This is an enthralling piece of music of epic proportions, and as such, requires a review of epic proportions to do it justice. Unfortunately, this review is probably not as enthralling, but if you have the stamina then read on …

I was sat in our living room, listening to this album on the headphones. Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a flailing alien tentacle, ready to drag me into that terrible green dome and devour my flesh as surely as the chair I was sitting in. Luckily, it was just the draft- excluder, but when you're nine years old listening to a record about martians invading earth and eating humans in the hoods of their monstrous fighting machines, then it can have a profound effect on you.

I am of course talking about the Jeff Wayne Musical Version of The War of the Worlds. As a youngster, I can remember listening to this and being absolutely frightened out of my skin. It was great. It was also probably the first record I ever owned. That and a Shadows album which I used to play along to with my pretend guitar. I'd kept that double-vinyl album for a number of years, right into my adulthood, then I stupidly sold my entire vinyl collection in preparation for the plethora of compact disks that was certain to come my way. Unfortunately, it didn't quite work out like that and it took me a lot longer than I anticipated to replace everything. Fifteen years after selling the original and probably over 20 years since I last listened to it all the way through, I've finally added The War of the Worlds to my collection.

My main concerns were going to be, how would this live up to my expectations as a child? Would the impact still be the same? Would my musical tastes have changed so much in all this time? Well, although I no longer mistake the sausage-dog draught-excluder for a slithering alien tentacle, I can honestly say it's still as haunting and memorable as ever.

The first time you spin that disk up and Richard Burton utters those words in that seductive, emotive voice of his, you know you're in for a treat.

"No-one would have believed .."

Duh-duh-durrrrrrr. Duh-duh-durrrrrr. Come on, everyone knows it! You don't? Ah, ok, I'll get onto that bit then.

First, the packaging …

One of the most memorable parts of the original was the wonderful LP-sized booklet that accompanied the double album and I'm glad to say this has been included here. Albeit a bit smaller. It really does read like a book, with every single lyric and narrative painstakingly recreated. The artwork too is, well, out of this world. The cover of the CD is of one of the giant alien tripods, emitting it's death ray to the bow of the battle ship "Thunder Child", while a paddle steamer makes good it's escape, carrying the last vestibules of humanity to safety. It really is amazing.

My only criticism at this point, is that the smaller CD format loses some of the visual impact that was so beguiling of the original LP format. Unfortunately, it's not something that can be changed, rather it's a criticism I have of any CD nowadays. There was something a little magical about those old LP covers, and the artwork here seems a little diluted being as it is on a smaller scale. Heaven knows what it's going to be like in 10-15 years time when we have CD's the size of 10 pence pieces. We'll need magnifying glasses just to read the title.

Still, the booklet is a cracking read. In between the story pages are full-colour plates, superbly illustrated, bringing to life the martian invasion. The story is set in the late 19th century, which places it at around the same time that HG Wells wrote the original tale, and the artwork reflects this period. Steam trains and steamers are the transport of the era, and become focal points for certain parts of the story. My favourite piece is a two-page picture depicting the underground dreams of The Artilleryman. A whole subterranean city is lovingly drawn and as a child, I was fascinated by this, picking out all the little details and imagining what it would be like to live underground. There's the cricket pitch, the horse-drawn carriage, the steam railway, all underground and right beneath the martians' noses unaware of this new dawn of civilization.

At the back of the booklet are cast biographies, not too dissimilar to the kind you find in the programme of a musical stage show, and detail not only the principle characters, but also the chief musical arrangers and writers. Again, this is an interesting read and a most welcome addition.

About the CD itself …

First of all, the cast is absolutely top-notch. Richard Burton, one of the finest actors ever to grace stage or screen, provides the voice of the narrator - a journalist caught up in the maelstrom of events. His timbre is distinctive, warm and full of emotion and feeling. David Essex plays the Artilleryman, separated from his defeated regiment and reduced to living in his dreams. Phil Lynott, of Thin Lizzy fame, is the deranged Parson Nathaniel, convinced the aliens are actually demons, sent to destroy the Earth and all of mankind. Julie Covington plays opposite Mr Lynott as the Pastors Wife, Beth, and the interplay between them is a real highlight.

