BEYOND THE BRIDGE – The Old Man and the Spirit
- by Matt Coe
- Posted on 19-12-2011
Nothing like listening to a progressive rock/metal seven piece band from Germany- you can guess they leave no part or sound unturned with two guitarists, two keyboardists, and two vocalists in the fold. A concept album dealing with the polarity between superhuman awareness and spirit, Beyond The Bridge have a lot in common songwriting-wise with Dream Theater, Ark, and early Pain Of Salvation.
World music and Middle Eastern passages bring “The Apparition” to majestic heights, while the heavier, staccato-laden guitar sweeps in “Doorway To Salvation” are very reminiscent of the better material on Dream Theater’s “Awake” album. Dilenya Mar and Herbie Langhans offer two distinct vocal approaches- Dilenya more in the gothic siren mold while Herbie is grittier and still melodic but more in the direct progressive delivery.
Four years in the making, “The Old Man And The Spirit” is an adequate 11 song album with some exciting instrumental prowess but lacking in that killer hook punch that takes certain artists to a larger audience.