Mind's Eye CD's and DVD's

 


 
The Afterglow CD
Lion Music
Essential stuff for all Mind's Eye fans
01. Blind Justice [5.35]
02. Castle of Eternity [6.05]
03. Red storm rising [4.22]
04. Beyond Endurance [4.03]
05. With these eyes [6.42]
06. Andromeda [5.34]
07. Ending a Story [2.42]
08. A thousand nights after the last sundown [9.57]
Video: Castle of Eternity, Directed by Pierre Lingre

€12.90

$16.90

 
A Gentleman's Hurricane CD+DVD
PAL format
Lion Music
Following swiftly on the back of 2006’s lavishly acclaimed ‘Walking On H2O’, Swedish progressive metal masterminds MIND’S EYE return with their most ambitious and accessible album to date in “A Gentleman’s Hurricane”. Taking their musical and lyrical vision another step on, the band has delivered the world’s first cinematic metal triple pack consisting of CD / Comic Book and ‘making of DVD’ which portrays the bands latest concept.

PAL version of DVD

€14.90

$19.40

 
A Gentleman's Hurricane CD+DVD
NTSC format
Lion Music
Following swiftly on the back of 2006’s lavishly acclaimed ‘Walking On H2O’, Swedish progressive metal masterminds MIND’S EYE return with their most ambitious and accessible album to date in “A Gentleman’s Hurricane”. Taking their musical and lyrical vision another step on, the band has delivered the world’s first cinematic metal triple pack consisting of CD / Comic Book and ‘making of DVD’ which portrays the bands latest concept

NTSC version of DVD

€14.90

$19.40

 
A Work of Art CD
Lion Music
Killer Prog Metal from Sweden with 2 exclusive bonus tracks.

€12.90

$16.90

 
Waiting for the Tide CD
Lion Music
Their first album re-issued July 2006 with 2 bonus tracks

€12.90

$16.90

 

listen and buy Mind's Eye downloads HERE!
REVIEWS:

Mind's Eye - 1994: The Afterglow

Lion Music

Rating - 7/10 www.hardrockhouse.com

Review Simon Bray


Mind’s Eye are, like Hannah Montana, older than you think. In fact, they’ve been together since 1992 when they were very, very young and 1994: The Afterglow is a reissue of their little heard debut album. It is, as you may well expect, a very fine offering indeed. It is sobering to note that when this was recorded the main protagonists were spectacularly juvenile. In fact, Johan Nieman was just fifteen (that’s 15) years old at the time. First time around this CD was only released independently and as a consequence very few got the chance to hear its charms. Now though, current label Lion Music gives us all a fascinating chance to hear how the band sounded in its embryonic stages.

They sound remarkably fully formed to be honest particularly on Beyond Endurance which is absolutely superb instrumentally with guitar man Frederik Grunberger playing a total blinder whilst German Pascual hits some almost inhuman high notes. Grunberger also excels on Andromeda which is obviously heavily influenced by Dream Theater.

Unlike many other of their progressive contemporaries, Mind’s Eye have a keen eye on the edit button and none of the eight tracks herein outstay their welcome even though three of them clock in at over the six minute mark including the near ten minute A Thousand Nights After the Last Sundown which is fabulous. Indeed, at under three minutes Ending a Story is the shortest song on offer and actually would have benefited from being longer as it feels somewhat unfinished compared to the quite remarkably maturity of the rest of the album.

Obviously 1994: The Afterglow is not quite as jaw-droppingly good as their last record A Gentleman’s Hurricane (it’s a somewhat different as well as younger line-up) but it will definitely fill the gap until the band can squeeze out their next offering.

 

 

   

Track Listing

Blind Justice
Castle of Eternity
Red Storm Rising
Beyond Endurance
With These Eyes
Andromeda
Ending a Story
A Thousand Nights After the Last Sundown
 

Line Up

Germain Pascual – Vocals
Johan Nieman - Bass
Frederik Grunberger – Guitars
Daniel Flores – Drums

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Mind's Eye - A Gentleman's Hurricane (9/10) - Sweden - 2007

 
Genre: Progressive Metal
Label: Lion Music
Playing time: 74:38
Band homepage: Mind's Eye
 

Tracklist:

  1. Praying For Confession
  2. Seven Days
  3. AssassiNation
  4. Chaos Unleashed
  5. Hell’s Invitiation
  6. Feed My Revolver
  7. Ashes To Ashes (In Land Lullaby)
  8. The Hour Of Need
  9. Red Winter Sirens
  10. Skin Crawl
  11. Graveyard Hands
  12. Say Goodnight
  13. Pandora’s Musical Box
Mind's Eye - A Gentleman's Hurricane 

Sometimes, a cool album cover or album title is all it takes for me to like a band before I’ve even played the album. Of course, this doesn’t necessarily impact the score it receives, but it makes me a bit more eager to delve into the CD’s mysteries straightaway. Such is the case with MIND’S EYE and their sixth studio release, the impeccably titled “A Gentleman’s Hurricane”. One look at the cover art, which depicts a respectable old bloke calming walking towards a massive twister, and I muttered “that’s too awesome” and promptly got to reviewing.

 

Fortunately, MIND’S EYE aren’t just good for their cover art; their music is just as great. Taking cues from bands like QUEENSRźCHE and RUSH, MIND’S EYE have created an epic Prog Metal concept story in “A Gentleman’s Hurricane”. The story follows a wizened old assassin who, after years of carrying out kills on the Illuminati’s orders, is overcome by guilt. He seeks refuge in an old church, where he meets a retired priest and confesses to him. Over the course of the album, he recounts his bloody tales to the priest, who has a few of his own sins to share with the assassin. This unlikely friendship makes for a fascinating narrative, as the assassin has only seven days to clear his conscience before his next (and final) hit.

 

As with previous MIND’S EYE albums, nearly everything on “A Gentleman’s Hurricane” was handled by drummer Daniel Flores; in addition to drumming, he played keyboards, arranged strings, performed harmony vocals, wrote the story concept, wrote all the lyrics, wrote nearly all the music alone (bassist/guitarist Johan Niemann contributed on a few tracks), and handled all of the production and recording duties. He’s a busy fellow, but considering the excellent quality of nearly every facet of the album, it’s obvious that Flores excels at everything he does.

 

After a stirring intro, the album kicks into gear with “Seven Days”. Though MIND’S EYE firmly falls into the category of Progressive Metal, they have more of a gritty, mid-tempo Rock sound than, say, DREAM THEATER or label-mates SEVENTH WONDER. Much of the album fits this description, but there are a few surprises. From track to track, Niemann and Flores pound away at their instruments while singer Andreas Novak wails for all he’s worth, but all that gets thrown out the window on the semi-acoustic number “Graveyard Hands”. It’s a solemn, stirring song, and definitely an album highlight; it even has a flute and “warpipes” mixed in it.

 

Without a doubt, “A Gentleman’s Hurricane” is worthy of a buy. Hell, it may even end up being one of the best Prog releases of the year. Only time will tell, but for the time being, Flores and company have crafted a truly majestic listening experience. Prog Metal fans, you won’t be disappointed.

(Online October 13, 2007)

Mitchel Betsch

www.metal-observer.com
 


 

 

 


 
Tracklist
1. Praying For Confession
2. Seven Days
3. AssassiNation
4. Chaos Unleashed
5. Hell's Invitation
6. Feed My Revolver
7. Ashes To Ashes (In Land Lullaby)
8. The Hour Of Need
9. Red Winter Sirens
10. Skin Crawl
11. Graveyard Hands
12. Say Goodnight
13. Pandora's Musical Box
 
Line-up
Andreas Novak (lv)
Johan Niemann (b, g)
Daniel Flores (d, k, star, hv)
 
Review added
October 9, 2007
 
MIND’S EYE
A Gentleman’s Hurricane
© 2007 Lion Music  (LMC214)

progressive metal
studio album
13 tracks - TT 74:44
release date: September 14, 2007
http://www.roundrec.com
progressive rock/metal

