Melodic Revolution Records Featured Album March 2016 |
Time Horizon | Transitions
Label : Melodic Revolution Records
Release Year : 2015
Country: USA
Genre : Christian AOR Progressive Rock
Band Members
Ralph Otteson – Keyboards/Vocals
Allen White – Electric 5 String Bass/Fretless Bass/Upright Acoustic & Bass Pedals
Dave Miller – Electric Acoustic Rhythm/ Lead Guitar
Bruce Gaetke – Drums/ Vocals
Contributing Musicians
Rich Reif – Vocals
Jeff Garner – Lead & Rhythm Guitar
Dan Eidem – Drums on River of Sorrows
Michael Mullin – Violin on Love is Here
Gary Gehman – Background Vocal on Only One
Guest Artists
Lang Bliss – Drums/Percussion
David Wallimann – Lead/Rhythm Guitars
Tony Kaye – Hammond B3 organ on Prisoner
Billy Sherwood – Lead Guitar on The Moment Is Here
Jake Livgren – Vocal on Love Is Here
Contact Links
Time Horizon Official Melodic Revolution Records Band Page Store
Time Horizon Official Facebook Page
Time Horizon Official Youtube Channel
It seems like quality progressive AOR rock does not discriminate as far as audiences are concerned. It seems over the last thirty years or so starting with bands like Petra, White Heart, Mylon Lefever and Brokenheart, Proto-Kaw, John Elefante, Kerry Livgren etc … that this genre and style of music has found a home in the Contemporary Christian market as well. In 2016 this rich tradition continues with California’s own Time Horizon.
Time Horizon were built on the foundation of charity. 100% of their proceeds off the first 1000 CD’s goes towards Living Water International, a charitable ministry dedicated to building fresh water wells in third world countries. It is certainly something rare and unique in today’s music climate in the face of adversity of illegal downloads and non lucrative streaming services.
The music portion of the band goes back to the days of the 1980’s where many progressive rock bands from the late 1960’s and mostly 1970’s had to adopt a more modern pop sensibility to remain relevant in the public eye. Many bands such as Yes, Genesis, Asia and Emerson, Lake and Powell went the way of the AOR of bands like Journey ,Survivor , Styx, Passenger, etc … Time Horizon include the AOR element as well as elements of progressive rock and even neo progressive rock making for a unique distinctive sound all their own.
All these elements are present in their very latest effort Transitions . With the engineering and production assistance of legendary Billy Sherwood, Time Horizon have crated a well polished and clean project that will appeal to many listeners both old and new. Transitions suffices the audio pallet’s of the older listener more familiar with progressive AOR oriented rock while being easy enough to follow for a newer generation just discovering these brands or the brand collective of this genre of music. Now a brief yet to the point break down of Time Horizon’s Transitions.
Transitions has some very up tempo rockers on is Only One.
Only One starts as a straight away progressive rock track. It has some nice softer breaks within the verse and bridges before picking it back up with the chorus. The rhythm section is very tight and the guitar solo is very welcomed. Only One has a beautiful segue into the albums first instrumental track Only Through Faith.
Only Through Faith comes into its own with a very fluid keyboard atmosphere. For 3:10 of the track moves in and out of atmospheres as if it were a soundtrack of a filmscore to a movie or television show. Only Through Faith sets up the following track Only Today perfectly.
Only Today opens up with a nice guitar solo followed by a thunderous bass/drum rhythm section. Only Today is a heavier track based on the fact it is more rooted in the bass/drum section. Pieces of neo progressive keyboard elements present themselves in a subtle yet well presenting manner. It has a nicely executed guitar solo about the 3:00 mark before being met with a rich keyboard passage at the 3:50 mark. The vocals and harmonies are very present in harmony with the instrumental.
Prisoner the longest track on Transitions, opens up with a deep bottom rhythmic section. There is a lot of 4 and 5 string bass going on here. The keyboard section is in a more nostalgic vein with the hammond organ reminding the listener of progressive rocks roots. The vocal harmonies are totally executed in a united matter. The deeper bottom bass in harmony with the hammond organ and guitar give it a little darker touch. Although the Prisoner is one of the darker tracks on the album it still presents positive hope.
The Moment Is Here opens in a more traditional AOR style. The vocals at times reaching that of Chicago’s Peter Cetera. Much of the track has a great dynamic between the lead vocal and the background vocal. The background vocal serves as a echo vocal before meeting in perfectly harmony with the lead. The Moment Is Here is another of the more heavier tracks off the album. The are even vocal portions accentuating the guitar solo.
About Time begins with a great straight away progressive rock track with heavier rhythmic licks matched by a opening guitar solo serving as a instrumental passage in a melodic narrative. This is another instrumental where the band can show skill however under the umbrella of humility and appreciation. There is a sick rhythm solo about the 3:20 mark. At 4:30 mark it takes a very traditional very hard rock direction in the Outro solo.
You’re All I Need picks up where About Time left off with a blistering section of straight driving hard rock. Just like About Time before it, You’re All I Need is one of those tracks that could hold its own in any decade from the 1980’s through 2010’s.
Water Girl, River Of Sorrows, & Love Is Here are more of the softer side bordering on ballads. These three tracks are a great and peaceful way to settle into the end of Transitions. They all have great guitar solos with great rhythm sections running in perfect harmony inside the melodic structure of each track. These three tracks are also perfectly arranged where the listener can reflect on the entire project as a whole.
I believe Melodic Revolution Records signed a great overall talent in Time Horizon. Not only are the band are generous with their resources, they also focus on quality progressive AOR oriented rock that can appeal to listeners across the generations. I give this a 5/5 for that alone.
