"not one minute is spent wasted"
Pagan's Mind has a special place on my playlist, being one of the first real metal band that I chanced upon during my initial foray into metal. The album that managed to grab my attention and blew me away was 2005's Enigmatic: Calling, which led to high expectations (and then subsequent disappointment) for 2007's God's Equation.
However, with 2011 seeing the announcement of Heavenly Ecstasy, the interest in the band was reignited. The first thing that struck me was that unlike previous releases, the band has chosen to give up the blue hues that are utilised on all their other artworks, and has chosen for a fiery orange artwork, potentially marking a shift in musical direction of the band. Fortunately, as the music eventually goes to prove, this could very well be a return to form for one of the best progressive metal bands in existence right now.
Similar to previous albums, Heavenly Ecstasy opens with an ambient/futuristic sounding introduction on Contact, with instruments slowly fading into the song, building up the climax and setting the atmosphere for the songs that are to come in the next tracks on the album. The introductory keyboards on Eyes of Fire continue the futuristic feel of the music, before the guitars come into the music and then the powerful vocals of Nils. While the power of the vocals of Nils are not fully displayed initially, as the album progresses his vocal range and skills are slowly tested, proving to the listener that he is still on form, such as on Into the Aftermath.
However, with 2011 seeing the announcement of Heavenly Ecstasy, the interest in the band was reignited. The first thing that struck me was that unlike previous releases, the band has chosen to give up the blue hues that are utilised on all their other artworks, and has chosen for a fiery orange artwork, potentially marking a shift in musical direction of the band. Fortunately, as the music eventually goes to prove, this could very well be a return to form for one of the best progressive metal bands in existence right now.
Similar to previous albums, Heavenly Ecstasy opens with an ambient/futuristic sounding introduction on Contact, with instruments slowly fading into the song, building up the climax and setting the atmosphere for the songs that are to come in the next tracks on the album. The introductory keyboards on Eyes of Fire continue the futuristic feel of the music, before the guitars come into the music and then the powerful vocals of Nils. While the power of the vocals of Nils are not fully displayed initially, as the album progresses his vocal range and skills are slowly tested, proving to the listener that he is still on form, such as on Into the Aftermath.
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