The CD itself (there are actually two CD's in the set, but you know what I mean)

The musical style is a hybrid mix of classical, rock, folk, new-age synthesizers and goodness know what else, and while all this sounds like a mis-match, it works beautifully. Jeff Wayne has done a tremendous job of bringing all these styles together while at the same time reflecting the story through music and layers of sounds.

CD 1 - The Coming of the Martians

Track 1 - The Eve of the War - 9'07

"No-one would have believed, in the last years of the nineteenth century, that human affairs were being watched from the timeless worlds of space."

This is my favourite track of the entire album. The chords are instantly memorable and the narrative introduces us to the story. It's a wonderful, driving, superbly arranged piece of music, full of atmosphere and menace and you can't help but hum along to it.

"The chances of anything coming from Mars are a million to one, he says".

The Journalist describes how one of the green flares that has shot out from the red planet, completed it's 200 million mile journey by crash landing into Horsell Common. Mechanical sounds emanate from within the mysterious, glowing dome, the watching public not realising the horror that is about to befell them.

My rating: Superb introduction and really grabs your interest - 5 out of 5

Track 2 - Horsell Common and The Heat Ray - 11'35

"The cylinder begins to unscrew…".

We are now introduced to the murderous intent of the visiting aliens. ET, these are not. The Journalist proceeds to describe how a large disc is unscrewed at the top of the alien cylinder and falls to the ground with a resounding metallic crash. Then …

"A huge rounded bulk, larger than a bear, rose up slowly, glistening like wet leather. It's lipless mouth quivered and slathered, and snakelike tentacles writhed as the clumsy body heaved and pulsated."

As the heat ray shoots out and obliterates curious bystanders, Jeff Wayne uses a heavily distorted guitar riff to symbolize this death-dealing weapon and it works tremendously. A heavy, plodding bass provides an undercurrent, driving the song forward. It's a rich and atmospheric track, brooding with menace.

The narrator now realises the fate of the world hangs in the balance as a second cylinder crash lands nearby, bringing yet more of these dreadful creature to the earth.

My rating: The menacing guitars convey the murderous intent perfectly - 5 out of 5

Track 3 - The Artilleryman and the Fighting Machine - 10'36

"My fear rose at the sound of someone creeping into the house. Then I saw it was a young artilleryman, weary, streaked with blood and dirt"

David Essex's character, the Artilleryman, makes his first appearance in this scene. He has been separated from his defeated regiment, not knowing where to go or what to do. He describes how the martians have built fighting machines, that can pick up men and kill them in an instant.

The track starts off the same bass riff as before, but it's a more serene, creeping piece with proficient use of synthesizers and swirling chords. As the two protagonists make their way back to London, they come across a battery of guns, ready to do battle with the deadly machines. The music changes, becomes more upbeat, as there is a glimmer of hope that our weapons could defend civilization. But once those chords of the death ray hit, the gunners have no hope of survival. Are we all doomed?

Suddenly, the sound of the martians is heard … "Ulllaaaa". Chilling in it's simplicity, devastating in it's delivery. It's still a scary sound, after all these years.

My rating: A well-deserving, deathray-tastic - 5 out of 5

Track 4 - Forever Autumn - 7'41

"All that was of value to me was in London, but by the time I reached their little red brick house, Carrie and her father were gone."

This track tells the tale of how the Journalist has lost his beloved Carrie, carried away by the mass of humanity escaping the evil clutches of the marauding martians.

"The summer sun is fading as the year grows old."
And darker days are drawing near.
The winter winds will be much colder.
Now you're not here"

It's another beautifully arranged, engaging piece of mood music. The vocals are provided by Justin Hayward and a very good job he does too. The narrative describes how the mass exodus is harried by the relentless fighting machines, trying to escape on the final steamer, sailing to a new and safer land.