 
Do you remember my rave review of Mind’s Eye’s latest album “Walking On h2o”. Although it was released at the beginning of last year, I already called it one of the prog highlights of the year. Several of our registered visitors posted their opinion on the album and none of them rewarded it with less than 5 stars out of 6, which proved my opinion that this was a real highlight for Mind’s Eye as well as for Lion Music.
Andreas Novak, Johan Niemann and Daniel Flores are now back with album # 5, called “A Gentleman’s Hurricane”, and it may easily be called their most ambitious album so far. With this album, the band has delivered the world’s first cinematic metal triple pack, consisting of a CD, a comic book to illustrate the concept storyline and a DVD chronicling the making of the album, thus allowing the fans to get right inside the album’s concept and gain an insight into how the threesome worked in the studio.
RR HQ only got the CD for review and so I can’t write anything about the comic book nor the DVD, but one single spin of the CD was enough to convince me of the high quality Flores and his sidemen have delivered once again. Of course all the trademarks of Mind’s Eye’s earlier albums are here again, but as a whole this album is probably their heaviest one so far, with still more than enough emphasis on the melodies to assure the album’s overall accessibility. An album of such a high quality can only be enjoyed when you listen to it from the beginning till the end with the lyrics within reach. The biography that was sent to us together with the promo CD compares “A Gentleman’s Hurricane” with Queensr˙che’s “Operation: Mindcrime” and although I wouldn’t go that far, I have to admit that this is really an impressive piece of work. Absolutely recommended!!! (CL) www.rockreport.be

 

 

Mind’s Eye – A Gentlemen’s Hurricane
 



2007 Lion Music

You can’t really get more ambitious than this, as if Walking On H2O was a hard enough act to follow, A Gentlemen’s Hurricane is not only an elaborate musical project, but it adds something different; instead of being a mere cinematic ‘rock opera,’ the record comes with a comic book to narrate the story line, only enhancing the concept that states ”Twelve Murders in Seven days. So little time… So much to tell…”

With all of the progressive metal concept albums out there being force fed to us that go nowhere and offering really nothing new with too much production and arrangements, often lacking melody and hooks, Mind’s Eye know how to execute the perfect technical metal record, where like I have said before, you get into it and not get lost, for which Andreas Novak, Johan Niemann, & Daniel Flores know when to place the hooks and catchiness within the lush, layered arrangements; pushing the envelope when it comes to neo-classical/symphonic overtones, yet keeping the music highly accessible on the ears; never losing the fine art of what making music is all about in the first place - the riffage and of course, the melody.

Piece by piece the record unfolds; “Seven Days,” an articulately brooding track, complete with a strategically placed infectious hookline, sets the tone for what the rest of the record beholds. The abundance for other tunes like “Days…” is also found within hard driving numbers like “Chaos Unleashed,” “Feed My Revolver,” and “Red Winter Sirens” where there is no lack of precision based metallic glory. The more emotional edge if found within cuts such as “Graveyard Hands” and the ballad “The Hour of Need” putting the sophistication in with moodiness.

Like At Vance crossed with Sun Caged, the music is emphasized with the songs – complimented by the musicianship with sheer harmonic brilliance, Mind’s Eye have again outdone themselves both musically and artistically with their latest release. While some of the progressive metal forefathers have disappointed us with stale material lately, this trio proves that it’s time for some to just move over and let the new guard in.

Added: October 4th 2007
Reviewer: Tommy Hash www.ytsejam.com
Score:
Related Link:
The official Minds Eye website

 

 

Mind's Eye: A Gentleman's Hurricane
 

To me Mind's Eye has always been one of those progressive bands who have conssitently released solid albums; the only thing their catalog missed was a truly monster record from start to finish. With their previous output Walking on H2O, however, they started to show signs for really great things to come, and finally they have put out their magnum opus: A Gentleman's Hurricane.

Based on a storyline akin to that of Queensryche's Operation: Mindcrime and perhaps also Dream Theater's Scenes from a Memory in that it deals with themes like murder, religion, and tragedy, A Gentleman's Hurricane is easily their most realized and complex work to date. For starters, the production of the band's brainchild Daniel Flores is mesmerizing, emphasizing numerous textures, thick soundscapes, and a remarkable mixing job. Daniel Flores, besides playing all drums and keyboards on the CD, is also responsible for the beautiful harmony vocals and the songwriting of pretty much the whole record. There are a few track he co-wrote with guitarist/bassist Johan Niemann though; these tunes also add substantially to the diversity of the record along with several guest musicians.

While the band chose to stay in more of prog-rock-meets-metal territory on earlier releases, they have decided to embark on a heavier disc overall with their new album. The bone-crunching rhythm guitar work exhibited on most of the songs is stupifying indeed. Songs such as "Seven Days" and "AssasiNation", both of which are graced by cinematic passages, also allow acoustic breaks and varied sound elements to come through, the latter laden with an infectious chorus by Andreas Novak who shifts between manipulated parts to rousing melodic sections in the blink of an eye. This album is his pinnacle from a performance standpoint, as he opts for as many vocal stylings as this record would allow, from the searing screams on "Feed My Revolver" to the more vocal-based "Chaos Unleashed" (complete with an 80's Rush-like synth arrangement), and the atmospherically dense "Ashes to Ashes (In Land Lullaby)", evoking Peter Gabriel's theatrical melody constructions post-Genesis and a terrific drum accompaniment by Flores to Novak's morose delivery. Also important is the dark vocalization of "Skin Crawl" -- those harmonies are gold.

Johan Niemann plays sledgehammer riffs on most of the album, reminding me of Henning Pauly's Frameshift project (think their second album). Niemann's melodic control and phrasing are also superior, as he successfully avoids falling into the trap of overdoing any of the instrumental parts. On the contrary, his soloing on the album is top-notch and very carefully planned. This album has some of the most amazing lead solos I've heard on a 2007 release. The killer guitar crescendo on the opener "Praying for Confession", a great piece laden with various sound collections (child's choir, footsteps, narration, creepy background noises, gorgeous synth voicings, et cetera), the utterly perfect melodic transition on "Chaos Unleashed", the godly guitar solo on the Threshold-like "Hell's Invitation", and the awe-inspiring playing on "Red Winter Sirens" are testimony to this guy's skills. If you watch the making-of video that comes together with this album, you'll see he nails the solo in one take, after Flores' instruction. He's not just the amazing bass player of Therion, but also a great guitar player and one of the best studio musicians as Flores claims. His rampaging bass work that stomps upon the recurring synth melody at the end is simply stunning.

Also note the dramatic duet "The Hour of Need", featuring female vocalist Mia Coldheart over moody synths; the superbly arranged "Graveyard Hands", littered with gentle flute melodies, a reverb-filled guitar solo that is emotionally draining, and marching drum syncopation. On the ten-minute "Pandora's Musical Box", the whole album is sort of summarised through a mix of leviathan guitar riffery, dismal acoustic guitars, excellent vocals, and Flores' atmospheric keyboards floating across the whole thing. It concludes with the same child's choir that opens the album, maintaining its unity.

The packaging of the album is superb too. It comes with a DVD documenting the making of the album and thus proving how terribly underrated an artist Daniel Flores is. There is also an interesting video of "Feed My Revolver", featuring wonderful animations and an intriguing story which fits the concept of the album.

With a successful array of guest artists personifying the characters, a thought-provoking concept, excellent production, great arwork by Mattias Noren, and on top of all killer songwriting, A Gentleman's Hurricane is one of the most essential progressive metal albums of the year.

Track Listing

  1. Praying for Confession
  2. Seven Days
  3. AssassiNation
  4. Chaos Unleashed
  5. Hell's Invitation
  6. Feed My Revolver
  7. Ashes to Ashes (In Land Lullaby)
  8. The Hour of Need
  9. Red Winter Sirens
  10. Skin Crawl
  11. Graveyard Hands
  12. Say Goodnight
  13. Pandora's Musical Box

Added: September 30th 2007
Reviewer: Murat Batmaz www.seaoftranquility.org
Score:
Related Link:
Mind's Eye website

 

 

Mind's Eye - A Gentleman's Hurricane

Lion Music

Rating - 8.5/10

Review Paul Williams


This new release from Mind’s Eye is touted as the world’s first triple pack release, coming as it does with the CD, a “making of” DVD and a comic which depicts the visual elements of what is a progressive metal concept album. 

Mind’s Eye are Andreas Novak (whose solo album caused quite a stir in 2005), Johan Niemann (Therion) on bass and guitar and Daniel Flores on drums, keyboards and in charge of production. 

The storyline behind the concept focuses on an assassin growing increasingly ill at ease with his own conscience but who is tasked with carrying out 12 high profile hits in just seven days. He confides in a parish priest who has plenty of shameful secrets in his own past… 

The blurb which accompanies this release compares it to Operation Mindcrime and whilst I would not rate it anywhere near the class of Queensryche’s seminal opus, this is easily the second best concept album that I have ever heard. It is more typically progressive in approach than the harder rocking Mindcrime, with an abundance of keyboards far more prevalent throughout. One great trait it does share is that each song stands up on its own as well as within the context of the album / story. 

Novak has a really good voice and the quality of both the songwriting and the playing around him is excellent. 

