The self titled, debut release from BOOK OF REFLECTIONS is Lion Music's latest super-group effort. From start to finish, the CD is a high-energy extravaganza combining a perfect mixture of powerful vocals, heavy keyboards, heart pounding rhythms, classical guitar and is very comparable to early YNGWIE MALMSTEEN in its composure and production. As a matter of fact, just about any track on this CD, sounds like it could have been ripped right off of either Yngwie's “Marching Out” or “Trilogy.”

As for the band itself, well, the only members which remain consistent throughout are pounding drummer Eddie Sledgehammer and keyboardist Vitalij Kuprij who brings the compositions together with his intense keyboard solos and almost theatrical symphonies. Main song writer Lars Eric Mattsson also plays bass throughout but his real contribution, other than the songs themselves, are his dueling YNGWIE-ish guitar solos with Rusty Cooley which are imbedded on almost every track. Now for the vocals, well, I didn't say this was a “super-group” for nothing. The CD features vocal contributions by Mikael Holm (WINTERLONG), ex-LION'S SHARE/SECTION A vocalist Andy Engberg , Torgny Stjärnfelt (CONDITION RED) and ex-DREAMSCAPE vocalist Hubi Meisel who also gets into the act with some nice guitar work and a solo on track 4, “Tearing Down.”

The songs themselves are thrashy, hard-hitting compositions which are almost pseudo-gothic and theatrical in nature. Some of the highlights include “Guardian of Time,” “Only One Truth (both featuring Micke Holm on vocals),” and the instrumental title track “Book of Reflections” which features some amazing guitar work by Mattsson and an incredible improvised solo by Cooley . “You're Not Alone” also stands out. It is a slower, more commercial sounding track with some nice acoustic guitar work and impressive vocals by Hubi Meisel . But my favorite track on the CD is track 3 “Going Through The Motions” a more melodic, commercial-sounding piece (which again showcases Holm 's incredible vocal talents) but still maintains those thrashy elements.

If you like YNGWIE, BOOK OF REFLECTIONS is definitely the band for you!

BAND

Andy Engberg: lead and background vocals

Mikael Holm: lead vocals

Hubi Meisel: lead vocals/ guitar solo: “Tearing Down”

Torgny Stjärnfelt: lead and background vocals

Mikael Mattsson: backing vocals: “Let It Go”

Lars Eric Mattsson: guitar, bass, & keyboards

Rusty Cooley: guitar

Vitalij Kuprij: keyboard solos

Eddie Sledgehammer: percussion

TRACK LIST

* European bonus track