Customer Reviews

Celestial Entrance

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Well, one day I just happened to come across this band and I am very glad that I did. The first thing that came to mind as I was listening to this album was, "wow, I can't believe how mature this is for only the second album." The next was, "this is for sure going to take a couple listens to fully appreciate." I think that the label describes it well as being power progressive metal. In this respect, it is similar to the type of music that Evergrey is. To avoid missunderstandings, they do not sound like Evergrey, but you know how Evergrey can be classified as both progressive and power metal? Well the same is true here.

This is not dark music, it is actually very upbeat sounding. Its technicallity can be compared to the likes of Dream Theater. It is sort-of a concept album that deals with spiritual realms and life's big questions, very interesting. Keyboards are used throughout, but seem to focus more on synths than your typical strings and such. This creates a ton of atmosphere, which I can't really explain well; you would just have to hear it. The musicians are VERY talented. As a matter of fact, the music actually sounds like it was not humans that played it, but machines, it is SO precise. I have to mention the guitar solos; amazing! They do involve very fast runs but also very melodic parts that are beautiful. The singer...Well I read many times that he sounds a lot like Geoff Tate, yes, I can see the resemblence. To me though, I think that he sounds more like Tobias Sammet, only his voice is much more powerful. This may sound odd, but I also hear some Ozzy Osbourne in his voice. You may not agree, but hey, I hear it; not much, just a bit.

The production is very good, very clear. I do think that it sounds a little thin though. I think that this is merely caused because the guitars don't seem to have quite as much distortion in them as most rock music you hear. Very minor thing. All in all, VERY strong release.

On a last note, this is music for the mind. It takes you into the realms that the lyrics are describing. What this means is that in order to fully appreciate it, you have to be able to dedicate your entire attention to it. I have found it to not be very meaningful if I am listening to it while I am driving or concentrating on something else. It is very...deep. So get it, but don't be hesitant to look deeply for something that is beyond just notes and words.

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It took me a few listens, but I'm now highly convinced that Pagan's Mind will be one of the next great Metal bands on the planet. This is a masterpiece, and is an easy five star effort...

I like reviews that compare bands with other bands so the buyer has an idea of what to expect. With Pagan's Mind, that will be a pleasure.

I hear another Queensyche in Pagan's Mind, and this sounds like a futuristic version of "Rage For Order". It's incredibly produced, being crystal clear, the vocals are some of the most impressive I've ever heard. He sounds like an upgraded version of Geoff Tate. The guitars are also incredible, they're very melodic in nature, and being the huge Iron Maiden fan that I am, I simply love them...

This whole band is highly talented, and from start to finish, "Celestial Entrance" just gets stronger and stronger. If you like Metal with a futuristic edge, "Celestial Entrance" is one of the best releases you can but these days IMO...

Norway has a new Metal God with Pagan's Mind. These guys are the furure of Heavy Metal, and considering how powerful "CE" is, they could go straight to the top...

UP THE IRONS!!!

I picked up this CD on a whim, which I rarely ever do, and to my surprise and pleasure, I was hooked from the first track. Produced by promiscuous producter Frederik Nordstrom, the album's overall sound is progressive power metal, drawing elements from both euopean power metal acts and from bands like Dream Theater, though the first few songs on the CD definately have a more power metal feel to them.

The album starts off with the instumental introduction "Approaching," with a nice organ melody line, before breaking into a catchy guitar and drum riff. Then the keyboards come in to flesh out the driving introduction. This track is full of energy and really sets the mood for the first half of the CD.

The intro leads nicely into the first vocal track "Through Osiris' Eyes." Yes, there is a bit of a concept album going on here, or at least a recurring theme through several songs. The songs starts with a fairly crunchy guitar riff, before the keys take over the melody line. The vocalist (Nils Rue) comes in, sounding like a cross between Geoff Tate from Queensryche and a slightly lower pitched James LaBrie...and like them he seems to have some pitch problems sometimes. It could be intentional, and one you get used to it, I find the unique inflections add to the music. His voice isn't extremely high, but remains firmly in the tenor range. The crunch comes back here in the bridge, where the vocals get raspy nearly to the point of a growl, before leading into the catchy, melodic chorus. Which is another thing the band does very well, catchy as hell choruses. The guitar solo does it's job, but it's nothing you havn't heard before.

The next track, "Entrance: Stargate" seems to borrow lyrically from the movie, but it also contains similar references as the previous track. Anyhow, the song starts off with a nifty riff, and is a bit more drum driven, with a very percussive sound. It slows before the entrance of the vocals and a soft melody line comes in. The first verse is almost lilting, but when the bridge rolls around, they kick it up a notch. The vocal range goes a bit higher on this track, especially on the chorus.

