Reviewed by Ian Webber

Regarded by some in the know as Romania's best Christian band, Vertical have been working together since 1991. Formed by vocalist and keyboard player Patriciu Pop, this group of four professional musicians serve up a polished set of Euro influenced pop rock tunes. Their sound is keyboard led with a generous helping of jangly guitar work, underpinned by tight bass lines. At times they are reminiscent of an early White Heart with Patriciu's smooth vocals adding to some progressive rock stylings. Tracks such as "Close To You" and "Waiting For You To Come" are more upbeat and will have you humming along whereas "Stay" reveals Vertical's songwriting skills. The album is sung completely in Romanian and although the track listings have been translated, the lyrics are not, leaving the listener to appreciate the melodies. Production on the album is first class and even at high volume instrumentation remains crisp revealing the musicianship of the band. If you enjoy smooth rock with a definite Euro influence it would be well worth searching out a copy of this little gem.

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