Material from 1988's
Ra and 1992's Destination II make up
Chronicles II, a compilation of
Eloy's lyrical work, but still jam-packed with astounding keyboard playing via
Michael Gerlach. Superb sound is prevalent on this album, as well as on Chronicles I, and while the music isn't as quick or as soaring as
Eloy's early material, their vast creativity is evident in the subtle melodies and the light instrumental work.
Frank Bornemann's vocals aren't horrid, but they do take away from the engulfing music that is being created behind his voice. As a progressive band, the instrumentation is the delicacy, so any singing that is involved blankets the purity of the music even slightly, especially in German prog where vocals are usually absent. An early
Pink Floyd sound can easily be picked out of some of the slower tracks, like "All Life Is One." The last four tracks of the album represent
Eloy as a duo, with only Bornemann and Gerlach at the helm, and it's definitely noticed. Without
Hannes Folberth on accompanying synthesizer and
Hannes Arkona on guitar, the band suffers from a lack of power and thickness.
Chronicles II is an interesting journey into the latter part of this exciting prog rock group, but the true beauty of their sonic performances lies in their early work. ~ Mike DeGagne