LA TULIPE NOIR - SHATTERED IMAGE - 2000

"Shattered Image" are a concept album about a man who looks back on the things in his life that has lead him to finally considering suicide. Apart from the female vocals this album could've been a MARILLION "Script For A Jester's Tear" Part II. Greece band La TULIPE NOIRE may not be as good musicians as MARILLION, but they have produced a album with very good melodies that reminds very much of MARILLION's debut album. Even their logotype reminds a lot of the first MARILLION logo. The MARILLION influences are the most obvious, but there's also reminiscences to ARENA, GENESIS, IQ and PENDRAGON with complex arrangements and lengthy instrumental passages. If this album had been released eighteen years ago, La TULIPE NOIRE could've been one of the forefathers of neo-progressive rock, but now they're dangerously close to being a clone. But then again, MARILLION was also accused for being a GENESIS clone back then. This is after all a nice album that is very good performed. But I hope that they will try to get a more personal style before the next release, because it's quite obvious that this band has all the potentials to make a real masterpiece if they could only get rid of the main part of their MARILLION influences. Recommended if you've longed for MARILLION to release a new "Script for A Jester's Tear" sounding album.
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