The Munich-rooted band SIEGES EVEN's debut album “Life Cycle” (1988) was already a culture shock. At a loss for words, journalists tried to describe progressive thrash with terms like “jazz metal”, while metal fans reacted with either enthusiasm or a big question mark over their heads. Regardless, everyone understood that this was one of Germany's finest musical bands. Two years later, they did even better with the successor “Steps”... The thrash element had been reduced to almost nothing, but they had ruthlessly shown that they had become even more competent in recent months. The band, still young at the time, was playing at a level unprecedented in European heavy metal. Only in America have Watchtower or Dream Theater delivered such complicated material. In good Rush tradition, “Steps” features a long song on side A (25 minutes!), while side B has five tracks and an outtro. The track “Corridors” is another example of the young musicians' elusive abilities. “Steps” is more independent overall than ‘Life Cycle’, which was still very reminiscent of Watchtower. Thanks to the vocals of Franz Herde, who was no longer present on its successor, the first chapter of Sieges Even closes here. “Steps” was recorded in 1990 at Lakeside Studios by Charlie Bauerfeind, now a well-known producer. Despite the demanding material, the album was a success. Today, “Steps” can be found in many lists when it comes to major prog metal or prog rock albums. It had not been available since the original Steamhammer / SPV pressings! The CD and LP have been mastered separately, so that each format can deliver its own particular sound.
