Band:	Anubis Gate
Album:	Horizons
Style:	Power metal, Progressive metal
Release date:	April 15, 2014
A review by:	Dream Taster

01. Destined To Remember
02. Never Like This (A Dream)
03. Hear My Call
04. Airways
05. Revolution Come Undone
06. Breach Of Faith
07. Mindlessness
08. Horizons
09. A Dream Within A Dream
10. Erasure

Anubis Gate is a progressive power metal band from Denmark who has been active with some success for the last decade. Having managed to survive multiple lineup changes in recent years, they recently released Horizons, the next offering to add to an already impressive discography.

The band itself may have changed of late but the music remains true to the vibe their fans are used to. Powerful guitar riffs lead into memorable choruses dispersed over long and complex song structures. Some tracks are rather as expected while others are completely out there but awesome nonetheless. When it boils down to it, the song writing is somewhat pop oriented despite its complexity, as is the case for most of the northern European prog power sound (Think Norway's Pagan's Mind).

Bassist Henrik Fevre has already proven on their previous album that he was able to replace a singer of the class of Jacob Hansen. Henrik continues to amaze on Horizons on vocals. If you cannot stand high male voices though, you will be in trouble. Truth be told, those hyper catchy choruses with his voice are an acquired taste. After a few listens through, the thrill to hear them becomes a guilty pleasure.

Henrik's association with guitarist Kim Olesen remains the engine of the band. Their musical influences range from old school Evergrey to modern Dream Theater, with the occasional throwback to the past decades or in the other direction with the judicious use of ultra-modern sounding keyboards.

As a unit, Horizons does not quite come together. The tracks do not coalesce quite as well as first projected. But don't let that deter you. While the album does not flow as one, it is full of great songs and glorious moments. If anything, the diversity from one song to the next is what is making this record stand out. How not to mention the 14 minute song "A Dream Within a Dream"? Besides being a total Edgar Allan Poe / Alan Parsons Project homage, this track alone has enough classy elements to justify digging this album.

They have done it again. Out of the blue, Anubis Gate comes up with one of the main contenders for progressive album of the year. Horizons might not be an easy listen and does not flow seamlessly but is a well-rounded release with moments of pure elation.

Highlights: "Hear My Call!", "Breach of Faith" and "A Dream Within a Dream".