Pageant

This is one of the beauties of Japanese progressive rock. PAGEANT was formed in 1981 by guitarplayer Ikkou Nakajima, singer/keyboard player Hiroko Nagai, bass player Noboyuki Nagashima and drummer Hideaki Indou. In '85 they appeared on a Japanese progrock compilation entilted "Progressive Battle" and one year later PAGEANT released their debut-album "La Mosa?que de la R?verie", a 'classic'. The band was completed by Kazuhiro Miyatake (flute and electric guitar) on this records.

The second album "Abysmal Masquerade" appeared in '87 and two years followed by the third record entitled "The Pay for a Dreamer's Sin". On this album Hiroko Nagai and Hideaki Indou remained from the original line-up, Kazuhiro Miyatake played flute on two tracks and the band's new guitarplayer became Hiroyuki Maeno.

The first album "La Mosa?que de la R?verie" is one of the most acclaimed Japanese albums: beautiful 24-carat symphonic rock, very melodic and harmonic with strong hints from Genesis, Camel and Renaissance. The compositions contain twanging guitars, delicate flute, lush keyboards and sensitive electric guitar. The Japanese vocals sound very convincing: powerful and high pitched. The climates changes from dreamy to bombastic with splendid build-ups and exciting 'grand finales'. The second album "Abysmal Masquerade" is in the vein of the first but sound less elaborate and less compelling. It contains two new versions and one live version from the first album. The third album "The Pay for a dreamer' Sin" is more progressive pop like Clannad and Kate Bush than symphonic rock but sounds tasteful with strong, harder-edged guitarplay.