ALTERED MINDS – Resurrected in Time

ALTERED MINDS – Resurrected in Time
Label(s):
Arkeyn Steel Records
Released Year:
2022
Type:
Full-length
Tracklist:
1. 1. Alone In The Dark2. 2. King Of Deception3. 3. Somniat Occiditis4. 4. Planet Of Crossings5. 5. Leaving It All Again6. 6. Destiny Calls7. 7. While I Sleep8. 8. I'm Waiting9. 9. 4000 Miles10. 10. Destiny Calls

ALTERED MINDS from New York, US, have managed to generate quite an attention around their name thanks to their “Resurrected in Time” private CD that was released last year (2021).

Through this debut, the band highlighted an inspired combination of Power, Prog and Heavy Metal, mainly focused to the 90s sights and sounds. Well that 90s touch makes quite a sense because this band is not an actual new story. They started back in 1990 and two years later in 1992 they released the “Destiny Calls” demo tape. They split back in 1995 and decided to return back in action during 2018. The recording process was finished late 2019 and the debut was finally released in 2021.

The private edition of the CD was sold out by the band very quickly, mainly in the US market. Very few of the 2000 copies that that the band initially pressed, made it to Europe. There were gorgeous reviews around -including the review that we have done on the private edition-, but the purchasing of a physical copy of this release was getting harder.

Arkeyn Steel Records filled this gab by releasing a new European Press of the “Resurrected in Time” debut, including some extras:

On the original US pressing there were three cover songs included: “Man of the Silver Mountain” (RAINBOW), “Where Eagles Dare” (presented as “Broadsword Calling Danny Boy) (IRON MAIDEN) & “Flight of Icarus” (IRON MAIDEN). On this current European Edition of Arkeyn Steel Records, all those three covers have been replaced with a remastered version of the “Destiny Calls” 1992 demo.

So yes folks. The ALTERED MINDS debut is available again, on an edition that presents the entire band’s history through their own recordings.

If we take a closer look on the ALTERED MINDS frame we shall discover a very interesting part of New York’s Progressive / Power Metal underground: The band actually resurrected after an idea of Mike Marrone (drums). Marrone is also drumming for AWAKEN, a great Prog Metal band from New York featuring Glenn DeGrasso (ex-LAZARUS, yeah I know that the name rings some bells to lots of you, yes we are talking about those New York based, amazing Heavy / Power Metallers that eventually evolved to the Progsters AWAKEN). DeGrasso is a close friend and supporter of ALTERED MINDS, he even co-written some lyrics for the “Alone in the Dark” track included in this debut album. ALTERED MINDS current bassist Freddy Villano have also played bass on AWAKEN’s same titled 2012 album. So I guess that you can notice the Big Apple Connection that goes on in here.

Musically we got a band that ave deeply studied the 1988-1991 period of FATES WARNING, the 1984-1994 period of QUEENSRYCHE and the 1982-1988 period of IRON MAIDEN. I can almost feel the passion on the member’s teen bedrooms back in 1990 as they were composing the first riffs of their songs wanting to follow the paths of their idols. But it seems that through the years they eventually managed something more!: They eventually composed songs that carried all the inspiration that their influences have to offer, generating a remarkable sound that carries their own trademark after all. Listening their new songs and even their early demo material -that features “Destiny Calls” a common song that has been re-recorded for the debut-, someone can speak out: “Hey this is ALTERED MINDS stuff and it rocks!”.

Mike Accurso’s voice is a key feature in here. He was finally able to sing some ALTERED MINDS material, as he joined the band replacing the previous singer Scott Estrada (who was a founding member together with guitarist Ron Sandhu and sang on the 92 demo tracks), just before the band split. “Better late than never” they say. It seems that the current Heavy oriented, Power / Prog stuff of the band fits perfectly to the color and the range of his voice.

Ron Sandhu and Chris Jusino (both on the 1992 demo as well) are developing a guitar driven wall of sound full of straight forward still technical and always catchy riffing and lots of shining melodies on leads and solos. You are going nowhere without their guitar heaven. The rhythm section is also great with Freddy Villano on bass and Mike Marrone on drums generating an ideal and solid basis for each and every song.

