I have been reviewing albums and writing my analysis on them since 1997. That is 18 years now. Up until now it has only been studio albums or projects of ‘original material’. I have never really analyzed live albums. I have refrained form this for two reasons. One being at one point the songs in a live album appeared on a studio album of ‘original material’ thus they were already scrutinized on the merits. Second reason being is I see live albums as a celebration of a bands progress and the fact the play live to celebrate achievement with the respective fan bases.
Pagan’s Mind Full Circle: Live At Center Stage is my very first exception to this rule. Ever since 2000 to 2001 since I first heard about Norway’s Pagan’s Mind, something about the band has refused to leave me alone. It would eventually take 2005’s Enigmatic Calling for me to wake up to the realization that this band not only kicks ass but they are up there with the Dream Theater’s , Vanden Plas’ Fates Warning’s, Crimson Glory’s and Symphony X’s, Evergrey’s and Circus Maximus as one of the standard carriers of progressive power metal. Pagan’s Mind are up there with all those bands and somebody has to now explain why they are there. I will attempt to do so here.
Pagan’s Mind Full Circle: Live At Center Stage is broken eloquently and appropriately in two different sets. The first and opening set is the entire 2002’s Celestial Entrance in its entirety live. The second set is various tracks that span their entire career thus far. This is all done at Prog/PowerUSA Metal Festival. For a band to do a live document like that at one of the major festivals that serve as a major medium for their respective genre is a statement unto itself. Especially since people from all over the world converge for Prog/Power USA every year. Pagan’sMind Full Circle: Live At Center Stage is also their second official live document following in the footsteps of 2009’s Live Equation album they did in Oslo Norway.
Pagan’s Mind Full Circle: Live At Center Stage
Set #1 Celestial Entrance is just as explosive live as it is on album. Pagan’s Mind have a very uncanny ability to make their music sound just as polished live as on album. The connection to the crowd is immediate creating a intimate atmosphere for the evening. Several times Nil’s Rue – Vocals mentions the Prog/Power festival, maintaining a high quality connection. This is very transparent and comes through to the listener that was not even their during the live recording. The bands instrumental section is clean and on time with its various progressions and odd time signatures. There is some killer backing vocals that come in at the right time spot on. This is one of the few live progressive metal documents where I hear the band getting stronger in sound over time instead of diminishing in sound. The final track The Prophecy Of Plediades sounds just as tight and if not tighter than even the opening tracks of Approaching and Through Osiris’s Eyes. By now the band has that crowd right where they want them.
Set #2 Career Spanning 80 minutesis another powerful set in of itself. The band has also matured asNew World Ordercarries a strongBlack Sabbathdoom metal vibe within the progressive power metal structure of the band’s signature sound. I like the power rhythmic progression at about the5:00 markofNew World Order. They waste little time in the way of chit chatting to the crowd and really stay on point going from track to track.IntermissionthroughHallo Spaceboyis a non stop assault of various time signatures and well performed songs through power progressions. When we arrive atFull Circlewhich is a 15:57 instrumental only track.Full Circleallows the fan and listener both new and old to see the instrumental side toPagan’s Mind. Full Circleis also a much needed break on the vocals. The band has one serious stronger finishes on a live document I ever heard.
Over the past 20 years we have had live albums such as Dream Theater’s Metropolis Part 2:Scenes From A Memory, Symphony X’s Live On The Edge Of Forever, Vanden Plas’ Spirit Of Live, Pain Of Salvation’s BE and Kamelots One Cold Winter’s Night, and now Pagan’s Mind FullCircle: Live From Center Stage ranks right up there among the elite of live progressive power metal album documents. Whether you are a fan from day one or a newer fan you can see the maturing and growth of a quality metal band. I see Pagan’s Mind Full Circle: Live From Center Stage as one of those albums many will look back another 20 years from now and still be talking about it as if it were just freshly released today. This will last the test of time like the rest of the Pagan’s Mind library has. This gets a 5/5.
