BEYOND DAYLIGHT

This was my first Vandenplas album some 5 years ago. It was a long shot to buy it because I only heard the name before that, no music yet. To say it was an unforgettable experience to hear it for the first time goes too far but I was pleasently surprised you might say.

The album starts with one of the best tracks, Nightwalker. This is a typical Vandenplas song. This band has a very recognizable sound, quite unique in progmetalworld. The songs are usually written by lead singer Andy Kuntz and I think he is a terrific songwriter. By now I know a lot more albums by Vandenplas and the compositions are mostly of very high standard. Vandenplas is one of those bands that are unlikely to produce weak tracks, I think they simply don't allow it. Proof of this is next song Cold Wind that is nothing less than the opener. Ok, maybe the variation and innovation of Vandenplas is not their strongest point but as a great fan of their style I don't really care. Third up is Scarlet Flower Fields, starting like a ballad but after a minute increasing volume gives away that we are yet dealing with another rocker though not really of the roughest sort. Beautiful track this. Healing Tree is a bit like previous, a sort of metal ballad, slightly less impressive but still a very good song proving my statement above. End of all days is another highlight for me, starting like a Metallica song with first notes but after 10 seconds we know we are dealing with Vandenplas no doubt. Variegated track but a terrific rocking song and I can already blab that last (title)track is the third outstanding song which once again shows my preference for longer tracks.

The remaining songs in between, Free the Fire, Can you hear me and especially Phoenix confirm the overall class of this album easily good enough for 4 stars. For even though the 3 best tracks are stunning ones they can't match the 3 superb tracks on Christ0 (see my review there) making the difference between a 4 star and a 5 star album.