost and Remote Place, and beware, you are waking the sleeping dragon!
- ProgArchives / Aryan Shamsinejad / (5/30/2013)

The bands latest album Season Of Salvation, is brilliantly melodic prog rock, with 10 original songs each reflecting range of influences. (see link for full article) http://www.e-pages.dk/thehippo/269/ (page #67) - Hippo Weekly - Michael Whitthaus (6/6/2013) Article on page #67

For Mavara, a progressive rock band from Iran, this was a dismal, everyday reality, and what ultimately drove its members to the United States.

Founder of Mavara and composer and keyboardist Farhood Ghadiri spent eight months weighing the decision to leave Iran with his fellow band members. After contacting an American artists service that helps with visas for foreign musicians, the decision was made.

They were very close to giving up music forever; said Transit Music Group President David Roberge, who has worked with the band to produce their third album Season of Salvation and book shows at local venues.

After the revolution in 1979, musical oppression in Iran has taken hold under the radical Islamist regime. Musicians are forbidden to publicly perform any type of non-traditional music. Women are banned from singing. Those who are caught face fines, imprisonment, or worse.

For Mavara, being a progressive rock band with a female keyboardist (Anis Oveisi) posed a great threat. Like many similar artists, Mavara was forced into the underground-Iranian music community, recording their own CDs and performing at venues in secrecy, in fear of being caught.

There is no freedom to play, said bass player Sina Khodaeifar, You had to get special permission from the government, which was never granted.

Leaving Iran for America was far from an easy trade-off. Mavara had gained popularity throughout the country, and even in parts of Europe where they had performed at progressive-rock music festivals. Mavara received praise as the Best Rock Band at a Live Performance by the Tehran Industry and Science University in Iran.
- Seacoast Online / Rachel Follender (7/25/2013)

Their talent and musicianship is amazing! I will gladly work with this great band again. An Honor! --Kipp Elbaum -Rock and Roll The World -NYC - Amazon (Editorial Review - Kipp Elbaum, Rock and Roll the World - NYC)

*see URL for link to TV program featuring story on Mavara

http://www.wmur.com/new-hampshire-chronicle/Wednesday-May-15th-Mavara-Irani-Rock-Band/-/13383450/20181002/-/df7o8pz/-/index.html - NH Chronicle (WMUR TV Channel 9) VIDEO 5/15/2013

International politics and ideology is a wedge that divides nations, cultures, and generations, demonizing 'the other side' as an enemy of the state to be feared and vanquished. On January 29, 2002, during his State Of The Union speech George W. Bush proclaimed Iran, Iraq, and North Korea as part of an 'Axis Of Evil'. And we in turn have been referred to as 'The Great Satan' by many middle eastern leaders. And beyond the derogatory 'tit for tat' epithets hurled by both governments of the east and west the political climate between the US and Russia has been in a state of flux since the end of the cold war. But as wisdom has taught us ... the ambition and agenda of 'the powers that be' is not always in line with the opinion held by the individual citizens living within those borders. As human beings we have more in common with one another than the rhetoric might lead us to believe.
And music has the unique ability to tear down the barriers that divide us, revealing the common interest and the toe-tapping rhythm of our humanity. As well as mankind's inalienable right to boogie. And Mavara is doing their part to tear down the barriers between us and help dispel middle-eastern stereotypes once and for all.

Mavara is an impressive progressive rock band hailing from the Islamic Republic of Iran. Not a location you might expect to find a prog rock group. But then again, as I've learned these many decades in my pursuit of amassing a collection of international progressive rock artists, that although prog/rock is not the most popular of music genres, it has far reaching international appeal with artists circling the globe.

Mavara was formed in 2001 by composer/keyboardist Farhood Ghadiri, and throughout the years there has been a revolving door of personnel changes. But at the time of their most recent recording "Season Of Salvation" the members included: Ashkan Hamedi (vocals), Arash Radan (electric guitar), Farhood Ghadiri (keyboard, synthesizers), Anis Oveisi (piano, keyboards), Sina Khodaeifar (bass guitar), Khashayar Ravangar (drums).