After a spoken word / instrumental first track which sets the scene, the first real track “Seven Days” kicks in and leads to “AssassiNation” which is arguably the finest track on the whole album. An absolute belter. After the rocking “Chaos Unleashed” and darker “Hell’s Invitation” comes the magnificent “Feed My Revolver” which is a simply brilliant track from beginning to end. 

The quality doesn’t let up during “Ashes To Ashes”, after which the tempo and mood are stripped back for the haunting duet with Mia Coldheart from Crucified Barbara. The pace picks up on “Red Winter Sirens” which builds from a vocal introduction and blossoms into another bass-driven rocker. The standard is maintained by “Skin Crawl” and another of the album’s real highlights, “Graveyard Hands”. “Say Goodnight” and “Pandora’s Musical Box” round things off in fine style, in keeping with the rest of the album. 

The sound quality throughout the album is absolutely stunning, which really adds to the complex nature of the songs and arrangements. 

In summary, if you are into progressive metal, then buy this. No question. You’ll love it. The album also has more than enough overall quality to cross over into other rock genres and garner Mind’s Eye a whole new (and well deserved) fanbase. Great job, guys.

 

www.hardrockhouse.com 

   

Track Listing

Praying For Confession
Seven Days
AssassiNation
Chaos Unleashed
Hell's Invitation
Feed My Revolver
Ashes To Ashes (in land lullaby)
The Hour Of Need
Red Winter Sirens
Skin Crawl
Graveyard Hands
Say Goodnight
Pandora's Musical Box

Line Up

Andreas Novak - Vocals
Johan Niemann - Guitars/Bass
Daniel Flores - Drums/Keyboards

 

Mind's Eye

'A Gentleman's Hurricane'

© 2007 Lion Music

Reviewed by Dave Palmer www.heavymetalresource.com
 


 
I think that time comes in every good band's career where they put together an album that will be a definite classic in the genre and one of the band's finest moments. With Mind's Eye and the fact that they seem to have plenty of fine moments, to say this one is even bigger then usual really says alot. 'A Gentleman's Hurricane' is a conceptual masterpiece that deals in sinister plot in some ways like Queensryche's 'Operation: Mindcrime'. What this album has in common with Queensryche's album is the visual nature of it. The music translates very well through the tone and mood in the way the song was written. The listener gets it through lyric and tempo. The narration in the storyline tends to help out, but with some of the background sounds and just things that are going on, it isn't really hard to figure out. In a nutshell, it's delivered very well. I think this band should be on larger map due to this record. I know that there are a fair amount of fans that have alot of respect, but these guys are really good. It is hard to really point out what my favorite tracks would be. The album fits tightly together as one would expect.  That's the whole idea of this type of album. If I had to pick out one track that I like immensely, it would be 'Feed My Revolver'. I like heavy music. The guitar sound and the background atmosphere of this song is absolutely intense. The atmosphere of the album is one of it's best attributes. Angry when it needs to be and somber when necessary at the other end of the spectrum. This album could be, although not sure if it will be, one of those albums which others are gauged against for quality. Mind's Eye is a definite force in progressive and metal in general. Those who are fans already know this, and for those that don't, you need to to check this band out.
 

 
Overall
 
One of the years best releases without a doubt. Mind's Eye keep kicking things up a notch with each release. They may have kicked it up much more then a notch with 'A Gentleman's Hurricane' however. This album is special and could go down in rock history as one of the best. If you haven't checked out Mind's Eye, but do like the heavier side of progressive and just great rock and metal music, it's a clear winner!
 

 

 

 

MIND'S EYE - A GENTLEMAN'S HURRICANE

September 14th 2007 / Lion Music


F
ollowing swiftly on the back of 2006’s lavishly acclaimed “Walking On H2O”, Swedish progressive metal masterminds MIND’S EYE return with their most ambitious and accessible album to date in “A Gentleman’s Hurricane”. Taking their musical and lyrical vision another step on, the band has delivered the world’s first cinematic metal triple pack consisting of CD / Comic Book and ‘making of DVD’ which portrays the bands latest concept with the following story premise…

In a dark and foggy day in September, three shots are heard in the deep dark woods of “The Mother Of Presidents” state of Virginia. Adam Evangelista, a 53 year old top assassin whose ice cold walls have now been worn down by his continuing growing guilt, searches for an answer to it all. Acknowledging that he can’t continue without finding a way to ease his mind, he seeks refuge at the town’s church where Adam meets the now retired head priest Father Cavallero Di Mori, coincidently visiting his old church and parish. Adam tries to get into the depths of his own disturbed but genius mind. Describing his life and assassinations for his new friend Father Cavallero during sessions of confessions, both men reveal deep secrets unknown to the outside world - dark secrets they are both ashamed of. Adam’s sins and stories stretch from Sweden, Ireland, Italy, France, to the former USSR , Mexico and the USA. Taking orders from the well known secret society ‘The Illuminati’, Adam’s “marks” are some of the most important people in our time. But there is a catch; only seven days to poor his heart out before his very last job and time is running out.  Twelve Murders in Seven days. So little time… So much to tell…

Now normally I don’t really have much time for plots on concept albums as they generally loose focus and well for the most part are plain boring.  But this one perked my interest, and really is the only one that has since Queensryche’s “Operation:Mindcrime” almost 20 years ago.  Anyone that read my review of “Walking On H2O” knows that I thought it was killer, nothing to complain about at all so how can the band go about better that?  Well simply said they have albeit in a different guise, the decision to make the band heavier has paid dividends.

If “Walking On H2O” was prog rock, “A Gentleman’s Hurricane” is Prog Metal or maybe Technical Metal yet still retains all the infectious vocal melodies the band can now call a trademark.  Whilst the music when placed under the spotlight is not so complex, or maybe all over the place as say Dream Theater there is greater attention to detail in the form of orchestration, sound effects, voice-overs, and melody lines that are simply divine.  Make no mistake this is one seriously good sounding album and probably done on a twentieth of the budget that many of the so-called big names get so full marks need to go the production crew of the bands own Daniel Flores and Johan Niemann. 

Opener “Praying For Confession” begins with a atmospheric intro (see the story intro text above) reminiscent of a dark thriller full of eerie orchestration, sound effects before the weary voice of main character Adam Evangelista who gives us an insight into his mind "...Death... death comes to us all", this paves way for grand orchestration before a child's choir adds more depth before the band enter with simple power chords.  Immediately fans of the bands previous output will feel at home here, the trademark lush textures, expressive vocals and overall uniqueness paves way for the track to greet the listener with welcoming arms.  Johan Niemann delivers a melodic guitar solo over which the build up continues before we hear Adam Evangelista's first time in confessional leading to the addictive "Seven Days" which again is not too likely to alarm fans of the bands that got onboard with "H2O".  The track is home to a simply amazing vocal performance from Andreas Novak whose power, pitch and overall delivery of a line is faultless.  The chorus itself is crystal meth in aural form and will be stuck in your head long after the album has finished (and it won’t be the last).  The track then takes a brief respite before Johan delivers another solo – perhaps best known as bassist in Therion, this guy has some serious guitar chops and puts himself with the top players in the prog metal genre with his performances throughout the album.  The track then picks up in tempo with Flores raising the intensity on the drums which is mimicked in synchronisation by the orchestration with the last chorus seeing the track out. 

“AssasiNation” picks up in intensity where “Seven Days” left off, yet once again the melodic content is high.  The initial first verse is eerie with a sense of impending doom before the delivery kicks into high gear.  The track is just a winner from start to finish with the band seemingly able to throw in virtuoso musical performances (just check out the drumming here) into a viable, accessible musical framework that in itself has enough commercial appeal to not sound of place on the radio during a mainstream top 40 chart.  Don’t let this scare you off, it’s a testament to what Mind’s Eye have managed to do with the genre and deserves to be praised to the roof.   “Chaos Unleashed” maintains the sound heard so far yet with a few new twists in the form of a more simplified verse and a complex middle instrumental passage which leads into guitar and keyboard solos. 

“Hell’s Invitation” begins with some more character dialogue between Adam Evangelista and Father Cavallero Di Mori.  The tempo here is dropped back a little which allows the chorus to swoop and dive to glorious effect (great vocal harmonies here once again).  The incessant driving verse riff allows the keyboards to add more depth, its subtle but once heard will blossom with each listen, the tempo picks up for Johann to let fly with some two handed tapping before smooth legato brings the brief solo to its climax before the chorus once again delights.  The last 30 seconds of the track sees the track breakdown to piano and vocals with a melody that (surprisingly) reminded me of the Pet Shop Boys hit “It’s A Sin” albeit in a rather different musical setting.  This paves way for the voice of the head of the Illuminati to be heard for the first time before arguably the band’s heaviest and most intense track to date. “Feed My Revolver” will blow you away with all the power of a bullet from “Dirty Harry” Callahan’s .44 Magnum!  Check out the video to get a feel for the track.  Suffice to say all the new Mind’s Eye ingredients come together here in fine style, although its Andreas Novak’s soaring vocals which are the icing on the cake for me. 

