Pathfinder – Beyond The Space, Beyond The Time

site | label | buy

Whilst what the images depict are indeed different, Pathfinder’s debut Beyond The Space, Beyond The Time has such a similar cover colour scheme to Dragonforce‘s debut Valley of The Damned that it is very difficult not to expect them to sound similar. In fact, after the lengthy orchestral introduction, first song The Whisper of Ancient Rocks actually does sound very similar to the famous UK power metal band. Thankfully things do develop from there, Pathfinder turning out to be less of a generic fast power metal band and more of the high speed symphonic variety. The album’s third track, instrumental Vita Reducta – Through The Portal more or less reveals the band’s cards, ripping music straight from Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata before breaking down and heading straight back to some proper metal on Pathway To The Moon. The album is brash, bombastic and anything but subtle, blasting fast and tremendously huge song after song. What makes the album stand out are the more classical influences, some very blatant. It isn’t quite Trans-Siberian Orchestra, but the influence is strong enough to be very noticeable. As can be expected there are the obligatory orchestral instrumentals and soft ballads, but these sound genuine and well written, fitting well within the larger context of the album. All of this isn’t anything novel or new, but what Pathfinder have succeeded in doing is making sure everything sounds right on their debut. Their symphonic component is fully formed, and suitably large enough, not having that terrible canned sound so many symphonic power metal bands seem to have. This is a good, solid start for Pathfinder, with an album that outperforms some of the more veteran bands in the symphonic power metal genre.

Written by James Donovan
More: 2011, Albums, Power Metal, Quick.Play Reviews, Symphonic, Pathfinder