The name Mavara translates as "beyond everything you think" - which aptly describes any preconceived notions one might have of a band hailing from Iran. This is not the type of middle eastern new age World Music played on exotic stringed instruments like the oud, woodwinds like the rhaita Moroccan oboe, goatskin drums or assorted percussion instruments, finger cymbals and clappers - Mavara play some smoking cross-over, neo, and modern prog in the vein of Hogarth era Marillion, Porcupine Tree, RPWL, Dream Theater, and Pink Floyd.

Upon releasing their Persian language debut album "Ultimate Sound" in 2005 - and having established themselves as the premier progressive rock band of Iran, where they performed extensively in Tehran and Karaj gaining notoriety and accolades from the Tehran Industry And Science University as "The Best Rock Band at a Live Performance" - the band expanded their horizons beyond the borders of Iran.

In 2009 Mavara released their follow-up album "Forgotten Inside" in English, appealing to a wider market. Soon thereafter the band performed at the "Crescendo Music Festival" in France.

Since the 2013 release of "Season Of Salvation" the band - now based in the United States in New Hampshire - has gone through another series of personnel changes, adding a pair of US musicians to the fold - guitarist Scott Abene and drummer Jim Welch. A US tour followed which included an appearance at ProgDay Festival 2013 and NJProghouse Music Festival.

Since arriving in the US the band has been the subject of much interest appearing on local New Hampshire TV programs and College radio, as well as a variety of magazine articles.

The 2009 release "Forgotten Inside" is a collection of 10 medium length tunes with running times from 5 to 7 minutes.

Vocalist Ashkan Hamedi has the type of deep gruff vocal range more associated with alternative rock bands than neo prog. A passionate yet powerful resonance to his voice, leaning more towards Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam than someone like Peter Nichols of IQ. Tracks like "Old Pain", "Forgotten Inside", "Become Faithless", and "Awake" are the type of melodic ballads that should appeal to fans of Hogarth-era Marilion. While the stand-out tracks "Try To Understand", "Heaven And Hell", and "What Will Be Happened" have a strong post-Roger Waters Pink Floyd vibe to them - like something off "A Momentary Lapse Of Reason" or "The Division Bell". Complete with Gilmore inspired guitar work.

The 2013 release "Season Of Salvation" comes across as a much stronger over-all album. The compositions and arrangements are more polished and the playing spirited and more energetic. The vocals, which were weak in spots on "Forgotten Inside" are strong throughout. And whereas "Forgotten Inside" straddled the fence between alternative rock and cross-over progressive ... "Season Of Salvation" has made a head-long transition into progressive rock with some great keyboard/guitar interplay, challenging tempo changes, vocal harmonies, and great layered arrangements. The compositions display a higher level of sophistication, musical variety, and experimentation.

Elements of neo-progressive bands like Abel Ganz, Grey Lady Down, Jadis, Comedy Of Errors, Landmarq, and For Absent Friends can be heard on tracks like "Leaden Sky", "You Can't Hide", and "Atomic Unity".

Carry-over elements from "Forgotten Inside", which include Pink Floyd and RPWL influences, is prominently displayed on the tracks "Better Dream", "Mystery Of the Universe", and "Way Without Destination".

"Season Of Salvation" is a melancholy melodic ballad with bite which should appeal to fans of Marillion, Arena, and IQ. And "Endless Illusion" is a kick-ass prog/metal rocker in the vein of Dream Theater, Fates Warning, or Symphony X. While "Forgotten Inside" is definitely worth a listen, I 'highly recommend' "Season Of Salvation" - a superb album which I fully expect to be part of my regular rotation, and a CD that get many more spins on my player long after this review is written. - Joseph Shingler