“Ashes To Ashes (In Land Lullaby)” sees the tempo remain high and the dark feel looming ever larger yet once again there is a commercial appeal here that makes it very accessible.  The track has a melodic breakdown for the bridge before the chorus crashes back in with a voracious appetite which paves the way for Niemann to lay down some more smoking lead lines with the main solo being a screamer.  The verses are relatively straightforward in their approach and this gives the track more power than if more complex rhythms were used – simply said another winner.  “The Hour Of Need” gives the listener a brief respite beginning with dialogue between Adam Evangelista and a female escort Norma Jean.  The track is delicate piano and a vocal duet between Andreas and Crucified Barbara vocalist Mia Coldheart whose strong vocals compliment each other extremely well.  “Red Winter Sirens” begins with more film like scene setting this time with the action heading to Russia which then builds with a piano motif and lone vocals from Andreas which then build with orchestration and clean guitar – here the production really shines – the track then kicks in with a mix between the sound the band have now established on AGH as well as with traces (albeit in a heavier guise) of the previous album “Walking On H2O”.  Around the 2:30 mark the tracks moves up another gear with another great feel where guitars, bass and orchestration combine superbly allowing Andreas’ vocals to soar to even greater highs. “Skin Crawl” has more movie effect intro’s before slipping into a deeply addictive groove over which Novak sings the lyrics with a glorious venomous spite.  Another highly addictive chorus leads up back into the kicking verse rhythm.  The tracks key to its success in its perfect mix of melody and musicality. 

“Graveyard Hands” sees a Celtic influence enter the musical format.  The tempo is more mid-tempo than the majority of the material on offer and gives the listener a chance to reflect on what has taken place before and gear up for the finale of “Say Goodnight” and the 10 minute epic “Pandora’s Musical Box”.  The former is another turbo charged riffer with eerie keyboard effects which is probably my least favourite track on the album sounding a little disjointed when compared to the other tracks, yet given a few spins shows itself to be a interesting composition in itself with a strong chorus.  Album closer “Pandora’s Musical Box” is a superb closer to the album with a very modern feel yet with a strong progressive framework which harks back in places to the bands sound heard on the “Waiting For The Tide” album yet with the new found heavier delivery.  The band seemingly having saved their most expansive instrumental sections until last where the interplay between guitars, drums and keyboards is highly impressive yet coherent maintaining a sense of direction and purpose.  The final 2 minutes of the track return to the film score and dialogue as heard on the opening cut giving a strong sense of closure to the story line with Adam Evangelista taking his final revenge. 

As if the album wasn't enough the bonus "Making Of A Gentleman" DVD is a superb insight into the making of the album, showing that band mainly work in a jamming sense.  The feel very much is live and for the moment and with the addition of the "Feed My Revolver" video (which looks stunning in uncompressed format) and an insight into the making of the video makes this one DVD you will be revisiting again and again.  The accompanying inlay booklet/comic book is visually stunning with superb artwork by Mattias Nóren along with full album lyrics.  The vision shown in the triple pack is only to be applauded.

As you may have gathered “A Gentleman’s Hurricane” is in my opinion destined to be considered a true classic of the progressive genre.  What Mind’s Eye have delivered has not only exceeded my expectations but also raised the bar of what can be done in this musical field.  Being a perfect marriage of music and film influences the album is not only interesting in its plot development but also breadth of musical skill and delivery.  The trio of Andreas Novak, Johan Niemann and Daniel Flores deserve to be at the very top of the genre with a reputation that should see them talked about in the same circles as the genre’s biggest sellers for this album slays the competition.  Album of 2007?  I cannot see anything surpassing this for many years to come; in one word – Essential.

Rating - 100%

Web Links
http://www.roundrec.com

http://www.myspace.com/eyeofthemind   review from VirtuosityOne.com

MIND’S EYE ‘A Gentleman’s Hurricane’ Lion Music (2007) www.lionmusic.com

The band’s 2006 album ‘Walking On H20’ was superb but they have only gone and bettered it on this new album, a concept piece following the story of an assassin and his confessions to a priest, who himself hides some dark secrets… Opening with a very cinematic piece ‘Praying For Confession’ (grab your headphones for this album to fully appreciated the sound effects and dialogue) complete with strings, massed choirs – the works basically. Mind’s Eye are the masters of creating complex yet highly addictive tunes and vocals none more so than ‘Feed My Revolver’, a great piece of melodic prog rock and the lead single complete with video. In fact only A.C.T. come close to Mind’s Eye skill at harmony filled progressive rock music.
Vocalist Andreas Novak is performing at the top of his game here – just marvel at his voc al delivery on ‘Seven Days’ or ‘AssassiNation’. Drummer/producer/arranger Daniel Flores deserves special mention as he has produced a masterpiece here – lots going on musically and great attention spent in the arrangements and storyline. Johan Nieman on guitar adds solos as and when needed plus adds metal bombast when required. For fans of female vocals there is a lovely duet on ‘The Hour Of Need’ where Crucified Barbara’s vocalist Mia Coldheart blends well with Andreas Novak’s vocal.
The whole album and story is one of the best I have heard since ‘Operation Mindchrime’, yes it really is that good! Fans of melodic rock and progressive rock/metal should add this to their shopping lists now.

*****
Jason Ritchie
Get Ready To Rock

 

Mind’s Eye – Waiting for the Tide (Reissue)
 



2006 Lion Music

We have been ‘Waiting’ for this re-release.

Their sense of melody and songwriting has always shown a high ability in the world of progressive metal, proving that ‘thinking man’s metal’ does not need to put the listener into too much deep thought; by all means, this is music to be enjoyed for what it is. Even though these guys took a step in a more conceptual & elaborate direction with their latest release Walking on H2O, Mind’s Eye still pertain to the classic vive of Queensryche & Fates Warning with the modern approach that Circus Maximus & Age of Nemesis bring forth.

Originally released in 2000, Waiting for the Tide is a record filled with hook laden melodies, the technicalities, and all the axe attack to protrude the metallic thrust that is provided. Darkness is expounded throughout the album with cuts like “Calling” and “In My Mind,” which expose the deepest mindset of the mood while “Jealousy in Disguise” and “Frozen Tears” both pertain to a harder edged atmosphere. Complete with two bonus tracks, Waiting for the Tide is consistent with Mind’s Eye’s early work and remains a major staple in the world of grassroots based progressive metal.

Added: August 18th 2006
Reviewer: Tommy Hash   www.ytsejam.com
Score:
Related Link:
Minds Eye Link


Mind's Eye - Waiting For The Tide (2006) Lion Music
www.lionmusic.com

 

This is an album which I have tried really hard to love but have ended up just liking, having given it a lot of plays over a couple of weeks.

Swedish prog rockers Mind's Eye are new to me, but Waiting For The tide is a reissue (with a couple of added bonus tracks) of their second album from 2000.

There must be something in the water in Sweden for there's definitely a vibrant and inventive progressive rock movement over there, judging by the music of Mind's Eye and the wonderful A.C.T.

I've seen Mind's Eye referred to as prog metal, a label which I think is far too limiting for them on this showing. Yes, they do at times recall Dream Theater and Queensryche, but there's an emotional depth on display which sets them apart, an addictive melancholy.

They happily flow between genres, with the odd AOR moment and a jazzy, fusion feel to much of the material. I'm often reminded of some of Tony Banks' and Mike Rutherford's early solo work.

The opener Frozen Tears sets the tone superbly, an insistent, rhythm over the intro and verse which suddenly gives way without notice to a languid, swirling chorus. the effect is unexpected and startling, soul among the sandstorm.

But what follows surpasses even that. Calling (Father To Son) is a meditation on a broken relationship, a father pleading for communication with his absent son. Considering that most of the band were in early 20s when this was recorded, it is an astonishing feat lyrically and it is matched by the music, which floats lighter than air, pulsing and beautiful, supporting Andreas Novak's vocal as he wrings out every bit of emotion.

No surprise to learn that he has toured with Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Jesus Christ Superstar, playing Judas. His voice is a powerful and emotive instrument.

A Pond Of Thoughts picks up the pace again, before leading to the two-part Spirits In The Room (Closer/In My Mind) which over a powerful 13 minutes recalls a bad repeating dream which Novak can't escape.

The first five tracks of this album are indeed something to love. But for me things tail off for a while half way though. The next three tracks certainly demonstrate the superb ensemble playing of guitarist Frederik Grunberger, bassist Johan Biemann and drummer/keyboard player Daniel Flores, but they can't match what has gone before in terms of depth, emotion and memorably melodic music.

