Progarchives, the progressive rock ultimate discography

TO ANOTHER HORIZON

Gandalf

Crossover Prog


From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

Gandalf To Another Horizon album cover
3.46 | 29 ratings | 7 reviews | 14% 5 stars

Good, but non-essential

Write a review

Buy GANDALF Music
from Progarchives.com partners
Studio Album, released in 1982

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. March Of No Reason (incl. 'The Falling Star') (7:17)
2. Natual Forces Getting Out Of Contol (incl. 'Wind, Rain, Thunder And Fire') (10:16)
3. Requiem For A Planet (5:14)
4. Flight Of The Crystal Ships (4:32)
To Another Horizon:
5. ('The Divine Message') (2:27)
6. ('Change Of Consiousness') (5:54)
7. ('Creation Of A New World') (3:29)
8. Cosmic Balance (4:40)
9. Peace Without End (4:58)

Total Time: 48:47

Line-up / Musicians

- Gandalf (Heinz Strobl) / acoustic & electric guitars, synths, Mellotron, organ, sitar, vocoder, rhythm machine, wind chimes, percussion
+ Robert Julian Horky / flutes
- Peter Aschenbrenner / grand piano and organ
- Egdon Groger / drums
- Heinz Hummer / bass
- Helmut Kappel / Stimme bei Track Nr. 3 and 5

Releases information

Lp. WEA 240074 (Germany) / Cd. WEA 2292-40074-2

Thanks to ProgLucky for the addition
Edit this entry

Buy GANDALF To Another Horizon Music



GANDALF To Another Horizon ratings distribution


3.46
(29 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music(14%)
14%
Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection(45%)
45%
Good, but non-essential (34%)
34%
Collectors/fans only (3%)
3%
Poor. Only for completionists (3%)
3%

GANDALF To Another Horizon reviews


Showing all collaborators reviews and last reviews preview | Show all reviews/ratings

Collaborators/Experts Reviews

Review by erik neuteboom
PROG REVIEWER
4 stars This was the first album I bought from Gandalf, I just played it on my new record player and it sounds still great. If I compare it to the other Gandalf album "Magic theatre" I reviewed last week for Prog Archives, this album features lots of Mellotron, that is always at least one more star in my ratings! And in general the compositions on "To another horizon" sound less adventurous and varied. But they appeal more to me, I love the warm and moving sound on these nine tracks featuring a fine blend of acoustic and electric instruments, from a flute and sitar to a howling electric guitar and from soaring strings to an electronic music atmosphere delivering sequencer-like sounds.

SIMPLY WONDERFUL!!

Review by Andrea Cortese
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator
4 stars Warning: This record is dedicated to all politicians in the world! So, come on people, let's enter the fantastic landscapes and travel our belove planet and see its death, see its bright rebirth!

No vocals, no words to be translated and explained this time, only a conceptual long instrumental work thougt to be the dream of any good prog lover who fear not to listen such a wonderful mix between symphonic, folk, space and "new-age" sounds. The austrian artist who named himslef "Gandalf" moved so much my curiosity that I had to find some of his efforts, recorded since the first lights of the eighgties. Yes, it's right, 80s! But don't worry, you'll not be going to listen the usual and unsatisfactory pop music of that time. Gandalf is one of the multi-intrumentists who graced us of so many gems during the years as, for example, Mike Oldfield and Bo Hansson. More similar to the last one for his masterful use of synthesizer, mellotron and organ, well mixed and balanced with electric and acoustic guitars (acoustic mainly), sitar and flute.

While similar to Bo Hansson for his skills anf for the instruments chosen, Gandalf is very different from him, anyway, for how peculiar are his beautiful and dreamy arrangements, moulded by his visionary (apocalyptic but optimistic) genious as it was the soundtrack of the life of any human being or, rather, the whole human kind. Presage of what he would have created in the following recent years when he re- directed toward real new-age music (which is not exactly my cup of tea...).

Death and rebirth of the planet, I've said. So this is the tracking list of his third album: 1. March of No Reason (incl. The Falling Star) (7,17 mns); 2. Natural Forces Getting Out of Control (10,16 mns); 3. Requiem for a Planet (5,14 mns); 4. Flight of the Crystal Ship (4,32 mns); 5. To Another Horizon (including The Divine Message, Change of Consciousness, Creation of a New World) (11,50), 6. Cosmic Balance (4,40), 7. Peace Without End (4,58).

Gandalf was helped in this project by other master musicians playing flute, grand piano, drums and bass and I have to admit the result is excellent for my ears and relaxing for my brain, the music trying (in the second half mainly) to reach such chilling, spacey and peaceful landscapes...

