Lazarus Dream - Imaginary Life - CD

The German hard rock band Lazarus Dreams with their third album "Imaginary Life".

The core of the band consists of multi-instrumentalist/composer Markus Pfeffer (Barnabas Sky, ex-Scarlett) and singer Carsten Lizard Schulz, (ex-Domain/ Evidence One), meanwhile expanded by drummer Markus Herzog (e.g. Double Crush Syndrome, Cherie Currie/ex-The Runaways).

From the more experimental approaches of the previous album "Lifeline", the band returns to the melodic Hard Rock roots of the debut album "Alive" and puts the focus more on catchy hooks and choruses, groovy riffs and melodies. On the title track, Vanden Plas guitarist Stephan Lill shines with an impressive guest solo.

The first single "My Prayer" is an elegiac highlight, which combines clean delay guitars à la Pink Floyd, edgy riffs and filigree guitar solos with emotional vocals and bombastic vocal arrangements by Schulz, which would also have fit a gospel choir.

Other highlights include AOR opener "The Sweetest Chaos," ballad "Beauty Among The Ruins," synth-heavy up-tempo rocker "Rebel Again," and seven-minute closing epic "Empire Of Thorns."

The impressive artwork was created by the well-known French artist Stan W. Decker (Night Ranger, Stryper, BÖC, among others).