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Explorers Club - Age Of Impact

Artist:	Explorers Club
Title:	Age Of Impact
Label:	Magna Carta MA-9021-2
Length(s):	53 minutes
Year(s) of release:	1998
Month of review:	09/1998

Line up

Terry Bozzio - drums
Billy Sheehan - bass
Trent Gardner - keyboards, trombone
Wayne Gardner - electric and acoustic guitars, some bass
John Petrucci - guitar
Steve Howe - acoustic guitar
Derek Sherinian - keyboards
James Murphy - guitars
Michael Bemesderfer - flute, wind controller
Frederick Clarke - nylon string ugitar
Matt Guillory - keyboards
Bret Douglas, Matt Bradley, James LaBrie, D.C. Cooper and
Trent Gardner feature on vocals.

Tracks

1)	Fate Speaks	16.00
2)	Fading Fast	8.45
3)	No Returning	8.20
4)	Time Enough	9.15
5)	Last Call	11.10

Summary

Well, plenty of material written already on this one including some of the most positive reviews I've seen over the years (one reviewer made this album classic right away, up there with Close of the Edge). Let's see what the humdrum is all about.

The music

Many a Magna Carta person on this album, but does that make it a good album. Only five long tracks on this one. The first of these clocks at 16 minutes and opens with quite a lot of freaking on the drums and guitar, making it a very riff oriented start. The music can be compared to a more rocking version of Yes, especially in the vocal lines. It is also apparent very quickly that the melodic side is less important than the forcefulness in the music. The fact that each of the guitarsolo's is noted in between is something that was also done with the hardrockbands of the eighties. With these many soloists this may be unavoidable, but I just don't like it in between the lyrics. But continuing with the music...I have to admit not being to fond of it. Like the other Magna Carta projects quite a lot of fiddling and the music is certainly energetic (like LTE), but the music lacks in the melody and although there 's plenty of things happening there's actually rather little variation, especially in moods. This mood change happens when we go to the next track, Fading Fast. Gregorianish stuff at the beginning and some nice worldish percussion. When the guitar sets in however, I tend to lose interest quickly, with lots of playing, but little direction. After a non-obvious shift back into calmer waters the vocal part starts. The vocals of Matt Bradley are more likable than those of Brett Douglas and the vocal melody is also a lot better. Keyboards in the back make this a more likable track for the prog lovers, and Petrucci's solo has some feel this time. The opening of part 3, No Returning, is a guitaristic one (reminding me of Big Ship of the Cardiacs, but never mind that), with some acoustic guitar and keys thrown in. Some heavy pumping/riffing as well here and I'm not too fond of that. The additions on flute do diversify however. The Yes influences are bck with the harmonies of James LaBrie and Trent Gardner. The song moves right into Time Enough that is a little more melodic and with its Queensrychian atmosphere holds a promise. The singing is by Royal Hunts D.C. Cooper and the lyrics we already knew from the first track. Even during the quick solo of Murphy the song retains its sense of moving forward, a slightly Arabic feel. After the trombone solo by Trent Gardner, Sheehan plays some nice acoustic guitar. Very moody all of this. Then we get a nice percussive piano part (something I seem to have a soft spot for) after which D.C. starts his singing. Quite melodramatic this part, almost Styx or maybe Kansas. The heavy rock returns in the final part, Last Call. This song can be compared with the first and third track, although there's a particularly driving part in the middle.

Conclusion

The album seems to alternate heavy rock tracks with tracks that have a more melodic and atmospheric feel to them, in fact the odd track, 1, 3 and 5 are of the first kind, while the other kind is represented by track 2 and 4. Now, it turns out I'm not satisfied with the odd kind, while the even kind does have its merits: the variation therein lies in the instrumentation and moods and not in the shifts and breaks, a kind of variety one finds in most metal bands as well. Also the even tracks have more appealing melodies and to my taste better vocal parts. This is due to the melody of the vocals, but also the vocalists themselves. I mean, D.C. Cooper has a slight accent, but I still prefer him over LaBrie, Gardner and Bret Douglas.