Eyes in the Night is a superb seven-disc box set spanning the height of Scottish progsters Pallas over the first half of the 1980s. Including of course their masterpiece The Sentinel.
I’ve been told for years that The Sentinel is a stone cold classic, however not got around to buying a copy. With it being hard to find on CD these days, when I saw Cherry Red/Esoteric were to release this box set I thought why not…..get one. So I did.
It’s all excellent stuff. Cherry Red do these box sets so well. The usual nice and sturdy box contains the seven discs, a poster and a comprehensive booklet with all sorts of history of the band during the 1980s and lots of photographs.
The discs are in replica cardboard sleeves consisting of the following:
CD1: Arrive Alive from 1981: the bands debut being a live album. A little rough and ready though showcases an emerging progressive band full of potential playing longish, interesting, complex yet accessible music mixing in the driving guitar, all sorts of keyboards and synths, throbbing bass, intricate drumming and dramatic vocals. Queen of the Deep, Heart Attack and the unsettling The Ripper in particular.
CD2: Here we have more live stuff. A couple of Friday Rock Show performances. You remember the good old Friday Rock Show – right? One of Pallas at the 1983 Reading Festival, the other a studio session.
CD3: The Sentinel from 1984. The band’s debut studio album. It is indeed the classic I’d been repeatedly told it is. Bold, dramatic, flowing and engaging. It has the lot. Particularly enjoy the interplay between the guitars and keyboards and the synth bursts and stabs. A grower with each listen it comes over as a heady mixture of late 1970s Rush, Styx and Yes. All so good. Four bonus tracks pegged on too. Check out Cut and Run:
CD4: The US mix of the Sentinel. This mix is harder than the UK mix having the guitar much more prominent and the keys and synths lower. I prefer it.
CD5: The Wedge from 1986. The follow-up to The Sentinel. I say full marks to Pallas for not attempting to do The Sentinel Mark II and instead come out with something a little less progressive and a more towards (in parts) progressive metal. The songs generally heavier and more direct though there are some commercial aspects almost ballad- like there and there. Dance Through the Fire is upbeat and catchy whereas The Executioner is chunky, edgy prog. Plenty of bonus tracks here also,
CD6: Live at the Ritz, Aberdeen from 1985. A fine performance on home turf.
DISC 7: This is a blu-ray of Pallas performing live in London in 1985. I can’t comment on this as I made a slight error thinking it was a DVD, not Blu-Ray and I don’t have a Blu-Ray player…..
Nonetheless, this box set is a winner as Pallas show throughout what a fine band they were back in the 1980s right up there with the “neo-progressive” types such as IQ, Twelfth Night, Pendragon and the like.
Before buying this box set, my only exposure to Pallas was The Messenger which was released at the back end of last year. I didn’t take to that album too well (review here) however I must say how great everything here from the band back in the 1980s period covered by this box set is first class.
>> PALLAS EYES IN THE NIGHT BOX SET ON AMAZON <<
As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.