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Comeback for Swiss Proggers with a sound built on keyboards, guitar, bass & percussion, plus some wind instruments and Anderson - Gabriel style vocals!
Originally founded in Lucerne, in 1977 the group disbanded in 1986 after releasing four albums with a major label. FLAME DREAM actually recorded six albums before they split and developed a Symphonic Prog sound a little similar to GENESIS (keyboards, vocals, flutes etc.) especially on the first three releases, but several other influences such as YES, GENTLE GIANT, SAGA, UK and more crept into the unique sound the band developed through the 70s and 80s.
After their debut on the Philips label, the band then signed to the company’s Progressive/Rock subsidiary Vertigo Records, a major and influential label of the 70s. Their albums were professionally produced, but paradoxically were never distributed abroad except in Italy and Germany (and under the name of TRAVAGANZA in UK!).
While Prog fans are still waiting for the CD reissues of these albums, FLAME DREAM have surprised them with an unexpected come back … 38 years later!
FLAME DREAM discography…
'Calatea' (Philips - 1979)
'Elements' (Vertigo - 1980)
'Out In The Dark’ (Vertigo - 1981)
'Supervision' (Vertigo - 1982)
'Travaganza' (1983)
'6 On 6 ' (1986)
'Silent Transition' (Flame Dream Music - 2024)
(More details on FLAME DREAM and their older albums below)
About ‘SILENT TRANSITION’ (Track List at the bottom of the page)…
Made up of original founding members: Roland Ruckstuh (piano / organ / keyboards / percussion, Peter Wolf (vocals / flute / saxophones), Urs Hochuli (bass / design) and Pit Furrer (drums / percussion), completed in line-up by the excellent British guitarist Alex Hutchings (Steven Wilson band), the first aspect you will notice on 'Silent Transition' is the length of the songs.
Ranging from six to fifteen minutes each, this is not the only element 'Silent Transition' shares with FLAME DREAM's earlier albums. Complemented by thoughtful reflective lyrics from Peter Wolf, the music also showcases a wonderful return to true Progressive songsmithery by composer/arranger Roland Ruckstuhl, that is once again delectably oriented in jazz-fusion at times.
We mustn't also forget to mention the authentic familiarity the music expresses through the marvellously time-unaffected voice of Peter Wolf, who, just like Jon Anderson, sounds every bit as emotional, melancholic and uplifting as we remember him all those years ago.
A touch of synth-pop can also still be detected at times. Like in the opener 'No Comfort Zone', which ominously starts the album with a distinctly refreshing 80's sound. Familiar FLAME DREAM sounds emerge with an uplifting pop-melodic feel of GENESIS. Around the 5th minute, the song however elegantly shifts towards an ambient passage that develops into a rich Proggy momentum. Intricate arrangements and luxurious synths shine brightly when compared with UK.
The punchy snare drum does take away a tiny bit of warmth for me, but then after a daunting movement the composition's melodies return for a concluding segment of ABW&H styled textures, with fine guitar work added by Alex Hutchings, who seems perfectly at ease in the zone.
'Silent Transition' which opens with rocking guitar, follows a similar compositional path. At first, it shares synth-driven melodies that resonate with SAGA, but the sadness in Peter Wolf's voice and the elegant melodies of the song envision BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST melancholia. This is followed by a delightful bossa nova samba à la SANTANA, highlighted by jazzy Alan Holdsworth styled guitar work by Alex Hutchings, and classical piano by Roland Ruckstuhl. Seguing back with restrained interplay onto its vibrantly Brazilian theme, the song finally returns to its rocking beginning.
After multiple SAGA-ish deliveries, it ends quietly with tenderly transporting transient flute that softly whispers with GENESIS allure.
Following an entrance of desolate ice-cold atmospheres, album highlight 'Velvet Clouds' also at first blends sparkling multi-layered pop-melodics akin to Jon Anderson. It drifts ashore in ambient surroundings and, energised by piano, ultimately yields captivating Holdsworth fusion, thriving on odd time signatures and harmonic interplay.
Roland Ruckstuhl adds rich layers of virtuous synthesizer. Together with the delightful bass-driven melodies, the second incarnation of UK shines again, beyond belief. GERARD, DEJA VU, Andrew Roussak and ELP enthusiasts please take note as well!
Emotionally charged with a tangible burden of melancholy, 'Out From The Sky' follows this with intricate and sensitively subdued melodies that ripple comfortably onwards, while subtlety of orchestral arrangements and the expressive vocal tones of Peter Wolf in compliance to its lyrical statement offers a divine sense of hopeful relief.
The instrumental 'Signal On The Shores' provides a similar aspect in spades as it wades from a pool of solitude surrounded by hymning voices into a vast ocean of attractive melodies awash with diversity and dynamics. Alex Hutching's wonderful transporting guitar motifs also deliver a grand beacon of hope lit by melodic sounds akin to CAMEL.
