Awakening the World

Lost Horizon

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 12, 2001)
• Original Release Date: May 8, 2001
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Koch Records
• ASIN: B00005BGKG
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #67,705 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. The Quickening

2. Heart Of Storm

3. Sworn In The Metal Wind

4. The Song Of Air

5. World Through My Fateless Eyes

6. Perfect Warrior

7. Denial Of Fate

8. Welcome Back

9. The Kingdom Of My Will

10. The Redintegration

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Awakening the World is not for the faint-hearted, and most definitely not for the cynical. Based in Gothenburg, Sweden, Lost Horizon dream the metal dream with absolute abandon, each of the four members taking a moniker as grand as their musical ambition. Thus we have vocalist Ethereal Magnanimus, drummer Preternatural Transmogrifyer, bassist Cosmic Antagonist, and guitarist Transcendental Protagonist (known to their families as Daniel, Christian, Martin, and Wojtek, respectively), garbed and painted as if they are countrymen of Conan the Barbarian. Opening in classic style with the sound of crashing thunder, the album quickly becomes a rush of thudding drums and melodic, chiming guitars, often overlaid with soaring, vaguely Oriental solos.

In this, Lost Horizon recall Rainbow at their fastest, and midperiod Iron Maiden, with Magnanimus matching Bruce Dickinson's crazy vocal range, particularly with his pyrotechnic shrieking during "Sworn in the Metal Wind." Lyrically, the band stands for honor, truth, and personal freedom, and will brook no nonsense from faithless women ("Take some under your wings, but she must kiss the ring!"), much like their Cimmerian hero. Though they lack the menace and bloody grandeur of Bathory--and Robert E. Howard, for that matter--Lost Horizon are gratifyingly convinced in their immortal quest, as a band formerly known as Highlander should be. --Dominic Wills

Product Description

Limited Edition Japanese pressing of this album comes housed in a miniature LP sleeve. 2007. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars power metal for manly men., November 22, 2005

By	Lord Chimp (Monkey World) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This is one of the most well-rounded power metal albums I have heard, without diving into the excesses which really kill the genre for me most of the time. But _Awakening the World_ attains far greater energy and passion than their more _musically_ ostentatious peers. I add the "musically" qualifier because this band has an image that makes Rhapsody seem tame (Rhapsody at least uses the band members' real names!). When you have a band whose guitarist is called Transcendental Protagonist (responsible for "string romanticism") and a drummer called Preternatural Transmogrifyer (who is credited with "keeping the universe's pulse & taming of chaos"), you have to expect the worst. But these Swedish power metallers are at the opposite end of the scale, no doubt!

The main affinity of this Swedish band is `old-school' power metal and Maiden, rather than the European norm a la Stratovarius and Helloween, with over-the-top solos, geydar choruses, simplistic structure, and tedious speed. While many power metal bands will have four or five riffs per song, Lost Horizon's songs, which average around six minutes, have well over a dozen riffs, if not closer to two dozen, assembled into a tight mesh of metal! And that's _without_ the artificial extensions enjoined by minutes of synth & guitar soloing.

The music is pretty bare-bones power metal -- never too fancy or crappy. But one still be wont to say, not without partial justification, that Lost Horizon is just derivative rehash. Still, the fact of the matter is that this is simply outstanding on its own terms. I can think of nary a metal album that has gotten my blood boiling like this one. The guitars and drums are strong without being flashy at all, and there is much to be said of the band's harmonic strengths. The riffs are chunky, chugging, and nonstop! There are no ballads on this cd, i guess it wouldn't be manly enough. Ballads are almost always the weakest parts of European power metal. There is a notable absence of bouncy harpsichords synths which are virtually ubiquitous in the genre, as well. Above all, Lost Horizon's strongest virtue is their amazing vocalist, who is by far the ballsiest singer in all power metal! He sounds like a cross between James LaBrie and Conan the Barbarian. His INSANE power metal wailing (see the beginning of "Sworn in the Metal Wind" and the climax of "World Through My Fateless Eyes") sounds like a mad warrior determined to slay a thousand men with his bare hands! (Sadly, he has departed from the band since this release.) I owe it to him for making "World Through My Fateless Eyes" my favorite power metal song along with "Momento Mori" by Kamelot.

I will be buying the band's second album post-haste!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Maidenesque Majesty, April 3, 2003

By	Justin G. Wilson (Mtn Home AFB, ID United States) - See all my reviews

Sweden's Lost Horizon has completely blown me away with their awesome debut "Awakening the World"! Tons of galloping guitars and double-bass mayhem to keep any fan of heavy metal head banging the whole way through. The singer Daniel Heiman (Ethereal Magnanimus) has the most amazing voice (dubbed the man with the golden voice and for good reason)! Guitarist Wojtek Lisicki (Transcendental Protagonist) is amazing as well as is drummer Christian Nyquist (Preternatural Transmogrifier). Bassist Martin Furangen (Cosmic Antagomist) remninds me of Steve Harris of Iron Maiden with his style of playing. The entire album is killer especially the more it progresses. Highlights include: "Heart of Storm", "Sworn in the Metal Wind", "World Through My Fateless Eyes" (simply amazing you have to hear it to believe it!), "Perfect Warrior", "Denial of Fate" (definite Maiden sound), "Welcome Back" (metal anthem for the ages) and "The Kingdom of My Will". All in all one of the best debut albums ever and especially in the true/power metal genre. Get this or get out of dodge! Welcome back to the days of thunder!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BEST RELEASE OF THE YEAR, July 23, 2001

By	Kari A. Herring (sugar land, tx USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

As of this writing there is only 1 other review, and i have to say that i totally agree with it. Awakening the World is incredible. If you buy any cd at all make sure it is this one. I don't think there is any thing out there that compares when it comes to pure power-speed metal right now. These guys do it like no other. From the opening song until the last it just gets better and better. I can't stop listening to it. Although comparisons can be made to bands such as Blind Guardian and Hammerfall, LOST HORIZON takes it to the next level. Its just simply the best. GO GET THIS ONE, YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED.