Mind Odyssey - Signs

Year of Release: 1999
Label: B-Mind
Catalog Number: 27004
Format: CD
Total Time: 51:38:00

Signs is German 5-piece Mind Odyssey's 4th disc and the follow-up to last years Nailed To The Shade. This seems to be a very productive band, and also worth noticing is that Russian guitarist Victor Smolski, who also contributed on the superb new Rage CD, has been an original member of Mind Odyssey since 1993.

Mind Odyssey offer an interesting sound. What we get here is up-tempo, slightly classical influenced melodic power metal, with a progressive touch. It's guitar-based, with present and playful keys and bass, as well as pounding drums and good emotive mid-to high-ranged vocals. Actually, this is the most progressive sounding MO album to date. I notice that they are taking the tendencies of the last CD a step further. The songs are not as straightforward and up-tempo as before (although most songs are still up-tempo), as the band has blended progressive and slow atmospheric parts into the music, and it works out really well. So do the classical arrangements. The way these elements are blended into the music, make the music more varied and intriguing. The melody-lines are very good and easily accessible, with big catchy hooks, cool instrumentation and big choruses. You will have a hard time not to turn up the volume, as most of these songs rock!

The songwriting, arrangements and production is good, and as long as the songs are of this caliber, fans of the band will certainly enjoy this CD. There are a few killer songs which stand out, but overall all of the songs are of good quality. If you are into up-tempo melodic metal/power metal and semi progressive metal, this should be something for you. Hopefully, the band can collect even more fans with this album, and knowing what Victor Smolski did on the new Rage disc, this should really be something worth investigating a little closer.

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

Tracklisting:
Fountain Of Music (1:32) / Men Of No Return (5:25) / Golden Age (5:55) / In The Picture (7:31) / Slaves Of The Desert (6:56) / Born Bastards (4:56) / Welcome Demon (6:54) / Signs (6:59) / The Liar (5:25)

Musicians:
Mario Le Mole - vocals
Victor Smolski - guitars, sitar, keyboards
Jan Michael Keller - bass
Andreas Dirksmeier - keyboards
Volker Schultz - drums

Discography:
Keep It All Turning (1993)
Schizophrenia (1995)
Nailed To The Shade (1998)
Signs (1999)

Genre: Melodic Metal

Origin DE

Added: January 17th 2005
Reviewer: Bjørnar Bevolden
Score:
Hits: 2890
Language: english