It takes the penultimte track Circles In The Sand to rescue the situation, once again recalling the stirring, memorable first half of the album, Novak's vocal lifiting it back to the heights.

The two bonus tracks are a bit of an oddity, changing the mood of the CD as a whole. Endless Passages features their previous singer and shows that it was a wise move getting Novak on board, while Spellbound is an instrumental which, while very clever, overstays its welcome.

Waiting For The Tide is an album I will definitely return to and explore further. More importantly, I plan to track down their other releases, including this year's Walking On H2O, and see if Mind's Eye have fulfilled some of the early promise they showed on this outing.

 

***1/2

Review by Ian Harvey
www.getreadytorock.com

 

Mind’s Eye – Walking on H2O
 



2005 Lion Music

There is something to be said about the melodic gusto that progressive metal bands bring when they expound upon the more traditional approach of early Dream Theater & Queensryche; and even with Walking on H2O being a concept album, Mind’s Eye still expounds a ballsy, hard driving approach to the world of thinking man’s metal.

Like Vanden Plas (earlier records), Stride, Vox Tempus, and Sphere of Souls, the emphasis is on the melodies; melodies that grab you by the throat and literally rip out your heart with the sophisticated ear candy provided. With elements of AOR and the presence of Yes-ish harmonies among the hard driving axe attack, tracks such as “A Rabbit in a Hat” and “Umbrellas Under the Sun” offer up the technical crunch, while more melodically tinged tunes like “Mrs. Clair Voyance” and “The Nazca Lines” perfectly cross melodic rock with progressive rock, keeping the musical prowess within the accessible scheme of things. Of course, emotion rears it’s head on “Equally Immortal,” “Heal My Karma,” and the mystical “Sahara in an Hourglass;” so you never know what to expect from one song to the next.

Balancing equal endurance between the keyboards and guitars, as well as allowing the “jam sessions” to move around the songs, Walking on H2O finds itself in the class with many some of the best progressive metal out there, and all because these guys take the grass roots approach. No symphonies, no choirs, no overzealous jam sessions. With a tight groove and lush sound that Mind’s Eye provide, there is no need for them.

Added: May 17th 2006
Reviewer: Tommy Hash  www.ytsejam.com
Score:
Related Link:
Minds Eye Link

 

 

Artist/ Band: Mind's Eye
Title: Walking On H2O
Label: Lion Music
Year of Release: 2006
Artist/ Band Link (click for details/ ordering)

The Review:

 

The first time I heard of “Mind’s Eye” was in June 2005 because I knew that Daniel Flores, drummer on Hubi Meisel’s solo albums, had also his own band. Being a very talented musician, I got curious to hear more about Flores’ work and last autumn, I really got in touch with their music for the first time on online radio station www.loudmetal.com. Then, I guess it’s not really necessary to precise that I got quite happy when I got the album in order to review it! Once again, I had the incredible luck to discover an other awesome band who does wonderful work and whose projects succeed to hypnotize us completely from the beginning till the end. “Walking On H2O” is the fourth album of the band.

This Swedish band is only formed of 3 members, but oh, so marvelous ones in every respect! I had never heard of Andreas Novak before and I’m really glad that it’s now something done. This guy has such a beautiful, clear, pure and crystalline voice. He’s able to sing sort of strong/heavy too, but it never sounds aggressive and that’s something I really love. And what to say about Daniel Flores (I never knew he could also play keys!!!), who does ALMOST everything on “Walking on H2O” (I say “almost” because Johan Niemann also did more than playing), from the production and the mixing to the song writing. And apart from all that and playing the drums and keys, he also arranged the album and recorded it in his own studio. Quite impressive, isn’t it! I was very surprised!

I think this concept album about human evolution is very deep too, touching important and realistic topics such as science, pollution and immortality, sometimes mixing a bit of futurism and supernatural too, and all this through amazing melodies and choruses, very strong and present in almost every song. I would call it an “in the face” album, haha. Very direct about the visions of humanity. Very special, personal and original CD for sure! It also mixes progressive and old rock styles (sometimes reminding me a tiny little bit in some parts – not all the time, of course! – of “Rush” and “Yes”, especially in the songs “A Rabbit in the Hat” and “Equally Immortal” and “Ayreon” in the songs “Earth – The Movie” and “Out of my System”), never really having the same vibe all along the CD nor having a clear definition between these musical styles, which is very good I think, because it gives them a particular and individual style. An other very strong and important aspect of “Walking On H2O” is the lyrics, which are of absolutely amazing quality and in which talent in song writing is very noticeable!!!! The keyboards are very present too and every single part of it is great!

Basically, this album is awesome on every level: lyrics, music, melodies, vocals, choruses, solos, concept idea. An other piece of work fantastically and brilliantly well organized that is worth the perfect rate in my opinion: not only I give them 10/10 for the album itself, but I give 10/10 for EVERY SINGLE part of it! These guys really won my heart and I guess I’m not the only one, haha! Now I really understand why this album was very well rated everywhere.

My favourite songs (for the vocals, lyrics and melodies) are: “When I Whisper” (which is so very sweet and on which choruses simply make my skin shivers, especially from the middle of the song till the end!!!), “Heal My Karma”, “Poseidon Says” and “Sahara in an Hourglass” (which has a perfect Persian sound). This album just leaves me breathless!!! I like every single track very much. Strongest general point in my opinion: lyrics.

After I heard “Walking on H2O” from the beginning to the end, I can say without any hesitation that this band is now among my favourites and I really will be looking forward to hear their next albums!

Keep a close eye on them, it’s NECESSARY! You’ll LOVE that album from the first hearing. And more you listen it loud, more it sounds good haha (at least, seems like it to me as it’s not really heavy). I think after Hubi Meisel’s work, which is my favourite, that of Mind’s Eye reaches the second position. I’m so grateful that I discovered their music. :-))))

Reviewed by Vikie Martel on May 13th, 2006  www.ProgNaut.com  

 

Tracks:

 

1- Earth – The Movie
2- A Rabbit in the Hat
3- Equally Immortal
4- Mrs. Clair Voyance
5- Sahara in an Hourglass
6- Out of my System
7- Umbrellas Under the Sun
8- Sacred Rules
9- The Nazca Lines
10- Flight of the An.unna.ki (Instrumental)
11- Heal My Karma
12- When I Whisper
13- Poseidon Says
 
 


MIND'S EYE - WALKING ON H2O (A-/B+) Lion Music, 2006
13 tracks, RT: 75:02
[ http://www.roundrec.com/ ]
[ http://www.lionmusic.com/mindseye_h2o.htm ]
[ http://www.lionmusic.com/ ]
Despite being impressed with the last offering from Mind's Eye (2002's A WORK OF ART), I couldn't help thinking the band had only scratched the surface of its potential. Listening to WALKING ON H2O, I find I was right. Mind's Eye plays the kind of music that would have been huge 20 years ago, a seamless blend of progressive rock and AOR that extracts the flair and artistry of a wide variety of influences, from Genesis and Styx to Queensryche and Asia. "A Rabbit In The Hat" is a good example of this approach, with the lush production driving very commercially accessibl melodies, strong vocals and tight musicianship. One of the highlights arrives early in the form of "Equally Immortal," which has sensitive guitar, piano and< vocals alternating with an energetic arrangement. "Out Of My System" is another one of those songs that would have gone straight to the top of the charts back in the early '80s -- its infectious chorus reminds me of great rock radio staples from the past. Heavier prog elements can be heard on the excellent "Sacred Rules" and the instrumental "Flight Of The An.unna.ki," with the awesome "Poseidon Says" completing the proceedings powerfully. WALKING ON H2O is unmistakably a concept album; the lyrics address such weighty issues as evolution, religion, unexplained phenomena and immortality, and there's effective use of interludes in the tradition of albums like OPERATION: MINDCRIME and THE WALL. Much of the credit for the quality of the material must go to principle songwriter Daniel Flores -- his experience, knowledge and attention to detail are evident throughout -- although his realized vision is ultimately due to the caliber of the all the musicians. I found WALKING ON H2O to be a perfect example of a work that requires repeated listens to really get into, but I guarantee the effort will be rewarded. Certainly near the top of its game, Mind's Eye has produced one of the best albums of its kind to come along in quite awhile; I urge you to experience it while we wait for a resurgence of this classy style of music, currently enjoyed by far too few. - Neal Woodall (MysticX9@gmail.com)

Detritus Rock/Metal e-zine
"Rock Hard With A Purpose"
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Detritus/

 

Mind's Eye - Walking On H20 (Lion Music) Review by Steve Green www.live4metal.com

