Pagan’s Mind – Celestial Entrance
Pagan’s Mind are a Power/Progressive Metal based band who make very conceptual music, for the first time listening to this it’s almost hard to tell when one song ends and the other begins, this is something I like in music, it shows a wide variety of elements in each song, and that’s something I think any Progressive Metal fan can appreciate. I’d best compare them to the likes of Dream Theater, so if you’re a DT fan then this band might have something to offer.
The album opens with silence as it builds up with atmospheric sounds before leading to an instrumental which starts things off nicely, but when you think it’s about to go places it bursts into the second track “Through Orisis’ Eyes” with a guitar riff that holds a rhythm which is repeated in many ways throughout the song. Then comes a keyboard riff which sounds like it can’t make up its mind wether to sound soothing or take on a more dissonant sounding feel. Again this song has many changes and many elements, so there’s a lot to listen for here. The second track is called “Entrance: Stargate”, you could almost get away with classing it as a metal ballad(ish) track, it has some heavy verses and also some very clean ones. Also features a very moving guitar solo. The intro riff is brought back at the very end of the song, which in my eyes is like ceiling the up the song.
I think “….Of Epic Questions” is the most progressive point of this album. It begins with synths before the rest of the band gradually follows up to continue the synth progression. In the verses it has some more sedate growling vocals which swap back and fourth with clean, yet strong vocals. There’s a keyboard solo which has a nice flow but then breaks down. “Dimensions Of Fire”, it’s an all ‘round good track, the intro is very Dream Theater and the vocals in the verse have a lot of sustain to them, the chorus has a very familiar sound vocal melody and before the solo those sedate growling vocal are revisited to great effect.
In the begining of “Dreamspace Lucidity” there is cool pedal line played on keys and then it starts with fast guitars and double kick drums. After that comes a guitar lead which the singer incorporates into his lines throughout the song. There is a lot of tension in the intro to “The Seven Sacred Promises” after a quick drum fill. It has a somewhat epic style chorus which is interrupted by a heavy interlude with heavy growling vocal with effects and even a little bit of screaming. “Part 1 – Conception” is mostly an acoustic song, very relaxed before beginning with electric guitars but even then it’s still very calm. “Part 1 – Conception” and “Part 2 - Exploring Life” are basically the one song, “Part 1 – Conception” starts things off nicely and then “Part 2...” beginning and has a lot of changes throughout all nine and a half minutes of the song and it’s entirely instrument.
“In Brilliant White Light” is 100% piano and vocals, if I were to look at this album as one big song then this track would be the perfect interlude before leaping into “Aegean Shores”. “Aegean Shores” is the very first Pagan’s Mind song heard, I was very impressed with the melodic feel of the song, I think it has the best vocals on the album; it’s the least prog song in my opinion, yet my favourite. The last track on this stunning album is “The Prophecy of Pleiades” with it’s alien sounding quality it has much atmosphere. Like “Part 2 - Exploring Life” it’s quite a long, runnig for almost ten minutes this song has many things to listen for, it’s the perfect ending for this album.
