On the occasion of the recent independently produced remastering, with the help of Michael Brändli at Hardstudios, Winterthur (Switzerland), it is worth taking another look at this work originally released by VERTIGO (Phonogram), which, despite the passing of the years, retains a particular charm within European symphonic rock.
Flame Dream, a Swiss band little known outside their country, stood out in their early days for one singular trait: they lacked an electric guitar, a resource replaced by wind instruments —mainly saxophone and flute— until in Out of the Dark they decided to take a turn and incorporate guitarist Dale Hauskins.
The group’s music draws directly from the most classic sources of 1970s progressive rock, with clear influences from Gentle Giant, Genesis, and Yes, although in this album flashes appear that also evoke Alan Parsons Project or even Queen.
The record opens with the joyful (1) “Full Moon,” a piece that inevitably reminds me of the compositional complexity of “Knots” by Gentle Giant and somewhat of Alan Parsons Project’s Pyramid. It is followed by (2) “Nocturnal Flight,” a ballad with a high emotional charge and a classical music structure, bearing similarities to Yes’s “Nous sommes du Soleil.”
The track (3) “Out in the Dark” explores somewhat more personal territories, though not without nods; the incorporation of wind instruments brings to mind “Firth of Fifth,” and one cannot fail to mention the cheerful Latin jazz-rock touch at the end.
In (4) “Wintertime Nights,” introduced in an Alan Parsons Project style, the homage to Gentle Giant reappears before giving way to the final suite “Strange Meeting,” divided into three parts. Here is where Flame Dream reaches its most inspired moments — instrumental developments that, although at times naïve, display a remarkable symphonic pulse with reminiscences of Genesis. Particularly notable are the recurring melodies and the prominence of Roland Ruckstuhl’s keyboards, unmistakably close to Tony Banks’s style.
In conclusion, Out of the Dark is a curious and endearing work: musicians virtuosic in performance yet with a certain innocence in their writing, offering a first half marked by clear references to Gentle Giant and Yes, culminating in a symphonic suite of a very Genesis-like spirit. A work that, even with some compositional naïveté, turns out to be ultimately charming, and whose new remastering allows it to be rediscovered with renewed brilliance.
In spanish...
Con motivo de la reciente remasterización producida de forma independiente con la ayuda de Michael Brändli en Hardstudios, Winterthur (Suiza), vale la pena volver a detenerse en este trabajo originalmente publicado por VERTIGO (Phonogram) y que, pese al paso de los años, conserva un encanto particular dentro del rock sinfónico europeo.
Flame Dream, banda suiza poco conocida fuera de su país, se distinguió en sus inicios por una singularidad: carecían de guitarra eléctrica, recurso sustituido con instrumentos de viento —principalmente saxofón y flauta—, hasta que en "Out of the Dark" decidieron dar un giro e incorporar al guitarrista Dale Hauskins.
La música del grupo bebe directamente de las fuentes más clásicas del progresivo setentero, con influencias evidentes de Gentle Giant, Genesis y Yes, aunque en este álbum aparecen destellos que evocan también a Alan Parsons Proyects o incluso a Queen.
El tema (3) "Out in the Dark" explora territorios algo más personales, aunque no exentos de guiños, la incorporación de vientos, nos trae recuerdos de "Firth Of Fifth" y no dejar de mencionar este toque jazz rock latino alegre del final.
Temas:
1.- Full Moon (5:22)
2.- Nocturnal Flight (5:33)
3.- Out in the Dark (9:29)
4.- Wintertime Nights (4:04)
5.- Strange Meeting (16:34)
- Part One
- Kaleidoscope
- Part two
Músicos
- Pit Furrer / drums, percussion, tapes
- Urs Hochuli / bass, bass pedals, vocals
- Roland Ruckstuhl / keyboards, sequencer, vocoder
- Peter Wolf / vocals, flute, saxophones, percussion
and
- Dale Hauskins / electric guitar
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