It seems once every 10 to 15 years there is a band that totally takes you for a serious mind fuck. In the last 25 years bands like TOOL and Gojira in the Post Rock/Metal world and Oresund SpaceCollective and Pain Of Salvation in the Psychedelic and Progressive Rock realm have been those bands for me. Just when I thought the strange and eclectic of strange and eclectic comes Perth, Australia’s own Tangled Thoughts Of Leaving. Tangled Thoughts Of Leaving release Yield Of Despair is a melodic dark abstract of what can be done with fine musicianship and intelligent brainstorms. To say this is a dark abstract is still a understatement Yield Of Despair is like a harmonic black hole that devours the listeners senses for nearly 74 minutes before releasing its melodic bombardment thus leaving you bewildered about what happened. If Stanley Kubrick ever had a abstract negative for music Tangled Thoughts Of Leaving’sYield Of Despair would be it. I normally go in and totally breakdown a album track by track about now, however this time I will be giving my impressions of each track more so than a full breakdown analysis.
The Albanian Sleepover – Part One begins with some heavy handed fuzzy distortion often found in the doom metal ranks. The drums are totally bottomed towards depths of true despair followed eloquently by a right armed heavy distorted fuzzy bass. Even the rhythm guitar signatures sound like they were played through more a bass amp than a Marshall stack. This is a preface to the listener that their senses are about to be assaulted over the next 74 minutes.
The Albanian Sleepover – Part Two starts off just as brooding as Part One left off. This time it picks up with a far more jazz progression that leads to a more chamber style passage. Make no mistake the album is dark and continues to get darker as this one goes on. There are some deep heavy piano sections with some haunting special effects to accentuate such dark progressions. This all come together around the 5:00 mark and serve the listener with such fear. At the 8:00 mark the drums and distorted bass take this to another dimension of sheer terror before a melancholic piano is included around the 9:00 mark. Then it is a series of more post acid jazz progressions towards the end of the track.
Shaking Off Futility is probably the track that is easiest on the listeners senses. After being hammered with time signatures and brooding progressions from the first two tracks Shaking OffFutility allows the listener to finally begin to digest what has been served to them. It opens with far more gentle piano and rhythmic section passages. This track definitely serves as the bridge to the last half of the project inside the arrangement of the album. The bass and drum rhythmic portions appear to sound as if they were pumped through a foggy filter on this one. This is also the more instrumentally melodic track on Yield Of Despair.
Downbeat starts out liken that of a horror film set to music. There is a desperation appeal to the atmosphere’s on this track. The listener is not only exceptionally assaulted in both right and left channel of the hemisphere’s in the theater of the mind, they are also being hit from back to front. This one comes at you with some of the most intense sonic fury I have heard in recent years within the post progressive rock and metal communities. At the 8:00 mark the fuzzy distortion signatures get very chaotically congested as the listener is now fully engulfed in sheer sonic assaults. Downbeat gives absolutely no remorse or forgiveness. It is a solid storm of melodic bombardment all the way through. About the 12:00 mark the instrumental takes a more Shoegaze/black metal approach with serious double bass drum blast beats with off timed signatures. About the 14:00 mark the track tapers off into a more slow yet complex rhythmic dynamic. The end is almost to doom metal passages.
Yield Of Despair begins with a heavy yet dark piano passage that is almost of chamber music signatures. The piano passages give the listener a sense of mischief and intrigue before the drums come in and cradle it into a wicked distorted dimension. This track sounds like the more improvised track on the album. It is as if the band have taken elements of the previous 4 tracks and used the last title track here as a melting pot or overview of what the listener just experienced. There are several twists and turns in and out of the various signatures and progressions. Yield Of Despair is appropriately arranged in its proper sequence on the album tracking.
I will admit this was one of the most dark yet brooding sonic assaults on my senses in recent memory. Tangled Thoughts Of Leaving have taken Post Progressive Rock/Metal in a totally different dimension. I believe they are pioneers towards a new level in this genre. Yield Of Despair is exceptionally dark and terrifying at times. If you think you knew about this genre of prog think again. I give this a 4/5 of sheer guts and originality.
If you still like a little old school vintage 1960’s to 1970’s progressive rock, yet with a 1990’s sensibility you need to look no further than Italy’s own Repsel. Their 2015 album From Dawn ToDusk carries all the hallmarks of classic progressive rock with heavy rock and alternative tendencies.
