Search - Shadow Gallery :: Carved in Stone

One of the greatest progressive rock albums EVER!

Christian Blatnick | USA | 06/18/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Put this CD on and get ready for one of the most invigorating musical experiences you have ever had. Shadow Gallery is a progressive rock group featuring an incredible mixture of sonic brilliance, stirring lyrics and wondrous harmonies. If you like the music of prog rock pioneers such as Rush, Genesis and Yes, you will probably love Shadow Gallery. Carved in Stone is the band's second album. It delivers songs ranging from all out rockers, such as Cliffhanger and Deeper Than Life, to ballads and even an epic song about a Viking crew, Ghostship.One of this album's unique aspects is the instrumental segues used to transition from one song to another. I particularly enjoy Shadow Gallery's use of the piano throughout their songs. Unlike many other groups in the rock genre, the piano is as important as the guitar and rhythm section in Shadow Gallery's music and this is especially apparent on this CD. Beside the incredible music, the other element that makes this album a masterpiece is the thought-provoking lyrics. Finally, the band has some remarkable harmony and they put it to great use throughout all of their songs.If you are looking for something fresh, something that breaks out of the mold of tedious popular music, check out this CD. The liner notes on Carved in Stone contain a message from the band and the final line sums up this CD best: "Let those who have ears listen. It's more than just music.""

Who can say that this album is at least perfect????

Theobalt | Ioannina, Greece | 10/17/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"At the age of 16 when i first started listeing metal (Iron Maiden, Manowar, then Blind Guardian and so on) there was this friend of mine (owned about 1000 cds at that time!!!) who had a music show. At some point he first plays a song called "Crystalline Dream" and then "Don't ever Cry Just Remember" by a band called Shadow Gallery. At once they drew my attention and despite the fact that this band is supposed to be progressive, the above songs don't need to be listened to a hundred times to that you can "feel" them.



Next day I get the cd and about ten years after and while Shadow Galler have come up with one more jewell (Tyrrany) and two more good albums (not a match for "C.I.S" and "Tyrrany") I write this review. Keep in mind that this cd had melted in my cd player 10 years before and now at the age of 27 I still listen to it with the same enthousiasm.



The cd is flawlless, there is no mediocre moment in the whole record. There are a lot of keyboards within the whole record which I believe adds the most to the whole album as it gives a warm and lyrical feeling to the songs. There are two ballads (Don't ever Cry, Just Remember and Alaska) while the rest of the songs move mostly in mid tempo and secondly a bit faster (see Dream Theater)



My question is this. All these years I hear that Dream Theater are the best, Dream Theater this, Dream Theater that. Don't get me wrong, I like Dream Theater a lot, have most of their albums and believe that it is a great band. Yet many times I fest a bit "tired" by trying to listen to their albums and fest that they lacked something...

Well what I wanted to hear in progressive metal I found it in Shadow Gallery. It seems to me that this album spoke to my heart and every single melody, every solo and tune that existed made sense. I didn't have to try hard to "understand" the songs or listen to the strange riffs that change all the time and are suposedly sound like progressive metal.

All I had to do is listen to music...So how come after all these years everybody talks about Dream Theater and not Shadow Gallery? I never understood that. Maybe because their last two albums weren't that much.



Moreover, I believe that if you like progressive metal and bands like Dream Theater, Sympony X but with a more "lyrical" and "romantic" touch and less technical riffs you will definitely like "Carved In Stone" and "Tyrrany" (which sounds more mature and evolving".



If you want to listen to something now that a decade later will make you happy and privileged to having listened to this kind of music then get this album. There but a few metal albums from the 650 that I have that stay in my cd player still...!!



-----Lastly I have to mention that this album together with tyrrany have a sence of optimism that overwhellms you when listening to it. It's not a happy kind of feeling like Helloween for example...but its close. Its a feelling that makes you feel whole, complete and gives you great energy for the rest of the day...Well at least this is how i feel-------"

Shadow Gallery's masterpiece musical journey

Philip D. Mariconda | Seattle area, WA USA | 10/04/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I suppose if you're expecting hard-edge Progressive Metal, this is not for you. The production does lean more toward Progressive than Metal. So Metallica fans should be disappointed, Yes fans should be impressed. I am personally amazed with the creative genius here.



Start with the musically well-crafted "Cliffhanger." Then "Crystalline Dream" turns it up another notch. We get a more mellow message in "Don't Ever Cry, Just Remember." Then "Warcry" holds bold warnings. "Celtic Princes" is a nice piano and guitar piece. "Deeper Than Life" pounds it out hardest of all for 4½ minutes. "Alaska" is just pleasant. Not a weak entry in the bunch.



Most of the songs to this point are bridged with very nice interludes. Add my appreciation of keyboard rock and we have one of the best-produced albums ever.



And then there's the epic musical journey "Ghost Ship." Start off like a cross between Dream Theater and Meat Loaf. Then bring a Queensrÿche sound. Then the style is Pink Floyd. Abruptly, they bring an Ozzy Osbourne style. And just when you think they're rocking you hard, they break into a full gallop a-la Metallica. Then they find a way to bridge that into a piano solo much like Beethoven. They conclude with a sound very much like Yes. All of it is bridged wonderfully together into an amazing composition.



But wait! There's the postlude (code named TG95.) In my mind, this 'hidden track' sort of ties into "Ghost Ship". So after all that, we get a beautiful Yanni sound for 5 minutes or so.



We have here a must for Progressive Rock fans who want to stretch just a little bit. I'm sure glad I did."