MYSTIC-FORCE — A Step Beyond (review)

MYSTIC-FORCE — A Step Beyond album cover Album · 1995 · US Power Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
UMUR
"A Step Beyond" is the 3rd full-length studio album by US power/progressive metal act Mystic Force. The album was released through Rising Sun Records in 1995. This is the first album by the band, not featuring recordings from previous releases. Both "Shipwrecked with the Wicked (1990)" and "The Eternal Quest (1993)" featured recordings from different sessions.

The music on "A Step Beyond" takes a slightly more progressive direction than was the case with "The Eternal Quest (1993)", which had already taken on a more progressive direction compared to "Shipwrecked with the Wicked (1990)". Still the music is heavily rooted in eighties US power metal and the progressive part of the band´s sound is only occasionally dominant. Tracks like "The Conquest" and "The Innerchild" are examples of the progressive side of the band´s sound. Quite a few of the tracks are more heavy/semi thrashy/harder edged and direct in nature though. "Far Away" is probably the odd song out on the album. It´s a power ballad type track with a mainstream oriented chorus.

The musicianship is strong. Bobby Hicks is a skilled vocalist and the instrumental part of the music is also very well played. The sound production leaves a bit to be desired and the songwriting isn´t that memorable either though, so not everything on the album are top notch. I still think a 3 - 3.5 star (65%) rating is deserved but I do prefer Mystic Force when they played a more "straight" US power metal style.
Share this review

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

Negative Music Hardcore Punk
HAUST
Buy this album from MMA partners
Every Sound Has A Color In The Valley Of Night Progressive Metal
NIGHT VERSES
Buy this album from MMA partners
Witches Burn Alive Stoner Metal
LOVE YOUR WITCH
Buy this album from MMA partners
I Doom Metal
KAPUTTH
Buy this album from MMA partners
Kingdom Of Guilt Metalcore
THE WARRING TRIAD
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

ScapeGoat Official Lyric Video
FIREFLAME
Bosh66· 2 days ago
Fervence - The Silent Wall
FERVENCE
Bosh66· 2 days ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us