Keldian - 'Heaven's Gate' THE BAND: TRACK FRAGMENTS: 1.) "Crusader" -This track opens with a very up-tempo progressive style intro section. There is a small backing vocal section in between each vocal line of the verse. There is a small rhythm change for the musical verse. The band used the same musical arrangement for the chorus as the intro section. The lead guitar solo after the second chorus had a very laid back feel in comparison to the songs arrangement. For the second half of the lead guitar solo the band completely changes the rhythm structure of the song. 2.) "Heart Of The Sun" -The intro to this track consisted of two different rhythm guitar riffs. The main drum rhythm of the verse was done with a double bass drum pattern. At the end of the third and sixth vocal line of the verse there is a small vocal effect. This gives the song a heavy Asia sound. The chorus had a huge Asia hook attached to it. After the second chorus there is a one-bar musical arrangement change. Classic progressive songwriting 101!!! Underneath the third chorus there is a couple small lead guitar riffs. As the song progresses through the outro the band speeds the beats per minute up. This track consisted of no guitar solo. 3.) "Requiem For The Light" -The intro to this track opened with a church organ. At first you think because of the church organ this track is going to be a ballad, but all of that changes very quickly when the rest of the song kicks-in. There is a minor lead guitar solo over the top of the second half of the intro section. For one reason or another I really got off on the simple keyboard section of the opening chorus. By far one of the best progressive song I have ever heard!!! There is a small lead guitar lick connecting the first chorus to the second verse. After the lead guitar solo there is a breakdown section. This breakdown section consisted of a drastic musical change. After the breakdown there is a second lead guitar solo. 4.) "Heaven's Gate" -This track opens with two different rhythm guitar riffs before going into a intense musical arrangement. If I am not mistaking there is a small vocal effect over the top of the musical arrangement that opens the verse. Either that or a keyboard arrangement. Jorn really accented his snare licks underneath the musical verse. The used the same guitar arrangement to the connect the verse with the pre-chorus as the intro section. There was a drastic musical change connecting the pre-chorus to the chorus. Due to the different musical changes progressive rock fans will drool over this track. 5.) "Redshift" -This track opens with a very strange keyboard effect. The main musical intro had a Queensryche feel to it. The main instrumentation underneath the vocal lines was keyboards and guitar. Some of the lead vocal lines of the verse were overdubbed with a female. The main musical arrangement of the verse had a very abstract feel to them. As the song progresses it builds with intensity. 6.) "Salvation ( Release Me )" -This track opens with a typical progressive musical intro section. The band used the same musical arrangement to connect the chorus as the intro section. From beginning to end this track is classic progressive song writing 101. Instead of a lead guitar solo this track consisted of a keyboard solo. 7.) "Sundancer" -This track opens with a vocal effect. The main instrumentation of the intro section was the keyboard. There was a drastic musical change between the choruses and verses. The drum pattern of the verse was done with a sixteenth-note rhythm pattern. The lead guitar solo was not nearly as intense as the rest of the song was. After the chorus after the lead guitar solo there was a keyboard solo. 8.) "Prophecy" -This track opens with keyboards and drums. The drum rhythm underneath the musical chorus blew me away!!! For the second verse Jorn changed the drum rhythm. The instrumental arrangements of this song matched perfectly. There is a drastic musical change for the breakdown section that leads into what should have been a lead guitar solo. But for one reason or another the band chose not to write a lead guitar solo for this song. 9.) "Beyond The Stars" -There is a minor lead guitar solo over the top of this intro section. The main instrumental focus underneath the vocal lines of the verse has to be the double bass drum licks. There is a couple lead guitar licks that connects the first chorus to the second verse. The solo section of this song was amazing!!! 10.) "Plains Of Forever" -This track opens with an acoustic guitar rhythm underneath a keyboard arrangement. In the way Jorn wrote the drum rhythm of the opening musical verse gives the verse a very abstract feel. There is a small lead guitar rhythm connect the first pre-verse to the first verse. The lead vocal lines of the chorus had a progressive hook attached to them. I really liked how the band wrote and arranged the lead guitar solo section of this song. The lead guitar section seems like it goes on forever. As I was writing this review, I found it hard to believe this was Keldian's freshman release. Some of the musicianship on this release best I have heard in a very long time especially, in the genre of progressive music. If you are a fan of Asia's you should definitely check this band out. Darrell P. Finley |