Afterworld - Dark Side Of The Mind

Year of Release: 1998/1999
Label: Mastervox / Noise Records
Catalog Number: n/a
Format: CD
Total Time: 59:57:00

This 5-piece was formed in 1993 but the current line-up was finalised two years later. As their fellow countrymen in Myon, this Finnish band is also signed to Noise Records. Dark Side Of The Mind is their debut album and was first released by Mastervox records in Finland in 1998.

Afterworld play up-tempo power metal with a melodic or maybe a mainstream touch. The music is pretty hard to pigeonhole, but if we say the basis is up-tempo power metal, with influences of bands such as Helloween, Stratovarius, and Tarot topped by a moody, dark touch, you might have an idea of how this may sound. It's very guitar oriented, with the superb dual guitar attack from Ville Koskela and Petri S??sk?, catchy and energetic. The keyboard take a more supporting role and the mid-ranged vocals of Mika Kuokkanen is very good and a bit different from what we are used to by bands of this ilk, coming off moody and almost melancholic. All this give the music a special sound and identity, which is solely their own. The music is pretty accessible, with melodic guitars, good melody-lines and choruses which are memorable. The production is razor sharp and is a delight for the ears.

The band is taking a chance having 13 songs on the album, but they make a good job of it and have made a very even CD with great songs throughout the CD. Only a couple of songs fall through as mediocre. I think this is a great debut CD which will definitely please fans of guitar based melodic metal and power metal. And keeping their interesting sound in mind, I highly recommend this.

[This review originally appeared November 2002 at the ProgPower Online review site -ed.]

Tracklisting:
Dark Side Of Mind / To The Afterworld / Lost In The Dark / Never Ending Sleep / Sixteen Innocent Children / Power To Kill / The End Becomes / The Silence Of The End / Virtual Angel / Touch Of Hate / The Final Winter / Prison Without Walls / Are We Alone

Musicians:
Ville Koskela - guitar
Petri S??sk? - guitar
Mika Kuokkanen - vocals

Discography:
Dark Side Of Mind (1998)
Connecting Animals (2000)

Genre: Progressive/Power Metal

Origin FI

Added: November 26th 2004
Reviewer: Bjørnar Bevolden
Score:
Hits: 3943
Language: english