This is the very first Landmarq's official live album recorded during their recent tour
in Europe. As for me, "Thunderstruck" is undoubtedly the weakest album in the history
of this excellent British Symphonic Art Rock Band. Quite apart from the ordinary 'live'
singing by Tracy Hitchings (She is OK in the studio, but... Oh Damian, why did you leave?),
there seems to be an impression that this album was produced just in order to draw
the attention from the direction of the great many potential fans.
"Thundertsruck" contains all (!) the most accessible songs ever created by Landmarq (such
a set of blockbusters): to begin with a live (rock-pop, though) version of Pinewood Avenue
("The Vision Pit", 1995), then on to primitively progressive Solitary Witness
(the opening track for "Infinity Parade", 1993), through the absolute simple and
trivial Borders (just a bonus track, the only 'simple a song' from their debut masterpiece
"Solitary Witness", 1992), and conclude with quite monotonous Summer Madness (from
their another masterpiece "The Science of Coincidense", 1998). Tailspin is nice progressive
composition, but originally it sounds better than its live versions on
"Thunderstruck".
And only The Overlook, Between Sleeping and Dreaming and the titletrack from "The Science
of Coincidense" paint a vivid picture of True Landmarq, show the really magical,
hypnotical, beautiful, exceptionally original Style created by one of the few Progressive
Hallmarks to come out from the contemporary British Rock scene.
Summary. I will back to describe the Landmarq's wonderful creation with an 'Overall View' and
a few actual questions (to Someone and other reviewers on the web), for example, like this:
"What makes you think that Landmarq is Neo band?". To answer it (them, though) I have many
trumps in my Russian sleeve. I have not leg to stand on just regarding the band's last turn.
Now I can just say "Thanks for discard". But also I am just waiting for my own next turn.
VM. February 5, 2000