ULYSSES - NERONIA - 1993

Neronia biography
Starting off as ULYSSES*, the band released a first album titled "Neronia" back in 1993. For legal reasons, however, they had to drop their band name and decided call themselves NERONIA. A whole decade went by where the band went through extensive personnel changes and without releasing any albums. Finally, in 2004, an independent release titled "Nerotica" saw the light which featured keyboard player and vocalist Falk Ullman (TIPSY SLUT), guitarist Mirko Rudnik, bassist Joerg Schaufert and drummer Robert Zoom. The music is a mixture of metal and neo-prog with an emphasis on the latter, giving it a feel similar to thr heavier neo-prog acts such as ARENA, ENCHANT and SYLVAN.

The album "Nerotica" offers plenty of drama and bombast as well as some excellent musicianship and a quality production. To those familiar with the band's former incarnation as ULYSSES, please note that all PENDRAGON and MARILLION influences have vanished from this new album, except perhaps for the epic closer where you'll still hear the ghost of old MARILLION, FISH-like phrasing included. Overall, however, the radio-friendly tunes and the high-pitch vocals sound more like a blend of old STYX/MEAT LOAF style with the 90's sound. Nothing groundbreaking on the prog scale but refreshing and fun if you like the genre.

Should be of interest to fans of ARENA, ENCHANT, SYLVAN, MARATHON and EVERON.
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