Panic Room's 2008 debut, Visionary Position, was hailed on many prog sites around the world, not least of all here at Silhobbit, where I called it "an excellent first release". So you can only imagine how much interest I had in this album. Loads.

I've been playing this album, Satellite and its accompanying bonus CD Little Satellite quite a lot over the last couple of months - that's the thing we love about prog, you can't make instant or snap decisions - and letting the prog flow out of it and into me.

It kicks off with Paul Davies' guitar intro into the rocky Freedom To Breathe, with Alun Vaughan's bass and Gavin John Griffiths drums providing the beat, before Anne-Marie Helder comes in with her sultry vocals. It's clear from this opener that members of the band are keen to leave behind their past as members of folk-proggers Karnataka - a move that they didn't manage on their debut - as this is a catchy little rock number. The rockier sound is continued into the second track, Picking Up Knives, though thanks to the prevelance of Vaughan's bass, it retains a funky feel throughout. The subtle use of Jonathon Edwards' keyboards on this track move it into another dimension.

The quirky I Am A Cat slinks in almost as if it can hear the sound of fork on can. This is definately a grower, as on the first few listens it just brought images of George Galloway and Rula Lenska to mind. Once you've got past that stage (and it may need professional help) its charm will grab you in its teeth or claws or something, and not let you be. Just hearing Anne-Marie singing "Miaow" should be more than any man can take. But I hope it's a real cat purring at the end.

After the feline excesses, The Fall comes along in it's sultry ballardness, all bass and keys, with restrained drumming as well, while Helders vocals lull you into the groove. But don't fall for it, as the guitar intro to Black Noise will startle you up and make you spill your cocoa. This track allows to band to showcase their heavier side, with harder drumming and choppier guitars, and a more insistant bass line.The band follow this with the atmospheric Yasuni, which is far too seductive to be a protest song, yet that's what it is, decrying the pillaging of the rain forest.People like Sting and Bonio should take note, this is a far better way to get the point across rather than the preachy whiney way they do it.

Another mellow track, Sunshine, takes up the reigns next. A love song for romantics that could be a favourite on those Sunday mornig request shows, if only it could get some decent airplay somewhere. Still... Edwards dreamy piano introduces Into The Fire, another well crafted, beautiffly executed track, falling in that triangular gap between rock, prog and pop.

After that trio of mellow tracks, the organ-driven Dark Star - a protest song against black holes? - shakes it all up again before Helders breathy vocals dominate the piano-based Muse.

The slow burning title track Satellite rounds the main album off in epic style, but that's not it, as there's the extra four tracks contained on the Little Satellite bonus disk to come.

This disc starts off with the rocky 5th Amendment, with Anne-Marie's vocals reminding me of Natalie Imbruglia in places. It continues with the inspired The Great Divide, which finally sees the band allowing a touch of the folk-progs to creep into the sound. But only a touch. The modern rock of Go sets you up the finale of Sandstorms in an up beat way. This 10 minuter features another great performance from all the band, but the duelling of the keyboards and guitar will have you grinning from ear to there. Like a cat. A Cheshire cat. Probably like the one who spends the last two minutes of this purring away!

It makes a great change to listen to an album where the musicians are content to let the song do the talking, without lathering it in complicated solo's and studio trickiness, just for the sake of it.

With this album, Panic Room have finally put the past to bed, and made and exceptional album full of quality pop-prog-rock tracks. Buy it and do yourself a favour.

www.panicroom.org.uk