Search - Pallas :: Arrive Alive

A trip down memory lane for one of the best "unknown" bands

amazon15044 | 09/04/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This album is must for any old fans of Pallas, and in fact for anyone discovering them now for the first time. Although quite dated by todays standards, and with very basic production standards (five of the nine tracks here are live recordings - and from the sounds of them with no overdubs!) this collection of tracks demonstrates a range of styles, and introduced early fans to Pallas "classics", one or two of which are still prominent in their live shows today. The Album opens with the title track, Arrive Alive, which is in no uncertain terms a full on red blooded classic song. This version, rough and ready, is the first song I ever heard by Pallas and one everybody should have on their favorite cruising in the car compilation tape. This track was rerecorded for "The Sentinel" album, and although the production on that version is far superior to this one, this one has an urgency and vigour that is still apparent when played live today. Moving on, Five To Four, Queen Of The Deep, Flashpoint and The Ripper, here performed live, show the bands roots and influences. Genesis, Pink Floyd and Rush all get a look in here. Large instrumental passages give away the fact that the bands singer at the time, Euan Lowson, was prone to spend time changing into various costumes. The last live track, Crown Of Thorns, is another classic. In fact, at is at this point on this rerelease that one of the omissions from the original release, Heart Attack, raises its head. However Heart Attack (like Crown Of Thorns) was rerecorded as a B-Side when the band signed to EMI, and will hopefully surface if "The Sentinel" is rereleased on CD. After this, Paris is Burning, The Hammer Falls and Stranger On The Edge Of Time, all studio tracks show a more avant garde side to Pallas, with Graeme Murray taking a poigniant turn on vocals for The Hammer Falls."

Docked a star for sound / "ripped" off riff

NEOPROG RAN | EL PASO TX | 09/10/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The music on this is great- no doubt about it. Queen of the Deep is a great song; Flashpoint is a good rocker; The Ripper is a creepy atmospheric song that effectively and dramatically pushes you inside the mind of a serial killer. Euan Lowson is an interesting singer to say the least. Crown of Thorns is a nice song but it rips off Genesis too blatantly. Pizza Pebozo often puts this band down- but these guys are really a good band and damn if they didn't capture the spirit of the 70s prog by revitalizing the prog scene in the 80s. So bless these guys along with Marillion, Pendragon and a few others."