#losthorizon — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #losthorizon, aggregated by home.social.
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#Movies #ClassicMovies . . .
Just rewatched #LostHorizon (1937) on #Tubi, a #FrankCapra movie starring #RonaldColeman & co-starring #JaneWyatt, for the 1s time in years.
I've got this #movie on #DVD but the one on Tubi is the restored 132 min movie; the one that I have on DVD is a shorter cut version.
The movie is about finding the mythical city of #ShangraLa in the #Himalayas. It's a great movie & a "must see," if you're a movie buff & if you've never seen it before.
It's in B&W. They have the full sound track but 6-7 mins of the film was never found in useable condition. I'd rate it 9 out of 10.
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#Movies #ClassicMovies . . .
Just rewatched #LostHorizon (1937) on #Tubi, a #FrankCapra movie starring #RonaldColeman & co-starring #JaneWyatt, for the 1s time in years.
I've got this #movie on #DVD but the one on Tubi is the restored 132 min movie; the one that I have on DVD is a shorter cut version.
The movie is about finding the mythical city of #ShangraLa in the #Himalayas. It's a great movie & a "must see," if you're a movie buff & if you've never seen it before.
It's in B&W. They have the full sound track but 6-7 mins of the film was never found in useable condition. I'd rate it 9 out of 10.
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#Movies #ClassicMovies . . .
Just rewatched #LostHorizon (1937) on #Tubi, a #FrankCapra movie starring #RonaldColeman & co-starring #JaneWyatt, for the 1s time in years.
I've got this #movie on #DVD but the one on Tubi is the restored 132 min movie; the one that I have on DVD is a shorter cut version.
The movie is about finding the mythical city of #ShangraLa in the #Himalayas. It's a great movie & a "must see," if you're a movie buff & if you've never seen it before.
It's in B&W. They have the full sound track but 6-7 mins of the film was never found in useable condition. I'd rate it 9 out of 10.
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#Movies #ClassicMovies . . .
Just rewatched #LostHorizon (1937) on #Tubi, a #FrankCapra movie starring #RonaldColeman & co-starring #JaneWyatt, for the 1s time in years.
I've got this #movie on #DVD but the one on Tubi is the restored 132 min movie; the one that I have on DVD is a shorter cut version.
The movie is about finding the mythical city of #ShangraLa in the #Himalayas. It's a great movie & a "must see," if you're a movie buff & if you've never seen it before.
It's in B&W. They have the full sound track but 6-7 mins of the film was never found in useable condition. I'd rate it 9 out of 10.
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#Movies #ClassicMovies . . .
Just rewatched #LostHorizon (1937) on #Tubi, a #FrankCapra movie starring #RonaldColeman & co-starring #JaneWyatt, for the 1s time in years.
I've got this #movie on #DVD but the one on Tubi is the restored 132 min movie; the one that I have on DVD is a shorter cut version.
The movie is about finding the mythical city of #ShangraLa in the #Himalayas. It's a great movie & a "must see," if you're a movie buff & if you've never seen it before.
It's in B&W. They have the full sound track but 6-7 mins of the film was never found in useable condition. I'd rate it 9 out of 10.
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Steel Arctus – Dreamruler Review
By Andy-War-Hall
Brothers, you need power metal in your life. No, you do. You need authentic positivity shot straight into your cynic-rotten hearts, now. Most fortunate for you, Greek power metallers Steel Arctus have graced this year of 2025 with their third album Dreamruler, marking the third entry into the chronicles of their titular hero Steel Arctus. 2020’s Fire and Blood detailed the origins of Steel Arctus and his girlfriend Red Sonja the Arcadian Lady, 2022’s Master of War saw him delve into the fires of Hades and now Dreamruler sees him challenge the titular Dreamruler in his evil world of dreams to rescue his bodacious muse. Though the first two albums were good, Steel Arctus only grazed greatness a few times in their young career. Is Dreamruler the one that’ll bring them there? Hold your hammers high.
Steel Arctus are sworn to the flame of metal glory, and Dreamruler carries that fire by way of anthemic power metal. Dreamruler is imbued with the fantasy-minded songwriting of Dio, the epic vocal acrobatics of Lost Horizon and the fist-balling machismo of Judas Priest and Visigoth. “Riding through the Night” sees Steel Arctus fuse Judas Priest grit and Nocturnal Rites hookiness, “Fate of the Beast” marries Stratovarius neoclassical-isms with Paladin riffing and “Will to Power” embodies so much Manowar that I’m surprised Manowar never wrote it. Steel Arctus harness these influences into lean, catchy tunes that—while never feeling totally original, obviously—feel deeply energized and alive. Just hearing the Lost Horizon bloopy synths and grandeur of “Defender of Steel,” the Iced Earth thrash-power of “Cry for Revenge,” and the Savatage class and nastiness of “Dreamruler” evoked that sense of first getting into metal again. Listening to Dreamruler is listening to everything Steel Arctus love distilled into forty-seven minutes of heavy metal bliss.
