If you’re not taken in by the wonderful instrumental opening to ‘Gates of Heaven’ and the almost Ian Astbury vocal that rears in over the graceful Steppenwolf-like guitars then this probably isn’t the album for you. As a song it feels like a free spirited child of the late 60’s with plenty of passion and a wonderful contrast with the tasteful guitars that cut through in flowing solos.
As far a Progressive Rock goes, generally I’m not a fan but the touches of Prog here are less overbearing and ostentatious or downright twee than most of what I would consider Prog (you know all that serious stuff with masks and parping organs and jazzy meandering asides). ‘Travelers in Time’ indeed sounds more like a new school take on everyone from The Doors (less organ) to The Cult (less big riffs, more noodling) – as a case in point the Bluesy solo that cuts the song in two sounds like its being played over a Manzarek organ piece.
There’s plenty more to like too – ‘You and Me’ starts off more laid back but takes a darker epic turn; and you’ll love the dual lead guitar throughout but don’t expect any straight up verse-chorus-verse-chorus stuff. the most straight ahead we get is maybe the riff driven ‘Nothing Really Matters’ and if you crave a lightly Prog tinged slab of Deep Purple like Rock then this may well be up your alley.
Nice debut by the geezers from Denmark.
