MIND KEY

Mind Key were formed in Napoli some twenty years ago by in 1999 by Dario De Cicco (keyboards) and Emanuele Colella (guitars) who wanted to create a band that brought together Dream Theater, Symphony X, Evergrey, and Pain of Salvation with short direct hard rock numbers. They release their debut in 2004, played gigs with the likes of Dream Theater, Vision Divine, and Pendragon, before releasing their second album 'Pulse for a Graveheart' in 2009. This saw them with a new singer, Aurelio Fierro, and they again toured with the likes of Edguy, Vanden Plas, Europe, and Hammerfall, but the band then went on an extended break.

Now they are back, bolstered by a new rhythm section of bassist Lucio Grilli (ex-Soul Secret) and drummer Mirko De Maio (The Flower Kings, Hangarvain), and one has to wonder why they have been away for so long as this is high octane from the start and never lets up. I can certainly see where the guys get their inspiration from, but I am a little surprised not to find classic Stratovarius in the list as well as that style is all over this. Prog Metal, melodic metal, call it what you will, this is class from start to finish. Aurelio Fierro has a great voice, with an edge which gives it additional breadth and quality, combined with a great range. Add that to a rhythm section who are never going to just sit back and play gently but instead are driving and adding to the melody, and a keyboard player and guitarist who are locked together swapping leads and one is transported.

Thankfully the production is up to the task, and the result is an album that fans of bands such as Alcatrazz will also enjoy, with Colella proving he can shred like Malmsteen when the need arises. For fans of great rock music, let's hope we don't have to wait nearly as long for the next one.

'Journey of a Rough Diamond' is the debut album by Italian progressive metal band Mind Key. Released in 2004, it bears many similarities to a certain well-known band...

Now, I've always disliked the notion of so many progressive metal bands being labelled as "Dream Theater clones". Yes, Dream Theater are the pioneers of the subgenre, and have remained flag bearers to this day, having laid the foundations and defined the true aspects and qualities of the style. But God forbid, anyone being inspired by this and playing something similar! Why isn't every metal band in history simply regarded as a Black Sabbath clone? Or a Metallica clone? Or a...

Whatever... Back on track... Mind Key are one of "those bands".

Ticking off every cliché from the prog metal guidebook, the music here is highly ambitious, with long track durations, extended musical passages, unparalleled musicianship, and with a vocalist who mostly sings in a higher range. This is prog metal 101.

But is it any good? It's... alright.

I stumbled across Mind Key back in 2010 when I first heard and fell in love with the song 'Secret Dream'. I couldn't wait to hear the entire album, and when I finally managed to get hold of it, it didn't quite live up to expectations. It's good. But it's so incredibly average. I don't expect every band to reinvent the wheel, but for all the musical talent and production values this band has, there's just not a lot here that hasn't been done more memorably by other artists.

Still, there are some solid tracks here. Besides the aforementioned 'Secret Dream', (which is definitely the best the album has to offer), there's 'Love Remains the Same', 'Lord of the Flies', 'Without Ann' and 'Waiting for the Answer'. None of these songs are going to set the world on fire, but in fairness, while my review does seem a bit harsh, these are pretty decent compositions.

But Mind Key just fail to truly stand out amongst a sea of so many "Dream Theater clones". They're good though, and 'Journey of a Rough Diamond' is worth checking out if you're into your prog metal, but there's plenty of similar bands with more memorable and accessible albums.

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!

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.

