FROM A POINT OF EXISTENCE

Weirdly named Gandalf's Fist is classified here on PA as neo-prog. The style usually associated with neo is the radio-friendly marriage of Pink Floydian atmospherics and Genesis theatricality. This is not that. I guess I could characterize the sound of this album is a kind of a melodic, but gloomy Pink Floyd with outbursts of power metal style guitar. It seems that the most well known song here is Gathering of the clouds, which appropriately describes my impressions of this album - not the thunder of metal, but uneasiness associated with the sky getting progressively darker with clouds, but not actually knowing when it is gonna rain. There is some respite - on poppies passages of the title epic and the surprise of the bittersweet country rock of Back and there again.

Some reviewers have mentioned the vocals. Well the singer sings melodically enough, but sounds as if he has been talking 24 hours straight and lost his voice. He is treated with effects which curiously only exacerbate this rustling impression.

Main attention is understandably drawn to the 30-minute title epic. Well it's mostly good, but way over-uses the main themes and dark angelic choir style synths, which combined with the voice and general gloominess make is hard to digest in a single sitting. Definitely not for the prog novice. It is wisely broken down into 2 parts book-ending the album.

To sum up, I think that the two lads from Gandalf' Fist succeeded in creating a distinctive sound (the combination of melody, gloominess and metal kinda reminds me of American band Disconnect, similarly a two-guy studio affair), but a certain monotonousness and peculiar vocals prevent me from giving it a higher mark.