Customer Reviews

Legacy

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I've given this album a chance, but it just doesn't set my boxers on fire. I think the problem here for many people is that this CD isn't really progressive--it's more of a lengthy classical-rock album where most of the songs could have been cut down to four minutes without any decrease in quality. There aren't many wild style changes-this is straightforward, classical-tinged rock. When I saw that there was a thirty minute opus here, I was thrilled. I expected something very exciting and inventive. I was disappointed to find out "First Light" was mid-tempo throughout, with very little stiumlating music involved. Just when I thought it would rev up and get crazy, it slowed down. The choruses are bland and the solo work (guitar and keyboard) are lackluster. And the six-plus minutes of studio noise followed by an unnecessary orchestral section are a fatal shot in the foot (think gangrene). I wish Shadow Gallery could respond to this, because I'd like to know what they were thinking. It's almost painful to write this, because I loved "Tyranny" and "Carved in Stone". "Tyranny" is one of the best CD's of the decade. Why then did Shadow Gallery fall back a step? It seems like an average effort disguised as something big and special. Who knows, maybe the problem lies with the listener--there are so many brilliant prog bands out there that maybe I've come to expect too much. Obviously these guys are incredibly talented with unmapped potential. But "Legacy" harkens back to the days when they released their debut and were still finding their own sound. One last thought: what makes "Tyranny" so inspired is that the lyrics complement the music for more emotional impact. Here the lyrics don't say a thing to me. Especially "Society of the Mind"--to me, these are not deep lyrics. One or two sentences about Prozac or Ritalin doesn't constitute a profound message. Maybe an entire song exploring the impact of "Quake" and antidepressants?? Otherwise, this "pushing the buttons" doesn't elicit much of a response. It's undeveloped.

Oh, oh, the end of "First Light" is playing, reminding me of Vangelis. Please, guys, keep making the fantastic music of previous albums. There are flashes of brilliance on "Legacy", but they're smothered under layers of flab.

I first heard Shadow Gallery about two years ago when I picked up Tyranny. It completely blew me away!! I was brought up listening to Rush, ELP and Yes. Over time, I've developed a love and admiration for bands like Dream Theater, Queensryche, Marillion and Fates Warning. Shadow Gallery ranks right up there. Legacy continues to show the skill of these incredible musicians, but it's not Tyranny. The instrumental sections are very long, and there's not much happening when you consider some of their older material. My personal favorites on the record are Colors, and the first ten minutes of "First Light." Also, the tremendous vocal melodies from the last record are just not here. They attempt it, but it does not have the same effect. A good record, but SG is going down, not up.

I'm not sure what I was expecting with Legacy, Shadow Gallery's fourth release. Legacy smells like Shadow Gallery, looks like Shadow Gallery and sounds like Shadow Gallery--but is it Shadow Gallery?

Well, yeah, it is. But the things I love most about this band have been perverted or put aside. Shadow Gallery's beautiful vocal melodies--which have always bordered on sappy--are too sappy here. The instrumentals--which were tasteful on the last two albums--seemed to have regressed to what they were on SG's debut disc; the instrumentals on Legacy are excessive and too over-the-top for my tastes. And the lyrics seem rather mundane as they are almost a parody of the lyrics found on Tyranny and Carved in Stone.

I'm not knocking the band for this release--it is a good album. It just seems that the boundaries pushed on previous SG albums weren't pushed here. There isn't a progression from Tyranny. In fact, this album seems regressive as it apes SG's debut and sophomore releases quite effectively. Legacy is basically a cross between the debut and Carved in Stone. Not a bad thing, really. But what happened to the progression, the evolution that was Tyranny? No, I wasn't expecting Tyranny II. Too many fans fall into that trap. But I was expecting Tyranny's son, grandson of Carved in Stone. Instead, I get the inbred child of the debut and Carved in Stone: A cute enough guy, but he's a bit dull--if you take my meaning.

Still, if you're a Shadow Gallery fan, this is a good album. "Cliffhanger 2" is a great song, even though the second half of the song is excessive. "Destination Unknown" and "Colors" are good, but a bit too sappy in the vocal melody department. "Legacy" and "Society of the Mind" are pretty good, but they suffer from being too bland and generic.

Still, I like Legacy well enough.

When I first heard this CD, I was disappointed. Not because it's not a good album but because it came off of the heels of their classic concept CD Tyranny. It's like when Queensryche's Empire came out, we were all a little disappointed it wasn't Operation: Mindcrime part 2. But you can't go home again as they say -- nor should you in this sense.

Tyranny is what it is. But SG has to move on. Having listened to the album again recenlty I have come to realize that they have moved on.

There are so many good things I like about this band in general. They are progressive, can do quick scales and odd time meters in spades -- but don't need to continually prove that to the listener. There are times when they just rock out a straight 4/4 riff, and there are times when they go quietly into some keyboard interlude. Whatever is needed to make a good song, this band throws out there and does not seem to be limited or intimidated by musical diversity.

