Revisiting one of the greatest ProgPower Metal albums in history

AngraRULES

AngraRULES

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Aug 1, 2002
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So this evening I decided to pull out what I have always considered to be one of the greatest progressive power metal albums in history. Revisiting this album makes me remember the reason why I fell in love with this band from the first listen, even though I remember making fun of their visuals before listening.

Lost Horizon's A Flame To The Ground Beneath still has a very special place in my metal collection. It is probably what I consider to be the greatest prog power metal there has ever been. It has one of the best songs the genre has ever offered us, not to mention the vocalist is in my top 3 ever (Daniel Heiman). I swear to God, 9 out of 10 reviews gave this album at least a 9 out of 10.

I just felt compelled to share my admiration for this love and band, and mention it to the ones here that may not have had the chance to listen to this masterpiece. I will leave you with a few samples:

Think Not Forever:


Pure:


Glenn, has there ever been any interest in trying to get this band for a reunion at ProgPower? If so, have you actually tried?

Taken from the awesome review of this 2003 release published on Sputnik Music, "Metallica will make you feel angry, but Lost Horizon will make you feel like a god. And that probably sums it up better than I could. So give this album a listen, and get in touch with the divinity in all of us."

If you haven't listened, please do so. Enjoy, guys and gals!
 
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If you want some really glorious power metal, the first album is superior, IMO. But the second album does what some would consider impossible: take hero power metal and turn it into something musically challenging and creative. Most power metal is by the numbers, and A Flame to the Ground Beneath is anything but.

That being said, I didn't LOVE it when it came out, but I know quality when I hear it and everyone else seems to dig it.

This is a band that could have risen to the top of the genre and headlined PP EASILY if they'd stuck together and kept on evolving.
 
I REALLY love this album and Daniels voice is something extraordinary...he has in my opinion one of the best hi pitch voices I have ever heard.

I have seen them live two times and it was great, to bad they split up and have search for a new singer since that....a search that seems to go on forever...:yell:
 
I can't believe I agree with Angrarules! This is one of the best if not the best epic power metal albums of all time. It's a shame that it looks like Wojtek will not be able to release the third monument. He released 3 snippets of new songs without vocals which sounded very promising but that was two years ago and again nothing since. They have to bury the hatchet with Daniel. I don't believe there is really one person on this earth who can fill his shoes in LH and Wojtek knows this and hence no third album has ever materialised. By the way there was a rumour on the LH board that Daniel was on the brink of joining Dragonforce which has not materialised as yet, but I don't think it's beyond the realms of possibility. I think it would be amazing if he did the join the 'Force but he belongs in LH and that should be his first port of call. Call him Wojtek!!
 
adaher said:
If you want some really glorious power metal, the first album is superior, IMO. But the second album does what some would consider impossible: take hero power metal and turn it into something musically challenging and creative. Most power metal is by the numbers, and A Flame to the Ground Beneath is anything but.
Click to expand...

I'm gonna go against the grain and say that the only thing they added to the second album is more wind and sound effects, which = filler.

For me, "A Flame..." is like they got halfway thru a sequel to "Awakening" and decided they ran out of ideas and added some sweeping wind effects and intros to the songs. Seriously, aren't there like 3 songs of just effects?

Anyways, the actual songs are great and do show a little more maturity from their debut, but I wouldn't even think to use the word "prog" to describe the album. I got quite a surprise opening this thread.
 
I like both albums equally. I normally shy away from cheese. But these guys are too damn impressive to ignore. Two of the best chunks of power metal ever released. Love em to death and listen to both albums regularly.

Gotta agree with the gentleman above me though, not getting the prog reference. You been smokin crack again Milt?
 
Both Lost Horizon albums are fun, especially if you've ever wanted a power metal soundtrack to the old He-Man cartoons. I don't know that I'd call either one essential though. The cheese factor is just a bit too high.
 
I remember going to the store to buy Nevermore "Enemies of Reality" and this had been released the same day, and I saw it on the shelf (since the L was on the same row as the N) and was like "oh man, I gotta check this out!" Total blind buy and I was like "holy shit!" when I heard it.
 
Both are great albums, whereas the first is just straight ahead Power metal, the second ventures a little off the Powermetal path into some interesting territory, it took me a few listens to really appreciate the second album, but I agree with Milton it is simply awesome.
 
I remember buying one of the 2 LH albums on the last day of Tower Records's closing sale for maybe a buck. Think I sold it to Vintage Vinyl or Coconuts for 8 dollars a week later.

They're kinda fun, but the definition of ephemeral pleasure. Twice was enough, and I know that Heed band went nowhere fast.
 
BenMech said:
I remember buying one of the 2 LH albums on the last day of Tower Records's closing sale for maybe a buck. Think I sold it to Vintage Vinyl or Coconuts for 8 dollars a week later.
Click to expand...

Man, did I take advantage of that Tower Records final week. I must have bought around 40 CDs and a few concert DVDs for a mere 50 bucks.

BenMech said:
They're kinda fun, but the definition of ephemeral pleasure. Twice was enough, and I know that Heed band went nowhere fast.
Click to expand...

Ephemeral? I don't know man, I put on A Flame to the Ground Beneath today, 7 years after its release and it still reigns supreme at the top of the genre. Heed didn't go anywhere, but as someone pointed out, if LH hadn't disbanded, they would be light years above pretty much any other power metal band.
 
Claus says they suck.
Oh wait that was another thread.

I have both albums, and found them listenable twice. The third time they came up in my jukebox I just hit "next" on the remote.

Probably should dig up the cd cases and trade them in.
 
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