Burning Candle-Burning Candle (1981)

An interesting German band with a distinctly progressive style, founded in the mid-70s by Hans Neuber (keyboards), Rolf Vitzthum (drums), and Klaus Schmidt (guitars and bass). For a time, they became one of the sensations of German rock. Their sound was clearly related to their British contemporaries Emerson, Lake & Palmer, undoubtedly thanks to keyboardist Neuber, a classically trained musician. Consequently, there are also many elements of jazz and classical music throughout their work. Their only album became a collector's item due to the limited number of copies released and the enormous musical potential it offered. Released in 1981, the compositions on this album date back many years. The band had broken up in 1978 and reunited to record this brilliant album, at a time when progressive rock wasn't at its peak. It's curious to note how music composed during the height of the progressive rock craze was released just as the genre had lost some of its appeal. Highlights include tracks like "Stranger", a clear example of the German school of symphonic prog, featuring elements reminiscent of ELP. The rest of the album leans more towards the sounds of other German bands from the previous decade, such as Eloy, Ramses, and Novalis. The organ is present in most of the tracks, with movements reminiscent of Keith Emerson, as demonstrated in the superb "Eternal Faith". In "The Appearance of the Ghosts", they showcase their powerful symphonic rock with vibrant guitars and synthesizers featuring continuous rhythmic shifts, culminating in the acoustic "Mosella", a clear nod to Yes's "Mood for a Day", and the progressive epic "Expedition to the Sun", a clear example of the fusion of all their influenced styles and genres. Burning Candle is another example of a band that, for some strange reason, never had the chance to cross borders and reach the powerful and influential British market, achieving the well-deserved success that this magnificent and forgotten group rightfully deserved.