No doubt this album deserves four stars. Thanks to the "Eastern Empire" (Osterreich, Austria) for it gave us the fabulous Gandalf!

Review by Prog-jester
PROG REVIEWER
3 stars First of all, thanks Andrea adn Erik for recommendations. Finally after listening to 4 GANDALF albums (2 good and 2 bad) I've realised what that's all about. Heinz isn't possessed with signatures of bombastic prog attitude. He just makes the music he likes. The music with elements of World and Ethnic sound,Space Rock and Symphonic Prog.Good melodies and some programmed drums - maybe, in order to make it hypnotical and repetitive (in a good sense of this world). Relaxing and mild music, differs a lot from what we have on almost purely New Ageable GANDALF's albums form 90s. Recommended. Now - to MAGIC THEATRE! ;)
Review by Matti
PROG REVIEWER
3 stars (Tolkien's good wizard GANDALF seems to be very wanted name for a band: in the library database I get a Finnish heavy group and an American psychedelic group by it - but not this Austrian multi-instrumentalist New Age musician.) I was into this kind of instrumental music umpteen years ago. I liked this album, though some years later I removed it from my shelf when the genre began to wear out for me. But I still remember this music quite well (so well that there's indeed not much point to have the CD). Is that a good or a bad sign? I'm actually more convinced of the latter: it's too simple and easily digested to offer much on the long run. The good side is that it is beautiful and 'inner-cinematic' music fit for escaping your little worries.

The theme of global concern and love for nature can be felt in Gandalf's music. The titles naturally help that. 'Requiem for a Planet' is wonderful, nearly sacred track in which the majestic organ takes the lead gradually, while the most proggy, 'Natural Forces Getting Out of Control' tasted quite pretentious and overlong collache using some natural sounds. The opener 'March of No Reason' is a highlight; it comes near to TANGERINE DREAM of the time. The last two tracks have a sense of deep happiness in them, the other being a piano-based composition in a faster tempo and the other in a typical new Age tenderness.

A sort of 80's cousin to Bo HANSSON's albums from the 70's, though more on the New Age field than progrock. But it beats the more usual New Age with its richer set of instruments (Gandalf is also a gifted guitarist!).

Review by SouthSideoftheSky
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Symphonic Team
3 stars Natural forces getting out of control

To Another Horizon may be one of Gandalf's more adventurous efforts, but it is not his best in my opinion. Compared to the previous Visions, To Another Horizon is decidedly more electronic and focuses more on atmospheric soundscapes and hypnotic rhythms than on melody. As such, this album is less memorable and, like on the debut Journey To An Imaginary Land, there are some "grey areas" where nothing much happens. Natural Forces Getting Out Of Control is, for example, a bit too long and repetitive for my taste. I'm not going to comment on each individual track, but Cosmic Balance is noteworthy is reminding strongly of the style of Vangelis.

Gandalf was experimenting a bit with this album and it seems that he didn't quite know in which direction he wanted to go at this time. The following Magic Theatre would be a more mature album combining the adventurous spirit of this album with the melodic sensibilities of Visions. But even though To Another Horizon is a lesser album than the two that surround it, it is still enjoyable in its own right and a good addition to a collection that already holds those other albums.

Latest members reviews

3 stars This is definitely not new age. The music is somewhere between spacey krautrock and MIKE OLDFIELD. It's space rock with occasional symphonic and folk outbursts. The music is nice but somehow I can't really connect to it. It's lacking some energy and developement maybe. But that's just my opini ... (read more)

Report this review (#26416) | Posted by terramystic | Sunday, February 6, 2005 | Review Permanlink

4 stars While I give this LP a three it is a VERY healthy three and a half really. This 3rd album from the Austrian Bo Hansson is his definite best. Very close to Hansson's work, but including synth-sequencers and slightly more modern equipment, Gandalf's To Another Horizon is a must for synth fans. t ... (read more)

Report this review (#26415) | Posted by mandrake2 | Wednesday, January 19, 2005 | Review Permanlink

Post a review of GANDALF "To Another Horizon"

You must be a forum member to post a review, please register here if you are not.

MEMBERS LOGIN ZONE

As a registered member (register here if not), you can post rating/reviews (& edit later), comments reviews and submit new albums.

You are not logged, please complete authentication before continuing (use forum credentials).

Forum user
Forum password

Copyright Prog Archives, All rights reserved. | Legal Notice | Privacy Policy | Advertise | RSS + syndications

Other sites in the MAC network: JazzMusicArchives.com — jazz music reviews and archives | MetalMusicArchives.com — metal music reviews and archives

Donate monthly and keep PA fast-loading and ad-free forever.