"It was the beginning of the rout of civilization, the massacre of mankind"

As the steamer leaves the dock, he catches the eye of his beloved Carrie, trapped on the ship that is now sailing straight towards the martian death rays. Only the iron-clad Thunder Child can save them now …

My rating: A heart-warming 4 out of 5

Track 5 - Thunder Child - 6'06

"With a deafening roar and whoosh of spray, it swung about and drove at full speed towards the waiting Martians"

The battleship 'Thunder Child', appears on the horizon and engages the advancing fighting machines in a battle to the death. This is a tremendously rousing score that not only captures the spirit of the populace as they watch their last hope attempt to bring the martian invaders to their knees with it's firing guns but it conveys perfectly the titanic struggle of alien against man-made machines. As the death-rays hit the bow of the ship, it gives enough time for the steamer to escape the clutches of the invaders, and to sail for safety.

My Rating - A battle-rousing 4 out of 5

And so ends the first act. We are under no illusion as to who the Earth now belongs to - the Martians, in their death-dealing, killing-machines.

"Ullllaaaaaaaaa"

CD 2 - The Earth Under the Martians

Track 1 - The Red Weed (Part One) … 5'53

"The vegetation which gives Mars it's red appearance, had taken root on Earth. As man had succumbed to the Martians, so our land now succumbed to the Red Weed"

Haunting, minimal pipe and piano sounds signal the arrival of the red weed, creeping over the landscape, consuming everything with a verocity unknown before to man. Again, the music perfectly illustrates the slithering, creepy nature of the scarlet feelers, alternating between swelling orchestrations and chunky guitars to pipes, flutes and low, sweeping synthesized chords.

My rating - a crawling, foreboding 4 out of 5

Track 2 - The Spirit of Man - 11'37

"I suddenly noticed the body of a parson lying on the ground in a ruined churchyard. I felt unable to leave him to the mercy of the Red Weed, and decided to bury him, decently"

The Journalist, escaping from the choking weed, happens upon a parson, Nathaniel, and his wife. The parson, voiced by the charismatic Phil Lynott is quite obviously insane, unable to comprehend the horror around him. Convinced the aliens are demons, he wants to sacrifice himself to the marauders in the vain hope that mankind will survive. It's the urging of his better half, Beth (Julie Covington) that forces him to change his mind.

"No Nathaniel, No. There must be more to life. There has to be a way that we can restore to life, the light we have lost?"

The chemistry is electric between them and makes the speakers sizzle. It's a terrific rock song played out with real heartfelt emotion by the two singers with the eternal optimism of Beth sharply contrasting with that of the Parson's suicidal tendencies. Lynott and Covington sing this brilliantly.

"There must be something worth living for?" - "No there is nothing"
"There must be something worth trying for?" - "I don't believe it's so"
"Even some things worth dying for?" - "Forget about goodness and mercy. They have gone"

Suddenly, one of the martian cylinders crash lands onto the house, covering them with rubble. When Nathaniel sees the love of his life buried under the debris, he finally decides to go ahead and sacrifice himself, trying to cast the cold-blooded killers away with just his last-remaining ounce of faith and beloved-cross as weapons. Will he succeed?

My rating: A sizzlingly electric 5 out of 5

Track 3 - The Red Weed (Part Two) - 5'24

It's after the parson is dragged away by an alien tentacle does the journalist peer out of the window to discover the aliens have moved on, allowing him to make his escape. The red weed is still choking the land but the martians are nowhere to be seen. The flutes and strings return, creeping, slithering over the landscape.

My rating: Once again, a slithering, eery 4 out of 5.

Track 4 - The Artilleryman Returns - 1'27

A short refrain as the Journalist stumbles upon the Artilleryman, defending his property. He invites the journalist into his abode, showing him his dreams for a Brave New World …

My rating: No music in this bit - it just moves the story on a notch - 2 out of 5.