This mimicry of established styles wouldn’t work so well if Steel Arctus weren’t incredible musicians. Thankfully, guitarist Nash G. churns out quality riffs like it’s nothing, bringing beefy grooves to “Will to Power” and nimble plucking on “Fires of Death”. While extremely technical and wah-heavy (“Fires of Death”), G.’s solos avoid hollowness through a melody-first approach; just hear those twins on “Dreamruler” or how “Wicked Lies” plays with the riff beneath it. Drummer Minas Chatziminas crushes his kicks (“Defender of Steel”) while fitting in cool tom and cymbal work (“Riding through the Night”) and just enough kick variation for some rhythmic interest (“Dreamruler”), while bassist Strutter (Wardrum) lays down thick-toned bass runs throughout Dreamruler and even leads on “Wicked Lies.” But vocalist Tasos Lazaris (Fortress Under Siege, White Wizzard) is the leader of this quest called Dreamruler, as his incredible range (“Legend of the Warrior”,) power (“Cry for Revenge”) and charisma (“Glory of the Hero”) sharpen the hooks of Dreamruler and give Steel Arctus a commanding presence. Put together, and Dreamruler’s an outstandingly fun romp worthy of Steel Arctus’ many influences.
The only blemish on Dreamruler is that the ending isn’t a smash success. The penultimate “Legend of the Warrior” opens in dramatic fashion, replete with swirling synths, plucked clean guitar and spoken narration à la Lost Horizon that really sounds like Steel Arctus are building towards a true epic conclusion akin to “Highlander (The One).” Instead, it and the closing instrumental “Onar (όναρ),”1 move through mid-paced crawls that leave Dreamruler with a minor case of anticlimax. They’re not bad songs— “Legend of the Warrior” features Lazaris’ most dynamic performance and “Onar (όναρ)” sounds genuinely restorative in its pleasantness—but with how much pathos Steel Arctus weave into their music I think Dreamruler would’ve benefited from a bigger, grander finale. Steel Arctus can tell a story: I have no idea what happens in Dreamruler narrative-wise, but when Lazaris commands “Hammer Highyaaa!” on “Defender of Steel,” who needs a plot? I’m right there anyway.
Steel Arctus have leveled up tremendously on Dreamruler, and anyone with even a smidgen of appreciation for power metal should give this a spin. They don’t do anything new or novel whatsoever on Dreamruler, and, yeah, these are the most generic power metal song titles imaginable, but Steel Arctus hammered their way into greatness by sheer force of will anyway—along with amazing performances and adept songcraft, of course. Everything about Dreamruler is wholehearted, from Steel Arctus’ celebration of heavy metal’s past to their overwhelming showmanship. This is music of gigantic melancholy and gigantic mirth and easily one of, if not the year’s best power metal albums.
Rating: Great
DR: 72 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: No Remorse Records
Websites: steelarctus.com | steelarctus.bandcamp | facebook.com/steelarctus
Releases Worldwide: November 28th, 2025#2025 #40 #dio #dreamruler #epicMetal #fortressUnderSiege #greekMetal #heavyMetal #icedEarth #judasPriest #lostHorizon #manowar #noRemorseRecords #nocturnalRites #nov25 #paladin #powerMetal #review #reviews #savatage #steelArctus #stratovarius #visigoth #wardrum #whiteWizzard
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Steel Arctus – Dreamruler Review
By Andy-War-Hall
Brothers, you need power metal in your life. No, you do. You need authentic positivity shot straight into your cynic-rotten hearts, now. Most fortunate for you, Greek power metallers Steel Arctus have graced this year of 2025 with their third album Dreamruler, marking the third entry into the chronicles of their titular hero Steel Arctus. 2020’s Fire and Blood detailed the origins of Steel Arctus and his girlfriend Red Sonja the Arcadian Lady, 2022’s Master of War saw him delve into the fires of Hades and now Dreamruler sees him challenge the titular Dreamruler in his evil world of dreams to rescue his bodacious muse. Though the first two albums were good, Steel Arctus only grazed greatness a few times in their young career. Is Dreamruler the one that’ll bring them there? Hold your hammers high.
