If keys-dominated AOR/Pomp Rock music is your cup of tea, then you probably know what this album is about. Else, dive in and taste the supremacy of this re-release. KOOGA's one and only album was released in 1986 - via French Metal label Black Dragon's imprint called High Dragon - and was greeted with much of enthusiasm from those foreseeing its preeminence.
Hailing form Wales, KOOGA may be familiar to many due to one of the band members' name, too. Neville MacDonald became known - after his deeds with KOOGA - as the frontman of British post-80s hardrockers SKIN. A promising melodic act, KOOGA had their Across The Water album receiving rave reviews from the Press (yes, even the British one...) and stood in the middle of major companies betting on their brand. Sadly, what was left was the self-released Don't Break My Heart 12 single, pointing out the ashes of a promising band.
Britain has a peculiar taste, even for the AOR standards, and KOOGA would not be an exception. Borrowing just the base from the 70s Pomp/Progressive Rock era, adding tons of AOR songwriting/sequence filter and developing multiple parts onto a 'cinemascope' conceptual basis with the guitars riffing hard in contrast, while the vocals remained in-deep and mature in their own warmth, KOOGA portrayed a set of songs that would surely apply to intellectual fans of bands like MAGNUM, SAGA, ASIA, (a bit of) MARILLION and PRAYING MANTIS/SARACEN (to act things NWOBHM) or NORWAY (traveling on 'the other side'). The songs are well-structured and you'll not get bored at all, assuming you're already fond of this blend. In contrast, there's such spirit and substance into KOOGA's music that lots of spins will torment your CD player for sure.
Across The Water is a little gem for all you keyboards candylovers out there. KOOGA's emotional & exceptional music sadly did not last that much, but with this re-release chances are more fans will possibly be attracted to this fine album.