There is something to be said when a band takes vintage influences like Jefferson Airplane mixed with King Crimson with a little 1990’s alternative action such as The Breeders and Cranberries. Repsel combines much of these elements without the recording or music sounding cheesy or outdated. There seems to be a fresh hook or melody around every harmonic corner on From DawnTo Dusk . Martea Iacoponi’s vocals are with such clarity and grace that she has a very uncanny ability to keep the listener in continuous enthrallment. This also followed in tow by the rest of her band mates.
Pandora begins as a haunting melody of rhythmic guitar distortion combined with a accent piano. This is followed by a straight up hard progressive rock signature. At the 2:22 mark the track takes some wicked guitar and keyboard interchange progressions. These are almost fuzzy psychedelic fuzzy progressions. Martea’s vocals are overdubbed in a brilliant lead to backing vocal. The vocals seem to have both a mezzo soprano to soprano exchange.
I’ll Erase One Everyday starts with a guitar driven fury with a keyboard atmospheric effect. The lead vocal takes on a more isolated effect off the instrumental section. At the 1:25 mark the vocal takes a fuzzy effect as if recorded through a megaphone. I’ll Erase One Everyday is a straight away hard driven progressive classic track. The track at times takes a bluesy progression without the heavy blues atmosphere. There is a nice plush violin towards the 3:30 mark that gives the track a classical element. The keyboard progression towards the end has a Jordan Rudess style of influence to it.
Make Up starts out with a mellow piano that gets a little brooding and haunting. The vocals play off the piano in a consistent progression. At the :50 mark the violin takes this another direction before the track takes on a lot of vocal harmonies. Make Up contains some raunchy rhythm sections with the guitar and general back up rhythm of the drums and bass.
Everything Has Changed pounds straight away with a power driven progression that has a Celtic world vibe with the violin. About the :53 mark the track takes various interchanges and time signatures as well as some good solid breaks to place the vocal front and center. On top of the stronger vocals there are some nice backing vocal exchanges. The violin and piano serve the backing rhythmic progression quite solid. The drums really carry this one towards the middle to end.
Break Into Pieces starts off with a great vocal rock oriented passage. There are good solid harmonies as well as proper instrumental breaks in the background. The band does have a uncanny ability to track lead to backing vocals that come from all directions of the listener’s audio channels in their minds. This also contains some good guitar part harmonies playing off one another.
From Dawn To Dusk begins with a Floydian keyboard passage with a great electric acoustical vibe. There is a nice rhythmic progression playing off the lead guitar. The distorted vocal effects on this one give a very plush 1990’s alternative signature. The guitar progressions are almost of a deliberate abstract feel to them. Once again the band relies a lot on harmony whether it is lead or melodic harmony. This also playing in sync with some very heavy rhythmic guitar progressions. The band definitely finds a identity by this track.
Two Minds begins with a thunderous fury of straight up progression. This is definitely the heaviest track on the album. This contains some heavy bass drum with heavy snare drums as a total backbone. There are some great breaks that stay on point with the integrity of the composition. The vocals have more attitude in them now as well. At the 2:40 mark the track takes different directions with various signatures.
This album is definitely not for everyone. Repsel seem to have this directed towards the progressive rock purist. What From Dawn To Dusk does provide is two different avenues that the band can go in. They can play towards a progressive rock audience and even a classic hard rock audience. This album has two separate personalities in one identity. This is original to say the least. I give this one a 4/5.
I would suppose that the meaning of Unified Past is up for interpretation. To me I see four journeyman musicians who have brought their collective talents and influences to the world of progressive rock. In 2015 they release their new offering titled Shifting The Equilibrium on Melodic Revolution Records. From my observation I see four guys who have brought a little bit of every decade of progressive rock in the last 45 years and put it on one recording.
When Stephen Speelman – Guitars, and I first made arrangements to get me a copy of CD to review, I honestly did not know what I was in for. After the first spin all the way through, I was very impressed. I can see why such respected publications such as Reuters, Yahoo News, Boston Globe and Bloomberg News has given this high regard. To top that off they also have received a huge billboard of advertising in Times Square in New York City. This praise has been well warranted.