The lyrics are very well written. While I can't say I agree with every opinion expressed on an SG album, I do like that they don't resort to songs about the devil, to songs about sex, or to profanity. Their lyrics have a little class, and that's hard to find these days.

They're vocals are top-knotch. Mike Baker's voice gets more interesting and mature each offering and their background vocals are supurb. This band reminds me of the best parts of Styx, Queen, blended together with DTish prog stuff. I mean, they take the best of all worlds and make their own sound.

Legacy continues this tradition. No, it's not a full-length concept album about governmental conspiracy and treason, but hey, if every CD were about that, what would make Tyranny special? Legacy has its own unique qualities and 'll tell you, having listened to it with an open mind, I like it just as much as its predecessor.

While Dream Theater's star is falling -- miserably into the dregs of mediocrity and redundency and silliness on their new album Train of Thought -- I hope SG continues to grow and expand and uplift us with their beautiful and powerful music.

Keep up the good work guys.

Made in USA in 2001, Serial# MA-9047-2, Playing Time 71:57

I must confess I like SG; no, make that I like SG a lot!

People have a right to their opinion; they also have a right to share it with others. Others have a right to agree or disagree.

I found it, like most people that reviewed SG's 4th album so far, a bit disappointing, especially after a 2-year wait. IMHO, that's because of what happens after 23 minutes or so in the last track(which is why it lost 1 star).

Still, SG is possibly one the freshest bands to come out in the 90's in its genre.

"Legacy" is perhaps somewhat more commercial than their previous albums, but still presents some challenging melodies and arrangements. If you expect the same musical talent and finesse as GWAR or PANTERA, you'll be disappointed. Sure, it's easy to compare this album with their previous efforts. But it shouldn't stop there: one should also compare with the rest of what's out there!

SG has a unique blend of metal/prog/neo-classical, intertwining exhilirating musical partitions with some more subdued and, to some, sappy sections of piano/keyboard elements. That's what makes SG SG! It contains some "haunting" sonic textures.

"Cliffhanger 2" integrates new ideas with some older themes presented on "Cliffhanger" from CARVED IN STONE. Some tracks are more radio friendly than others, but in doesn't mean they're music prostitutes: they too have mortgages to pay.

SG is in the same "category" as DREAM THEATRE's "Images And Words", QUEENSRYCHE's "Operation Mindcrime", SYMPHONY X's "V", etc. It's not the same, and it's no better nor worse: it's just in the genre: for people to truly understand whether they should give this album a try, they must know what brand of music they make. Saying "it's great!" or "it sucks!" is useless: one could say that of any album, whether it's U2, SPICE GIRLS, ENYA, MOTORHEAD, DAVID FOSTER, or GARTH BROOKS (just trying to cover as many genres as possible).

On its own merits, this is IMHO a good album: perhaps not as inventive as "Carved In Stone" (still 1 of my all-time favorites) or "Tyranny", but still deserves 4 stars, at least in comparison with the bulk of what's being released these days. And that's how any album should be viewed: I should be tempted to buy a 4-star effort over a 3-star effort, no matter how it compares to the band's other own efforts. I prefer some groups over others, and that's what matters in the end: the "worst" SG album might still win over any of _______ (fill in a band you despise) albums.

If you like this genre of music, it's a good one in its class...

Boy I’ll tell you – First Light is quite the song. It has a little of everything in it. Where the rest of the album sounds like prog rock that just about any band could do, First Light really stands out to me. It is a 34 minute song, but kinda ends around the 22 minute mark. Starting at about the 27 minute mark, you hear door-knocking and doorbells ringing. Soon after that, you hear a beautiful keyboard sound that many people I know said that it comes directly from a movie they’re familiar with. No bells went off in my head, though.

These 6 songs are 13:00, 2 at 7:00, 2 at 5:00, and 34:00, for a total of almost 72:00. My other favorite is Destination Unknown. This is a very soft song. My biggest problem with the album is the production, which unfortunately, seems to be the way of the world with prog. Artension does the same to me. I enjoy all the keyboards and vocals in both bands, but the rest of the instruments don’t jump out at you. If you’re into softer, more melodic music, then this is the album for you. Not just to hear the end of First Light, of course – the whole album is almost as great as the first 22:00 of First Light.

When you get the time, go read some of my other reviews and say if they were helpful to you or not.

Shadow Gallery gets rave reviews on Amazon, but I wasn't impressed with this album. While their guitarist's technical skills are excellent, there's not a lot to recommend beyond that.

The band's sound feels only a step removed from Van Halen at their peak, with a slightly harder edge. But their arrangements don't stand out, and the lyrics often feel awkward ("Part of me is now part of you, my legacy is how I live on").

