Member:
Dragonflame713
(Profile)
(All Album Reviews by Dragonflame713)
Date:
2/11/2004
Format:
CD (Album)
Box Of Fear is the title of the new concept album, by a promising prog metal band from Sweden's Mister Kite. The advertisement for the album reads:
”Would you be afraid if someone told you, that every room inside your mind has a story of it’s own…. Do you dare not to listen?”
Well… with a statement like that, how can one not listen? That’s enough to make anyone curious in itself! The mind is a very complex area, and it’s exploration makes for a fascinating journey! I have seen a number of releases tackle a topic like this, but just like every mind is different, so are the observations of it. The idea of comparing sectors of the mind to rooms, and exploring them one by one is fantastic!
One could say the same about these particular explorers Mister Kite. Their first album in 2000 All In Time gained positive reviews throughout the world, and they landed an opening slot on the Dio tour of Scandinavia in 2002. Needless to say in some sectors of the progressive metal world, Box Of Fear has been a highly anticipated release. Believe me it delivers…
This new album was preceded by a single called The Hunger, an excellent prog metal/hard rock song. It also included an impressive cover of Deep Purple’s “Bloodsucker”. The Box Of Fear album itself gets started an electric techno like synth and drum beat, then roars forward into a dark riff, with sort of a Savatage like guitar sound. Throughout the album it’s a nice blend of a dark guitar sound, King’s X like melodies, Queensryche like production values and keyboard effects. In fact I hear the Queensryche influence is in some of the drum pattern and arrangements as well. The music has a very somber and brooding overtone throughout it all.
Some exceptional songs on here are “How Long” which has a somber guitar riff, and has a “Radio Ga Ga” type rhythm pattern going beneath it. Also “Do Your Worst” is outstanding, with it’s spacious atmosphere, dramatic overtone, and the little techno type keyboards sounds beneath it, going side by side with a light symphonic sound. A note about the keyboards on this album, is that they are used sparsely but very effectively. They jump in and enhance the songs at just the right moments.
A very exciting entry into the world of progressive metal, with a very fresh sound. I look forward to hearing more from this band in the years to come, I really feel they have a tremendous amount of potential and have no doubt in my mind they will achieve them. But for now, fans can come take a journey into the mind with this release. Prepare to open the many different doors that are within. Mister Kite awaits you there! :-)
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