Pathfinder has arrived from Poland and are playing power metal the classic way. Wicked fast riffing, thunderbound drumming, and a sound that takes epic to the highest levels. This is bombastic metal that thrashes through the blood and sets your heart afire. You can hear a glorious mixture of bands within their sound, including
Labyrinth ("Return to Heaven Denied"), Blind Guardian, Hammerfall, early Rhapsody (before the "of Fire" tagline). An operatic backing choir adds a fourth dimension to the music, and every instrument and song clicks. Not bad for what is essentially the band's debut. It truly takes you
"Beyond the Space, Beyond the Time".
Tracks such as the wonderfully over-the-top
"All the Mornings of the World", showcase the beautiful marriage between lightning drumming and melting melodies that make you weak in the knees and fluttery in the ribcage. Little touches make all the difference, such as a few well placed higher pitched screams, and a guitar solo that flies like butterflies that have kissed the flame, on fire.
A magnificent piano opening launches
"Pathway to the Moon", and pounds a very
Labyrinth-ine sound once it gets going. The opera singer opens the mid section up to make way for an aural assault that shakes the senses, clashing bass with drums, guitars tearing it up and little ethereal brushes, all help to lend the song this gigantic sense of atmosphere. The choirs are pure Blind Guardian, the guitar slinging is Neo-classical majesty (Malmsteen anyone?), and its grandeur flattens you from start to finish in waves of sheer musical ecstacy. Just as you believe it has reached the pinnacle, they push the boundaries of the threshold even more.
"The Demon Awakens" weaves two kinds of strings together, violin and guitar, before beginning the demonic struggle. It also clashes the gutteral demonic vocals with the avenging angel persona of lead singer Simon Kostro, who's powerful voice is strong enough to withstand assaults from both the darkside and the upper register shattering female opera vocals from Agata Lejba. Absolutely colossal and awe-inspiring, those words would describe most of the songs from the album.
"Stardust" is a vivid track that conjures the massive glory of the galaxies, and brings you spinning back down to Earth in a torrential downpour of instrumentation, choirs, and earthquaking screams. The lighter sections are as delicate as the stars appear themselves, topped by a guitar solo that falls from the heavens. Wistful in tone and then building in intensity while never letting go of its flashy beauty, the six string work casts its own magic spell.
"The Whisper of Ancient Rocks" thunders and powers on through with might, and a few little twists turning here and there to keep you on your toes.
"Sons of Immortal Fire" is perhaps a little too magical to describe. Every bombastic embellishment you can imagine has been whisked into this one track. From the rather dark shadings of its opening to the dramatic stopping point, every moment is pure power metal bliss. The title track is perhaps even more expansive, as it explores progressive moments with its time shifts and guitars of shining, blazing glory. Clocking in at over ten minutes, it is the crowning artistic achievement of the disc, as so much is packed into this one song, it is a wonder it doesn't spontaneously combust. There are so many explosive sections of sheer amazement and wonder that you lose track after awhile. Rob Tyrant (yes, yes Roberto Tiranti) being the perfect final crowning touch.
Pathfinder have released a majestic slice of "Symphonic, Hollywood, Film Score, Epic, Speed, Fantasy" Power Metal (give or take as many qualifiers as you please) music that awakens the inspiration within. Just when you thought the fire had died after such triumphs as Blind Guardian's "Nightfall In Middle Earth", Rhapsody's "Legendary Tales", Hammerfall's "Glory to the Brave", Fairyland's "Fall of an Empire",
Labyrinth's "Return to Heaven Denied" and Luca Turilli's "King of the Nordic Twilight"... Pathfinder's
"Beyond the Space Beyond the Time" proudly sits upon the same pedestal. A fantastic, meticulously sculpted album that has the promise to stay relevant and inspirational for some time to come. If you feel that power metal has grown stale over the past few years, then this is the disc that promises to rekindle the fire.
Written by
Alanna Friday, September 17, 2010
Show all reviews by AlannaRatingsAlanna: 8.5/10Members: 7.5/10 - Average of 2 ratings.
Member ratings
 | Stuart (Staff)
Rating: 8/10
Normally when you see a review of a bands debut album which places it alongside such class... · Read more · |
 | Steen (Staff)
Rating: 7/10
No doubt this band has incredible potential. This debut of the year so far exposes a lot o... · Read more · |
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