Mystery - One Among The Living


Year of Release: 2010
Label: Unicorn Digital
Catalog Number: UNCR-5080
Format: CD
Total Time: 00:00:00

Though Benoît David's vocals have often been compared to Jon Anderson's, so much so that he was invited to take over vocal duties with Yes when Anderson was incapable, I've never heard the resemblance. Truth be told, David's vocals are smooth, confident and excellent for the type of symphonic prog Mystery puts out. A perfect blending of vocals, song writing and music makes up for yet another superb Mystery release. After 4 or 5 listens, I personally find this album faultless. Of course weaknesses often creep up after the excitement of first contact diminishes, but I wonder if it'll happen this time.

Mystery's last album made my top ten list in 2008. Though Michel St. Pére is the essential component behind the band, writing virtually everything, this release seems like a fuller experience in that all core musicians seem to put a lot into the music. And it seems that David has also been a greater part of the creative experience as well.

Though there is no "epic prog" instrumental journeys here, the blending of sounds and moods make for a seamless, yet variant listening experience. Melody reigns supreme, especially during the first few songs. And though "Till the truth Comes Out" seems similar to preceding songs, it's seems more thematic in musical similarity than anything else. "Kameleon Man" changes pace a bit with a straight on Rush rocker type of thing. It works fine because it breaks up what had been much more melodic and textural to that point. There's a beautiful moog (sampled?) interlude, something I've missed since it was so in vogue in the mid seventies.

The achingly beautiful "Through Different Eyes" suite follows, and perhaps can be described as the Epic center piece to this album. But, like "Foxtrot," it has many changes throughout making for an expansive and variable listening experience that grows with each encounter. I'm not sure if that low end fuzz guitar that makes regular appearances is guest guitarist Daryl Stuermer, but it sure is effective. "So Far Away," the third song in the suite builds on the musical theme and swells with a magnificent orchestral backdrop. After the riff heavy "Point Of No Return," the suite ends with "The Silent Scream," another amazingly pretty melody that showcases David's fine singing, and finally "Dancing With Butterflies," 22 minutes of incredible progressive rock.

By now, you'd think you'd have your money's worth but Mystery pours it on with three more decent songs. The title track is a moody piece with Hackett-like guitar nuances, and spots of vocal backdrops here and there. A massive guitar riff leads into what I would call a perfect Pendragon moment. I keep thinking the music reminds me of Pendragon at their best, but in the end, it's all just "Mystery". The moody, heavy "Falling Man" follows, somewhat reminiscent of early Queen, and like "Kameleon Man," makes for a nice change of pace. "Sailing On A Wing" ends the album perfectly, another classic melody piece with beautiful vocals and all the symphonic embellishments that make Mystery such a great band.

I suppose I should qualify my accolades for this release by saying the following: this is not extreme, on the edge Prog. This does not push any envelopes. There no scorching musical passages where incredible musicians lay out a dozen time signatures within minutes. What One Among The Living represents is the growing ability of Mystery to put out one superb album after another. Nearly 70 minutes of melodic, powerful symphonic prog is featured here with a heavy accent on melody and great song writing and it will definitely find itself on my top ten list for 2010.


Tracklisting:
Among The Living (1:13) / Wolf (5:53) / Between Love And Hate (5:53) / Till The Truth Comes Out (9:25) / Kameleon Man (5:01) / Through Different Eyes: i) When Sorrow Turns to Pain (3:56) - ii) Apocalyptic Visions Of Paradise (1:48) - iii) So Far Away (5:51) - iv) The Point Of No Return (2:21) - v) The Silent Scream (5:57) - vi) Dancing With Butterflies (2:42) / One Among The Living (6:27) / The Falling Man (7:39) / Sailing On A Wing (4:55)

Musicians:
Patrick Bourque - bass

Benoît David - vocals
Steve Gagné - drums
Michel St. Pére -electric & acoustic guitars, bass & keyboards
Guests:

Dean Baldwin - guitar (7)
Benoît Dupuis - keyboards (1,2, 6, 7, 9)
Antoine Fafard - bass (2, 3, 4, 6, 8)
François Fournier - bass (6)
John Jowitt - bass (5)
Richard Lanthier - bass (7) Dahlie-Yann St. Pére, Damellia St. Pére - children's laughter Daryl Stuermer - guitar (8)
Claire Vezina - vocals (8)
Oliver Wakeman - Moog solo (5)

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: June 24th 2010
Reviewer: Richard Zwyotkiewicz

Artist website: www.therealmystery.com
Hits: 5420
Language: english

  

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