"Of Epic Questions" is one of my favorite songs on this album. Again they have a small organ intro, before going into a drum and guitar groove. You can tell this song is a bit different than it's predecessors from the vocal entrance; they are quite deep, before transitioning back into the previous range. I'd say that overall, the vocals are much more aggressive on this song. This is especially seen in the second verse, where they again approach nearly death metal growls, before returning to melodic power metal vocals on the chorus.

"Dimensions of Fire" has some interesting vocal parts ("construction madneeEahesss"). The music is midpaced through the verses, and comes in strong for the chorus. Solid track, nice chorus. Around 4:30, there is a nifty raspy vocal line, and then the songs repeats the chorus again. Which is one of my only complaints about the CD, and it is a minor one. They repeat the choruses a lot. I don't mind so much, because they sound good, but it can get to be a bit much in repeated listenings (ie, having your CD player on repeat).

In "Dreamscape Lucidity" we have what I'd call the first 'epic' song on the CD. Though not as long as "Dimensions of Fire," which clocks in at a respectable 7:30, there is a certian variance in the music and a sense of a quest to the lyrics. It is a little bit cheesy at points ("We protect these dimensions with our eternal souls..."/"I was sent by Aurora"/"Enter the gate and move on"), but overall pulls off the concept nicely.

For me, things started to slow down around "The Seven Sacred Promises." Which isn't to say the song is slow...merely that it didn't hold my attention as much as the other songs did. Verse, bridge, chorus, verse, rinse, repeat.

And now the instumentals "Back to the Magic of Childhood." I'm not one for long instumentals, so I don't trust myself to give an unbiased opinion here. Let's just say that my intrest wanes at this point, and doesn't completely recover until the last track.

"In Brilliant White Light," "Aegean Shores," and "The Prophecy of Pleiades" rounds out the rest of the CD. The final track (at least from 1:30 to 2:30, including the first two verses) is complete and utter Dream Theater worship. In fact it borrows/steals heavily from "Learning to Live" from Images and Words. The song totals nearly 10 minutes, yet is interesting enough so that you don't notice how long the song actually is.

So, if you didn't want to read through all of that writing, and want to skip to the overall recap here it is: Good, solid proggish power metal with catchy choruses and a singer you'll either love or hate. I give Celestial Entrance an 8.5...out of 10.

I have to admit to being really disapointed with this album. When I purchased it, I was expecting a prog metal album. What I got was power metal album with some very slight prog elements.

It's not a bad album, but even as a power metal album, it doesn't really measure up to some of the better recent releases from bands such as Sonata Arctica. Having said that, it really isn't power metal either, it's standard heavy metal with more keyboards. The arrangments are standard and obvious and there's not a lot of variety, something that good prog will normally offer.

Some of the choruses aren't bad, the production is solid, the vocals are good (as someone else said, a bit like Geoff Tate) and every band member has the same little beard. Must be a Swedish thing. I almost forgot to mention that the ballad is the weakest power ballad I've heard since Dream Child's "Fly Again" off their Reaching The Golden Gate album. That was bad enough to ruin the Dream Child album and the one hear is almost bad enough to completely ruin this album.

Anyway, it's a sold album, maybe made to sound worse than it actually is because it isn't what I expected. This isn't for someone who's after an album in the vein of Dream Theater or Threshold, even though those two bands aren't all that similar to each other either, but regardless, Pagan's Mind pale in comparison to both.

Not essential at all.

Celestial Entrance just gave my ears a massive orgasm!!!!!!!!!INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!!!!! Enough said!

Pagan's Mind is not the first Prog band I've listened to. Just the first to IMPRESS me! Celestial Entrance is quite possibly the BEST album I've ever listened to PERIOD.

I bought this CD with 2 other unrealted CD's thinking I would just take the loss if this one was bad. What happened was the contrary. Celestial Entrance wound up being the best of my selections! This one of very few albums where the songs are just way too good to pick a favorite. The only disappointing part of this album is that it ends! The average length per song is almost 7 minutes each, in fact, out of 12 tracks, only 4 are less that 6 minutes! Normally, that's a downside, but not with this CD. This is the only band that I can listen to a 9+ minute song for the 100th time and still keep complete attention for the full length.

I just can't get enough of this CD, athough I am ANXIOUSLY awaiting delivery of their debut album :)

Is this, like, as good as euro prog can get?! Wow!!! And... the length of the album! Its about 72 minutes long! So what do I have to say that should make you wanna get this album? Well first of all, the main thing to know is that whether you dig American prog rock OR European melodic or power metal, you'll love this. To me, this is an album that will be a classic for 5 years. Think Stratovarius's Visions album here. Here we are 7 years later and still love songs like Black Diamond. Speaking of Visions, Celestial Entrance sets quite an atmosphere that most prog can't do. Ivory Tower actually comes to mind here. The cover art and inside art work is beyond belief. So, imagine Images by Dream Theater + Dream Evil (a bit) + Firewind (a bit) + Star One and Valley's Eve's keyboards in the last song. I don't know why Valley's Eve came to mind - its just happened to remind me of them.

