The second review (the first being the excellent Inner Cosmos by Matt Goodluck) of a release from brand new label, OtherSide is an interesting one. Indeed, a label based in California releasing an instrumental album by an Australian Floyd tribute band lead vocalist and a somewhat obscure Swedish band not extant for twenty-five years certainly gives me hope of further eclectic delights to come.

Twin Age were formed in 1994, and released three albums before disbanding, and not a great deal has been heard of them since. Until now, that is. The label has released a digital version and limited-edition CD of the band’s 1997 album, Lialim High, regarded as representing their creative peak.

I avoid labelling artists with prog rock “sub-genres” on this website as a rule, but I will make a rare exception for this act, because they really are an archetypal “neo-prog” act, infused with the spirit of that second wave of prog which started in the UK in the 1980’s, and it is a truism that if you are an admirer of early IQ especially, then you will find a lot to enjoy here. In all honesty, my musical tastes have expanded a huge amount in that forty-odd years, and I listen to early IQ, Pendragon, and Marillion, these days as a bit of a rare nostalgia fest, knowing that I regard all bands as having their greatest creative moments long after those heady days of which I was proud to have been a fan and observer.

So, with the above in mind, readers of this review should not expect anything radically new. But is the album worth parting with your hard-earned? In addition to the samples embedded here, you can pop along to the Bandcamp page at https://twinage.bandcamp.com/album/lialim-high There are six tracks, two of epic length, and no small amount of ambition.

The lineup on the album was Johan Hansson on vocals, Carl Johan Kilborn on keyboards, Jörgen Hansson drums, John Löwenadler guitars, and Petter Petterson on bass guitar.

Twelve Feet Tall opens the album at eleven minutes plus. Immediately, you are struck by the soundscapes created by Kilborn’s keyboards, a nice symphonic noise, the sort we prog lovers have been enjoying since we fell in love with the genre. A minute in, the band enter in a nice jazz infused noise. When Johan starts singing, you will hear what I mean by the IQ influence, and, indeed, the first (and subsequent) guitar solo of Löwenadler takes this further. The more I have listened to this track, the more I have enjoyed the intricacies which lie within it, and there is some especially nice mellotron and flute work in parts.

Blinded follows. The guitar work is strong on this, and I rather like the piano melody on a pleasant pastoral progressive rock piece which I have embedded below. I think this track has the strongest vocal on the album, rather yearning in places, searching for meaning.

The Pelican Lie is the longest track on the album, weighing in at over fourteen minutes and it is a prog rock epic recreating the spirit of the 70’s and 80’s revivalist acts, nothing more, nothing less. The drums throughout are a joy set against a nice melodic bassline. It is not a memorable track as such, lacking the drama and angst of, for example, The Last Human Gateway. The musicianship is never anything less than accomplished, but it fails to move this listener.

Famous Last Words is up next. I have embedded it below, and you will again strongly react to the influences wrought large. I like the guitars and swirling keys, but at this stage I must admit that the vocals are beginning to grate somewhat.

A Sign Of My Decline follows, not the most cheering of titles, it must be said. I like the quieter start, thoughtful and reserved, and it is a shame there was not more of this, because the main track as it develops is much of a muchness with what preceded it, although the early Banks infused key chords are impressive and there is a sense of the dramatic throughout.

The Final Decision, appropriately enough, closes proceedings. It is the shortest track on the album, an instrumental, and probably my favourite here. It is embedded below. It benefits from a more laid back and, dare I say it, original approach and, if I am being brutally honest, a lack of vocals.

Lialim High is certainly a contrast to the first OtherSide release I reviewed last week. I found the Matt Goodluck release original and progressive in the truest sense of the word, by which I mean it had its clear influences, but gave us something new with variations on themes. This album, though, is, I feel, a curiosity at best, and one for those of you who are completionists of this specific sub-genre of music.