Heaven's Gate (album)
| Heaven's Gate | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by Keldian | ||||
| Released | February 27, 2007 | |||
| Genre | Symphonic power metal | |||
| Length | 47:37 | |||
| Label | Perris Records | |||
| Producer | Arild Aardalen | |||
| Keldian chronology | ||||
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Heaven's Gate is the first album by Norwegian symphonic power metal band Keldian. It was released worldwide in February 2007 by American label Perris Records, and was produced, engineered and mixed by Arild Aardalen.
The album presents a sound that combines the melodic hard rock and AOR of the 1980s with a more modern power and symphonic metal influence, and has been hailed as being an original take on the genres.[1]
The lyrics deal with the concept of space travel and the future of mankind as a space travelling species, and represent the science-fiction influences that have become a Keldian trademark. Some reviewers have commented on how this sees the band escaping the Dungeons & Dragons straitjacket that seems to trap many artists in this genre of music. The band have cited the authors Peter F. Hamilton and Dan Simmons as being among their prime influences. It is also possible to detect spiritual, and maybe even religious, undertones to Keldian's lyrics, although this is also a regular feature in the science-fiction literature they seem to draw on.
Heaven's Gate was also released as a Japanese version, featuring a slightly remixed version of the song "Plains of Forever" as well as the bonus track "Hope".[2]
Track listing
All songs written by Christer Andresen and Arild Aardalen.
- "Crusader" - 3:33[3]
- "Heart of the Sun" - 3:54
- "Requiem for the Light" - 3:54
- "Heaven's Gate" - 4:20
- "Redshift" - 5:57
- "Salvation (Release Me)" - 4:53
- "Sundancer" - 4:31
- "Prophecy" - 4:17
- "Beyond the Stars" - 3:39
- "Plains of Forever" - 8:41
- "Hope" (Japanese version only)[2]
Band
- Christer Andresen - vocals, guitars, bass
- Arild Aardalen - keyboards, additional vocals
Featured musicians
- Jørn Holen - drums
- Maja Svisdahl - vocals
- Gunhild Mathea Olaussen - violin
- Mats Rybø - vocals
- H-man - spoken words