Lost Horizon - Awakening The World

Year of Release: 2001
Label: Music For Nations
Catalog Number:
Format: CD
Total Time: 43:27:00

How's this for an opening statement - Lost Horizon's debut disc Awakening The World is the best power metal CD that I have heard in 2001. I have never been so smitten with a band as I have with Lost Horizon and for those that find power metal generic and bland, your saviour is here.

Now, where to start? I must start with the lyrics. Highlander meets anti-G8 Summit protesters meets Manowar's "metal" moments. "Cheesy"? Quite possibly, but this was written with a deft mind adding so much skill, variety, charm, and power that I still find myself clenching my fists in the air. Instead of listening to a motivational speaker, just listen to this and read the lyrics. Especially when those lyrics are sung with such reverence, such honesty, and such passion. Vocalist "Ethereal Magnanimus" (Daniel Heiman) is amazing. Think Urban Breed (Tad Morose), Charles Rytkonen ((Morgana) Lefay), and a variety of German "screamers" and you get the picture. This man mixes his vocals up - there is nothing common about his vocal melodies and nothing basic about his range. He's got it all.

Now to the music. The arrangements on this CD are nothing short of astounding. Are you sick of repeated, unoriginal, and standard riffs? It just doesn't happen on this disc. I feel at a loss to explain it. Awakening The World was created with love and a passion to change the way we listen at music and to change the way we look at the world. And it succeeds. Everything about this CD rings professionalism. And everything about this CD rings POWER! And importantly, in today's day and age, this is an extremely uplifting, positive, and emotive disc. Apart from the soft intro and the equally melodious ending, there is literally no let up inside.

I would like to leave this review with three final comments. The amazing (computerised) artwork which sets the stage for the conceptualised lyrics inside - outstanding. The glossy sleeve - I've never seen (or felt) better. Finally, and not so importantly, get a new logo - the current one is pants. And I must add, I've never [before] seen the "credits" for a CD read longer than the lyrics.

I'm always, ALWAYS, reluctant to say "go and buy a disc." But for this band, for this CD, I make an exception. Buy it.

[This review originally appeared November 2002 at the ProgPower Online review site -ed.]

Tracklisting:
The Quickening (1:06) / Heart Of Storm (6:16) / Sworn In The Metal Wind (5:44) / The Song Of Air (0:59) / World Through My Fateless Eyes (5:09) / Perfect Warrior (3:56)/ Denial Of Fate (3:39) / Welcome Back (5:41) / The Kingdom Of My Will (9:15) / The Redintegration (1:42)

Musicians:
Ethereal Magnanimus (Daniel Heiman) - vocals
Transcendental Protagonist (Wojtek Lisicki) - guitars
Cosmic Antagonist (Martin Furängen) - bass
Preternatural Transmogrifyer (Christian Nyqvist) - drums

Discography:
Awakening The World (2001)
A Flame To The Ground Beneath (2003)

Genre: Progressive-Power Metal

Origin SE

Added: December 30th 2004
Reviewer: Gary Carson
Score:
Artist website: www.oncelosthorizon.com
Hits: 2246
Language: english