Metal Reviews

Actually I was taking the time out from my workout routine, being with my friends, transcribing the two interviews I have on tape, dealing with happenings at the University, and a whole lot of other shit that had nothing whatsoever to do with video games.


Now that thats out of the way yes Progressive is literal. Dream Theater, no album sounds alike. Everytime they release an album it is drastically different than the previous one, sometimes for better, sometimes for worse but yes they do change from album to album. Like I've said before and in the review itself, if you look at the evolution from the debut to Celestial Entrance that is something to be proud of. From Celestial Entrance to Enigmatic Calling there is no change whatsoever. These guys have the ability to give us something different and new but they didnt. To me, playing it safe is just as detrimental to the scene as releasing garbage, especially with a band as talented as Pagan's Mind.

I think Ben is right on the ball here. Good, solid album but it seems alot like their previous effort.

Maybe they played what they wanted too. :shock: A quality album is a quality album. This is a great Prog/Power album. If you wanted something different sounds more like your problem than theirs. A great album should get a great score. Not as high as the previous effort. But not given a lower score than, dare i say it, avenged sevenfold.

Hey crims, you said a while ago that you'll review Infinity Divine.What happened ?

This album got what it deserved. This and Celestial Entrance is way overrated. Pagan's Mind is just a clone among many, and has lacked in orginality from the start.

And aside from this, wheter you agree or not, don't anyone but me think that their cheesy as hell??? Even cheesier than Manowar or Masterplan.

Given that the two albums were rated by two different reviewers with two different ideas of what's good and what isn't, you can't really compare the scores.

Nice review, Ben. I'd been contemplating picking up some Pagan's Mind to broaden my horizons with, so I guess I won't go for this.

You couldn't be more wrong, but it's your opinion.

I forgot? Sorry. I'm insanely behind on my reviews, as you might have noticed, this week was my first review in a month. No promises on a time line but I would like to review it at some point.

No pressure.
When you feel like it and have the time to do it.I know you must be very busy.

I strongly disagree with this review, a 65?, Sure it sounds like some recycle songs from Celestial Entrance, but its not a 65 man, this is more like an 88 or something around that area. Its not better then Celestial Entrance, but its pretty damm good follow up. Theyre power progressive metal and i think that the emphasis is on "power" but Jorn's guitar playing is excellent and Nils vocals are excellent. I cant understand this review, i know that by the site standards is a fair album, still disagree with it. I think sure every band thats prog always gets a knock when compared to DT, it always happens, but these guys have a unique sound, when you mix all of them together in the band. It took me like 12 listens to appreciate the album, idk how many times you heard this Ben, but maybe you should listen to it more closely.

Cheesy? well you must say from the point of view of the lyrics, some might say is stupid, but thats a stupid comment saying theyre more cheesy then Manowar, and MAsterplan owns, so youre way off the mark there also.

FINE! =) But my point was basically: Did you really listen? Pay attention?

That sort of thing. It's all good though. It's not a bad review, I just don't agree! =)

And no, I don't think Prog-anything is meant to be literal when talking about musical groups! No way. Yes, Dream Theater change it up album to album, but never does it NOT sound like Dream Theater and never have they released an album that far removed from their previous work. I don't agree at all with that. This new Pagan's Mind is a good, solid mix of their two previous albums. They've taken the best of those albums and combined them, thus creating their best album to date. Can't ask for much more than that!

And when the hell did Masterplan become cheesy, or even remotely so??

..there's a term "neo-progressive" which describes the bands which started up much later than Genesis and Yes and yet sound distinctly like them, ie Marillion, IQ, Flower Kings, Spock's Beard et al. It doesn't mean that they can't produce solid work, it just means that they'll probably never surprise you.

Pagan's Mind are neo-progressive metal. It's been done.

I gave this a listen and in no way did it remind me of Genesis or Yes. This is just another crappy generic band. Sorry to burst your bubble.

I'm one of the ones who wasn't impressed with this CD. no bubble.

it was just a guideline for prog rock. Neo-prog metal would be more like ripping off Queensryche and Fates Warning, and then like Stratovarius for the power elements.

My basic point was that calling this derivative stuff "prog-" is just wrong..

So like you said, who cares if its been done, theyre what they are, theyre a heck of alot better then most prog metal bands that come out with the same shit all the time. They dont sound nothing like Genesis to me either, so w/e.

I agree with most everything Ben has said in this thread except for the bit about DT, but I won't bother getting into that. I'll just second his suggestion of Beyond Twilight, the new album is excellent.

And holy shit, did you prize-winning intellectuals ever put together the fact that lizardtail was using Genesis and Yes as examples within an example, and not making an outright comparison between those bands and Pagan's Mind? Or did you just see some names you recognized and get excited over your own accomplishment?

The score is lower then I would have given as I prefer it way more than latest DT. Having said that I don't think it's their best for me that is the remix of their debut . This album has some great riffs but as far as progressive metal goes Shadow Gallery latest and Beyond Twilight are my favourites so far this year.

I give it an 80 but i give the previous album a 90

This album and this band are AWESOME!!! 98/100.