Expertly saving the best for last, 'Winding Paths' once again offers Progressive fusion with opulently inventive rhythms and lots of creative musical ideas. This time through, bright melodies flooded with sizzling synthesizers and percussion spread over the production.
These firmly remind you of previous ABW&H explorations to which Hutchings inserts another fabulous touch of Holdsworth-like gymnastics. After a surprising combination of orchestral violin arrangements, the distinctive drum sounds/rhythms together with Peter Wolf's vocal delivery generates tempting memories of FM's 'City Of Fear'. Perfectly in sync and harmony during the song's promenading instrumental work-out, this excellent song finally unwinds in a gracious orchestral lengthy coda that provides a serene ambient reflection that deeply satisfies.
Deep satisfaction is the same conclusion I can draw for the 'Silent Transition' album. Independently released in a stylish, well-crafted Digi-Pak and accompanied by a 20-Page Booklet, I rate the album to be their most adventurous and consistently mature effort to date. As such it can easily compete with the best of their albums. For me, it almost effortlessly does and frankly surpasses every single one of these finer efforts. From what I gather this is merely the beginning of something excitingly new. Work on a follow-up is already in its early stages. Probably no need to say this after so many words, but I am looking forward to this with great anticipation.
A statement I also need to make for the long overdue official digital CD re-issues of their back-catalogue that the band soon plan to release, at last. Hopefully it will be all of them, because each of these albums, in their own way, are fully deserving of the artistic recognition that has been applied to them in the past by fans and critics alike.
Welcome back FLAME DREAM!
More details about FLAME DREAM…
FLAME DREAM were formed in 1977 by Urs Waldispühl (guitar / vocals) and the four current band members Roland Ruckstuhl (keyboards), Peter Wolf (flute / saxophone / vocals), Urs Hochuli (bass / vocals) and Peter "Pit" Furrer (drums / percussion), with shared lead vocals between Waldispühl and Wolf.
For the ‘Silent Transition’ album, FLAME DREAM acquired the services of UK guitarist Alex Hutchings.
This was the formation they released their 1978 debut album 'Calatea' with. Released on the Philips label, the album had an uncanny resemblance to YES - a delightful hybrid of jazz-fusion inspired Prog that on the one hand reminds you of bands like DRUID, ENGLAND, and STRACASTLE, While on the other, thanks to intricate flute play and lush key virtuosity, gets to share glimpses of GENESIS. The use of saxophone also brought a memorable touch of originality to the music.
An overall solid effort that sees an artistic highlight in the form of the track: 'Volcano'.
Following the departure of Waldispühl, FLAME DREAM followed that debut album with the released the conceptual themed 'Elements' in 1979, and they had moved from Philips to their Progressive off-shoot Vertigo, a label which had become legendary for being the home of some of the most innovative rock music of the time.
Featuring even longer epic Symphonic Progressive Rock compositions, the album still wore it YES influences with pride, however, slowly but surely it showed FLAME DREAM finding their own synth-driven style, which next to a fine GENESIS impression brings lush ELP imprints into the wash.
Adding a touch of Canterbury style, Mellotron with vibrant PFM/UK keyboards and elements of Classical Music, it was specifically the composition 'Sea Monsters' that drew the attention of Prog enthusiasts.
Introducing Dale Hauskins as a guest on guitar, it was with 'Out In The Dark' that FLAME DREAM gradually started to leave the Symphonic Prog arena and orientate towards uplifting synth-pop music, which, with a typical 80's sound, energetically dashes on with touches of GENTLE GIANT, to which the nicely maturing voice of Peter Wolf brought colourful imagery in the form of Jon Anderson and Peter Gabriel style vocals. Once again it offered perfectly arranged and adventurously inventive compositions that included a richness of fusion, with 'Wintertime Nights', a short but powerful track, being a highlight.
The three-parted symphonic 'Strange Meeting', based on the haunting lyrics by Wilfred Owen, actually acts as a perfect model FLAME DREAM's current approach in 2024!
'Paradise Lost' from their subsequent 1982 album 'Supervision' - also released on Vertigo - was recorded once more with a reduced line-up of four, and can also be seen as a template for FLAME DREAM's current style. Overall, their ongoing transition towards less complex compositions had become much more audible on this effort. Predominantly cheerful and energetic with fine up-tempo performances and funky bass, the music still contained many tasteful Progressive Rock elements with some UK influences coming through in the arrangements. Also one could hear two outstanding ballads in the form of 'Signs Of Solitude' and 'Tragedy', but to the discomfort of many, their music by now had lost most of its delectable fusion aspects.
Jump forty-two years and we now have the big comeback album: 'Silent Transition', released on the band's own independent label.
‘Silent Transition’ was released on 7th January 2025.
FLAME DREAM: SILENT TRANSITION Track List:
01. No Comfort Zone (11:22)
02. Silent Transition (12:24)
03. Velvet Clouds (10:25)
04. Out From The Sky (6:21)
05. Signal On The Shores (6:55)
06. Winding Paths (14:40)
TPT - 62:47