Liquid Shadow were formed in 2000, but after four years decided to call it a day. Guitarist Przemek Drużkowski became part of well-known Polish act Millenium for their 2004 album ‘Déjà Vu’, while singer Sabina Godula provided backing vocals on the following year’s ‘Interdead’ and later became lead singer with Loonypark, with whom she has now recorded four albums. Originally released in 2004, and then remastered in 2008, this album is a collection of recordings made by the band between 2001 and 2003. Given that for the most part the music is either progressive rock or prog metal, there is a surprisingly large number of songs, fifteen for 67 minutes running time. Just a couple of these are sung in English, with the rest in Polish, and it isn’t surprising to discover that this is a collection of songs as opposed to a “proper” album, as there isn’t a real flow throughout.
But, while the band may have said that they were influenced by Dream Theater, for the most part this is a much more commercial affair, and it is an album that can be enjoyed on the first hearing. There may not be incredible depth to it, but there is certainly enough to be gained from playing it repeatedly. It is well-produced, the songs are quite catchy (even those sung in Polish), Sabina has a great voice and there is good interplay between guitarists Przemek and Jacek Bardo and keyboard player Krzysiek Lepiarczyk. I keep thinking that “Barok” is going to burst into a straight-out polka, as the music shines – this couldn’t be from anywhere else than Poland. This probably wasn’t easy to get hold of in 2008, and even less so now, but it is well worth hearing if you ever come across it.
