I discovered Transatlantic only a year or so ago and was very impressed with their first two albums SMPTe and Bridge Across Forever. This was my kind of prog rock - Camel/Yes/Floyd influenced, with some memorable tunes and excellent musicianship. The band actually split up 7 years ago, but now they have reunited to produce The Whirlwind, and the old magic is still there. Keyboardist/singer Neal Morse has produced a few solo prog albums in the meantime, and The Whirlwind reminds me a lot of these. Perhaps the closest comparison is with his ? album, as both that and The Whirlwind consist of one long piece with recurring themes, but split into 12 sections. Morse is also a committed Christian, and there are a lot of spiritual references in The Whirlwind, most obviously in Rose Colored Glasses and Dancing With Eternal Glory. Not that you should be put off if you're not a believer. The music stands on its own, with Morse's keyboard skills matched with the guitar of Roine Stolte, the bass of Marillion's Pete Trewawas, and the powerhouse drumming of Mike Portnoy. 78 minutes of pure prog which will appeal to fans of Yes, Camel and Pink Floyd in particular.
Bundled with the main CD is a bonus disc of four more original songs and four covers. Of these, my favourite is Spinning, which is a 1960s style pop song bookended with some great prog instrumental sections. Also of note are the covers of Procol Harum's A Salty Dog and Genesis' Return Of the Giant Hogweed. The double CD version is well worth buying in my opinion.