From the South End (Wayne State Univ., Detroit, Michigan), March 24th, 1992

Course of Empire

"Course of Empire"/Zoo Entertainment

One of the most invigorating concept albums I've heard in a while, this is what
Kiss' Music From the Elder could have been.  Cutting power metal riffs, primal
drums and Eastern philosphies are tangled in an intoxicating, phenomenal web.
"Cradle Calls" starts with a steady bongo beat with whispered lyrics, with a
refrain in an edgier, distorted guitar pulse.  The computer-generated voices
and sounds that begin "Thrust" merge into a pace that can only be described by
the song's title.  The whole album has the mystical aura and haunting presence
of the average Bob Ezrin production.  Though this is a remixed/remastered
album from 1990, it's a good example of what conceptual images sound and look
like.

DL