Releasing two albums of new material in the same year could be seen as either a big gamble or foolhardy. But it was a risk that veteran British proggers Galahad were prepared to take as they sought to regroup and reinvigorate themselves after the death last September of Neil Pepper, their bass player. As Pepper plays on both …Euphoria and Battle Scars, released in March, the albums could be seen as a tribute and a reminder of how much he is missed by band and fans. …Euphoria has been released a year and a month after his passing.

Both albums herald a completely new direction for the band as they have dared to be different by adding ambient/trance elements to the mix, an idea which came from keyboard player Dean Baker.  Whereas Battle Scars was mainly hard-edged rock, Beyond the Realms of Euphoria features a couple of longer pieces, full of interesting melodic twists and turns but more about them later. Produced again by the much in demand Karl Groom, Galahad have really earned their spurs through delivering two quality albums supplemented by some live dates in the UK and the Netherlands which have shown them to be in cracking form with Mark Spencer joining them on bass.

The psychedelic cover illustration of red, orange, yellow and pink by Emma Grzonkowski is also a masterstroke. That’s made even more relevant in contrast to the tranquillity of the inside photograph over the sun setting over a poppy field. For above all, this is an album which encompasses those two very different dynamics.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2012  Volume 6 at lulu.com/strangesound.

The dreamy chords of “Salvation I –Overture” give the first hint of the techno treats ahead as Dean Baker creates some sparse loops over a choir before unleashing the full force of the dance groove over Spencer Luckman’s big, meaty beats and Roy Keyworth’s characteristic scuzzy guitar riffs come crashing in.