| | Full Review | Ratings (49) |
Give your Rating |
| 4.0 excellent | ExoskeletalJunction | March 23rd 22 |
Listening diary 21st March, 2022: Beyond The Bridge - The Old Man & the Spirit (progressive
metal, 2012)
It's as cheesy as you'd expect from an AOR-meets-prog-metal opera with two lead vocalists,
but in moments, this is strangely beautiful. AOR is a bit of a dirty word to some, and I can
see why that is, but I love a good over-the-top slab of melodrama, as long as it's backed
with a good tune. The cheesiest two tracks here - 'A World of Wonders' and 'Where the Earth
and Sky Meet' are arguably its finest, with powerful lead melodies that could sound right as
climactic act-enders in a West End musical. The metal here is occasionally solid and
occasionally a bit forced, and I think the male singer struggles to balance a good
performance with the obviously story-based lyrics (another link to musicals, but a less
positive one), but on the whole I do really like the vast majority of this. Moments even
remind me of Dream Theater, back when they knew how to have fun.
7.6 (7th listen)
Part of my listening diary from my facebook music blog -
www.facebook.com/TheExoskeletalJunction
Bump |
| 2.0 poor | mandan | April 15th 14 |
Gets a 2 because while it's not flat-out terrible, it's just plain uninteresting.
Bump |
| 4.5 superb | MaidenUFO | December 31st 12 |
"The call", "where the earth and sky meet" and "all a man can do" are my totally favorite songs here but i really love alsmost all the songs...It's a great debut by Beyond the bridge....
Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | Fernando Alves STAFF | June 21st 12 |
Interesting album with catchy melodies, smart arrangements and solid musical performances. Very enjoyable debut that should please all progressive rock/metal fans out there.
Bump |
| 3.0 good | Trey STAFF | May 31st 12 |
Not a bad progressive metal album. It's kind of like Dream Theater meets modern Fates Warning, but with both male and female vocals. There are definitely elements of cheese and wank, but definitely an enjoyable album overall.
Bump |
| 4.5 superb | HorrorBusiness78 | April 15th 12 |
It's going to be difficult for any album to beat this out for best of 2012. The musicianship and songwriting are simply on another level from most bands. Both vocalists are superb and complement each other very well. Utterly spectacular.
Bump |
| 4.5 superb | Al44 | November 11th 23 |
| 4.5 superb | Kopkiwi | February 25th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | ariich | October 3rd 14 |
| 3.5 great | Sacul | August 30th 14 |
| 5.0 classic | Oldboy | August 28th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | ast | May 15th 13 |
| 5.0 classic | XRafik | May 14th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | vkristi | December 26th 12 |
| 3.5 great | Duffluc | November 12th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | Kris/KJ | June 19th 12 |
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