I have appreciated the originality of this project both instrumentally and lyrically. This is straight up pure power progressive rock that reminds me of the days of RUSH’s Farewell To Kings, Hemispheres or 2112 to Emerson Lake and Palmer to even non progressive styles like Zebra and Triumph. There are 6 very different yet elegantly arranged tracks on Shifting The Equilibrium that clock in at a total of 56+ minutes. I will point of some highlights of each track on the album.
Erasure Principle opens up with a great percussive intro with the cymbals playing a surround mix for the listener followed by a bass drum. Soon after the track takes a crunchy progression with a hard driving rhythm guitar before being followed up by the rest of the rhythmic section. The guitar deviates to some lead to rhythm interchanged before a very clean harmonic vocal from Phil Naro comes into play. Phil Naro’s voice reminds me of a mix of one part Randy Jackson from Zebra meets one part Rik Emmett from Triumph and a final part Jon Anderson of Yes. Erasure Principle has a nice continuity of progression with various rhythmic sections, guitar solo’s and neo progressive synths all interchanging at various signatures.
Smile (In The Face Of Diversity) starts with a thunderous rhythm section and neo progressive synth in abstract harmony with one anther before settling in at the :50 mark. At the 1:29 mark the track takes a more traditional progressive metal approach much in the fusion area of say a DerekSherinian with Planet X. This is also driven with great progressive keyboards driving the backbone. There are some proper breaks where the keyboard creates a great atmosphere for a isoalted vocal harmony before going back to straight away progressive rock time stamps. At the 5:29 mark Phil displays some semi melodic semi spoken word vocal styles. Stephen Speelman has some very tight solo’s exchanging with rhythm portions.
Etched In Stone begins with a electric acoustical guitar passage in harmony with the synth and midi programming. Once again the band employs a nice break where the vocals are isolated in harmony with the instrumental. The track takes on a good solid signature instrumentally to build harmony and melody on top one another. At the 3:00 mark the signatures going in and out wicked some very deep bottom bass progressions and guitar solo’s. The vocal atmospheres get really tight on point in Etched In Stone. This is also a track that is a delight for the rhythm enthusiast with great tight drum bass harmonies. That is also with a perfect compliment from the stringed section between guitar and synths. At about the 6:45 mark the synth provides a flute like signature as a great harmonic melodic bridge.
Peace Remains In This World opens up with a straight up power progressive passage of emotion that drives the lyrical content for the listener to follow in a groove laden manner. There is some great exchanges between the main rhythmic progression and guitar solo’s that are really catchy. At times the track takes a semi pop sensibility. This is probably the heaviest track on Shifting TheEquilibrium.
Deviation From A Theme (Of Harmonic Origin) starts out with a power progressive fury. The band have definitely found their niche and identity on this one. This has some sick wicked straight away rock parts that break from time to time into a more lucid signature. There are big solo’s and heavier bass to drum progressions. The guitar takes on effects as if speaking from time to time. The guitar in this reminds me a lot of Dave Bainbridge of IONA meets John Petrucci of Dream Theater. Deviation From A Theme (Of Harmonic Origin) is the only instrumental on the album that displays the band’s instrumental prowess.
Today Is The Day starts out with a very old school progressive psychedelic vibe much like Yes’Tales Of Topographic Oceans with some Sieges Even and Dream Theater combined elements. The keyboard atmospheres and rhythm atmospheres really gel in a tighten groove on this one. The lyrical content is one definitely influenced by Yes to Genesis. There seems to be a different instrumental with each verse and bridge at times having surround effects. In its 11:51 entirety, Today Is The Day has enough time signatures and progressions giving the listener the appearance the track is a 15:00 to 20:00 epic.
Unified Past’s Shifting The Equilibrium is on the edge of the evolution of cerebral progressive rock. Unified Past puts on both a instrumental and vocal harmonic clinic for how progressive rock is to be written, recorded, engineered and mastered. I can not wait to hear some of this in a live atmosphere. I give this a 5/5 for its spot on accuracy and thought provoking progressions.
