LAZARUS DREAM - Imaginary Life (CD)

The German hard rock band Lazarus Dreams with their third album

"Imaginary Life". The core of the band consists of multi-
instrumentalist/composer Markus Pfeffer (Barnabas Sky, ex-Scarlett) and

singer Carsten Lizard Schulz, (ex-Domain/ Evidence One), meanwhile
expanded by drummer Markus Herzog (e.g. Double Crush Syndrome,
Cherie Currie/ex-The Runaways). From the more experimental approaches
of the previous album "Lifeline", the band returns to the melodic Hard Rock
roots of the debut album "Alive" and puts the focus more on catchy hooks
and choruses, groovy riffs and melodies. On the title track, Vanden Plas
guitarist Stephan Lill shines with an impressive guest solo. The first single
"My Prayer" is an elegiac highlight, which combines clean delay guitars la
Pink Floyd, edgy riffs and filigree guitar solos with emotional vocals and
bombastic vocal arrangements by Schulz, which would also have fit a
gospel choir. Other highlights include AOR opener "The Sweetest Chaos,"
ballad "Beauty Among The Ruins," synth-heavy up-tempo rocker "Rebel
Again," and seven-minute closing epic "Empire Of Thorns." The impressive
artwork was created by the well-known French artist Stan W. Decker (Night
Ranger, Stryper, B C, among others).