Awakening the World

Out of the ashes of the band, Highlander, emerged two Swedish power metal bands: Hammerfall and Lost Horizon. Hammerfall's debut album, Glory to the Brave, can't hold a match to the debut of Lost Horizon. While Hammerfall's first album was heavily influenced by thrash metal and German speed metal, it becomes apparent very quickly that Lost Horizon is in a league of its own. Lead songwriter, Wojtek Lisicki, makes his album debut by writing a brand of power metal that was, and remains to this day, unmatched by any other band. In power metal and melodic metal circles, it seems that this band and its two albums have become something of a rite of passage for fans, alongside juggernauts like Blind Guardian, Helloween, and Stratovarius.

So what sets this band apart from other bands? In a word: atmosphere. In many words: Daniel Heiman's inhumane vocal range, Christian Nyqvist's unique and fresh drumming, Lisicki's breathtaking keyboard melodies, and some of the best damn riffs.

Tracks like Sworn in the Metal Wind, Heart of Storm, and World Through My Fateless Eyes showcase Daniel Heiman's mastery of his vocals, while other songs like Denial of Fate and The Kingdom of My Will personify the power metal spirit in their structure, composition, solos, and unique and original riffing.

While the album may not satisfy anyone's craving for neoclassical solos, except for the final track possibly, Lisicki makes up for it with his intelligent compositions. Songs are tailor-made for the band, rather than thrown together to appease the fans. Care and deliberate attention was paid to the juxtaposition between all the instruments and the vocals. When Heiman isn't belting out some of the most jaw-dropping screams or soaring notes you've ever heard, the guitars are heard riffing, with a steady gallop provided by the drums and bass, not unlike Iron Maiden, as well as the drums pounding away aggressively. Some of the more memorable riffs appear in World Through My Fateless Eyes and the chorus to Sworn in the Metal Wind, and they almost seem to be working harmoniously to compliment and complement Heiman's vocals. Nothing is thrown in without a rhyme or a reason, and this captivates the listener to all of the areas of the magnificent mix.

All in all, this is one power metal's shining relics. An album that has stood the test of time. I don't think it's any stretch to say that Heiman is the most talented and gifted singer in all of metal, and I don't think it's a stretch to say that Lisicki's writing may be some of the most intriguing and captivating of the whole genre.

This is an album that has to be heard to be believed. Outside of its single weak track, Perfect Warrior, and its unnecessary outro, this album is a non-stop hectic bombardment of some of the best power metal in history. There's a reason this band is practically worshiped in the power metal scene, and it's because of its melodies, atmosphere, vocals, and songwriting.

Whether or not the fire burns again, at least we can look back on this magnificent album and know that, at least for a moment, the stars aligned perfectly and Lost Horizon made their debut and left an impact that's still felt today.