There are plenty of guest shredders featured as guest on the album: Dakota Amacker, Matias Baeza (do you remember him from the Prog Metal gods MYTHOLOGY from Chile?), Mike Kerr (FIRSTBOURNE), Ben Higgins, Mike Flyntz (RIOT V) and Joshua Miller.

I would also like to refer a little bit more to those 92 recordings that are included as bonus tracks on this edition. The “Destiny Calls” demo 1992 featuring, Ron Sandhu on guitars, Scott Estrada on vocals, Chris Jusino on guitars, Alex Wise on bass and Anthony Falco on drums. This is a real piece of the New York Metal history and a hell of a rarity in its original cassette edition (only 300 were made). I have to admit that I love the primitive version of “Destiny Calls” and I have to point that Kostas Scandalis did a phenomenal job re mastering those four tracks bringing their sound close enough to the sound of the current recordings without letting the song loose their original vibe at all. It is great to be able to finally enjoy this material on CD!

The booklet of this Arkeyn Steel edition is full of never before seen photos, both from the band’s 90s and current eras. Lyrics are also included and the original front cover and logo have been upgraded by Kostas Athanasoglou.

Well this is a release that highlights the greatness of an active, talented band, presenting their current works together with their complete past recordings. The past, the present and the … future! Yes, ALTERED MINDS are still active and they are working on a new album, that we all hope to enjoy pretty soon in the future! Until then we can stick to one of the best Power / Prog releases of nowadays on this new expanded edition.

I am personally so happy taking notice of a band that deliver THIS kind of sound today! Doing it in a nostalgic, passionate and inspired way! All hail ALTERED MINDS!


 

The album will be released on Arkeyn Steel Records, November 4th, 2022. You can pre order it here.

See the discussion about the album in our forum pages.

 

 

Previous article WITCH BLADE – MΓ₯nsken
Next article FOOL’S PARADISE – Living in a Fantasy
I breathe for music. And I am more than sure that my mission in this universe is to make everybody agree that "Awaken The Guardian" by FATES WARNING is the best album ever released, yes in all musical genres. My next mission is to feed homeless cats and when I am not busy with all this stuff I listen to US Prog / Power and Epic Doom Metal. And I cast spells in rituals in order to awake the old ones. After my subscription to the "Happy Otters" team on Facebook.
Forgotten Scroll Fanzing Issue #6

Issue #6 Out Now

76 pages, 10 interviews. DAMASCUS (US) SANCTUM (US) HORIZON'S END (GR) LORD OF LIGHT (SWE) ETERNAL CHAMPION (US) GOTHIC STONE (IT) LEVIATHAN (US) NEAR INFINITY (US) ANGEL EDGE (US) OBLIVION KNIGHT (US) plus LEGIONED MARCHER (US)...

Follow Us

1,346FansLike
21FollowersFollow

NOVA SKELLIS – Life Amongst The Damned (Vinyl Reissue 2024)

What we deal with in NOVA SKELLIS’ case, is the chance of exploring the transcontinental fusion of almost any kind of heavy/power metal blend;...

WARLORD: The legend of William J Tsamis lives – Interview and...

To tell you the truth I was a little bit skeptical when I first learned about the Warlord tribute project set by drummer and founding member Mark Zonder and singer Giles Lavery to honor the music and memory of founder guitarist William J Tsamis who unfortunately passed away back in 2021. I was looking at the facts very closely, reading announcements about forthcoming live shows, new line up and a new album. The response from the fans was massive including both positive and negative (or very negative) comments about the above facts. "How can Warlord exist without Bill Tsamis?", they were asking. One afternoon I got a call from Giles Lavery himself asking me if I wanted to do an advance review of the forthcoming Warlord album. I replied positively still being in this skeptical mood. It all went away after the first listen... William J Tsamis was there. His music, his legend, his compositions, evolved into complete songs. In total excitement I texted Giles a single message "Bill is alive". The very next evening found Mark, Giles and I talking about the album, about Bill, about the music and the legacy. It was late at night when we ended the call. I asked them if I can publish our conversation and they got no problem. So here it is again: Me talking with Warlord. The usual stuff I am doing the last 25 years for various reasons. But this time I would not call this conversation an interview. To my eyes this is a big ethical, artistic and soulful statement, by some people who want to keep the Dream, alive.