Mystery - Lies And Butterflies (2018) [CD Rip]

For a band that originated over thirty years ago and has seen the comings and goings of three lead singers and countless band members, Mystery retains one of the most consistent sounds of any progressive rock group. Whether that is a good thing or bad thing is a subjective determination, but as is the case with bands in other genres such as Boston or Katatonia — what you hear is what you get, album after album after album.

Lest that sound like a fatalistic pronouncement, the good news is that for fans of modern progressive rock, Mystery delivers the goods with each and every new release. Beautiful melody lines, lush production, soaring lead vocals, impeccable instrumentation, inspired electric guitar solos…it’s all here. Every album is a polished work of art. Fans can know what to expect – and what NOT to expect – and these expectations are invariable met. Because one thing is definitely not a mystery about this band: the consistency of their output.

New album Lies and Butterflies refuses to fly in the face of Mystery’s formula. Instead, it continues the band’s trajectory of sumptuous epics and shorter, hook-laden prog singles. Starting where previous live album Second Home left off, we hear the cheers of the crowd and the farewell of the band leaving the stage…perhaps to return to the studio where Mystery continues to be “Looking for Something Else”. This opening piece is a clever start to Lies and Butterflies, a slow burner that builds over its 17 minute journey, and bears some relation to the other epic which closes the album, “Chrysalis”, the two forming neat bookends between which are sandwiched five shorter pieces.