Cross - The Thrill Of Nothingness

Year of Release: 2009
Label: Progress Records
Catalog Number: PRCD038
Format: CD
Total Time: 00:00:00

As if about the bodiless antagonist to the Never Ending Story, there is fantastical aspects interlaced into the binding of this music. Notwithstanding conceptual titles that hint to exciting voids in fairytales, the compositions do hearken to Atreyu?s adventurous themes. While all songs are neither repetitive or accessible like Pop, it does incorporate some of Spock's Beard's and Pink Floyd's sound stylings. Other bands that come to mind include Knight Area and Pendragon. With that said, keyboards are king in this album, whereas bass and guitars are the princes to their universe. The vocals, however, resemble synthesizers in most cases, so they too fall within the Neo-Progressive sphere of influence. Last but not least, the pitter-patter of the drums fruitfully fill remaining empty space. Parenthetically, the easiest peach to pick is also their sweetest. This juicy tutti-frutti is called "Hope." Though simple in nature, the fact it's so reachable makes it the overall highlight. Regardless of what falls out when you shake Cross' branches, this is a wondrous album that's both engaging and consistent from start to finish, and there isn't a single rotten apple in the bushel. You can listen to it from the opener to "Eternity" without feeling as if your precious time got sucked into a wormhole.

[There is also a 2CD limited edition version which adds a disc bonus tracks (listing below) -ed.]

Tracklisting:
Universe Inside (7:44) / Animation (4:47) / Innocence (11:46) / Hope (4:21) / Chameleons (9:01) / Magnifico Giganticus (5:00) / Eternity (12:20)

[Ltd Ed. Disc Two: Love (0:43) / Superstition (3:51) / Bl?ckfisken (8:47) / Nothing, Yet Something (0:15) / Shake Your Enslaver () / Flumination (1:05) / Rhiannian Da?y (19:38)]

Musicians:
Hansi Cross - guitars, lead vox, additional keyboards
G?ran Johnsson - keyboards, harmony vox, tambourine
Lollo Andersson - basses
Tomas Hjort - drums, percussion

Guests:

Bruno Edling - vox (1[, 2:5])
Tomas Bodin - mini moog (7)
Kent Kroon - acoustic guitar (7)
[Robert Iversen - cymbals (2:7)
Olov Andersson - thal?mian synths (2:7)]

Discography:
Uncovered Heart (1987)
2nd Movement (1990)
Changing Poison Into Medicine (1993)
Gaze (1996)
Dream Reality (1997)
Visionary Fools (1998)
Gaze (remastered) (1999)
Secrets (2000)
Playgrounds (2005)
Secrets (remastered) (2008)
The Thrill Of Nothingness (2009)
Wake Up Call (2012)
De Capo (2014)
Gaze 2015 (2015)
Visionary Fools - mmxv (2016)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin SE

Added: November 27th 2009
Reviewer: Joshua "Prawg Dawg" Turner
Score:
Artist website: www.progressrec.com/cross
Hits: 5117
Language: english