GB Arts - Return To Forever

Year of Release: 1998
Label: Point Music / B-Mind Records
Catalog Number:
Format: CD
Total Time: 00:00:00

How do these Germans do it? They just keep spitting out quality releases like this every month. Ok, there are also a lot of crap releases coming out of Germany, too, but nevertheless, I'm amazed by this country's metal scene. As you understand this is another German progressive metal band joining the club.

The first impression of this disc was very good, as the cover and booklet features some cool artwork and pictures. Now, over to the band, which has five members who play melodic progressive metal with lots of melody and symphonic touches. Opener "City Of Light" kicks off energetic and progressive with attacking guitars and floating keyboards. The song is very accessible and it's hard to sit still as the song is catchy as hell. A nice melody line followed by a really good chorus. Yes, this is the real thing! The song also has a cool bass solo part in the middle. Track two, "Prophecy," follows the same style, energetic, powerful and once again a good chorus. Track three, the title track, opens with a nice bass lead, to be followed by guitars and keys. Pompous and heavy, with a cool choir part a couple of minutes into the song. I can see fans of Eternity X will like this song, well I guess The whole CD will appeal to Eternity X fans. Track 4 starts off like a straight melodic metal song until the keyboard solo appears and we're back to the progressive metal style. The CD has a unique atmosphere, mostly because of the elements of late 80s early 90s melodic metal combined with excellent keys and modern prog metal. I don't know if this sound is intentional but it works well and gives them the extra personal touch.

The CD is very accessible as the melodies are amazingly melodic, powerful and energetic, not overdoing the technical parts, tasty atmospheric keyboards and strong vocals which fit the music nicely. The band has also used some acoustic guitars to give the atmosphere an extra touch. Oh yeah, I like it. The CD has 10 songs, where the 10th song is an 11:30 long bonus track. The sound and production job is above average and should not cause any problems for the listener. All songs are good, some songs better than others, but no fillers here.

Fans of bands like Hittman, Etenity X, Atmosfear, Divine Regale, Aztec Jade and Exises will enjoy this CD, but both progressive metal and melodic metal fans [should] pick this one up, you won't be disappointed!

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

Tracklisting:
City Of Light (5:23) / Prophecy (5.41) / Return To Forever (5:55) / The Storm (5:30) / Falling Rain (4:42) / Behind The Mirror (6:34) / Strange World (4:30) / Through The Centuries (6:29) / Time To Go (6:56) / Parade Of The Innocence (11:30)

Musicians:
Achim Reichert - vocals
Andre Rasfeld - guitars
Thomas Senff - bass
Jorg Nazarow - drums
Andreas Beckman - keyboards

Discography:
Return To Forever (1998)
The Lake (2000)

Genre: Progressive-Power Metal

Origin DE

Added: January 1st 2005
Reviewer: Bjørnar Bevolden
Score:
Artist website: www.gbarts.de
Hits: 2524
Language: english