Lost Horizon
A Flame To The Ground Beneath
10
Lost Horizon. the band almost universally regarded as the "saviours of power metal" by oh-so-many people. This reputation is one that is quite difficult to live up to. While not exactly what everyone seems to think they are, Lost Horizon is still pretty damn good. They have that one great quality that is so incredibly important in this beloved genre of ours. that quality is crisp freshness. The band seems to be alive with inspiration and captivating songwriting, as their latest album so clearly shows. You don't gain a reputation like Lost Horizon has by being poor musicians. The use of harmony and warp speed soloing is definitely not unknown ground for this band. In the Wrathchild's opinion, Lost Horizon is at their best when everything comes together as one coherent whole, i.e. when the twinkly keyboards are hitting the same beats as a sweet double-bass drumline and the twin axes are dueling in an epic battle. It gives such a feeling of completeness and polished songwriting to have all of these things come together so magically. In "A Flame to the Ground Beneath", this is obviously something that happens quite a bit, hence the high songwriting score. Vocals, another "must" for a great power metal band, are incredible. The powerful high-notes along with perfect harmony and layering make for some excellent listening, a true instrument Ethereal Magnanimus (a.k.a. Daniel Heiman) has in his throat. In the song "Lost in the Depths of Me", there is such great vocal range, from the highs to the fist-clenching lows, I can't get enough. This is a song that demonstrates the great subtleties that "A Flame to the Ground Beneath" has to offer, with little obscure keyboard noises and incredible harmony, spot-welded together with impeccable songwriting that cries out "EPIC". If you are not a fan of the cheese factor, then you are not a fan of power metal. "A Flame to the Ground Beneath" broke my cheese-meter by sending it off the charts. Somehow, though, Lost Horizon doesn't make this cheesiness seem so ridiculous, as other power metal bands do. Most of "A Flame to the Ground Beneath" is about battles and wizards and such, yet there are messages of power and freedom that you can't help but love. Learn to love the cheese, or don't bother with this one. I love the simply epic quality that Lost Horizon brings to the table. I have absolutely nothing bad to say about this album, it's simply magical. Considering that this amazing album is only their second, I'm beginning to see what all the hype is about. "A Flame to the Ground Beneath" is another reason why Lost Horizon are the saviours of power metal. Wrathchild's Choice Cuts: Lost In The Depths Of Me - The reason why Lost Horizon is among the best Highlander (The One) - Simply and utterly EPIC, quite the tale!