Track 5 - Brave New World - 12'13

Another rousing, upbeat rock track, sung superbly by David Essex as the Artilleryman. The lyrics speak of a new world, hidden deep underground, far away from the martians' prying eyes and lethal deathray.

"It may not sound like heaven, but at least it isn't hell.
We'll start all over again. I've got a plan!"

The Artillerymans delusions of grandeur are only matched by the denial of his predicament and the narrator quickly sees the folly of this Great Plan. It is while playing cards as civilization collapses around them, the journalist realises he cannot stay with this madman and his wild ambitions and he ventures out onto the dead streets of London.

My rating: A delusional 4 out of 5

Track 6 - Dead London - 8'37

The streets are deserted with the wind blowing dust across the scattered remains of human and alien bodies alike. The music slows down, mournful guitars and eery synthesizers conjure up images of a desolate wasteground.

While walking around these deceased, diseased streets, he notices the machines of the martians, not moving, seemingly dead. A lonesome martian cry, "Ullaaaa", captures his attention. It's not the same victorious, soul-shattering sound of before, this is a cry of defeat, of pain and anguish.

"The martians had been slain after all man's devices had failed, by the humblest of things upon the Earth - bacteria, minute, invisible, bacteria"

They were dead. Defeated by the very things the martian's had striven to exclude from their own society - bacteria and disease. While man's tolerance to these microscopic organisms had grown through thousands of years of evolution, the martian's had no answer to them and they fell victim to diseases they had never encountered before. The music is now upbeat, singing the same tune as in the first track but with renewed hope and vigour. Mankind had been saved.

My rating: Hope for the future - 5 out of 5

Track 7 - Epilogue (Part 1) - 2'31

A solitary drum rhythm, paves the way for the victory tune. Amid all the desolation, the Journalist now realises he will see his beloved Carrie once again and there is renewed hope for the future of mankind.

"The pulse of life growing stronger and stronger, would beat again"

He also reflects on possible future attacks from Mars:

"Perhaps the future belongs not to us, but to the Martians"

My rating: an uplifting 3 out 5.

Track 8 - Epilogue (Part 2) (NASA) - 1'50

The twist in the tale. Modern day. A NASA landing craft arrives on Mars only for it disappear in a cloud of red dust. Then a green flare shoots out from the Red Planet …

"Houston, come in! Can anybody hear me? Come in! Come in!"

My rating: Although no music on this track it's an appropriately creepy ending. 3 out of 5

My Overall Rating: Got to be a 5 out of 5.

Conclusion

This is an incredible piece of work. In some ways, it's like a book, a stage play, a musical and a film all rolled into one and it really captures your imagination. Well it did mine anyway. Richard Burton is truly wonderful, and the emotive qualities he brings to the narration really brings the story to life. The rest of the cast also put in stellar performances. Phil Lynott and Julie Covingtons 'Spirit of Man' being another stand-out moment. But, it's the music that really enthralls. Jeff Wayne has created a masterpiece and it easily stands up today, nearly 30 years after the original. Having told my friends about buying this CD, each one has been able to regale a childhood memory that they associate with this album - usually accompanied by a bad rendition of the piece of music they like best.

I cannot recommend this CD highly enough. Simple as that. It will appeal to all ages, although those who are very young or of a nervous disposition are advised to stay away!

I bought this CD for £13.99 from Track Records in Doncaster. I reckon with a bit of rooting around on the net, you may be able to find it cheaper. This is the 2005 digitally re-mastered version (presumably to try and cash in on the recently released Steven Spielberg film) and while I don't have the original vinyl version to compare it to, the sound quality is excellent. The lyrics are perfectly clear, and with them printed in their entirety, including the narration, there's no excuse to have a good old singalong. Of course, you'll never hear my singing voice, limited as it is to the bathroom or shower.

Hang on, what's that? I'm pretty sure that my draught-excluder has just slithered towards me … that's it, I'm off!