Hmm, it opens with the ubiquitous Bram Stoker’s Dracula sample. Not a good sign.
I’m still trying to recover from The Road of Bones which was extraordinary 
. This week we have @stu fronting up to the butchers’ chopping block 
Tried listening to this last night and lasted about 1 minute, in case it was just the first track I tried skipping to the next and so on but no I hate it.
I want to know who the geezer on the front is telling to be quiet 
Possibly the A&R dude from the label who released this thing. He is clearly either incompetent or deaf.
I fuckin’ hate you lot 
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Or just a tasteless dumb cunt 
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Jesus, Terry. You absolute bastard.
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What would you expect ?
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It reminds me of so many other albums, it’s not offensive, but it’s completely unoriginal and tardy.
1980’s sound & over long.
This is diabolical.
The first problem is that the singer is bad, with a slightly bizarre Bruce Dickinson affectation. I wouldn’t say he’s copying him, as that would be placing too much merit on his efforts.
What compounds things is that the lyrics are shocking. Combined with the tragic delivery, this makes for some genuine lol moments.
These two problems put them in the same bracket as Guilt Machine and Steven Wilson. All terrible singers spaffing out pompously earnest lyrics.
The music manages to be be tedious and jarring at the same time. There is NO innovation, just a few random snippets chucked together. Take the title track: an 8:30 snoreathon they have no idea how to end, until the keyboard player plays some random electronic xylophone. For no reason.
The next track, a 19 minute effort, ironically has no progression at all. Just 7 or so random bits of noodling shabbily stitched together.
Disc 2 will forever remain a mystery. I was done after the first.
Appalling.
-4 out of 6.
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If anything, your damning of this turgid codswallop is still too generous.
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Looks like the season for giving is upon us and everyone is giving it to Terry. 
This is bang on!
I gave this a listen as thought it couldn’t be as bad as everyone was making out. I thought it was a bit of a joke as it was Terry’s choice but…no joke.
Thank fuck.
Just ignoring the hyperbole for a minute, you’ve pretty much encapsulated why I like Prog. Unlike the bands themselves, I don’t take it seriously. There are some proper cringe-worthy lyrics and vocal performances but it’s usually underpinned by (more often than not) complex and/or interesting instrumentation. Convoluted, self-indulgent, pompous, overblown, and noodly are all positives in my world.
As stated in the OP, this is Vocal driven Prog. I agree it can be a bit earnest and “try hard”.
It was never going to please everyone/anyone. But I like it.
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I think this was too long for the AAAC. I still haven’t heard it all. I won’t be getting the M&S gift voucher. 
Skipping through the second part, it’s decently melodic in places. The bit at 48 minutes for example.
But then you realise you still have an hour to go…
It’s a lot more conventional and Genesis-y and/or Yes-y than Guilt Machine.
Shame they couldn’t have made a highlights EP. Kept it to 15 minutes or so. That would have suited me better.
Haha, all prog shall be measured against Guilt Machine. 
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Guilt Machine is forever burned into our psyche. I still have nightmares that I am listening to the album. Wake in a cold sweat. Sometimes I swear that I can hear the neighbours playing it in the early hours of the morning when I cannot sleep.