I've re-written this review 3 times today. The album is growing on me with each listen and what bugged me with the initial listens is now sitting at ease with me. Back in the early 80s I was a sucker for a super smooth dollop of AOR. Be it heavyweights such as Journey, REO Speedwagon or more obscure bands such as Touch (who played the 1st ever Monsters of Rock Festival and released the classic Don't You Know What Love Is) and Stingray, if my memory serves me correctly were South African. The big difference between those bands and this album, is the accessibility factor. Walking On H20 (Which I have to say is a cheesy title) has taken me an age to get into, whereas someone like Journey is easy to take in on

the 1st listen. My main gripe is that ...H20 is too smooth, too perfect. It's slicker than the hair styles at an Elvis convention. And the multiple layers of melody took me a long time to fully appreciate. As did the backing vocals. Too sugary for me, but I've still learnt to like them too... begrudgingly. 
Ultimately it's the simpler tracks that do it for me though: Out Of My System rises head and shoulders above everything else as the stand-out track. For those who still hark for the 80s, this one sits comfortably with the classics of the era and the chorus is so infectious it stays in your head for days. Good shit. Also high on the agenda is Sacred Rules, which has a more metallic edge, and thus a wider appeal. Andreas Novak's vocals are perfect for this song, which makes me wonder why I wanted to hit the skip button on earlier numbers. Before they won me over that is.  
If you pick this up and are not a fan at first, I have to advise you stick with it. It'll be worth it in the end. www.lionmusic.com 

 

MIND'S EYE
Walking On h2o
FEBRUARY 2006 ALBUM OF THE MONTH
LION MUSIC
Out Now
Cat: LMC162
EAN: 6419922001622
TRACK LISTING
01. Earth - The Movie.
02. A Rabbit In The Hat.
03. Equally Immortal.
04. Mrs. Clair Voyance.
05. Sahara In An Hourglass.
06. Out Of My System.
07. Umbrellas Under The Sun.
08. Sacred Rules.
09. The Nazca Lines.
10. Flight Of The An.Unna.Ki.
11. Heal My Karma.
12. When I Whisper.

13. Poseidon Says.
MUSICIANS
Andreas Novak (Lead vocals)
Johan Niemann (Bass / Guitars)
Daniel Flores (Drums / Keyboards)
OFFICIAL WEBSITE
http://www.roundrec.com


Mind's Eye
return after a hiatus of around 4 years with their finest body of work to date and an album which is good enough to be considered an all time Progressive classic.  Walking On h2o is the name of the album and its home to one of the most original progressive offerings in some time and is the complete package.  Everything about this release is or as close to perfect as you can get - song writing / production / musicianship / lyrical subject / packaging and to anyone that has been following the bands career will not be surprised by this as the growth shown throughout the bands first 3 albums always suggested the big one was coming...well its here.

The album lyrically is rich exploring the evolution of man according to Darwin, it also looks into conspiracy theories (A Rabbit In The Hat), Sept 11th (Equally Immortal), drug addiction (Out Of My System) amongst other topics and theories.  Musically the band - now down to just a 3 piece comprising of Daniel Flores (drums and keyboards) Andreas Novak (lead vocals) and Johan Niemann (Bass/Guitars) evoke the spirit of Genesis after Peter Gabriel left and have created a big rich sound that is simply stunning.  This album sonically has depth and width and dazzles even on the worst stereo system.   To compare the band to others is hard as there is a very original sound here, but there are shades of the aforementioned Genesis, Yes, Rush and to some extent (vocally) Journey.  This is modern day prog based on the old masters, those looking for heavy riffing guitars may be let down slightly, by the craft of song writing and performance more than compensates for the lack of any perceived heaviness. 

Walking on h2o begins with Earth - The Movie which is a totally engaging instrumental which is very film score like in its build and contains many nice touches such as opening with a teacher gaining the attention of her class (or us the listener) to speeches from JFK about getting to the moon at all costs, you might think this sounds slightly out there but one listen will have you hooked.  The track then segues into A Rabbit In The Hat which has some immense hooks and sublime delivery from all involved, this 1-2 punch alone is worth the price of purchase.  Equally Immortal sees a more restraint mood enter but which has excellent dynamics and structure, great emotional vocals here, the deft piano touches under the verse add to the depth before the more upbeat pre-chorus and chorus sees the structures build and here the Journey-like touches can be heard.  Mrs Clair.Voyance is heavier in approach and the production really shines here, Daniel Flores drum sound is particularly impressive.  The track is again home to great vocal hooks and the chorus from this one will stick in your head for days.  Fans of prog rock ala Transatlantic will find a lot to enjoy here in particular.  Sahara In An Hourglass is as the title may suggest full of eastern promise, rich lush orchestral textures combine with restraint acoustic guitar and vocals for the opening bars of each verse before the symphonic backing builds to a crescendo, flawless stuff.  Another chorus hits all the right buttons and is certainly a contender for album highlight.  Out Of My System is quite commercial in its approach, by that we get massive vocal hooks in both verse and choruses, all backed up with top notch musicianship.  The track reminded me a little of Genesis circa Duke and the ultra clear production shines like a beacon.  The vocal delivery of Andreas Novak must receive special praise here as its especially stunning. Umbrellas Under The Sun sees a nice variation of progressive approaches from the heavish opener to the more melodic waters of the pre-chorus and the totally classic prog chorus.  A nice keyboard motif also harks back to the 70's yet a more modern sound is apparent here which creates a strong blend.  Sacred Rules is as heavy as the album gets at the start, pounding guitars working well with a keyboards which was reminiscent of early Queensr˙che to these ears which also serves as the chorus.  Any such comparisons vanish for the verse which has a simple guitar figure over which keyboard orchestrations help build the tracks density, the two blend together superbly.  The Nazca Lines was given an early preview on the bands website (www.roundrec.com) and its another slice of pure prog class, being a master class in how to build a track through different textures and shades building all the while yet retaining an identifiable sound of its own.  Next up is the first true instrumental of the album, the magnificent Flight Of The An.unna.ki which begins with more film score type introductions before the pomp 70's vibe kicks in hard blending prime Yes with early Rush.  Guitars and keyboard intertwine perfectly whilst bass and drums power the track along with apparent ease yet listen to those deft drum fills and china cymbal pangs - glorious.  My one complaint is that at 3:20 is too short!  Heal My Karma (cool title) expresses more of the bands by now  trademark blend of melody and musical enrichment that just enwraps your ears.  When I Whisper is a delicate orchestrated piano track that could easily be at home on the bands more subdued release A Work Of Art.  Its melancholy feel does serve a purpose on h20 however and its helps provide an air of calm reflection to the previous 11 offerings and at the end of 4 minutes will be under your skin well and truly making it a surprise key moment.  So how do you go about closing an album of this stature?  Simple add on a 11 minute epic entitled Poseidon Says which is a work of art in itself.  Building from more film score type orchestration into gentle timbres with exquisite vocals from Novak again which work with acoustic guitar until around the 2 minute mark when the pace picks up and lush guitar layers add a robustness to the track.  This reminded me a little of Rabin era Yes and the vocal melody on the verse around this point will please all progressive fans young and old.  The guitar and bass work of Johann shows how the same person handling both roles can be utilised to fine the perfect balance between doubling, harmony and counterpoint.  The track then goes through a series of loud and quite moments before building for the climax which sees more radio broadcasts being used at the end it worked for Pink Floyd 30 odd years ago and its works as well today, before a nice vocal resolve finishes the album before an orchestral swirl.

This is one of the longest reviews I have written and for good reason, this album just has so many talking points that it seemed only right to go on....believe me it could have been a lot longer.  At the end of it all there is only one way to sum up Walking On h20 and that is that its an essential purchase for any rock fan new or old, the musicianship is immense yet melodically restraint, the vocal melodies are first class, the overall production is flawless.  Simply Walking On h2o is most likely destined to be album of the year and a pinnacle reference point in the evolution of the Prog rock genre - stunning and essential.

Hot Spots: Pretty much the whole thing
Rating: 100%     www.viruosityone.com

 

 


 Walking on H20 is one of those rare albums that enchants you from the moment you press play until the final note decays in your head - progressive metal has never sounded fresher and more vibrant in a very long time. Mind's Eye are masters of their craft, drawing upon a multitude of musical styles to create a synthesis of bright, eclectic and just plain brilliant progressive metal, utilizing 80's super-melodic hard rock, 70's prog rock, modern power metal and is influenced most prominently by classic symphonic rock such as the Electric Light Orchestra, Queen or even The Sweet. The first striking feature of Walking on H20 is the consistantly excellent performance by tenor vocalist Andreas Novak. Mr. Novak sings the high registers with a rich bassy tone so effortlessly, it makes James LaBrie look positively amateur. Freddie Mercury would even turn green with envy. His phrasing and tenor is flawless - simply flawless - and leads the oft-used choral arrangements to immerse the listener in a rich, warm sphere of sound. The songwriting is undeniably magnificent. Absolutely resplendent in it's approach and execution. The lyrical theme of human evolution is original to a point, but their most outstanding attribute is the attention to detail in their songwriting, however not wholly sacrificing the traditional "progressive" ideology of extreme technicality in doing so.

