Citizen Cain - Playing Dead


Year of Release: 2002
Label: Pig In Poke Records
Catalog Number: n/a
Format: CD
Total Time: 70:42:00

This review is excerpted from Clayton's May 4, 2003 The Prog Life column found here -ed.

The English group Citizen Cain have been around for a while. In fact, I believe that Playing Dead is their fourth album. Over that time they've grown to be a truly cool progressive act. Their similarity to Genesis can't be overlooked, especially considering that vocalist Cyrus definitely has that Peter Gabriel thing down (although sometimes he also reminds me of David Cousins from The Strawbs). Still, while staying in the symphonic genre, Citizen Cain have managed to combine their love of Genesis with their own prog touch. In fact, they tend to be even more complex than Genesis were in their heyday, although their melodies are no where as near refined.

Playing Dead was a long time coming, but it's their best CD yet, providing over 70 minutes of intensely complex progressive rock. Guitarist Phil Allen fills out the music with strong guitar work that brings to mind Steve Hackett as much as the vocals bring to mind Peter Gabriel. Keyboardist and drummer (talk about talent) Stewart Bell should get double pay for his contribution, although he's more a drummer than a keyboard player, what with the keyboard parts being mostly background washes and simple piano melodies. In other words, you're not going to hear any Tony Banks-style solos here. Vocalist Cyrus provides the bass, which is well played, but doesn't dominate the music in the way Yes's Chris Squire bass parts would.


Tracklisting:
Dirge - Fallen Angels (3:20) / Children Of Fire - Prometheus And Epimetheus - Forethought - Afterthought (13:29) / Shades (4:22) / Falling From Sephiroth - Etz Ha-Chayim (15:31) / Rivers Of Twilight - The War Between Two Minds (7:38) / . Inner Silence - Beware The God You Choose (2:38) / Wandering In Darkness (10:24) / Sleeping In Penumbra -Your Mind, It's Mind, Whose Mind? (9:51) / Amorantos (Eternity) (3:29)

Musicians:
Stewart Bell -keyboards, drums
Cyrus - bass, lead vocals
Phil Allen - guitars, backing vocals

Discography:
Serpents In Camouflage (1993/1998)
Somewhere But Yesterday (1994/1997)
Ghost Dance (1996)
Raising The Stones (1998)
Playing Dead (2003)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin UK

Added: May 4th 2003
Reviewer: Clayton Walnum

Hits: 2428
Language: english

  

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