SHELTER

Formed back in 2004 by Juan Pablo Calvo (keyboards, guitars, vocals), Time's Forgotten have long been seen as one of the top prog metal bands out of Costa Rica, but it has been ten long years since their third album, 'The Book Of Lost Words' was released. Back then they were a sextet with a male singer, but Francisco Longhi and guitarist Leonardo Rojas, have both since departed. Juan, along with Jorge Sobrado (drums), Ari Lotringer (lead guitar) and Gonzalo Trejos (bass) have now been joined by Priscilla Ruiz on lead vocals. I have not come across the previous releases, but when a singer is changed it is not unusual for a band sound to change considerably, especially if they move from male to female, so I must believe that this is a totally fresh start for them.

Given that the band was formed by the keyboard player, I expected them to be musically coming from that area but instead they are coming into the genre much more from a melodic metal stance, with prog overtones. They can slow it down when they wish, and head more into the keyboard swathed sound, yet are also happy with plenty of technical guitar riffs, really mixing and changing the set all the way through so one is never sure where the next song is going to lead. On top of that they have a singer who is able to provide gentle, almost ballad-style vocals with long-held notes without a single ounce of strain, or she can be ripping into it is with a wonderful high range and power.

There is a lightness with the heavy, which makes this an incredibly easy album to listen to the very first time it is played. They use loads of contrast, and there is little room for egos as everyone does their job without a "look at how clever I am" attitude. There is no doubt at all that Time's Forgotten are back in a big way and let us hope it is not nearly as long until we get the next album.

[Originally published as a mini-review at The Progressive Aspect]

Time's Forgotten is a band from Costa Rica formed in 2004, but who went on extended hiatus in 2015. They're back now, with a change in sound and vocalist - or so I have made out from their promotional material. Shelter may be their fourth album, but it's the first I've ever heard. I may still not have heard of them had they not been recommended to me after my review of Involute's debut as a similar band that I might enjoy. I can hear why the band were recommended to me, but there are probably as many differences as there are similarities, the biggest of which is that, although both bands have female singers, Priscilla Ruiz has a far more traditional prog metal vocal style. But enough of Involute - Shelter quite simply rocks!

I'm not done with Ruiz, though - for she really is the star attraction here. I'm not sure I even want to investigate the band's previous releases because so much of the atmosphere and energy of Shelter comes from the versatility of Ruiz's vocals. She can be an absolute powerhouse, coming on like an unstoppable tempest, and she can provide gentler tones for the more ballad styled songs. But this is a generally heavier prog metal beast that allows Ruiz to show her range and power as she rips and roars her way through her lines. Her voice soars over the instruments often, somewhere out there in the stratosphere, but that's not to say the rest of the backing are lacking, providing a solid wall of sound that's thoroughly enjoyable. And it's not standard fare, either. Sure, there are plenty of prog metal hooks and riffs, but there's some wonderfully melodic passages and others that are nice and jazzy.

There is surprisingly little keyboard high in the mix for this style of prog metal, but when it does rise above the rest and make its presence more known, Juan Pablo Calvo's playing really shines. Given that often the keys are my least favourite instrument in most prog metal bands, it is even more surprising that they are probably my favourite instrument on Shelter. They add a great deal to the sound, even when they are not prominent. The rhythm section of Jorge Sobrado (drums) and Gonzalo Trejos (bass) provide a solid groove that's quite irresistible, and Ari Lotringer plays a mean guitar, with some wicked solos. I don't know how many of these musicians are from the original incarnation of the band, but they are definitely a band I want to hear more from. If Shelter is a fresh start for Time's Forgotten, I'm with them from here on.