Glass Hammer

Lex Rex

Arion Records

Reviewed by Jeff Holton

In the 20 plus years that I have been reviewing music rarely did I ever receive an independent CD that caught my attention like Glass Hammer’s LEX REX.  Glass Hammer is a Nashville, TN based power/prog band.  This CD completely ble me away!  This is the 7^th release from “the band that helped revive concept albums”.  Glass Hammer’s LEX REX was, in my opinion, the best independent CD release of 2002! 

This concept album according to the band is the story of a “Roman soldier, beset by ancient gods and goddesses, lured on a quest for something unattainable… He calls it glory.”   The story behind the music talks about his quests as he searches for this source.  He looks for “glory” in war, in ancient gods and into the arms of the goddess Aphrodite, all to find that glory cannot be found in these carnal things.  After much “soul- searching” the soldier finally finds “glory” in the one called “Prince of Peace”, “Counselor”, “Holy Savior”, “God clothed in flesh”.  It is truly an inspiring story that is filled with faith and hope.

Musically Glass Hammer is a retro progressive rock band easily compared to the likes of early Yes and Genesis.  The songs contain punchy bass lines (by Steve Babb), “complex vocal harmonies” and the CD is highlighted with killer Hammond organ and Moog synthesizer solos (Fred Schendel) that would make Rick Wakemen from Yes a proud man!

LEX REX is a must have CD for any progressive music enthusiast.  Nearly 12 years later Glass Hammer is still alive and kicking making some of the best and most innovative progressive rock today.