What can one say about the Progressive Rock supergroup TRANSATLANTIC which isn't already known by fans, admirers and enthusiasts alike? Well, I suspect not much. We all know it is a band that will come together when all the commitments of the band members align in the right way, as they all have very busy schedules with all their other bands and projects. And then there is the question that will undoubtedly come when people see the title of the album: "The Final Flight". Is it that, will it be the last time they are able to do this? Nobody really knows, but seeing that they all will be in  their sixties and seventies when they get together again it is a very viable possibility.

So what does "The Final Flight: Live At L'Olympia" have to offer. Well, as it is a three CD album, it clocks 170 minutes, which in reality is the normal length of a TRANSATLANTIC show. And it has all the elements you can expect. As a lot of their studio renditions of their songs clock up to half an hour, they play a few medleys to make sure those songs get the attention they deserve. Another thing that is very clear, is that not all songs are played as they were recorded. No, TRANSATLANTIC has opted to change some things around, play with the tempos a bit and give each other the room and space they deserve.

All this put together makes "The Final Flight: Live At L'Olympia" a very lengthy, but also extremely pleasant listening experience. The fact that the sound is produced in such an intimate way gives you the feeling that the band is playing right in from of your nose/face, that they actually are in the same room as you. I realise now that for the Progressive Rock this is something they find very necessary, as to diminish the distance between themselves and the audience, a criticism that was often heard in the past. So, you don not have to fear that this time. Of course all members get their own downtime in the form of a solo, and without fail they all are able to impress. To be fair, I would have been thoroughly disappointed if these people wouldn't be able to blow me off my socks with their abilities.

Well, they haven't disappointed individually, but most of, they have really impressed me as a band. These recordings just go to show that if you do it right, every show can be experienced as a private, or at least intimate, one. TRANSATLANTIC have succeeded in surprising me and the world with "The Final Flight: Live At L'Olympia". It is to be released on the 17^th of February 2023. Go on and enjoy this as much as I have.