Another thing that should be mentioned is the unbelievably atmospheric track 10 - In Brilliant White Light. Imagine the last track on Winterheart's Guild, only take away the bass. This isn't exactly a great song, but it is a great transition between the 2 9 minute songs. Also, I believe it is track 6 that has drums that impressed the living crap out of me. I haven't exactly fell in love with this album and I don't listen to it that often, but when I do, I am quite captivated by a sound that you don't hear anywhere else. This does NOT sound like Andromeda. Pagan's Mind does it all their own way and in their own style. I really can't say much else. There is something for everyone on this album. That's the key. I bought the album on that note and like it quite a bit. You should too!

If you do get the chance, go read some of my other reviews. It will probably help you understand better what I mean by some of what I say here. While you're at it, please say whether this review helped you or not. All it takes is one little click!

Hm, let's see....
The 1st thing that comes to mind here, after listening to the whole album is not Dream Theater, as some other reviewer said.
Instead, this singer seems to scream Geoff Tate.
I love it though, he is an excellent singer, as good as those of bands like Secret Sphere (my fave), Labyrinth, Kamelot, Rhapsody.
I hear a bit of Queensryche and their own style mixed to proggy epic metal (or call it power/speed metal or what have you), which makes for a flowing listening, very enjoyable, although this type of band tends to be a bit repetitive....
In my opinion, as far as I've been able to notice, only Secret Sphere was able to grow a bit more versatility than those other bands I've mentioned (Pagan's Mind included), with their 3rd cd Scent Of Human Desire.
I don't think I have a favorite on this Celestial Entrance, but I didn't notice any minor numbers either, everything is played well, professionally. Great production!
But, another point they share with all of the above mentioned bands, maybe the guitar solos at times could be a little less predictable, especially as far as choice of notes.
Personally, when I'm playing a solo, I don't like to hit the root note of every chord that's playing (especially the 4th of the key), and all these bands seem to be doing that a lot.
All of you who play guitar, like me, will probably understand what I mean.
I like fast scales too, and on this CD it's been done pretty well, like for example on the solo on Through Osiris Eyes.
Pretty good songwriting, for the most part, and arrangements; for example, I like the chord progression of the opening verse of Entrance Stargate....very tasteful vocal melody, the style was Geoff Tate, but that made it more interesting to me.
Fair balance, also, of heavier, prog and more melodic moments.
I particularly like the keyboard parts on this cd.
Overall, very good CD to listen to when you need something uplifting to bang your head to. It will grow on you every time you'll listen to it too!
At least it did me.
I also like this one better than the new Dream Theater, which, for me, is a lot to admit, since DT is my fave band.

I bought this album last week, and haven't stopped listening to it since. When I first heard it, I was a little disappointed, because they sounded like a Dream Theater clone, maybe a little heavier. But then, after the second listen, I started relaizing how good this album is. Yes, they sound like DT here and there, but they have a very original sound, and their songwriting is amazing. The singer has an incredible voice, probably up there if not better than Geoff Tate. Actually, now that I think about it, this band is what Queensryche should have become.
Also, with the first listen, I was disappointed with the guitar solos. They seemed a little weak and dominated by the keyboards. But then, with closer listens, I heard how good the lead guitarist actually is - I can tell he can really rip if he wants to, but holds back and comes up with some really melodic solos, sometimes sounding like David Gilmore of Pink Floyd (if you use your imagination). Maybe with the their next album he will let it rip - I hope so.
The song structures are great. The riffs are really powerful and emotional, and the choruses are especially good. In fact, the choruses are some of the best and original I've ever heard on a progressive metal album. The slow parts are absolutely beautiful. Also, these guys present a quality album, with lots of music (over an hour) and no filler whatsoever. The overall atmosphere of the album is very mystical (which I like, personally - it seems to revolve around man's search for meaning, with lyrics such as "What is life? Where is God?...") and the fact that these guys can create a consistent atmosphere throughout the album gives credit to their songcrafting skills.
I can't wait for their next album - I can tell these guys have room to grow and develop their sound, which is hard to believe because they already sound great!! I bought this album along with Dream Theater's new album (which I also think is great, by the way), and personally I like this album better than DT's album - it sounds fresher and brims with new ideas to epxand on. Bottom line: Get this album if you are a progressive metal fan.

I can't say enough about this excellent CD-It has everything. Great memorable songs,excellent musicianship-vocals-guitars- drums-keys-ALL FANTASTIC!! After Symphony X's The Oddysey, This is the next best this year. Just saw them live-KILLER BAND!