Mystic Force
Mystic Force - Shipwrecked
With The Wicked (Siegen Records) 1989
1. "Take Command"
(6:19)
2. "Awakened By the Dawn" (5:23)
3. "Immortal Souls" (5:32)
4. "Silent But Deadly" (5:06)
5. "Shipwrecked With The Wicked" (4:54)
6. "Eternal Quest" (5:02)
BONUS TRACK
7. "Who Really Gives A..." [live practice demo] (2:27)
Picture and early Queensryche around the time of their first EP or even early Iron Maiden, that is exactly what you get with this EP. (also reminds me of Heathen's Rage, but few probably remember them.) Vocalist Bobby Hicks has a killer, high-pitched voice that fits so well with the music. Hearing this disc, I wonder why it was this band was never offered a contract with a bigger label. The music and vocals really are that good. Perhaps it was because by the time 1989 rolled around this type of galloping heavy metal was no longer the 'in' thing and you had to be either a thrash band or a pop metal band to get a contract. Regardless, "Shipwrecked" is a fine example of true metal by a band with a long history of not selling out to trends. The bonus track is nothing more than a practice demo and a joke.
Mystic-Force - Man vs. Machine (Seigen Records) 2000
1. "Idiosyncrasy"
(3:07)
2. "Identical Strangers" (3:26)
3. "Circuitboard Ministry" (4:34)
5. "Mechanical" (4:53)
6. "Man Made Master" (3:47)
7. "One and Only" (5:06)
8. "Terminal" (5:32)
9. "Ladder or the Fall" (4:14)
10. "Suffering Minds" (4:41)
11. "Master of the Moments" (2:45)
12. "Thinking About Loud" (5:34)
13. "Transitions" (9:57)
Imagine that Queensryche had taken a different direction after "the Warning" and "Rage for Order." Instead of going into a more mainstream direction, they went for a heavier sound, mixing together the best of their first three releases with some slightly more modern rhythms as well. Well, if you can picture this, then you can get an idea of the sound on Mystic-Force's 'Man vs. Machine'. I mean this band has the Queensryche sound down to a science, right down to the Geoff Tate vocals. However, unlike their heroes, Mystic-Machine stay within the realms of heavy metal. In all honesty, I'd rather hear this album than much of Queensryche's alterna-crap. Anyhow, back to Mystic-Force. Overall, this album is an enjoyable listen from beginning to end. There is everything to please the prog-metal fan-dynamic song writing, hook-laden vocal melodies, fast songs, slow songs, clean guitars, heavy distorted guitars, blazin' guitar solos. What more can you ask for? Perhaps another Mystic-Force CD!