WALKING ON H20

Oh boy! A progressive boy band?

Hey, I didn't believe my ears at first but it's seems like Mind's Eye listened a lot of Backstreet Boys. I'm not kidding guys, many of the songs choruses could make N' Sync jealous! This is a true surprise since we don't hear a lot of pop choruses mixed with heavy guitars. And frankly, since it's the first time I witness such a curiosity, I cannot do anything but enjoying this in the car, singing out loud! Wow, am I glad I have it!

Man, this is pretty marketing, calculated stuff but at least, it's a quality one. Mind's Eye is giving all it's attention on the choruses, making them as poppish as they can, with layers of teenage vox, reminding me the great princes of teen pop . No way this is progressive metal, man. This has a clear desire to please the ears and to make you dance (or at least headbang), at least in many tracks. Top quality production with a hint of David Foster's sound. Althought the amount of audio blah blah sampling is impressive, this is going everywhere at the same time. It wants to be heavy, it wants to be sweet, it wants to impress. Crazy, I tell ya!

I will not bash this product, even if it takes the easy road on the majority of the record. At first, you could think it's taking the concept of a classroom studying the evolution theory, but it quickly changes into a modern Backstreet Boys sound with (much more) muscle on every tracks. Too bad the classroom concept got ditched so rapidly, it had a good idea going on. Anyway, great work by all means, and my pick for 2006 countdown next December!

It's one of a kind record, not a boy band per se, the band members must not feel offended by my statement! I think it's a great quality to take a good concept and mix it successfully with anot6her one; here the lightness of pop with the heavyness of rock.

But musically still generating more sophisticated choruses than Justin Timberlake on a good day!

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Posted Monday, February 27, 2006 | Review this album | Report (Review #70704)

I bought this album by Mind's Eye before I knew this was categorized as prog metal. I would have bought it anyway because it sounded good in the store but this is more heavy prog to me, but ok what does it really matter ? I hadn't heard of Mind's Eye, another very fine Swedish band it appeared to be so you could say Sweden has become just about my favourite prog country by now. This is a very equable album I think because the recognizable sound of this band (mainly caused by the singer) is to be heard in every song and that is also a bit of a downside, it's all pretty much the same. On the other hand if the sound really suits you just fine, then there is no problem. Another feature is that the vocal aspect in the music is dominant in the songs because I don't detect too many instrumental solos on this album.

If there is any distinction to be made, I like the second half of the album better especially the longer tracks (Heal my Karma and Poseidon says). But as I said the rest is almost as good. And it's all in all good enough for 4 stars.

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Posted Friday, November 16, 2007 | Review this album | Report (Review #151044)

Each Mind's Eye album has a mind of its own. From the cozy clearness of 2002's Work of Art to the full blown metal of 2007's Gentleman's Hurricane. Walking on H20 is in between in heaviness, speed and density. Basically, it's hard rock with huge choruses and choppy, stop-start rhythms. Unusual fea ... (read more)

Report this review (#1036676) | Posted by Progrussia | Monday, September 16, 2013 | Review Permanlink

Hey!An album that is not at all an ordinary one in this too crowded,maybee,world of prog metal bands!I followed MIND'S EYE career since their very first album edited on SENSORY and I knew since then that this band will have someting to say in today's music!Since the beginning they had a strong ... (read more)

Report this review (#274204) | Posted by Ovidiu | Thursday, March 25, 2010 | Review Permanlink

Hello everyone! This is my first review of an album here on Prog Archives.com. I hope you enjoy my short review. I will be giving this album a review for its overall feel, level of progression and construction from start to finish. I will not be doing an individual track analysis. This is th ... (read more)

Report this review (#190754) | Posted by ShadowMKII | Friday, November 28, 2008 | Review Permanlink

If you are the type of die-hard progressive fan who strongly believes that any album not requiring at least 32 listens to "understand" simply can't be progressive, please do not bother with Mind's Eye! If, on the other hand, you are a fan of progressive music that is melodic, well-structured a ... (read more)

Report this review (#88837) | Posted by | Sunday, September 3, 2006 | Review Permanlink

I'm surprised this album doesn't get much attention here. It's quite unique for a progressive metal recording and is one of the best albums prog scene has given us this year. The band has evolved in many ways and with this album and they can't be called just another Dream Theater clone any more b ... (read more)

Report this review (#83739) | Posted by auggie_p | Friday, July 14, 2006 | Review Permanlink

Oh dear oh dear. Completely agree with review submitted by Drew (24/3). This is not progressive and is certainly not metal, so why is it categorised at Progmetal. How can this be put in the same genre as Dream Theater, Silent Voices (who a highly underated), Circus Maximus, Andromeda and ho ... (read more)

Report this review (#72938) | Posted by | Friday, March 24, 2006 | Review Permanlink

I was hoping for a good album here- a nice name for a band, a great prog looking cover- I was REALLY disapointed. This is not Progressive This is not Metal. This IS very poppy-sounding, standard based rock. Threshold se ... (read more)

Report this review (#72917) | Posted by ProggerBro | Friday, March 24, 2006 | Review Permanlink

Walking on H2O is an absolutely brilliant album! Is it "Progressive Metal"? Nope....Thank God! But it is my early pick for Album of The Year! I must confess, I have "Work Of Art" and "Waiting For The Tide", and both of those albums are disjointed, and the songs are weak! Much of those two ... (read more)

Report this review (#70826) | Posted by | Wednesday, March 1, 2006 | Review Permanlink

WOW! Every song on this damn album is amazing! Mind's Eye is now officiallyt Swedens best progressive rock band. A must buy for lovers of modern prog and great melodies. I will bring this Cd with me to a desert Island. Lars ... (read more)

Report this review (#69982) | Posted by | Sunday, February 19, 2006 | Review Permanlink

GREAT Album... Sahara in an Hourglass is one of the best prog-rock songs of the last couple of years. A couple of filler songs in my opinion... but most of this album is just great. HIGHLY recommended and I just flat out do not understand how this band isn't bigger than they are.... ... (read more)

Report this review (#69812) | Posted by Landon | Saturday, February 18, 2006 | Review Permanlink

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