Original language: German
Reviews by: Jochen Rindfrey @
After six years, Lukas Tower Band from Munich released a new album, A Prophecy, in the late autumn of 2024, marking the band’s 40th anniversary. During this long period, there have been numerous personnel changes. Of the six-member lineup from the previous album, only guitarist Wolfgang Fastenmeier (also the composer of all the songs) and drummer Thomas Willecke remain. New members include keyboardist Markus Lamek (formerly with Schizofrantik), singer Paola Ottaviani from Italy, bassist Miguel Pires, and Regina Willecke on flute and saxophone.
About the music!
As I can only compare this new album to one released nearly 15 years prior to A Prophecy (which was also a collection of partly older tracks), there hasn’t been a huge gap in sound evolution. The once prominent folk elements have now mostly disappeared, only subtly shimmering through at times. Instead, the band often grooves in a jazzy manner or leans towards jazz-rock, mixed with some symphonic elements that could be classified as retro-prog, which occasionally dominate. In combination with the wonderfully crystal-clear vocals of Paola Ottaviani, I’m reminded time and again of the Norwegian band Ruphus, particularly their 1976 album Let Your Light Shine—a great reference.
At times, the band also rocks a bit harder, with the guitar shifting to heavier riffs. However, these moments are carefully measured. Despite all the carefree and light-hearted vibes, the songs are quite complex, colorful, and diverse in structure, often featuring extended instrumental sections. These passages showcase finely crafted solos, with the electric piano particularly shining with jazzy, occasionally Canterbury-esque flourishes (e.g., The Wicked Rule).
In short, a beautiful album with jazzy retro-prog. The lyrics are adaptations of English poetry, with William Blake being the major influence here.