Steel Arctus are sworn to the flame of metal glory, and Dreamruler carries that fire by way of anthemic power metal. Dreamruler is imbued with the fantasy-minded songwriting of Dio, the epic vocal acrobatics of Lost Horizon and the fist-balling machismo of Judas Priest and Visigoth. “Riding through the Night” sees Steel Arctus fuse Judas Priest grit and Nocturnal Rites hookiness, “Fate of the Beast” marries Stratovarius neoclassical-isms with Paladin riffing and “Will to Power” embodies so much Manowar that I’m surprised Manowar never wrote it. Steel Arctus harness these influences into lean, catchy tunes that—while never feeling totally original, obviously—feel deeply energized and alive. Just hearing the Lost Horizon bloopy synths and grandeur of “Defender of Steel,” the Iced Earth thrash-power of “Cry for Revenge,” and the Savatage class and nastiness of “Dreamruler” evoked that sense of first getting into metal again. Listening to Dreamruler is listening to everything Steel Arctus love distilled into forty-seven minutes of heavy metal bliss.
This mimicry of established styles wouldn’t work so well if Steel Arctus weren’t incredible musicians. Thankfully, guitarist Nash G. churns out quality riffs like it’s nothing, bringing beefy grooves to “Will to Power” and nimble plucking on “Fires of Death”. While extremely technical and wah-heavy (“Fires of Death”), G.’s solos avoid hollowness through a melody-first approach; just hear those twins on “Dreamruler” or how “Wicked Lies” plays with the riff beneath it. Drummer Minas Chatziminas crushes his kicks (“Defender of Steel”) while fitting in cool tom and cymbal work (“Riding through the Night”) and just enough kick variation for some rhythmic interest (“Dreamruler”), while bassist Strutter (Wardrum) lays down thick-toned bass runs throughout Dreamruler and even leads on “Wicked Lies.” But vocalist Tasos Lazaris (Fortress Under Siege, White Wizzard) is the leader of this quest called Dreamruler, as his incredible range (“Legend of the Warrior”,) power (“Cry for Revenge”) and charisma (“Glory of the Hero”) sharpen the hooks of Dreamruler and give Steel Arctus a commanding presence. Put together, and Dreamruler’s an outstandingly fun romp worthy of Steel Arctus’ many influences.
The only blemish on Dreamruler is that the ending isn’t a smash success. The penultimate “Legend of the Warrior” opens in dramatic fashion, replete with swirling synths, plucked clean guitar and spoken narration à la Lost Horizon that really sounds like Steel Arctus are building towards a true epic conclusion akin to “Highlander (The One).” Instead, it and the closing instrumental “Onar (όναρ),”1 move through mid-paced crawls that leave Dreamruler with a minor case of anticlimax. They’re not bad songs— “Legend of the Warrior” features Lazaris’ most dynamic performance and “Onar (όναρ)” sounds genuinely restorative in its pleasantness—but with how much pathos Steel Arctus weave into their music I think Dreamruler would’ve benefited from a bigger, grander finale. Steel Arctus can tell a story: I have no idea what happens in Dreamruler narrative-wise, but when Lazaris commands “Hammer Highyaaa!” on “Defender of Steel,” who needs a plot? I’m right there anyway.
Steel Arctus have leveled up tremendously on Dreamruler, and anyone with even a smidgen of appreciation for power metal should give this a spin. They don’t do anything new or novel whatsoever on Dreamruler, and, yeah, these are the most generic power metal song titles imaginable, but Steel Arctus hammered their way into greatness by sheer force of will anyway—along with amazing performances and adept songcraft, of course. Everything about Dreamruler is wholehearted, from Steel Arctus’ celebration of heavy metal’s past to their overwhelming showmanship. This is music of gigantic melancholy and gigantic mirth and easily one of, if not the year’s best power metal albums.
Rating: Great
DR: 72 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: No Remorse Records
Websites: steelarctus.com | steelarctus.bandcamp | facebook.com/steelarctus
Releases Worldwide: November 28th, 2025#2025 #40 #dio #dreamruler #epicMetal #fortressUnderSiege #greekMetal #heavyMetal #icedEarth #judasPriest #lostHorizon #manowar #noRemorseRecords #nocturnalRites #nov25 #paladin #powerMetal #review #reviews #savatage #steelArctus #stratovarius #visigoth #wardrum #whiteWizzard
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Steel Arctus – Dreamruler Review
By Andy-War-Hall
Brothers, you need power metal in your life. No, you do. You need authentic positivity shot straight into your cynic-rotten hearts, now. Most fortunate for you, Greek power metallers Steel Arctus have graced this year of 2025 with their third album Dreamruler, marking the third entry into the chronicles of their titular hero Steel Arctus. 2020’s Fire and Blood detailed the origins of Steel Arctus and his girlfriend Red Sonja the Arcadian Lady, 2022’s Master of War saw him delve into the fires of Hades and now Dreamruler sees him challenge the titular Dreamruler in his evil world of dreams to rescue his bodacious muse. Though the first two albums were good, Steel Arctus only grazed greatness a few times in their young career. Is Dreamruler the one that’ll bring them there? Hold your hammers high.
