Hot on the heels of the release of their brand new studio album in 2024: ‘Silent Transition’, this is the first in a series of planned Remastered albums from the Swiss Prog band’s back-catalogue, all on CD for the first time! Engineered and co-produced in 1981 by John Acock (Steve Hackett albums fame) ‘Out In The Dark’ will be a very welcome release for Prog fans everywhere.

With a sound built upon the styles of classic 70’s Progressive Rock, 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 in 2024, 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 2024/5!

'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.