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April 2024

• Vanden Plas: The Empyrean Equation Of The Long Lost Things
• Praying Mantis: Defiance
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March 2024

• Cruzh: The Jungle Revolution
• Whom Gods Destroy: Insanium
• The Prog Collective: Dark Encounters
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February 2024

• Traveler: Prequel To Madness
• Lionheart: The Grace Of A Dragonfly
• Honeymoon Suite: Alive
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• Show N Tell: The Ritual Has Begun
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January 2024

• Corvus: Immortals
• Caligula's Horse: Charcoal Grace
• Grand: Second To None
• Neal Morse: The Restoration - Joseph - Part Two
• The Rods: Rattle The Cage
• Gotus: Gotus
• Metalite: Expedition One
• Cobrakill: Serpent's Kiss
• Jack Russell & Tracii Guns: Medusa
• Jim Peterik & World Stage: Roots & Shoots Vol. 1
• The Grandmaster: Black Sun

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Rush: Presto (SACD)

Melodic/Progressive Rock/Metal

No Score

Website (Label)
Audio Fidelity
Words: Craig Hartranft    Added: 17.07.2014

What's your favorite Rush album? Something very early, like Caress of Steel or 2112? Or perhaps something from their successful mainstream period? Maybe Permanant Waves or Moving Pictures? What about the so-called 'synthesizer' period? Possibly Signals? Or if I asked my diehard Rush fan, he would probably answer, 'All of them, dude!

Rush: circa 1989.

More to the point, which one would you want mastered for the Super Audio CD format, which boasts increased audio fidelity? Would you pick Presto? Forgetting the fact that you probably don't have a SACD player or you're not willing to shell out the $500 or better to purchase one, what would be your first choice. My first choice would probably be any of the above first. However, there are good reasons to choose Presto.

For many critics and fans, it's the album that marked another change, a transition away from the synthesizer era to more guitar oriented progressive rock. The keyboards were dailed back, the rock groove and rhythms bumped up. It also produced some popular Rush tunes like The Pass, Superconducter and, though not my favorite, Show Don't Tell, which reached number one. The album itself charted at sixteen. Overall, the album had a more accessible popular sound, sneaking in the prog through the back door.

As I said in the past reviews of other Audio Fidelity SACDs, I don't have a player, so I had to play this through a conventional CD player. Does it sound different or better? I'm not sure, maybe crisper. But it's Rush, so I like it. If you have a Super Audio CD player, Rush's Presto would be a fine addition to your SACD collection. It's also one of the better choices from Audio Fidelity for SACD mastering in recent releases, which have otherwise been average.

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

If you have a SACD player, Rush's Presto would be a fine addition to your SACD collection. It's also one of the better choices from Audio Fidelity for SACD mastering in recent releases, which have otherwise been average.

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Three years have passed since Sweden's Cruzh dropped their second long-player, Tropical Thunder, also introducing their new singer, Alex Waghorn. Now the band returns with The Jungle Revolution ... [ Read More ]