Vanden Plas - "Beyond Daylight" Review

Artist/ Band: Vanden Plas
Title: Beyond Daylight
Label: InsideOut Music
Year of Release: 2002

(click on the link above, for ALL band information on this and the band's other cds)

The Review:

Vanden Plas comes from the Dream Theater camp of prog-metal but not a clone like other bands have become. Vanden Plas has it’s own identity with some hard rock and progressive influences plus the do an amazing version of Kansas’ "Point Of Know Return." that should make old and new fans happy.

Most of the music has a hard rock/metal attitude but when you get to the title track, you see where the band treads onto the progressive side of fence. It clocks in at almost 11 minutes and to me is the highlight of the whole CD. One song I can hear on the radio is “Can You Hear Me”. It’s a nice straight forward sounding ballad.

Beyond Daylight has more variety in sounds to it than the more recent Dream Theater releases plus it’s more exciting sounding too. I’ll have to explore this band’s previous works soon. But this is by far one of the better prog-metal releases in years.

Reviewed by Ron Fuchs on May 31st, 2004

Tracks:

1. High Walker

2. Cold Wind

3. Scarlet Flower Fields

4. Healing Tree

5. End of All Days

6. Free the Fire

7. Can You Hear Me

8. Phoenix

9. Beyond Daylight

Bonus Track

10. Point of Know Return