Mind Key first album named Journey of a rough diamond from 2004 is for me a true treasure of progressive metal, is essential listning if you want something realy strong in this field. I was knock out of my socks when i've listned first time this record last year. Excellent musicianship, great ideas, superb song writing and above all brilliant vocal parts.Mind Key is a talented young italian band who, for some reason didin't make it big 'till now, is strange because this album is among the best prog metal albums I ever heard. Clearly influenced by Dream Theater, but don't expect to be a copy/paste band, contrary this album is 100 times better than anything Dream Theater releases after Scenes from a memory. The music is very well written, with nice shifting moods between heavyer elements to a more mellower ones, great are the interplays between guitar and keys, and above all the voice of Marco Basile fits like a glove here, in this kind of music. Why I consider this album a masterpice, because is not another clone of well known prog metal bands, they manage to creat something special and very catchy. Quite rarely I have the chance to listen to such a perfect album, and surprise from a young band. All the pieces are excellent, from long ones with nice long instrumental passages to mellow ones, where the voice of Basile truly shines. Every musician is sure on his instrument, it's shown in every piece how easy this guys play. Why they didn't had the chance to make it big, I don't understand. On their offcial site is written thet they working on a new album, maybe this year will be released. Anyway this Journey of a rough diamond is a shineing star in prog metal field, highly recommend for every serios prog listner. 5 stars for this almost unknown treasure, but for sure needs a better view. Similar bands, Empty Tremor, Madsword, Dream Theater and at some point Shadow Gallery and Vanden Plas.

Finally, I found a band which sounded like DT but with their own style. I think they did great with this album. Vocal part is great and fits the music. Riffs and Leads are clean and very melodic but not repetetive. The drums is also cool; I think he avoid the repetetive double peddling which makes a song sound like power metal. Good job on that. "Secret Dream", "Lord Of The Flies", "World Of Illusion" and "Waiting For Answer" are the heavy songs here while "Memory Calling" and "Without Ann" are beautiful ballads. Deep Insane sounds like Mr. Big prog metal. To sum it up, the album is very prog metal.

Mind Key is an Italian progressive metal band.You can hear many varied influences in their music,from Dream Theater and Symphony X to bands like Deep Purple and Toto.Journey of a Rough Diamond is a fine debut,featuring complex songs with many tempo changes,astounding guitar work,great keyboard playing,and an incredible ryhthm section and soaring Labrie-esque vocals.Versatile guitarist Emanuele Colella frequently switches styles,from metal to fusion to blues,making it seem very easy.Drummer Andrea Stipa,as one reviewer of this cd has said,would do Portnoy proud.And vocalist Marco Basile has a very wide range,but has since been replaced with Aurelio Fierro.Two of the standout tracks for me are "Lord of the Flies",based on the William Golding book and the epic "Waiting for the Answer",which contains all of this groups trademarks of complexity,brilliant technique and melody.4 stars and highly recommended for prog metal fans

WOW! - Mind Key must be rated up with their other Italian colleagues Empty Tremor and DGM. This is the album that DGM should've come up with after Hidden Place - but that's another review. Back to JOARD. This is awesome. Superb song structures and brilliantly executed by some very talented musicians. Melodic, jazzy in places, heavy in others but always progressive. Vocalist has a great mid-range voice which compliments both the up- tempo and the slower passages - shame he has now been replaced. Rhythm section, particularly the drums are amazing - Mike Portnoy would be proud of this guy! This has to be one of the best debut albums I've heard. Fans of all progressive and melodic metal should add this to their collection as well as those into Journey, Toto and Kansas. Fantastic!

Hey guys, a new fantastic reality is shining! Here's a perfect demonstration of how a great prog metal album should be! Killing riffs, intricate and originals instrumental parts,oddtimes, but also magic, charming melodic passages and vocal lines, in the best tradition of this musical genre! The rhythm section is incredibly powerful and full of groove, andrea stipa (dr) and lele castaldo (bs) march as a train, while dario de cicco (keys) and emanuele colella (gt) paint enchanting scenes of pure magic; marK basile - now replaced by new singer aurelio fierro- shows a very large extension range and great warmth, perfectly integrating with music. So if u love bands like dream theater, symphony x,fates warning,queensryche, van den plas,ark, pain of salvation, shadow gallery, planet x but also deep purple, rainbow, toto, kansas, journey etc... and aim to originality, mind key are highly recommended! EXCELLENT!!!

ENJOY :)

luca lattene