Pray For Rain is L.A.-based Atlantis' debut album (and maybe the last). At the moment members of Atlantis are on hiatus and/or working on other projects, so it's a possibility they'll never make another Atlantis album. It's a shame, as this debut release is actually quite good... They even got Allan Holdsworth to play a solo on Oceans to Cross.

Production on this album is quite good... except for some of the synth sounds that are annoyingly bright and reedy (occasionally). Otherwise John Perez and others have done a good job. For example, mastering has been done professionally.

Songs are melodical progrock, diverse and full of different soundscapes. All of the songs contain some felicitous parts, but some of them also have less successful parts. However, on the whole the songs are good. As a guitarist, I must comment lead guitar playing: Karl Johnson doesn't relapse into shredding atonal patterns (too often), but concentrates on melodic playing. Needless to say, the songs where he plays melodic solos are much better than those that contain shredding.

Overall 'Pray For Rain' is a good progrock album. There are better albums too, but Atlantis isn't a bad choice to pile up your collection of progrock. I'd suggest you to listen to 'Magnificent Desolation' at ProgRock Records' website. It should give you enough preview of this album to be able to decide whether you like Atlantis or not. However, it isn't my favourite song...


- MAGE (30.07.2004)

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LINE-UP:
Bodnar, David: Vocals Jaquess, Ken: Bass Johnson, Karl: Guitar Wicke, Hank: Drums Teknobudd X: Keyboards Craft, Bob: Drums on tracks 3, 4, 7 & 8 Holdsworth, Allan: Solo on track 8
Producer:	Atlantis
Mixing by:	Perez, John; Jaquess, Ken & Johnson, Karl
Mastering by:	Perez, John

	TRACKLIST:
	01. Pray for Rain 02. Magnificent Desolation 03. Lelune 04. Again 05. The One 06. Hills of Time 07. Secret Realm 08. Oceans to Cross 09. Forest Cathedral