Conor Fynes 'Sheep' - Anubis Gate (8/10)

For a covers EP, this is about as good as it gets! Anubis Gate are perhaps the most criminally underrated band going in progressive metal today, although existing fans will attest to their greatness. Although the prog-power scene is saturated with bands that lack much in the way of power or relative progginess, Anubis Gate have remained uncompromisingly perfectionistic in their quest to make the tightest music possible, so perfectionistic in fact that their much anticipated upcoming album Horizons was pushed back to 2014 for release. In its stead, Anubis Gate have offered us the EP Sheep as a stop-gap. Showcasing a progressive metal rendition of the so-titled Pink Floyd epic, along with a cover of the Mr. Mister hit “Broken Wings” and a sneak peek of the forthcoming full-length, Sheep should be more than enough to whet the appetites of any prog metal fan. It may be only a covers release, but Anubis Gate imbue it with the same inventiveness and attention to detail that has made them such a standout band in the first place.

Anubis Gate start Sheep off with an original track, “Destined to Remember”. Being something of a sneak peek for an album that’s run behind schedule, the track is good reason to get excited about the forthcoming album. It’s Anubis Gate in top form; melodies, dynamic shifts, atmosphere and cerebral songwriting that picks up where Fates Warning left off at their peak. In true prog metal fashion, “Destined to Remember” condenses ideas that could have been the framework of a twenty minute epic into a concise five minute package. While the first half of the tune unfolds around a memorable chorus, the second half gets more complex, featuring an incredible guitar solo and cinematic atmosphere that has me thinking that Horizons is going to be one of the highlight albums for 2014.

While I haven’t been able to call myself a fan of Pink Floyd in earnest for a few years now, Sheep has continued to wow me every time I heard it. It was a darkly atmospheric album with a biting concept, the band’s cynicism held in full view. To hear “Sheep” reimagined as a metal track works much better than it may have sounded on paper; considering the song came out in 1977, it’s a testament to “Sheep” enduring quality that it can be modernized so well. The classic intro is updated to incorporate Ayreon-esque electronic instrumentation, an instant reminder that this isn’t the original we’re hearing. Once the guitars kick in, it’s clear that Anubis Gate have thrust the song firmly within metal territory. The chugging guitars are remarkably heavy for such a melodic and refined sound. Although I would have thought it clichéd for a band to have covered such a classic and well-known track, Anubis Gate make the song their own. Considering the legendary status Floyd themselves, it’s a major credit to Anubis Gate’s name that they’ve managed to take one of the space rock masters’ greatest moments and managed to make it their own. Excellence.

Their cover of Mr. Mister’s “Broken Wings” is pretty surprising, considering that Mr. Mister has nothing to do with metal or even prog, save for their drummer Pat Mastelotto’s shared history with King Crimson. Like “Sheep” Anubis Gate are able to update the song and make it their own, although the result is obviously far less impressive. Henrik Fevre absolutely nails the vocals here, putting a heftier punch into his delivery than the original had. The electronic drum patterns during the chorus could have been done without, although I guess it makes sense given the original’s ultra-80’s appeal. All in all, a good cover of a memorable song, although given the excellence of the two tracks preceding it, it’s the certain low point of the EP.

In short, I might not recommend Sheep to newcomers of Anubis Gate, but if any fan of progressive metal is reading this who hasn’t yet heard the band, I’m speaking to you directly right now: check these guys out, because you’re missing one of the genre’s most underrated and excellent acts. It’s a great covers EP in its own right, but what’s more; it sets the stage for a potentially incredible album in the making. I can’t wait to hear Horizons!

adg211288 Sheep (2013) is an EP release by Danish progressive metal act Anubis Gate. Sheep is a free digital release consisting of three songs; one original and two covers. Following on from their prior self-titled effort (2011) this is the first Anubis Gate release to feature their revised line-up, which actually contains none of the same members who were officially members of the band for debut release Purification (2004). Although both Kim Olesen (guitars/keyboards) and Henrik Fevre (bass/vocals) performed on that album, they were only ever guests at that stage. With the departures of Jesper M. Jensen (guitars) and Morten Sørensen (drums), Anubis Gate now joins acts such as In Flames and Stratovarious who continue to operate despite their Ship of Theseus status.

