As many as 9 years passed since the launch of the previous album of Canadian group Mystery. The album entitled “Destiny?” won over a lot of positive reviews of both the critics and the listeners, who once rushed to buy this CD. Even up to now it is one of the bestsellers of Unicorn Digital record company. So the listeners’ patience was tried, as 9 years is quite a lot of time. In the meantime the album “At The Dawn Of A New Millenium” was released, but it was kind of retrospective and it comprised of the tracks from “Destiny?”, the debut Mystery’s album “Theatre Of The Mind” and also the oldest group’s release (from 1992), which in fact was a demo CD.
Now Mystery are coming back with the romantically entitled album “Beneath The Veil Of Winter’s Face”. Why were we made to wait so long for it? Because the were a few changes in the band. There is no longer Gary Savoie in their line-up. Benoit David, who carries out very well, substituted him. Another cause of such a long break was the fact that the leader and main composer of the band, Michel St-Pere was absorbed in marketing the activity of Unicorn Digital recording company which he manages. During these 9 years he released a few dozen albums of the artist from all around the world, discovering for progressive audience such mega talents as Hamadryad, Retrospective, Spaced Out, The Gourishankar and our Polish T.A.O.
Finally he woke his band from the state of hibernation and I have to admit that “Beneath The Veil Of Winter’s Face” really struck me. All the impatient fans will surely be satisfied and rewarded for the long years of waiting. All 10 tracks, which comprise this album – this is music written and played with great flow, panache and enormous ease. Quality of the compositions is perfect, it’s clearly audible that during these 9 years Michel gathered a great deal of good music. Occupied with marketing and search for new faces for his record company, he didn’t forget how to compose, play his guitar solos and synthesizers parts in order to enchant the listeners. Accompanying musicians – Steve Gagne (dr) and Patrick Bourque (bg) do a great job, too. I have already written about the new vocalist. Benoit sings really good, although sometimes I have impression that he lacks the high-pitched and nice Savoie’s timbre of voice a bit. But he knows perfectly well how to sing the prog rock compositions. As a matter of fact, his real debut with Mystery took place a couple of years ago, when on the Pink Floyd tribute album, entitled “Signs Of Life” he sang the classic anthem “Hey You” wonderfully. There are many of those who think that this is one of the most interesting interpretations, which could be found on that album.
Mystery’s music will certainly impress the fans of style á la Rush, Kansas and Styx fancy, that is melodic prog rock with hint of AOR. This is the sound that the band has been always famous for. And still is, fortunately.
„Beneath The Veil Of Winter’s Face” album begins with a real musical earthquake in the form of great catchy track “As I Am”. Next, there is a very good title composition, then phenomenal “Snow White” connected with a dynamic “Travel To The Night”. Later, the temperature on the album seem to drop, because the following three tracks: “The Scarlet Eye”, “The Third Dream” and “Voyage To The Other Side” are in my opinion the weakest points of the album. However, the epic final part of the “Voyage To The Other Side” promises the great emotions which come next: there is a lovely ballad “The Sailor And The Mermaid” with moving but very sad lyrics. It is followed by the longest and very epic composition “The Awakening”. It is a real musical masterpiece full of unusual sounds and diverse moods, crowned with a superb climax. “The Awakening” is doubtless one of the most interesting compositions that the band has recorded so far. It ends with a long meaningful wind rustle. This wind disperses the veil from the winter’s face. When the wind stops, there comes the awakening. This track has an infinite deposits of the emotional charge. It comes as no surprise that afterwards, we are presented with just one recording – 3-minute only, almost rock-and-roll track “The Preacher’s Fall”. It is completely different than everything before, but it brings the listener back to reality after fantastic journey, which he makes during “The Awakening” with the enchanting sounds of Mystery music.
I am under huge impression of the new Mystery’s album. I think it’s because of the fact that with all its complexity it is an extremely nice album to listen on hot summer days. I really recommend it to all the listeners with the ears wide open.
