Flame Dream have reformed with their original lineup almost 40 years after the band's demise. In the early 1980s, the Lucerne-based band accomplished the feat of carrying the tradition of progressive rock music into the New Wave era, albeit with a considerable stylistic modernization compared to the 1970s sound. This modernization of the classic prog tradition worked particularly well on their 1982 album "Supervision." Few major prog bands have managed to bridge the gap so effectively between the symphonically complex bliss of the 1970s and the clinically cold sterility of the 1980s. At some point, however, mainstream arbitrariness virtually brought the bastion of progressive rock on picturesque Lake Lucerne to its knees. What remained were four very appealing prog albums, one mediocre, and one bloodless mainstream album.

Unfortunately, the Swiss band's albums have been blessed with the fate that none have yet been officially re-released on CD. So far, there have only been illegal reissues of some albums as burned bootleg CDs by the obscure Tachika label in Japan. In 2022, the former band members began preparing for the long-overdue official CD re-releases. "Elements," "Out In The Dark," and "Supervision" are planned for CD reissues in 2025. During the reunions between the four original members, it fortunately emerged that creative vibes were still evident after four decades, which culminated in the writing and recording of new songs. The creative end result, completely unexpected for the prog scene, is now available in the form of a new album entitled "Silent Transition."

Like a time capsule, the six tracks on the album offer all the ingredients of Flame Dream's trademarks and catapult the band's style from the early 1980s straight into 2024. This includes, above all, Peter Wolf's still bright vocals and Roland Ruckstuhl's varied keyboard playing. In the lively opener "No Comfort Zone," the reformed Swiss band demonstrates in about ten minutes how bulky, symphonic rhythms can be combined with a catchy groove. Without denying their roots in classic prog, their sound certainly shows its modernity. For comparable bands, IQ, UK, VdGG, and even Supertramp in a modernized version come to mind. This mixture is also maintained in the title track. While Flame Dream's approach to the album "Out In The Dark" was quite keyboard-heavy, with the exception of guitarist Dale Hauskins, guest musician Alex Hutchings' electric guitar is quite prominent on 2024. In a shimmering fusion style, this contributes to a transparent soundscape and, for example, lends "Velvet Clouds" an atmospheric touch with its ornate sound ornaments, along with the variable keyboard interludes.

On "Signal On The Shores," the Swiss band offers an unusually modern instrumental symphonic rock with an alternating mix of striking electric guitar and bold synth fanfares. This is the album's dramatic climax, before "Winding Paths" brings a high-quality and unexpected comeback album to a close with convoluted pathos.

Tracklisting:

1. No Comfort Zone (11:27)

2. Silent Transition (12:28)

3. Velvet Clouds (10:30)

4. Out from the Sky (6:26)

5. Signal on the Shores (7:02)

6. Winding Paths (14:56)

Total Time 62:49

Line-up / Musicians

- Peter "Pit" Furrer / drums, percussion

- Urs Hochuli / bass

- Roland Ruckstuhl / piano, organ, keyboards, percussion

- Peter Wolf / vocals, flute, saxophones