Following the success of the bands 2000 album The Story of Our Lives (Proximity ESCD 12), the band began work on what was to become their second biggest selling album Palindrome (Proximity ESCD 13). Work was completed late 2000 and the album was released to immediate critical acclaim in April 2001. As usual, the album contained a mixture of songs and instrumentals and was based around the concept of finding a place one could call ‘home’. Several of the songs were linked by special sound effects and featured the outstanding ‘Still Hearing Your Voice’.

Never one to rest on his laurels, Steven upgraded his studio and finalised the concept of the next album Architect of Light (Proximity ESCD 14). Work commenced in the winter of 2001, with Steven laying down the basic tracks. Soon after, the drums were recorded with Christopher replacing the guide track and the album began to take shape.

However, disaster was about to strike. In February of 2002, Steven was involved in a very serious car accident. This was closely followed by several stays in hospital, terminating in surgery. It was all pretty grim, but McCabe was determined to finish the album no matter what. Once on the road to recovery, he set about mixing and mastering the album and through sheer determination, despite the pain, the album was released May 2002. Critically acclaimed as the bands best so far, it was not long before it outsold all the other releases.

During this time frame, the band was asked to contribute a song to the Finnish Kalevala epic. A triple CD concept piece, the band wrote and recorded the song Ilmarinen’s Bride of Gold. Five minutes of Mellotron drenched heaven! Soon after that, personal matters took a hold, which resulted in Steven losing most of his keyboards and studio equipment and re-locating to Manchester, UK. All this upheaval meant that a new album in 2003 seemed extremely unlikely.

However, being a continually creative person, songs were being written and two albums worth were sketched out on paper. As money was tight and equipment expensive, 2003 passed by without a new release – the longest gap in the band’s history. Writing and recording was now being done on the PC, which meant that McCabe could work at a frightening pace. Once funds were available (the band was ripped off big style in 2002 and lost a considerable sum of money) work stepped up a gear and two albums were scheduled for release!

First off the blocks and released in February 2003 was a mailing list only album of unreleased, archive and new tracks. Called Aquatorium (Proximity ESCD 15), this 78-minute album was an immediate hit with the mailing list. Soon after that in March 2003 came the new studio album Anhedonia (Proximity ESCD 16). The album is a dark and brooding affair, with the Mellotron and guitar playing more dominant roles than ever before. Finally, the band was back on track . . . . . . .

In addition to all of this, the band was asked by the Italian Mellow Records label to contribute a Moody Blues cover to a tribute album they have scheduled for release late 2004. The band has chosen the song ‘Driftwood’ from the ‘Octave’ album.