The album's probably at hard-rocking best with the first track, "Cliffhanger 2", which has some of the wide-ranging sound and arrangement that one expected from progressive rock, but it never quite nails a melody or harmony to really make you sit up and notice.

"Colors" has the opposite problem; it's got a very good melody and some strong vocal harmonies, but ultimately feels too smooth, like it's trying too hard to be an uplifting anthem. It's arguably the album's best track, but it doesn't rock and struggles at times with its lyrics.

"Society of the Mind" and "Legacy" are both straight-ahead rockers which feel extremely formulaic. Lastly, "First Light" deceives with its length; its first half is a moderately interesting prog track, but it then tails away and ends with a lengthy instrumental jam which isn't terribly interesting and doesn't add anything to the album. It should have been edited out.

Overall, Legacy has the superficial feel of a Dream Theater album, but without any of the substance or songwriting that makes Dream Theater interesting. It's a disappointment.

Dont be fooled by the negative reviews above some people seem to forget that progressive music involves progressing. Which Shadow gallery did on this superb release. It seems that unlike Tyranny most intrumental sections are separated from the vocal sections and most of the slower melodic music is separated from the faster paced music. This is not a bad thing or a good thing its just different. I beleive the album is worth buying just for the album closer "First Light" which sends shivers down my back to this day. Prog Metal fan? Buy this album.

This album is not Tyranny but it is excellent anyway. I really like track 2. It is very melodic, but has some bite. Society of the Mind is an awesome song that gives me chills. This alblum shows that you never can predict what Shadow Gallery will do next. These guys are amazing musicians! Buy Legacy and enjoy every second of it; do not compare it to Tyranny.

Just last night I acquired this recording immediately after learning of it's release. Since then I have listened to it twice in its entirety, and have mixed emotions about this composition. Because of this I announce the title 'Sonic Dichotomy' as to illustrate its apparent dual impression upon myself.

Before I express what I mean by this, let me first comment on some of the other reviews I just read. For the most part I agree with the reviews on this board except for the fellow who rated this recording with 1 star, and forgot to turn is cap lock key off. Let me say that SG is NOT DT, or Queensryche, and feature elements of style that are far different then either of the two aforementioned bands. For the record, Queensryche never really impressed me, except for several good songs, and DT, who absolutely AMAZED me with Images and Words (arguably the BEST prog metal recording of the 90s), in my opinion, went stone cold in all their following releases. Musically, I find SG far more talented, or should I say more proficient in instrumental mastery then Queensryche could ever hope to be. But, this is an opinion, and with it, do not wish to open any absolutely impossible debates.

Now, onto the main issue. Let me first comment about how I highly applaud the production of this CD. Even though I too agree that the vocal tracks at times gets a bit superfluous, the overall fidelity and gain in the recording is FAR SUPERIOR to any previous SG release including Tyranny. This is one CD that is entirely crankable, and sounds absolutely stunning while being emanated by my Klipsch KFL 30 speakers. The frequency ranges are delightful with lows down very deep, and with good articulation.

The first two tracks on the CD are outstanding. The instrumental section in Cliffhanger 2 left me completely satisfied. I can say with much confidence that the instrumental passages, or should I say 'hostilities' in Cliffhanger 2, is probably one of the best sequences ever recorded by SG. It's positively BRILLIANT, including the production of it that rendered it raw and very lively, NOT overproduced like much of it is in Tyranny. The second track equally impressed me with it's fresh tones, yet remaining faithful to their ORIGINAL sound, which in my opinion, features attributes of very old European music of the 14th and 15th centuries. This is one of the reasons why I've always liked SG; they never forget what it means to be Minstrel.

After the second track the release begins to lose it's momentum. In fact, the next 2, or maybe 3 songs begin to approach the forbidden, blasphemic realms of pop music, which of course I despise. The 6th track begins interestingly enough, but sure does remind me of Pink Floyd Dark/Moon and Wish/Here (welcome to the machine). In short, it appears that SG had just lost steam out on the second half of this release. This is why I call it a sonic dichotomy. The album begins fantastically, and then fades into near oblivion with what appears to be formulaic burn out. I could also address its duality from the stance of pointing out its superb production/fidelity, yet containing material that for the most part is just less then exciting. The last track, in where they take their artistic freedom as they did in Carved/Stone, was a bad move. It worked well on C/Stn, but didn't need to be nearly emulated on Legacy.

In closing let me say that this is a good CD, and is by no means a failure. Parts of the recording are simply fantastic, and I reiterate that the recording quality is far better then previous SG releases. It just appears that SG lost direction while composing this, and just flat out ran out of ideas. I sure hope this is not a sign of things to come, but I doubt it. The members of SG are far too talented and young to be done successfully composing new and exciting music for all of us to enjoy. And I fully plan on blindly purchasing their next release without regard. SG has certainly earned my appreciation.

PR