Steel Arctus are sworn to the flame of metal glory, and Dreamruler carries that fire by way of anthemic power metal. Dreamruler is imbued with the fantasy-minded songwriting of Dio, the epic vocal acrobatics of Lost Horizon and the fist-balling machismo of Judas Priest and Visigoth. “Riding through the Night” sees Steel Arctus fuse Judas Priest grit and Nocturnal Rites hookiness, “Fate of the Beast” marries Stratovarius neoclassical-isms with Paladin riffing and “Will to Power” embodies so much Manowar that I’m surprised Manowar never wrote it. Steel Arctus harness these influences into lean, catchy tunes that—while never feeling totally original, obviously—feel deeply energized and alive. Just hearing the Lost Horizon bloopy synths and grandeur of “Defender of Steel,” the Iced Earth thrash-power of “Cry for Revenge,” and the Savatage class and nastiness of “Dreamruler” evoked that sense of first getting into metal again. Listening to Dreamruler is listening to everything Steel Arctus love distilled into forty-seven minutes of heavy metal bliss.
This mimicry of established styles wouldn’t work so well if Steel Arctus weren’t incredible musicians. Thankfully, guitarist Nash G. churns out quality riffs like it’s nothing, bringing beefy grooves to “Will to Power” and nimble plucking on “Fires of Death”. While extremely technical and wah-heavy (“Fires of Death”), G.’s solos avoid hollowness through a melody-first approach; just hear those twins on “Dreamruler” or how “Wicked Lies” plays with the riff beneath it. Drummer Minas Chatziminas crushes his kicks (“Defender of Steel”) while fitting in cool tom and cymbal work (“Riding through the Night”) and just enough kick variation for some rhythmic interest (“Dreamruler”), while bassist Strutter (Wardrum) lays down thick-toned bass runs throughout Dreamruler and even leads on “Wicked Lies.” But vocalist Tasos Lazaris (Fortress Under Siege, White Wizzard) is the leader of this quest called Dreamruler, as his incredible range (“Legend of the Warrior”,) power (“Cry for Revenge”) and charisma (“Glory of the Hero”) sharpen the hooks of Dreamruler and give Steel Arctus a commanding presence. Put together, and Dreamruler’s an outstandingly fun romp worthy of Steel Arctus’ many influences.
The only blemish on Dreamruler is that the ending isn’t a smash success. The penultimate “Legend of the Warrior” opens in dramatic fashion, replete with swirling synths, plucked clean guitar and spoken narration à la Lost Horizon that really sounds like Steel Arctus are building towards a true epic conclusion akin to “Highlander (The One).” Instead, it and the closing instrumental “Onar (όναρ),”1 move through mid-paced crawls that leave Dreamruler with a minor case of anticlimax. They’re not bad songs— “Legend of the Warrior” features Lazaris’ most dynamic performance and “Onar (όναρ)” sounds genuinely restorative in its pleasantness—but with how much pathos Steel Arctus weave into their music I think Dreamruler would’ve benefited from a bigger, grander finale. Steel Arctus can tell a story: I have no idea what happens in Dreamruler narrative-wise, but when Lazaris commands “Hammer Highyaaa!” on “Defender of Steel,” who needs a plot? I’m right there anyway.
Steel Arctus have leveled up tremendously on Dreamruler, and anyone with even a smidgen of appreciation for power metal should give this a spin. They don’t do anything new or novel whatsoever on Dreamruler, and, yeah, these are the most generic power metal song titles imaginable, but Steel Arctus hammered their way into greatness by sheer force of will anyway—along with amazing performances and adept songcraft, of course. Everything about Dreamruler is wholehearted, from Steel Arctus’ celebration of heavy metal’s past to their overwhelming showmanship. This is music of gigantic melancholy and gigantic mirth and easily one of, if not the year’s best power metal albums.
