Modrigue
For their 45th anniversary, ELOY releases its second official live album, "Reincarnation on Stage". The set-list features extracts from the Bornemann and co.'s best records since 1975: "Power and the Passion", "Dawn", "Ocean", "Silent Echoes and Mighty Cries", "Colours", "Planets", "Time to Turn", "Metromania", "The Tides Return Forever" "Ocean 2" and "Visionary". The songs are mostly rather faithful to their original studio versions, a bit rock-ier.
The first disc has a few modifications though. "Namaste" is pleasant ambient opening with spoken words in English. The guitars on "Child Migration" are heavier, however the introduction is absent and the synthesizer, less present. The track thus increases in intensity but loses a piece of its charm. The final "Echoes"-like bass driven part of "The Apocalypse" has also been removed. "Age of Insanity" and "Illuminations" feature nice keyboard solos, while Frank Bornemann demonstrates his guitaristic talents on "Silhouette". "Horizons" has a strange sound which results in an average rendition.
There are much less variations on the second disc. The live versions of the songs simply rocks! The only noticeable change is that "Atlantis' Agony"'s long overture has been cut off. "Thoughts" is a pretty conclusion.
"Reincarnation on Stage" is a great overview of the band's career, as the set-list covers more than 30 years. As on the 1978 "Live" album, there are no big surprises, but the performances are very nice. This double live album should please all fans of Bornemann and co. and is also a good way to discover ELOY.