Mind’s Eye are, like Hannah Montana, older than you think. In fact, they’ve been together since 1992 when they were very, very young and 1994: The Afterglow is a reissue of their little heard debut album. It is, as you may well expect, a very fine offering indeed. It is sobering to note that when this was recorded the main protagonists were spectacularly juvenile. In fact, Johan Nieman was just fifteen (that’s 15) years old at the time. First time around this CD was only released independently and as a consequence very few got the chance to hear its charms. Now though, current label Lion Music gives us all a fascinating chance to hear how the band sounded in its embryonic stages.

They sound remarkably fully formed to be honest particularly on Beyond Endurance which is absolutely superb instrumentally with guitar man Frederik Grunberger playing a total blinder whilst German Pascual hits some almost inhuman high notes. Grunberger also excels on Andromeda which is obviously heavily influenced by Dream Theater.

Unlike many other of their progressive contemporaries, Mind’s Eye have a keen eye on the edit button and none of the eight tracks herein outstay their welcome even though three of them clock in at over the six minute mark including the near ten minute A Thousand Nights After the Last Sundown which is fabulous. Indeed, at under three minutes Ending a Story is the shortest song on offer and actually would have benefited from being longer as it feels somewhat unfinished compared to the quite remarkably maturity of the rest of the album.

Obviously 1994: The Afterglow is not quite as jaw-droppingly good as their last record A Gentleman’s Hurricane (it’s a somewhat different as well as younger line-up) but it will definitely fill the gap until the band can squeeze out their next offering.

Let us know your views on 1994: The Afterglow

Track Listing

Blind Justice
Castle of Eternity
Red Storm Rising
Beyond Endurance
With These Eyes
Andromeda
Ending a Story
A Thousand Nights After the Last Sundown
 

Line Up

Germain Pascual – Vocals
Johan Nieman - Bass
Frederik Grunberger – Guitars
Daniel Flores – Drums