Echo
Ever the smoke was swirling
Wrapping itself around me
Ever the light was fading
Is that when you found me?
Who are you?
Why have you come?
If I stay maybe you'll find yourself
Come what may
I cannot break your spell
Narcissus
I am I
And yet I
I am Legion
I will speak
And will be heard
For I am I
Echo
Are we but shards of that mirror that lies
Broken in many pieces
These are the children we made
Yet for the smoke which billows
As the light doth fade
I would find them
Together we'd run away
Yet I stay, maybe you'll find yourself
Come what may
I think you made the smoke
Narcissus
There is no smoke
There is but one, yet many
I am I
Echo
Then you must walk in the darkness alone
You cannot save this wretch – he perceives that he is God
He nearly said as much – if you had paid attention
You cannot save this wretch – he perceives that he is God
He nearly said as much – if you’d been listening
Now you must wrest control– run and save yourself from him
He'll be close behind plotting your wreck and ruin
Something dark and twisted seized his mind – there's nothing left to save
Narcissus
There is no smoke
There is but one, one yet many
And here in darkness we abide
Narcissus
I am, I am ascending
I am, I am transcending
Echo
Then you must walk in the darkness alone
There are those we must leave behind if we're to save ourselves
For all the pity in the world cannot save this one who loves
Only himself - for beyond all reason he chose
He chose himself
The album takes off nicely with David Longdon's "The Strangest Times", but then gets into immediate free fall and deeply underwater for the next few tracks, quite unexpectedly. Fortunately, it recovers with Nick D'Virgilio's "Apollo" (hey, this guy CAN write good music, although he hides this ability most of the time) and the remaining three tracks, one of which is another Longdon masterpiece. So in the end the final impression is somewhat in the positive range. Sven B. Schreiber (sbs)
In the wake of buying the Welcome To The Planet I also went for this older "EP" (clocking in on 70 minutes a rather big big EP...) as a final farewell to a very bright bright star that sadly doesn't shine anymore. Carsten Pieper
The Long Island metal band's third album etches arena-sized hooks into their jagged compositions, deftly balancing experimental and poppy inclinations. Bandcamp Album of the Day May 12, 2022
What can I say about Big Big Train that I haven’t said before?
This album took a little while to grow on me but by the time I saw it live I was in love with its humongous, over-egged pomposity! They do it all with such passion, excitement and amazing musicianship.
Essential. Crinklechips