Yargos - To Be Or Not To Be

*=Staff's pick	The Guilded Cage* Why?* Peace Of Mind Point Of No Return* A Time To Decide Pink Confusion Human Nature* Time Drops The Summer Tree* Full Circle Sometimes It Is Easier Turn Away The Summer Tree (Beat The Big Break)

Genre	Progressive Hard Rock	Andrew M./Anca G.	Vocals
Tracks	13	Wieland Hofmeister	Guitar
Runningtime	62 Min.	Andreas Kienitz	Guitar
Label	AFM Records	Peter Pichl	Bass
Release	18 Nov. 2005	Ossy Pfeiffer	Drums
Country	Germany	Ossy Pfeiffer	Keyboards
Similar artists	Threshold

Yargos is promoted as a new band of Threshold vocalist Andrew "Mac" McDermott but that is not entirely true. German based band Yargos was actually put together already in 1973 by Wieland Hofmeister and has existed on and off since then, but they haven't released anything until now. The line-up is completed by Running Wild bassist Peter Pichl, Andreas Kienitz (Hydrotoxin, Human Fortress) and the producer team in Anca Graterol and Ossy Pfeiffer, that in their studio have worked with bands such as MSG, Rough Silk and The Sweet.

Yargos offer progressive hard rock with a soft edge and strong catchy melodies with some occasionally heavy riffing. To Be Or Not To Be starts with a couple of up-tempo and high-flown songs with a pompous and mighty feeling and refrains that are catchy as well as powerful. Musically the band is moving in the outskirts of my knowledge since they are to me just as much a symphonic rock band as they are a progressive one. From what I can hear there is everything from Marillion, Eloy, Kansas, Saga and on to Dream Theater to be heard here, as well as the vocals, naturally, pushes my mind towards Threshold. With the songs they are constantly aiming high but do not always reach there, there is a tendency with Yargos that they try to build something out of air as they try to get more out of the songs than what really is there. It sounds hollow and lacks of substance at times. To me this is kind of a fifty-fifty album even if the percentage perhaps is in favor of the good songs, but you get my drift. With the stronger songs, when the progressive elements works together with some heavier riffs and the pop-ish catchy as hell melodies, it becomes really great.

Best song on the album is Human Nature as there everything seems to be falling into place. It is heavier and substantially better with more substance while it is not overdone with the progressive elements. With this song it is as they have put a little extra effort in to the making of it, as it has been more thought through. From the heavy riffs, the great drum rhythms and to the organ backing up the determined vocals from Mac in the powerful chorus, everything sounds awesome and in perfect harmony here.

Those that have heard Mac in Threshold is aware of his vocal capabilities and he does not let anyone down with his effort here either. The backing vocals from Anca Graterol gives the music from Yargos a bit more depth and is making the vocal parts sound richer, she also sings the lead in one track as well as a duet with Mac. The, in its surroundings aggressive song The Summer Tree, features a feast in great and melodic melody lines with the vocals, and those where the vocal lines are delightfully weaved into each other makes this song a mighty little number.

Production	Vocals	Compositions
7	9	7

Summary
7 chalices of 10 - Thomas