Rating: Great
DR: 72 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: No Remorse Records
Websites: steelarctus.com | steelarctus.bandcamp | facebook.com/steelarctus
Releases Worldwide: November 28th, 2025#2025 #40 #dio #dreamruler #epicMetal #fortressUnderSiege #greekMetal #heavyMetal #icedEarth #judasPriest #lostHorizon #manowar #noRemorseRecords #nocturnalRites #nov25 #paladin #powerMetal #review #reviews #savatage #steelArctus #stratovarius #visigoth #wardrum #whiteWizzard
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Steel Arctus – Dreamruler Review
By Andy-War-Hall
Brothers, you need power metal in your life. No, you do. You need authentic positivity shot straight into your cynic-rotten hearts, now. Most fortunate for you, Greek power metallers Steel Arctus have graced this year of 2025 with their third album Dreamruler, marking the third entry into the chronicles of their titular hero Steel Arctus. 2020’s Fire and Blood detailed the origins of Steel Arctus and his girlfriend Red Sonja the Arcadian Lady, 2022’s Master of War saw him delve into the fires of Hades and now Dreamruler sees him challenge the titular Dreamruler in his evil world of dreams to rescue his bodacious muse. Though the first two albums were good, Steel Arctus only grazed greatness a few times in their young career. Is Dreamruler the one that’ll bring them there? Hold your hammers high.
Steel Arctus are sworn to the flame of metal glory, and Dreamruler carries that fire by way of anthemic power metal. Dreamruler is imbued with the fantasy-minded songwriting of Dio, the epic vocal acrobatics of Lost Horizon and the fist-balling machismo of Judas Priest and Visigoth. “Riding through the Night” sees Steel Arctus fuse Judas Priest grit and Nocturnal Rites hookiness, “Fate of the Beast” marries Stratovarius neoclassical-isms with Paladin riffing and “Will to Power” embodies so much Manowar that I’m surprised Manowar never wrote it. Steel Arctus harness these influences into lean, catchy tunes that—while never feeling totally original, obviously—feel deeply energized and alive. Just hearing the Lost Horizon bloopy synths and grandeur of “Defender of Steel,” the Iced Earth thrash-power of “Cry for Revenge,” and the Savatage class and nastiness of “Dreamruler” evoked that sense of first getting into metal again. Listening to Dreamruler is listening to everything Steel Arctus love distilled into forty-seven minutes of heavy metal bliss.
This mimicry of established styles wouldn’t work so well if Steel Arctus weren’t incredible musicians. Thankfully, guitarist Nash G. churns out quality riffs like it’s nothing, bringing beefy grooves to “Will to Power” and nimble plucking on “Fires of Death”. While extremely technical and wah-heavy (“Fires of Death”), G.’s solos avoid hollowness through a melody-first approach; just hear those twins on “Dreamruler” or how “Wicked Lies” plays with the riff beneath it. Drummer Minas Chatziminas crushes his kicks (“Defender of Steel”) while fitting in cool tom and cymbal work (“Riding through the Night”) and just enough kick variation for some rhythmic interest (“Dreamruler”), while bassist Strutter (Wardrum) lays down thick-toned bass runs throughout Dreamruler and even leads on “Wicked Lies.” But vocalist Tasos Lazaris (Fortress Under Siege, White Wizzard) is the leader of this quest called Dreamruler, as his incredible range (“Legend of the Warrior”,) power (“Cry for Revenge”) and charisma (“Glory of the Hero”) sharpen the hooks of Dreamruler and give Steel Arctus a commanding presence. Put together, and Dreamruler’s an outstandingly fun romp worthy of Steel Arctus’ many influences.
The only blemish on Dreamruler is that the ending isn’t a smash success. The penultimate “Legend of the Warrior” opens in dramatic fashion, replete with swirling synths, plucked clean guitar and spoken narration à la Lost Horizon that really sounds like Steel Arctus are building towards a true epic conclusion akin to “Highlander (The One).” Instead, it and the closing instrumental “Onar (όναρ),”1 move through mid-paced crawls that leave Dreamruler with a minor case of anticlimax. They’re not bad songs— “Legend of the Warrior” features Lazaris’ most dynamic performance and “Onar (όναρ)” sounds genuinely restorative in its pleasantness—but with how much pathos Steel Arctus weave into their music I think Dreamruler would’ve benefited from a bigger, grander finale. Steel Arctus can tell a story: I have no idea what happens in Dreamruler narrative-wise, but when Lazaris commands “Hammer Highyaaa!” on “Defender of Steel,” who needs a plot? I’m right there anyway.
Steel Arctus have leveled up tremendously on Dreamruler, and anyone with even a smidgen of appreciation for power metal should give this a spin. They don’t do anything new or novel whatsoever on Dreamruler, and, yeah, these are the most generic power metal song titles imaginable, but Steel Arctus hammered their way into greatness by sheer force of will anyway—along with amazing performances and adept songcraft, of course. Everything about Dreamruler is wholehearted, from Steel Arctus’ celebration of heavy metal’s past to their overwhelming showmanship. This is music of gigantic melancholy and gigantic mirth and easily one of, if not the year’s best power metal albums.
