Album Review by Ronald Wennekes:
I bought the track in Holland, NL. Very first was adapting to the various sounds, second time was amazing. This album is great. Good to hear that Michiel van der Kuy and Rob van Eijk are still producing together.
1. Introx: An intro like a movie.
2. Journey To Triskelion: Good track, the snare is a little bit mid and loud.
3. End Of Line: From the first beats you know this will be an energy track, the bass will let you know. Great samples like always. The introducing (the pizzicato-like) lead sound ‘a new one’. Good thing that Michiel and Rob didn’'t keep hanging only onto old synth sounds, refreshing it is. A perfect combination of the synthesizer sounds from the early days and nowadays. And of course the vocoder which takes you to another time. Maybe the best track of the album, but check it yourself.
4. Message From Another Time: Top track, really tells the update sound of M&R; in this title track.
5. The Empath: A well know dek-dekedek bass, sounds like... Bell melody like 99 luftballons. Vocoder time again!
6. Die Hard: Different one, piano, another underbass. Lovely melody, vocoder tells the story. This one shows the quality of the producers, they can make a different sound in the same style, and makes this album sound various and not 12 of the same tracks. It’s a privilege if you can make the sound of your own album without interference of a A&R;, or executive producer which also want to decide how it should sound.
7. Of The Known Universe: The Area 51 sound we like so much and already heard on the first album. The Koto-a-like bass is still super, the synth-sound make this track sound like you want to hear it. The new sound loop makes is from the another time, if that'’s what they meaning with it. Lovely female sample and the ‘stops’ (short break/pause) makes this track more exiting.
8. Impact: Good to hear this one, fast start, great sample take them out and again a new synth-lead sound. The vocoder makes it like it should, an energized Area 51 track with that famous melody what gives you a good feeling.
9. Eternities: Starts with a New Area 51 bass, maybe inspired by sounds like Apopygma Bezerk - listen to this when you like it. The first lead makes me think of Kraftwerk or similar. The combination with the synthesizer sounds and effects makes it sound new and updated. The samples are used too often, they didn't have to, I think. House sample makes me think of that kind of music and doesn't fit in this track. But that's my opinion.
10. The Robot Empire: Standard Laserdance sound, baseline, vocoder and the famous synths and bell makes it a classic again. Makes the album various, but also this track from a early and not not another time. Not a track they found in their archive I think, the great guys produce new, but it sounds like it.
11. Xuxos (Remix): The new Area sound again, sung with happy vocoder style. The well known bass is played differently. Great stops again. Old sound make this days, you can hear that for sure. The toms fill-in is back again. And like always the different synth sounds are following up on another, so the track keeps sounding fresh. Filtered, and that is a nice thing they didn'’t use in the early days.
12. Outrox: Like a ballad, they like opera so you hear, not fot the first time, and makes it a special outro or last track. The album ends as beautiful as it’s started like it should, you know know that it has ended and you have to start this great cd again.
They did it again, there are many producers, Michiel and Rob are top producers, the quality is great and the songs are played in the way only they can. The more you listen to the album the better it sounds. The songs don't get boring. Every time you play it, you’ll get that special feeling, superb! I played it every night while I'’m sitting on my terrace. This is one of the best albums I have for sure. We will wait for the 3rd album with even more... and hear what they are producing, probably now when I write this text. Songwriters are always busy with their music, and that exactly what the fans are expecting from them!
Assessment - 
(5 / 5)