In that case it definitely makes sense for Anubis Gate to release a free EP now, although in my mind they have nothing to prove at this stage. Not only have their last two albums, which includes an all time favourite of mine, The Detached (2009), ranked right at the top of their respectively yearly lists for me, but Fevre and Olesen have been the ones running this show on recent releases for the most part, despite continued writing contributions from both Jensen and former lead vocalist Jacob Hansen, and I have faith in those two to keep Anubis Gate the special act they've become. Of the two new guys in the band, guitarist Michael Bodin and drummer Morten Gade Sørensen I'm only familiar with the work of the latter (an impressive CV which includes Pyramaze, Wuthering Heights and Lance King) and am unsure at this stage how much import either with have on the band's upcoming album Horizons (2014), but based on the original song presented on this EP, Destined To Remember, I'm confident that the Anubis Gate sound is going to be as strong as ever come the release of Horizons, which will be their sixth album.

The song itself is set to appear on Horizons, but the version given away here is a different version than what will appear on the album. It's a pretty good track that instantly reminds me of the sound of the self-titled album, that of very melodic progressive metal topped with Henrik Fevre's excellent vocals, with some underlying power metal riffs. While it doesn't grab me so much as songs of theirs like Hold Back Tomorrow do, I'm guessing that there is a reason why of the two versions Anubis Gate have revealed exist that one made the album and the other didn't.

The remainder of the EP is two cover songs. One, the title track, is a Pink Floyd cover and is the true highlight of the EP. I personally have never been able to get into Pink Floyd despite their legendary status and influence on much of the music I do listen to, but I do greatly enjoy this cover as Anubis Gate have made it their own, keeping the elements of their own sound in and in truth if I didn't know it was a cover beforehand I'd probably have guessed it was a Anubis Gate original. It fits in that well with what they've been doing on the last couple of albums. The other cover is Broken Wings by Mr. Mister, a new wave/AOR act, making it a more unusual cover for a metal band. It fits Anubis Gate but not as well as the Pink Floyd song.

Sheep is a nice little EP by Anubis Gate made all the better by being a free release. These guys have long earned their place as one of my favourite bands so I would have jumped on this EP even if I hadn't received a promo of it, and as usual they don't disappoint. An exceptional grade rating is deserved and Horizons currently stands as my most anticipated release for 2014. So if, like me, you cannot wait for that album, download Sheep today for a little taster.

87/100

(Originally written for Heavy Metal Haven: http://metaltube.freeforums.org/anubis-gate-sheep-t3245.html)

Time Signature Metal sheep...

Genre: progressive metal / pop rock

A between-albums release, this EP was released on Nightmare Records so the fans would have some music to enjoy while waiting for the band's next album, which they are currently working on. The nice guys they are, Anubis Gate are not charging a dime for this EP, and you can download it for free on Nightmare Records' website.

The EP contains three tracks: one original and two cover versions. The original track 'Destined to Remember' is an alternative version to the one that will appear on the band's upcoming album ”Horizons”. This track is a compact five-minute rocker building on the style that the band adopted on their previous eponymous album, exploring further the more melodic sound. With a couple of quirks and a nice sense of multiple layers, 'Destined to Remember' should appeal to fans of the likes of Queensrÿche or Ivory Gates. 'Sheep' is a cover version of the Pink Floyd classic, which has been metalled up and grooved up. It may be a shock to Pink Floyd fans, but I think it works very well. The last track 'Broken Wings' is a cover version of a song by the pop band Mr. Mister, and, unlike the metalled up version of 'Sheep', this one retains its pop feel.

This is a nice little present from one of Denmark's best, yet sadly underrated, progressive metal bands. Go and download it. Enjoy it. And send the nice fellas in Anubis Gate a thank you note for giving you something to keep yourself busy till the release of ”Horizons”.

FMOTP I don't know much of Anubis Gate's music, so I can't really compare Sheep to the band's other releases. I have listened to The Detached a few times. I have spent a lot of time listening to this EP, and I'm definitely impressed. It was enough for me to seek out the band's other music. I find the choice of cover songs very interesting. I think Pink Floyd reached their peak about the time of Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here, and started to go downhill when Roger Waters started gaining too much control. However, I really like this version of "Sheep".

How many bands, including progressive metal bands, would choose to cover Mister Mister's "Broken Wings"? It's a song I've always liked. Anubis Gate does what a band should do when they're making a cover version. They change the song enough to make it an interesting alternative to the originals. I'm not going to discuss the musicians here; I'll just say that they're talented gentlemen who know what they're doing. In terms of performance, my favorite part of this EP is Henrik Fevre's voice. He has a terrific tenor voice. Over all, this is an excellent CD, and a good introduction to the band.