Rating: Great
DR: 72 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: No Remorse Records
Websites: steelarctus.com | steelarctus.bandcamp | facebook.com/steelarctus
Releases Worldwide: November 28th, 2025#2025 #40 #dio #dreamruler #epicMetal #fortressUnderSiege #greekMetal #heavyMetal #icedEarth #judasPriest #lostHorizon #manowar #noRemorseRecords #nocturnalRites #nov25 #paladin #powerMetal #review #reviews #savatage #steelArctus #stratovarius #visigoth #wardrum #whiteWizzard
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ICYMI: Epic Pictures Sets Release Date for LOST HORIZON https://popgeeks.com/lost-horizon-epic-pictures-release/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon #LostHorizon #EpicPictures #FilmRelease #ActionThriller #MovieTrailer
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Epic Pictures Sets Release Date for LOST HORIZON https://popgeeks.com/lost-horizon-epic-pictures-release/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon #LostHorizon #EpicPictures #MovieRelease #ActionThriller #FilmPremiere
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The first quarter-century of your life was doubtless lived under the cloud of being too young for things, while the last quarter-century would normally be shadowed by the still darker cloud of being too old for them; and between those two clouds, what small and narrow sunlight illumines a human lifetime!
James Hilton (1900-1954) Anglo-American novelist and screenwriter
Lost Horizon, ch. 8 [High Lama] (1933)More info about this quote: wist.info/hilton-james/79489/
#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #jameshilton #losthorizon #shangrila #age #brevity #elderly #humancondition #lifetime #oldage #transience #youth
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Kilmara – Journey to the Sun Review
By Killjoy
The 1980s was a decade that is often portrayed with a thick rose-tinted sheen in today’s media. Whether it was a better time during which to live or this idea was born from simple nostalgia I’ll leave to the reader’s discretion. The fact remains that tons of music artists–both inside and outside of the metal sphere–wear their 80s influence as prominently as Indiana Jones wears his signature fedora. Spanish melodic power metal band Kilmara is intent to join their ranks with Journey to the Sun, whose overarching theme centers around video game arcades at the height of popularity. Can they effectively combine the classic with the contemporary or is this a feeble remake? The only way to find out is to insert a few coins and press start.
Kilmara leveled up considerably after selecting yes at their last continue screen. While 2018’s Across the Realm of Time sanded off the unsightly edges of their early heavy/power metal to achieve a cleaner, more polished sound, it ultimately suffered from lackluster songwriting. On the title track of Journey to the Sun, Daniel Ponce sings, “Choose wisely who’s by your side.” Kilmara have taken their own advice to heart, bringing on guitarist/songwriter Carles Salse and drummer Eric Killer to power up the group. Their influence is palpable; this time around the vocals and guitars work in lockstep to sling sticky hooks and choruses, some of which became lodged in my brain after only a few listens. “Alliance of the Free” is my personal favorite, sprinkled with spirited guitar leads and an infectious chorus that elicits triumphant feelings.
Journey to the Sun derives much of its success from transmuting the simple and upbeat melodies common in retro video games to a modern power metal form. In this sense, Kilmara’s game plan is not dissimilar to that of Beast in Black’s science fiction aesthetic run through an 80s filter, the major difference being that Kilmara is very much guitar-centric in the same way as Fellowship or Evershine. There are several guitar leads in particular (“An Even Whole,” “Alliance of the Free,” “Wildfire”) that I can envision looping in the background of an arcade game stage. Synths are present, of course, but used with tasteful restraint. Another example of moderation is Ponce’s vocal delivery. While I wouldn’t call him a powerhouse, he wisely stays within his range in registers lower than one might commonly associate with power metal while still bringing plenty of character and charisma. His voice has a nasally yet gritty pop-punk texture which may not appeal to everyone, but it can ably carry a chorus in a manner that gives the record a definite poppy quality.
The tradeoff of being constrained to relatively simple melodies is that this Journey to the Sun thrusts or stalls according to the level of catchiness from song to song. From this standpoint, the album is front loaded with the strongest material, but everything after “Chances”–a bizarrely decent mashup of a power ballad and good, old-fashioned heavy metal–slowly atrophies in sticking power as the album progresses. To be clear, nothing in the back half is bad or even bland but the hooks aren’t as barbed, particularly in the choruses of “An Even Whole” and “Take Me Back.” The latter features singer Daniel Heiman (Lost Horizon, Sacred Outcry) in the Player 2 slot but probably shouldn’t have been a duet, as Heiman is obliged to uncharacteristically stick to lower pitches to not leave his partner behind. These are, perhaps, nitpicks, but with such a narrow win condition, Kilmara can’t afford much of a drop in their damage per second.
