SHADOW GALLERY
Legacy (Magna Carta)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

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Shadow Gallery was one of the first acts signed by Magna Carta, and ten years later they're still helping set the standard for the progressive rock genre. Legacy is their latest, and it's got everything you want from a prog-metal perspective. Crunchy guitars soar into shredding solos and curtains of keyboards provide a melodic backdrop over a hard rock rhythm section. Mike Baker has the vocal chops to match the massive sound of the band. Happily, they have the sensitivity to diffuse that mass at the right moments to provide a range of musical color, making the moments of full on sonic assault more effective through the judicious exercise of contrast.

This is a group of musicians with big ears, and someone could probably develop a whole game show series devoted to identifying the influences on the Shadow Gallery sound, but this is a case of the whole being greater than the sum of it's parts. It's no so important where the sound comes from - the important thing is what the sound sounds like, and Legacy sounds terrific.

Track List:

Cliffhanger 2: a) Hang On b) The Crusher * Destination Unknown * Colors * Society Of The Mind * Legacy * First Light

© 2001 - Shaun Dale