THE SKYS – Colours of The Desert (S/R – 2011) Lithuanian proggies Skys have witnessed a sporadic discography with four albums spread almost evenly across fifteen years… obviously a case of Def Leppard disease getting about in the European metal scene. Sadly iti s difficult who to deicde is th best waiting five years for, then separate subgenres are unwisely compared. While holding on for the next Dream Theater record to surface, this one is a sure-bet treat. Of course the tunes aren’t promised to be short though three of the nine surprisingly od clock in at a standard tune duration. Seventies is the decade to swill around on your lips this time. Massive guitar lines in the true league of Clapton and Blackmore meet head first with female-alternated vocals , combusting an incendiary retrospective engine. Chugging fast through numbers up to nine and a half minutes long like they were over in four, these fellas do not mess with that many fancy elements as expected and delve into the simple pages of the prog rock cook book. Keeping it modern with gothic touch , there is little doubt that ‘Colours Of The Desert’, ‘Is This The Way’, ‘I.. He..’, ‘When The Western Wind Blows’, ‘Calling Out Your Name’ and ‘Lethal Kiss’ will see a combined and colossal following from over the spectrum. All said, the Skys surely qualify as one band to get up in the air about if not having done already. Try. 8.5/10 By Dave Attrill