Surprising. The second album after the reunion of this Hard Rock band from Holland is surprising. ‘Fata Morgana’, as the album is called brings the band definately back to the level where they once were in the 80’s. Together with Vengeance Helloïse was the leading Rock Metal band in Holand with acts as Elegy following in their footsteps later on. Although now a 3 piece, the core of Helloïse is Ernst van Ee, Ben Blaauw and Stan Verbraak (who are all in super shape on this album by the way), ‘Fata Morgana’sure carries a full band identity, to bring in Robby Valentine as guest on keyboards did more than good to the band. The sound is deeper and the electronic gadgdets here and there are the topping on the songs to my opinion. The album begins with a nice classic and epic intro ‘Secura Prologue’ with choir and all and after that ‘Children Of The Night’ starts off the album in a superb way, bombastic, powerful and very strong. Immediatly representative for the remaining 50 minutes to follow and also remeniscing ‘Cosmogony’, the bands’strongest album till now.

Apart from Robby Valentine there a few other guests as well; vocalist Lana Lane (‘Wings Of An Angel’) and producer Sascha Paeth on keyboards (‘Secura Reprise’). The band smartly recorded the song ‘Eloise’ and their version is both true to the original as a powerful tribute. Beautiful. As I said, the high standard is maintained througout the whole album especially with the songs ‘The Game & The Rules’, ‘Waysted Time’ (a beautiful ballad, vocal line reminds me of Margriet Eshuijs’’House For Sale’), the duet with Lana Lane ‘Wings Of An Angel’ and the Dream Theater-like ‘Mirage’. Helloïse shows many faces on ‘Fata Morgana’, Hard Rock, Melodic Metal even Symphonic and Prog! A sign that there still is a very strong creative drive within the band. If I could choose what to do now I’d be pushing a release in Japan. They eat this kind of music for breakfast there but I guess Robby Valentine already told them that since he only releases his albums in Japan. Best Dutch album of the year!! Proost!