PULSE FOR A GRAVEHEART

Finaly Mind Key release second effort after long 4 years from last album. Named Pulse for a graveheart released in July 2009 is a little less intristing than first album. They have a new vocalist here Giorgio Adamo, who has a good voice , but nothing very intristing, I prefer 100 time more the voice of Marco Basile the former vocalist. They have aswell some guest musicians like Tom Englund from Evergrey and Derek Sherinian among others. With a new vocalist and a new sound this italian prog metal band tries but not quite succeded on every piece to come with fresh ideas and great prog metal elements as on first album. As I said on previous review of the band , that I expect the new album , now that I have it I'm not so thrilled. The music is a little lighter than on previuos album and only on 3 pieces they shine, the rest are ok but nothing special. The musicianship is ok, nice shifting elements from rough to mellower arrangements, great are the guitar chops, realy intristing on Dead Fame Hunter (the greatest piece from here and among the best they ever done so far), great drumer aswell,very confident on his instrument. The main proble is not necessarly the voice, who done a good job, the problem is they are turning to a ligher and softer aproach to prog metal in places similar in with Seventh Wonder, Empty Tremor or Dream Theater in manner of composing. As a whole not a bad album, not by far, is just less choesive and intristing that previous one , who was a real treasure in prog metal world. This album desearve 3 stars for sure, could 've bean lot better, after all they had 4 years for this album.

First of all,I want to tell you that I don't know the first MIND KEY album,but about this second one I want to tell you that I was totally blown away after a single audition!I discovered it almost 2 years after it's release and I can tell that this PULSE FOR A GRAVEHEART is one of the best prog metal albums that I've listened it in years!Of course,la bella Italia has many excellent bands,but this MIND KEY is absolutelly one of the best in the prog metal community ,in my humble opinion!This album has absolutelly everything to be considered trully excellent,especially some sensational musicians,great compositions and an amazing range,variety of ways of expression in this very generous style called prog metal!The production is excellent and the diversity of the tracks is so catchy that every track of the album is 100% listenable,and there are no weak tracks on it either!The guests are more than spectacular -TOM ENGLUND of EVERGREY,DEREK SHERINIAN and the wonderful guitar player from WINGER and WHITESNAKE-REB BEACH.Quite impressive,isn't it?DENNIS WARD the American producer and bass player of PINK CREAM 69 is absolutelly stunning with te job he did it-great and powerful sound,crystal clear,fantastic!The clever mix of heavy,massive guitar riffs and the modern sound of the keyboards-very present indeed,plus the powerful voice of the vocalist-everything is attractive and impressive in the same time!It's trully a curse, an anathema that each band playing prog metal with a heavy edge must be compared to DREAM THEATER!It's almost frustrating for this bands to have this burden of comparison with the American icons of the genre......so...hey...if you love this genre...give a chance to no matter what new band if they are capable to sound like DREAM THEATER!!!!!!!!!!There is enough place under the sun for all theprog metal bands in the world!So,PULSE FOR A GREVEHEART is a very ,very good album,and I am sure the third one will be even greater,because this guys have an enormous potential,I am sure about it!Together with EMPTY TREMOR and TWINSPIRITS- MIND KEY -are the best power proge metal Italian bands!4.5 STARS for a great album indeed!