Kilmara shot for the Sun and, while they didn’t entirely stick the landing, I still consider the Journey a success. It’s undeniably derivative and straightforward (like much retro-themed music) but also endearingly earnest. Journey to the Sun is a pleasant, comfortable listen that should appeal to those who like their power metal with an extra helping of melody. Next time, I’d like to see Kilmara apply their songwriting talents to a less cliché concept than 80s nostalgia but, in any case, I look forward to their attempt to beat their personal high score.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 4 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Reigning Phoenix Music
Websites: roar-kilmara.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/kilmaraofficial
Releases Worldwide: January 31st, 2025#2025 #35 #BeastInBlack #Evershine #Fellowship #HeavyMetal #Jan25 #JourneyToTheSun #Kilmara #LostHorizon #PowerMetal #ReigningPhoenixMusic #Review #Reviews #SacredOutcry #SpanishMetal
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Kilmara – Journey to the Sun Review
By Killjoy
The 1980s was a decade that is often portrayed with a thick rose-tinted sheen in today’s media. Whether it was a better time during which to live or this idea was born from simple nostalgia I’ll leave to the reader’s discretion. The fact remains that tons of music artists–both inside and outside of the metal sphere–wear their 80s influence as prominently as Indiana Jones wears his signature fedora. Spanish melodic power metal band Kilmara is intent to join their ranks with Journey to the Sun, whose overarching theme centers around video game arcades at the height of popularity. Can they effectively combine the classic with the contemporary or is this a feeble remake? The only way to find out is to insert a few coins and press start.
Kilmara leveled up considerably after selecting yes at their last continue screen. While 2018’s Across the Realm of Time sanded off the unsightly edges of their early heavy/power metal to achieve a cleaner, more polished sound, it ultimately suffered from lackluster songwriting. On the title track of Journey to the Sun, Daniel Ponce sings, “Choose wisely who’s by your side.” Kilmara have taken their own advice to heart, bringing on guitarist/songwriter Carles Salse and drummer Eric Killer to power up the group. Their influence is palpable; this time around the vocals and guitars work in lockstep to sling sticky hooks and choruses, some of which became lodged in my brain after only a few listens. “Alliance of the Free” is my personal favorite, sprinkled with spirited guitar leads and an infectious chorus that elicits triumphant feelings.
Journey to the Sun derives much of its success from transmuting the simple and upbeat melodies common in retro video games to a modern power metal form. In this sense, Kilmara’s game plan is not dissimilar to that of Beast in Black’s science fiction aesthetic run through an 80s filter, the major difference being that Kilmara is very much guitar-centric in the same way as Fellowship or Evershine. There are several guitar leads in particular (“An Even Whole,” “Alliance of the Free,” “Wildfire”) that I can envision looping in the background of an arcade game stage. Synths are present, of course, but used with tasteful restraint. Another example of moderation is Ponce’s vocal delivery. While I wouldn’t call him a powerhouse, he wisely stays within his range in registers lower than one might commonly associate with power metal while still bringing plenty of character and charisma. His voice has a nasally yet gritty pop-punk texture which may not appeal to everyone, but it can ably carry a chorus in a manner that gives the record a definite poppy quality.
The tradeoff of being constrained to relatively simple melodies is that this Journey to the Sun thrusts or stalls according to the level of catchiness from song to song. From this standpoint, the album is front loaded with the strongest material, but everything after “Chances”–a bizarrely decent mashup of a power ballad and good, old-fashioned heavy metal–slowly atrophies in sticking power as the album progresses. To be clear, nothing in the back half is bad or even bland but the hooks aren’t as barbed, particularly in the choruses of “An Even Whole” and “Take Me Back.” The latter features singer Daniel Heiman (Lost Horizon, Sacred Outcry) in the Player 2 slot but probably shouldn’t have been a duet, as Heiman is obliged to uncharacteristically stick to lower pitches to not leave his partner behind. These are, perhaps, nitpicks, but with such a narrow win condition, Kilmara can’t afford much of a drop in their damage per second.