 

A Rabbit In The Hat is the perfect entrance to the album - cheerful yet cool vocals punctuate the song while the sharp guitars give it an 80's hard rock feel with an epic grandeur. Sahara in an Hourglass blends rock with an middle eastern exoticness where Out of My System is a simulacrum of a classic ELO number - vocoders, perky bass lines, multi-genre inspired riffs and keyboard hooks permeate this track ever so delightfully. Of course, Novak and his choir strikes gold again! Other tracks infuse hammond organs and other analog synthesizers in it's softer moments, such as the semi-balladic and synth-driven Umbrellas Under the Sun. Sacred Rules' down tempo, anthemic riffs build up into a climactic crecendo until release for the chorus - everything fits together seamlessly and pleasantly, and reminds one of Kamelot or Symphony X - especially the solo! The Flight of the Anunnaki is a Emerson, Lake and Palmer-esque jam-style song, Heal My Karma a symphonic joyride with some theatrics reminiscent of Dream Theater or Shadow Gallery that can be heard . There is some overzealous use of ill-chosen synthesizer sounds at times, but are only a minor complaint on an otherwise excellent album. When I Whisper is of course, their ballad track. It almost sounds like a Disney movie score in it's approach - Tim Rice would probably be proud to put his name to it, but then again, no one else would. Avoid if you're lactose intolerant. The final epic Posiedon Says showcases their advanced muscianship as their songwriting and string arrangement abilities reach a dramatic zenith. Some nifty guitarwork, both electric and acoustic. Mr. Novak saves his creative energy for last, pulling no punches as he glides through and belts out emphatically until gracefully retiring to a halt.

This disc is pure class, almost never wavering in it's radiance and distinction. Some metalheads might be turned off by the constant "happy" tone of the music, but i've said it before and I'll say it again - simply brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. (almost) 74 minutes of sonic bliss.

Rating: 9 / 10

Standout Tracks: All, except When I Whisper
Tom Valcanis
http://www.harm.us

 

Mind's Eye: Walking On h2o
 

This stellar Swedish gang is back with a vengeance and their first new studio work in four years! Actually, there were some bonus tracks on the reissue of their last album, their first release with Lion Music, 2005’s A Work of Art (Click here to read our review ) (original release 2002). This however, is the first release featuring the newest configuration of the group which is now missing the adroit guitar stylings of Fredrik G. (Grunberger).

Despite what I perceived to be a huge loss (Fred), the result here is another slab of 75 minutes plus of majestic, intelligent, soaring melody and interesting hooks, storylines and riffs. The guitar work offered up by bass player Johan Niemann is confident and punchy, fitting in elegantly with the various musical themes and dare I say, at the end of the day his understated work enhances this particular work more than Fred’s over the top style may have done.

The real strength of this release is however the excellent song writing, all conceived and achieved within the theme and concept of mankind’s evolution and interaction with our earth. We are indeed walking on thin h2o. All but two songs (co-written with Niemann) are from musician extraordinaire Daniel Flores (keyboards, drums and backing vocals) who also recorded the album in his new home studio.

What Daniel has produced is a gorgeous sounding mix of symphonic prog and classic rock hooks featuring the excellent vocals of Andreas Novak. Although Daniel has been extremely busy over the past four years as one of the premier session drummers in Sweden (now having over 50 albums to his credit) the time that was obviously taken to craft this band release is evident in its quality. This is truly one of the very finest and most musically accomplished releases to ever surface from Lion and a superb way to start 2006 indeed.


Track List
1. Earth - The Movie
2. A Rabbit In The Hat
3. Equally Immortal
4. Mrs. Clair Voyance
5. Sahara In An Hourglass
6. Out Of My System
7. Umbrellas Under The Sun
8. Sacred Rules
9. The Nazca Lines
10. Flight Of The An.Unna.Ki
11. Heal My Karma
12. When I Whisper
13. Poseidon Says

Added: January 18th 2006
Reviewer: Mike Blackburn  www.seaoftranquility.org
Score:

 

 

Mind's Eye - Walking On h2o


*
=Staff's pick
Earth - The Movie
A Rabbit In The Hat*
Equally Immortal*
Mrs. Clair Voyance
Sahara In An Hourglass*
Out Of My System
Umbrellas Under The Sun*
Sacred Rules*
The Nazca Lines*
Flight Of The An.Unna.Ki
Heal My Karma
When I Whisper
Poseidon Says
*

 
Genre Progressive Rock
Andreas Novak
Vocals
Tracks 13
Johan Niemann
Guitar
Runningtime 75 Min.
-
Guitar
Label Lion Music
Johan Niemann
Bass
Release 20 Jan. 2006
Daniel Flores
Drums
Country Sweden
Daniel Flores
Keyboards
Similar artists Yes, Rush, Porcupine Tree
 

The Swedish band Mind's Eye was founded 1992 under the moniker Afterglow when Daniel Flores (drums and keyboards) and Johan Niemann (bass) met guitarist Fredrik Grünberger. After recording a self-produced promotion CD the band changed their name to Mind's Eye and in 1998 they finally released their debut album Into The Unknown. Fourteen years later the band is about to release their fourth album and this is the first one to reach my ears. Some of you might recognize the name Niemann since Johan and his brother Kristian are members of Therion. The main songwriter Daniel Flores is a full time session musician with an impressive list of where he has made contributions. The vocalist Andreas Novak released his first solo album 2004 which received great response around the world.

Walking On h2o are an ambitious concept album that deals with subjects as human evolution, religion, earth pollution, unexplained phenomena etc. This fits perfectly well with their brand of progressive rock with its intricate melodies and fantastic musicianship. The song structures are a bit complex but always extremely accessible with the melodies in focus. The arrangements are very well balanced and it feels like every single note has its purpose and meaning. I really liked the album from the very beginning but I could never imagine that it would turn out this good after several spins.

After the usual intro the album starts with the catchy A Rabbit In The Hat, a song that deals with the question if the moon landing actually took place or not, and what an opener that is! Equally Immortal starts very calm with tasteful guitar work and beautiful vocals and when the great chorus sets in the time machine has instantly brought us 30 years back in time. Despite this fantastic start the peaks of this album are still to come. Sahara In An Hourglass is, despite the competition, my favourite composition and I can tell you that every single time I hear this song I get goose bumps all over. Just as the title suggests we have now travelled to the Far East and the track has every ingredient to be genre classic. When you're already breathless after the aforementioned track, the melodic and straight forward Sacred Rules explodes in your face, and still we haven't mentioned the absolutely marvellous 11 minute closer Poseidon Says.

Well, this is nothing but a masterpiece my friends. Sure, I get to here a lot of fantastic records every now and then but it was a long time since an album touched me as deeply as this one did. Despite the fact that I've got a heap of new albums just waiting, Walking On h2o must have its daily spin to make me fully satisfied. This must be considered as a must buy for everyone who's into the progressive genre but I believe that Mind's Eye also have an audience beyond that. I would say that if you have an open mind, love melodies and great musicianship this might be worth checking out.

What a fantastic way to start this year. I wouldn't be too surprised if Walking On h2o will be found at the very top of my personal list when 2006 will be looked back upon. Well done guys!

 

 


MIND’S EYE ‘Walking On H2O’ Lion Music (2006) www.lionmusic.com

 

   Lion Music are firmly established now as one of  the leading labels for all things melodic and metallic and this new one by Mind’s Eye further reinforces this. The album is a concept piece based on the band’s thoughts on human evolution. After an intro of a teacher talking about human evolution we are off into one the best songs on the album the glorious ‘A Rabbit In The Hat’ – lashings of keys and guitars make for a very enjoyable listen. Mind’s Eye successfully merge pomp rock with progressive rock and a dose of melodic rock. ‘Equally Immortal’ again sees the band mixing prog rock music with a very catchy, melodic filled chorus. They really hit their peak on the symphonic strains of ‘Sahara In An Hourglass’, this mixes eastern music with more keys (the keyboards on here a particular delight!). For the real progressive moment the final track ‘Poseidon Says’ is a plethora of musical styles and time changes. Vocalist Andreas Novak is on fine form (his solo album from last year on MTM is well worth tracking down as well). The production is faultless as you’d expect from the experienced Daniel Flores (he appears on many other melodic rock album just check your inlay sleeve credits).

