BEN CRAVEN – MONSTERS FROM THE ID (PROG ROCK): If I were to rank my favorite prog-rock albums, Monsters From the Id would be at the top. Ben Craven is an excellent composer and a convincing singer, but he also knows how to make records. All of his LPs seem more significant than the sum of their parts, and Monsters From the Id was no exception. Craven went old school, with two epic compositions comprising one side of the album each. “Die Before You Wake” and “Amnis Flows Aeternum” could have easily been on a Pink Floyd album, given their soaring guitars, pounding bass, and expansive vocals. Craven spent an equal amount of effort on his lyrics, creating a dark and foreboding world to accompany his driving melodies. There are edited versions of both songs, but I highly recommend the CD/DVD version to immerse yourself in the sonic wizardry.
