| The
Review |
Jeff Cannata is a veteran of the art/prog rock genre.
His new release Mysterium Magnum is a triumph in every sense
of the word. Cannata has a multitude of talents at his disposal.
He sings, plays guitar, bass, synths, percussion, drums, and
in addition to that produces the album. Many veteran listeners
may recognize Cannata from his Arc Angel days; well he just
keeps getting better all the time.
The presentation of Mysterium Magnum is superb. The CD
comes housed in an elegant digi-pack with a CD booklet and
the artwork is typically artsy sc-fi, the kind you always
love to look at and enjoy with art rock or prog releases.
The music is excellent and so are the lyrics. Cannata
sings brilliantly and expressively throughout while offering
great guitar work and layered keyboards that create a billowing
cloud of sound that makes you float away. Along with the guitar
that stings and bites at just the right times in between the
lyrics, at times you will hear flutes intermingled to give
it that mystical alluring appeal, its nearly hypnotic at times.
This music will prompt you to see many visions and the lyrics
will help that process along.
The sound and production on this CD is outstanding, I
think it becomes more recognizable with each listen. I became
more appreciative of every aspect of this CD after the third
listen, and by the way, I feel like I am only getting started,
there is a lot more to enjoy and absorb here.
I loved every song without a doubt but there was one
that really moved me, “Tears For America.” I felt saddened
by this song because it was so true to life. Passages like
this really got my attention -The third verse: "Remember the
days, there’re far away / and we were invisible / Nothing
to worry, nothing to fear, we were untouchable." Then the
sixth verse: 'The tears of America, welling up inside / Like
the soul of the mannequin / The heart is still alive." This
is about our America, the country that suffered through 9-11
and currently a prolonged stay in the Middle East, amongst
many other tragedies over the last few years. It hit home
for this listener.
Not only are their powerful statements lyrically on this
album, the music is a constant source of energy, inspiration,
excitement, and in the end, truth about who we are as human
beings on a planet filled with confusion and strife. Music
again becomes the ultimate messenger and enjoyment is possible
even if the subject may be dark at times, and that is most
beautiful thing about music like this, if its done right like
Jeff Cannata presents it, it then becomes something you want
to experience all the time.
©
Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck
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