Kilmara shot for the Sun and, while they didn’t entirely stick the landing, I still consider the Journey a success. It’s undeniably derivative and straightforward (like much retro-themed music) but also endearingly earnest. Journey to the Sun is a pleasant, comfortable listen that should appeal to those who like their power metal with an extra helping of melody. Next time, I’d like to see Kilmara apply their songwriting talents to a less cliché concept than 80s nostalgia but, in any case, I look forward to their attempt to beat their personal high score.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 4 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Reigning Phoenix Music
Websites: roar-kilmara.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/kilmaraofficial
Releases Worldwide: January 31st, 2025#2025 #35 #BeastInBlack #Evershine #Fellowship #HeavyMetal #Jan25 #JourneyToTheSun #Kilmara #LostHorizon #PowerMetal #ReigningPhoenixMusic #Review #Reviews #SacredOutcry #SpanishMetal
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Kilmara – Journey to the Sun Review
By Killjoy
The 1980s was a decade that is often portrayed with a thick rose-tinted sheen in today’s media. Whether it was a better time during which to live or this idea was born from simple nostalgia I’ll leave to the reader’s discretion. The fact remains that tons of music artists–both inside and outside of the metal sphere–wear their 80s influence as prominently as Indiana Jones wears his signature fedora. Spanish melodic power metal band Kilmara is intent to join their ranks with Journey to the Sun, whose overarching theme centers around video game arcades at the height of popularity. Can they effectively combine the classic with the contemporary or is this a feeble remake? The only way to find out is to insert a few coins and press start.
Kilmara leveled up considerably after selecting yes at their last continue screen. While 2018’s Across the Realm of Time sanded off the unsightly edges of their early heavy/power metal to achieve a cleaner, more polished sound, it ultimately suffered from lackluster songwriting. On the title track of Journey to the Sun, Daniel Ponce sings, “Choose wisely who’s by your side.” Kilmara have taken their own advice to heart, bringing on guitarist/songwriter Carles Salse and drummer Eric Killer to power up the group. Their influence is palpable; this time around the vocals and guitars work in lockstep to sling sticky hooks and choruses, some of which became lodged in my brain after only a few listens. “Alliance of the Free” is my personal favorite, sprinkled with spirited guitar leads and an infectious chorus that elicits triumphant feelings.
Journey to the Sun derives much of its success from transmuting the simple and upbeat melodies common in retro video games to a modern power metal form. In this sense, Kilmara’s game plan is not dissimilar to that of Beast in Black’s science fiction aesthetic run through an 80s filter, the major difference being that Kilmara is very much guitar-centric in the same way as Fellowship or Evershine. There are several guitar leads in particular (“An Even Whole,” “Alliance of the Free,” “Wildfire”) that I can envision looping in the background of an arcade game stage. Synths are present, of course, but used with tasteful restraint. Another example of moderation is Ponce’s vocal delivery. While I wouldn’t call him a powerhouse, he wisely stays within his range in registers lower than one might commonly associate with power metal while still bringing plenty of character and charisma. His voice has a nasally yet gritty pop-punk texture which may not appeal to everyone, but it can ably carry a chorus in a manner that gives the record a definite poppy quality.
The tradeoff of being constrained to relatively simple melodies is that this Journey to the Sun thrusts or stalls according to the level of catchiness from song to song. From this standpoint, the album is front loaded with the strongest material, but everything after “Chances”–a bizarrely decent mashup of a power ballad and good, old-fashioned heavy metal–slowly atrophies in sticking power as the album progresses. To be clear, nothing in the back half is bad or even bland but the hooks aren’t as barbed, particularly in the choruses of “An Even Whole” and “Take Me Back.” The latter features singer Daniel Heiman (Lost Horizon, Sacred Outcry) in the Player 2 slot but probably shouldn’t have been a duet, as Heiman is obliged to uncharacteristically stick to lower pitches to not leave his partner behind. These are, perhaps, nitpicks, but with such a narrow win condition, Kilmara can’t afford much of a drop in their damage per second.
Kilmara shot for the Sun and, while they didn’t entirely stick the landing, I still consider the Journey a success. It’s undeniably derivative and straightforward (like much retro-themed music) but also endearingly earnest. Journey to the Sun is a pleasant, comfortable listen that should appeal to those who like their power metal with an extra helping of melody. Next time, I’d like to see Kilmara apply their songwriting talents to a less cliché concept than 80s nostalgia but, in any case, I look forward to their attempt to beat their personal high score.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 4 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Reigning Phoenix Music
Websites: roar-kilmara.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/kilmaraofficial
Releases Worldwide: January 31st, 2025#2025 #35 #BeastInBlack #Evershine #Fellowship #HeavyMetal #Jan25 #JourneyToTheSun #Kilmara #LostHorizon #PowerMetal #ReigningPhoenixMusic #Review #Reviews #SacredOutcry #SpanishMetal
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Various covers from one of my favourite books of all time: #LostHorizon by #JamesHilton (1933). #kbooks
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Horizon -
“Age is a limit we impose upon ourselves. You know, each time you Westerners celebrate your birthday, you build another fence around your minds.”
— Chang, “Lost Horizon” -
Seashore in Winter