I really do not know why it has taken me seven months to write this review up. I remember receiving Jaded Star’s Memories From The Future back in March of this year. I was never able to put this album down for a few reasons. One thing that first grabbed my attention was the fact that former Visions Of Atlantis vocalist Maxi Nil found her a new band and home. She was coming this time with a more progressive power metal backbone with former Iced Earth drummer RaphaelSaini. The band would be rounded out with Greek guitar sensation and Wardrum guitarist Kosta Vreto and Open Paradises’ own Babis Nikou on bass.
Jaded Star’s Memories From The Future carries some very traditional power progressive elements and some not so power progressive elements. While coming from diverse backgrounds, Maxi Nil and Raphael Saini have brought collective and conventional power metal elements with more catchy elements and progressions that are sure to hook the listener. Memories From The Future is one of more stronger debuts of 2015.
The Mask starts with a thunderous rhythm section with heavy blast beats and heavy bottom bass. It then proceeds towards a more harmony based composition with guitar and keyboard melodies. About the :52 markMaxi Nil comes in this time with a more aggressive power metal vocal than what some are used to with her from VOS days. The Mask serves as a great first track in the arrangement to entice even the most discriminating of audio pallets.
Wake Up begins with some nice ultra keyboard work before exploding into a full on melodic assault. Maxi Nil has some great overdubs for background vocals. They have a nice catchy echoing effect. Kosta Vreto is all over the fret board on this track. Between the vocal and Kosta’s guitar work and Babis on keyboards the track is a solid one.
Keep On Fighting has a beautiful piano intro before the heavier progressions take the track in another direction. :43 mark there is a nice fade out and down with the instrumental and Maxi’s vocal takes a more isolation to personalize the track more. Keep on Fighting takes on a heavy AOR progression at various time throughout the track. At the 3:45 mark the band continue to take a more vintage metal approach with a great guitar solo.
Stars begins with some good keyboard work before the senses are assaulted with a power progression. Stars is one of the more emotional tracks on the album. There are some good backing vocal points as well on this one. It is also a very commercially friendly track for radio that still considers 3:00 songs art. That however does not take from the great work on Stars.
Into The End Of Time starts with a semi electric guitar before the power progression picks up. Into The End Of Time starts to see the band experiment with different keys and registers. The band seems to be opening up a little more on this one. Once again their is also a lot of experimentation in the vocal department. They also have more time signatures yet without straying too much from their point. Healing The Inner Child starts off with a great drum solo passage before the band begins to experiment once again with electronica and Darkwave keyboard styles. The vocals are more of a power progression yet still maintain some harmony in and out with the lead to backing overdubs. This track has very light Gothic structures within in it. The rhythm section is taking some chances here as well.
You’ll See begins much like a old school power ballad with modern power metal elements. There are some great heavy rhythmic time signatures and vocal exchanges going in and out. The solo on this one really takes the track to another level.
In Memory begins with a great atmospheric semi electric semi acoustic guitar with a great isolation of vocal to make the track a more intimate experience to the listener. The lyrical content is very personal as well. This is the definite ballad on the album. This track will serve the band well during live sets to give other members a rest in middle of set. I do have some speculation whether the band will employ a back up choral section with all the rich backing vocals on this one.
Racing In Sao Paulo starts out with a good solid rhythmic guitar intro. The title is probably obvious since Raphael Saini is from Brazil. However it does not take away that note for note this track is just as strong as any other on the album. It has a nice eletric piano in the background accenting the various time signtures and progressions. At the 3:40 mark this track takes some serious heavy rhythmic directions.
Innocence ends the album in a very mellow yet gentle rhythmic way. It is focused definitely around a charging signature for sure. This is matched by a good solid keyboard accent and some great backing vocal overdubs.
Make no mistake Jaded Star are not a quote “Supergroup“. They did establish their own catchy groove and sound on this one. They do have a identity as to not bring a entire sound from the perspective bands they come or came from. This band will be talked about not only in the ‘female fronted metal’ circuits but the general metal population. If this band does hold together the future can be bright for them. I give this 4/5 for the different experimentation they employed on the album.
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