Mystery - At The Dawn Of The New Millennium

Year of Release: 2000
Label: Unicorn Records
Catalog Number: UNCR-2040
Format: CD
Total Time: 70:41:00

Calling your album At The Dawn Of The New Millennium and having it reviewed in 2001 might be difficult to explain. Either we're too late with our review (yes we are!) or the band is bloody early when they unleash their album prior to the year 3000! What happens here though is the Unicorn Records label releasing a compilation of the band Mystery, based around the band's three releases. There are two tracks from the band's debut mini-CD Mystery from 1992; four tracks from the 1996 full-album Theatre Of The Mind and the remaining five tracks from the band's 1998 release Destiny?, the latter released on the Musea label in Europe.

Based around the nucleus of singer Gary Savoie and guitarist Michel St. Pére, Mystery delivers nicely arranged music that will certainly please fans of Journey and the likes. It's especially Gary's high pitched and powerful voice which gets close to that of ex-Journey singer Steve Perry, putting a distinctive mark on the band's music. The band has an ear for detail, as is apparent when a mandolin is used during "Before The Dawn." The song "In My Dreams," which emerged on the band's initial release and also featured in re-arranged form on their Theatre Of The Mind album, is included here, too. It can be seen as Mystery's strongest song, almost rubbing shoulders with Journey's "Good Morning Girl" classic. Splendid singing, fragile acoustic guitars and dreamy strings do indeed create a fabulous track. "Black Roses" has a strong medieval feel with acoustic guitar, flute and violin all accompanying a strong Kansas-like composition. Not sure about the grunt voice though.

The strings in "The Inner Journey (Part II)" have a very solemn feel, blending very well with fretless bass and saxophone before giving way to a nice piano piece. A sampler such as this gives the listener a nice view into the world of Mystery and it is clear that the band is evolving from an "ordinary" AOR-type of band to a more adventurous outfit that doesn't shun the complex arrangements as long as it does the music justice. Nicely crafted pop songs flanked with versatile musicianship and outstanding singing marks this band as a "must-hear" for lovers of great melodic rock. Solve the mystery today and take the time to listen to this revealing compilation. No doubt you'll be hooked, wanting to explore Mystery's two full blown albums. A great asset to the world of prog and if Mystery doesn't work for Gary Savoie he can always join Journey!

Tracklisting:
Destiny? (5:00) / Theatre Of The Mind (6:04) / Before The Dawn (6:28) / In My Dreams (5:27) / Black Roses (8:05) / The Inner Journey (Part II) (4:33) / Cinderella (7:20) / The Mourning Man (4:46) / Submerged (7:53) / Shadow Of The Lake (14:55)

Musicians:
Richard Addison - fretted and fretless bass
Patrick Bourque - bass
Benoît Dupuis - keyboards
Steve Gagné - drums
Stéphane Perreault - drums
Michel Painchaud - classical and acoustic guitars
Michel St-P&eacite're - guitars, synthesizers
Gary Savoie - vocals

Discography:
Mystery (1992)
Theatre Of The Mind (1996/1998)
Destiny? (1998)
At The Dawn Of The Millennium 1992-2000 (2000/2013)
Beneath The Veil Of Winter's Face (2007)
Destiny? (reissue) (2008)
One Among The Living (2010)
The World Is A Game (2012)
Unveil The Mystery 2007-2012 (2013)
Tales From The Netherlands (2014)
Delusion Rain (2015)
Second Home (2017)
Lies And Butterflies (2018)
Live In Poznan (2019)
Second Home (DVD) (2017)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin CA

Added: July 27th 2001
Reviewer: John "Bobo" Bollenberg

Artist website: www.therealmystery.com
Hits: 4424
Language: english