THE GOD THING

Vanden Plas in my opinion is the leading progressive metal force in Germany right now. The God Thing is the band's third studio album. The main influences for this album are definately progressive metal legends like Dream Theater and Rush mixed with the occasional Blind Guardian power metal.

The album starts off with the insturmental track "Fire Blossom". A very impressive opener, this song is the genreal style of this band. The guitar playing is very arpeggio based, the keyboards have a relentless cold atmosphere, the bass plays very catchy rythmn lines. I see Tortsen Reichart (bass) as one of the most involved members of this band's sound.

The most amazing song on the album is the second track "The Rainmaker". The track shows the amazing potential this band has. The song stucture used throughout the album is constantly in flux. Another track that shows the creativity of the band is "Crown of Thorns". The track opens with soft orchestral backing of Andy Kuntz dramatic vocals and finishes with an awe inspiring grandiose outro.

The production of this album lacks innovation. The tones sound pretty much the same as Mark Prator's on Dream Theater's images and words. The production is a pleasure to listen to, but it lacks originality. This album is truly only made creative by the band's musicians, not the band's producer.