Press Opinions

In the following you will find some excerpts of reviews about APOGEE music.

APOGEE: "Mystery Remains"

I just had to tell you how much I love the Mystery Remains album. I just finished listening to it for the 5th time. I think it is the best you made until now. I am no expert (just a Prog lover) but the strong melodies and especially the arrangements are top notch in my ears! I do think all your Apogee and Versus X albums are really fine, but this one is almost perfect. I hope this will encourage you even more to make more wonderful music in the future.

Ruud Gras, Eindhoven, Netherlands, 2010

Die Musik bietet wieder alles, was das Progger-Herz begehrt: lange, in sich geschlossene Kompositionen, krumme Takte mit vielen Wechseln, atmosphärische sowie rockige Teile usw. Der Name Arne Schäfer bürgt für Qualität, egal ob bei Versus X oder Apogee.

Thomas Schüßler, Babyblaue Seiten, 2009

Much has been made of Schaefer's similarity to Peter Hammill. I suppose if I was to try to find some well-known prog band to compare him to in order to get an idea of what he sounds like, this comparison will at least get you somewhere in the right galaxy. But to be honest, I don't really hear that much that reminds me of Hammill other than the overall gloomy tone. Musically, this is far more intricate and advanced. Lyrically, it's a bit closer, though I'm still trying to figure out if Schäfer is political, spiritual, left or right, or just a loonie. The way he uses and abuses the English language, it's hard to believe that English isn't his first language, and scratching my head about the intent of the lyrics is one of my favorite parts about these albums. But basically, they just sound like Schäfer, so the only band I can really compare him to is Versus X, which isn't fair because that's his band.

Vitaly has spent many words (above) trying to describe Apogee, an effort which in my opinion is doomed to failure. And fail he does. I'll just say the music is complex, dark and largely vocal-oriented (though with great instrumentals too!) and deserves to be listened to by anyone interested in good prog. If you haven't heard at least one album by either Apogee or Versus X, you need to, and either The Garden of Delights or Mystery Remains would make a fine introduction to a sound you'll want to hear more of. Totally exceptional.

Fred Trafton, Gibraltar Encyclopedia of Progressive Rock, 2010

As a musical monotheist in a way, Arne never set himself a task to create anything else outside his creed. On the other hand, such concepts as "demands of the time" or "fashion" are just beyond him, and the quality of his creative output remains stably high all over the years of the project’s existence. Rating 6 Stars - excellent.

Vitaly Menshikov, Progressor, 2010

All in all this is a highly enjoyable effort, and amongst the finest examples of the genre that was issued in 2009. Rating 6 Stars - excellent.

Olav M. Bjornses, Progressor, 2010

13th of 20 top albums in the 2009 chart "The best of the bests by the eyes of Progressor".

With 4 out of 5 tracks that last 12-20 minutes and the remaining one lasting almost 9, this repertoire clearly aims at exploring the inherently ambitious melodic drive of symphonic progressive rock: so, all avid symphonic prog lovers everywhere should check and appreciate this very good effort by Apogee.

Cesar Inca, Progarchives, 2009

The VDGG/Hammill influence is immediately evident on the opening title track, which also gives up early Genesis as a commonality. Schäfer has an interesting singing voice not unlike that of IQ vocalist Peter Nicholls.

Elsewhere on the CD, we get some fine guitar/keyboard interplay, most notably on the Floydian Get Your Reward. On the cleverly titled The Claws Of Insanity, flute style keyboards over some acoustic guitar do not necessarily sound like a certain British band whose singer plays a flute and stands on one leg. Some piano style keyboards evoking Rick Wakeman show up in the somewhat militant Point Of Ignition.

The emphasis of instrumentation on the CD seems to lean more to keyboards and away from guitars, a good thing for all you keyboard lovers out there (myself included). Rating: 9.5 out of 10 Points.

Jim Corcoran, Dutch Progressive Rock Pages, 2009

APOGEE: "The Garden of Delights"

Apogee or, in other words Arne Schäfer is responsible for a good share of the best contemporary response to the classic sympho prog bands from the 70's. He is able to conjure the best leanings of Genesis, early King Crimson and even maybe middle 70's Pink Floyd in a beautiful mould, combining them with the art of writing and representing his ingenious self expression. The result is, obviously, one to be discovered and treasured by the real symphonic prog lovers out there. Like so many quality albums, this may need afew listens before you start feeling it under your skin, but it will sooner or later. That, I am sure of.

Nuno, Jan 2004, ProGGnosis Website (www.silverdb.com)

When talking of originality and magic in music, I always imply that such a charisma is the main trump of any true artist of any genre. Well, I only wanted to say that Arne Schäfer is a really charismatic composer and musician. Thus, there is probably nothing special in the fact that he was never a victim of stagnation during his long musical career, and "The Garden of Delights" has become the best Apogee album to date. Don't miss it at any rate.

Vitaly Menshikov, Jan. 2004, ProgressoR Website (www.progressor.net)

Apogee, das solo Projekt des Versus X Sängers (und Multiinstrumentalisten) Arne Schäfer mit freundlicher Unterstützung von (Versus X-) Drummer Uwe Völlmar, legt mit "The Graden of Delights" ein rundum solides Werk vor, ganz den alten Helden und dem alten Geist verpflichtet. Irgendwo zwischen Genesis und den frühen Marillion, mit expressivem Gesang und suggestiver Soundarchitektur entführt Schäfer alias Apogee uns in einen (Progressive-Rock-) Lustgarten.

Jan. 2004 (www. schallplattenmann.de)

 APOGEE: "Sisyphos"

APOGEE: "The Border of Awareness"

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