    Highly recommended for lovers of melodic rock and progressive rock – stands up to repeated plays and then some.

 

****1/2

Jason Ritchie
Reviews Editor, Get Ready To Rock!
www.getreadytorock.com

 

 

Minds Eye – A Work of Art
 

2005 Lion Music

Progressive metal does not need to be all about improvisational soloing, overtly technical musical passages, mathematically complicated time signatures, and elaborate concepts, maybe that is why Sweden’s Minds Eye has created a record that encompasses a more refined approach to prog metal, providing the song oriented approach of neo-progressive bands such as Marillion and Anyone’s Daughter but yet having the hard edged guitar attack present evenhanded with synth pads and pianos rather than Moogs and prophets going all over the place.

With that and mind, the melodies on the record shows sophistication with hard-edged pastures such as ‘Courage Within,’ ‘The Shape of Salvation,’ and ‘An Eye of an Eye,’ where hints of Savatage, Dream Theater, and late period Rush are present in the mix. But ‘A Work of Art’ is not an all out crunch laden album, cuts such as ‘Roll The Dice,’ ‘My Kindred Soul,’ and ‘I Will Remember’ complete albums balance of heaviness that is met with atmospheric sub balladry where the pop melodies and catchy riffs/hooks are present throughout the disc; and that is what is important, the songs. These guys have no problem melding melodies with technicalities, they do in their own way where they have created a reord worthy of the title itself.

Added: October 4th 2005
Reviewer: Tommy Hash www.ytsejam.com
Score:


Mind's Eye: A Work of Art

 

Swedish melodic prog rock/metal band Mind's Eye was put on hold after their third and last album A Work of Art released on German label Rising Sun Records in 2002. They were a great band playing a mix of melodic rock, AOR, 70's prog, and 80's metal in a style that could be likened to Rush, Queensryche, Journey, and many others.

Now they are back. This is their reissued version of A Work of Art through their new label Lion Music. The songs are not remixed or anything though, the CD sounds exactly as the original version, but contains two bonus tracks, one of them being their highly acclaimed cover of Queensryche's "I Will Remember", a song they originally recorded for a Ryche tribute album titled Warning: Minds of Raging Empires back in 2000. Those who haven't heard any Mind's Eye songs before are going to discover a 75-minute disc that contains ambitious songs punctuated with melodic riffs, huge vocal harmonies, excellent arrangement, and good songwriting. The original album also has a theme to it, as some of the songs are only 1-minute long and filled with spoken passages, car accidents, someone pleading for his life, etc. "Room With a View" is one of these cuts, as it begins with what seems to be a car crash (a bit like the one on Ayreon's The Human Equation), then an ambulance arrives to help the victim. The nice piano melody begins to take the lead as vocalist Andreas Novak duets briefly with a female singer. Albeit short, it's a very beautiful song.

"Courage Within" has a classic rock song feel to it and stands out with its neat arrangement and catchy vocal harmony. This would be right up there with the likes of Journey and Toto actually. The musicianship is impressive as well. Fredrik Grunberger is definitely from the Shawn Lane meets Neal Schon school of 80's rock and his tapping lick on this song is simply gorgeous. The songs are generally midtempo-paced, laced by nifty acoustic guitars and vivid keyboard lines that are almost AOR-ish in style. The songs are filled with multi-chorus vocal melodies as on "Eye for an Eye", a great piece with a bass intro and melodic guitar. The guitarist is particularly impressive on the more proggy numbers "The Shape of Salvation" and "Hands of Time". Both songs have a solid main riff and are filled with interesting synth textures, even some electronic elements, and jazzy interplay.

Hopefully Lion Music will get Mind's Eye the attention that has escaped them all these years, and I already look forward to their new disc Walking on H2O.

Track Listing

  1. Prologue: Lullaby
  2. Courage Within
  3. Moment of Honor
  4. Roll the Dice
  5. Room With a View
  6. Shallow Water
  7. My Kindred Soul
  8. Shape of Salvation
  9. These Open Arms
  10. Eye for an Eye
  11. Hands of Time
  12. Your World
  13. Epilogue: Domino
  14. I Will Remember (bonus)
  15. End of the Line (bonus)

Added: September 25th 2005
Reviewer: Murat Batmaz
Score:
www.seaoftranquility.org  

 


 


MIND'S EYE - A WORK OF ART (REISSUE) (B) Lion Music, 2005
15 tracks, RT: 75:23
[ http://www.roundrec.com/ ]
[ http://www.lionmusic.com/ ]
Lion steps outside their usual "shred guitar" milieu for a reissue of
A WORK OF ART, originally released in 2002. Mind's Eye plays what
could be classified as progressive AOR, a deft mixture of '70s and
'80s influences recalling elements from Toto and Journey to Saga and
Vandenberg. Following the short intro "Prologue - Lullaby," A WORK OF
ART takes off with the excellent track "Courage Within," featuring a
lush arrangement with great vocals and a cool melodic guitar line. "A
Moment Of Honor" follows and presents us with one of the best tracks
on the CD, with excellent vocal harmonies and subtle but effective
dynamics. "Roll The Dice" is another winner with effective piano and
acoustic guitar, although things do begin to get a little too mellow
at this point. "Shallow Water" attempts to pick up the pace but the
verse sections once again fall into relaxed territory. More strong
songwriting with excellent musicianship follow, but at 75 minutes the
disc gets a bit repetitive stylistically; it would have been nice to
hear these guys turn it up a notch and crank out some harder edged
material. The production is somewhat flat but adequate and included
are two bonus tracks, a decent cover of Queensryche's "I Will
Remember" and the uncharacteristic prog metal splash of "End Of The
Line." Overall a good album that shows Mind's Eye to be a very
promising band in the progressive rock arena; with the appropriate
attention paid to production and a better balance of heavy and mellow
material this band has the capability to release a real masterpiece.
I'm looking forward to hearing their upcoming album of new material. -
Neal Woodall (MysticX10@msn.com)

Detritus Rock/Metal e-zine
"Rock Hard With A Purpose"
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Detritus/
 

Mind’s Eye - A Work Of Art  (Lion Music) Review by: Joe Florez
I have actually heard of this prog rock drummer that is Daniel Flores. No, he isn’t related to me. The last letter in his last name is an (s) while mine has a (z). His work can be heard on the Hubi Meisel solo project “EmOcean” which is a fantastic piece of work if you can get your hands on it. Well, it seems like Lion Music is taking it upon himself to re-release records that have been either out of print or just lost in the shuffle from other labels big or small. In this case, this was originally pressed and sent to the masses back in 2001 by German label Rising Sun, but they hit the skids soon enough. In that case, no one got to hear this because that label had such piss poor distro. Now, we get a second chance at this 
and I have to say that this is some cool music. The opening to “Courage Within” is lead by harmony vocals that are Beatle-esque before diving into modernized prog rock with hints at 70’s influences and metallic riffs. The solos on here are melodic, but performed with passion. Keyboards continue to be played out in their usual way during a performance of this genre and are sprinkled throughout, but never dominating everyone else and drowning them out for that matter. The time changes and complex writing are clearly shown here, but there is still an easy and catchy beat that can be followed along as you are struck in awe at their craftsmanship. The guys decide quickly they want a smoother sound and strike gold during “A Moment Of Honor.” I wouldn’t exactly call this a ballad of any kind, but it’s relaxing, mid to slow paced, and still contains a loud and heavy solo. Some exciting moments are also thrown in just to keep you wide awake. “Roll The Dice” exercises beautiful acoustic licks combined with a beautiful rhythm section thanks to the percussions and bass lines. What makes these gentlemen stand out from the rest of the batch is that they don’t compete with the hard and faster side of the progressive movement. Instead, they go for the more laid back and calm approach and show their emotions either through vocals or music and this suits them perfectly. Don’t be mislead that this is all about being slow and boring because it’s not. They spike their songs with energy when the time is seen fit and if you wait the payoff is worth it. Since this is a re-release and LM doesn’t want you to feel ripped off, they have added two bonus tracks for you to consume. The first off is from a Queensryche tribute CD and they do a phenomenal rendition of “I Will Remember” which has been re-worked to a degree, but when you hear it you will have goose bumps. It’s amazing. The final extra goodie is “End Of The Time” which happens to be a bit heavier than the rest of the disc. What I like about this piece is that while they kick it into high gear, they still remain in control and never go overboard. All I have to say is that if you are a Beatles, old Genesis, and Yes fan, then this is essential. They didn’t title this record appropriately for nothing. 
www.lionmusic.com  |
www.roundrec.com