Search - Mundanus Imperium :: The Spectral Spheres Coronation

Jorn!!!

Justin Gaines | Northern Virginia | 09/02/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Released in 1999, the Spectral Spheres Coronation is (to date) the only album from Norwegian band Mundanus Imperium. Despite starting out as a black metal band (they are Norwegian after all), Mundanus Imperium serves up a very heavy but very progressive metal album here. Highly technical and featuring plenty of keyboards, the Spectral Spheres Coronation has much in common musically with bands such as Symphony X and Time Requiem. The songs have a tendency to be too technical for their own good at times, and could use some more melodic touches. Musically, this band wouldn't stand out too far from the rest of the progressive metal pack, but they do have something special going for them.



They have Jorn Lande.



If you want to make an impact, bringing in Jorn Lande (ex-Malmsteen, ex-ARK, ex-Masterplan, ex-Millenium, etc.) is not a bad way to do so. Jorn is, quite simply, one of the best vocalists in metal. His powerful voice brings to mind both David Coverdale and Ronnie James Dio (which makes the band's cover of Rainbow's "Stargazer" a wise choice). His presence alone makes the Spectral Spheres Coronation more than just another progressive metal album.



I like progressive metal, and I'll buy anything that Jorn Lande appears on, so this album was a no-brainer. If you're into this kind of music, chances are you'll dig this one as well. It's ridiculously cheap, so what have you got to lose?



NOTE: It is worth mentioning that the song "Starwars," an inane ode to the Star Wars movies, takes the crown from Helloween's "Heavy Metal Hamsters" as the dumbest metal song ever. The album loses a star based on that track alone."

This is great!!!

Stargazer | 09/09/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"this band is great! very good melodic metal and voice, for moments similar like sammy haggar, really cool! I give 5 stars and more to this album.just listen."

European Power Metal at it's best.

Stargazer | New York | 11/16/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is an excellent power metal album featuring Jorn Lande on vocals. This has a heavy use of keyboards and the singer has a huge vocal range and a lot of vocal power. This album is also very progressive.



1.Distant Conglomeratoin- 10/10 Great use of double kicks on this track and awesome epic sounding keyboards. The guitar riffs are excellent too. Very powerful vocals from Jorn Lande who sounds like a mix of Bruce Dickinson and Ronnie James Dio on this song. Great guitar work and excellent lyrics on this epic.



2.The Life of What You Seek- 8/10 A great fast paced song with an excellent use of keyboards. Jorn Lande sounds similar to Bruce Dickinson as far as vocal phrasing goes on this song. Once again some great epic guitar riffs. Jorn Lande's vocals are very impressive as he hits some very high notes and this song once again is an epic.



3.Beyond the Earthy- 8/10 A good instrumental but it lasts about 2-3 minutes too long. Very good but too long. A lot of great use of keyboards.



4.Starwars- 8/10 The opening is terrible but the song evolves into a good fast song with a cheesy theme. The vocals are great in the chorus but the song is good overall but not one of the best on the album. Jorn Lande belts out some awesome high pitched screams in this one.



5.Predominate- 9/10 An excellent epic riff with great vocals. The keyboards are amazing in this song. Jorn Lande's vocals are excellent. The guitar riffs fit the epic keyboards perfect. Some more great high notes from Jorn Lande on this song.



6.Stargazer- 9/10 A good cover of Rainbow's epic masterpeice. This is a very difficult song to sing and Jorn Lande does the best job possible. Jorn's vocals are very powerful and you can tell he's giving it everything he has. The vocals aren't as powerful or emotional as Ronnie James Dio but than again whose vocals are? The guitar tone is ok but doesn't fit that well. The solo is good but maybe the guitarist would have been better off playing the solo note for note. Overall a very good cover but not nearly as good as the original.



7.The Unborn Breathes in Silence- 10/10 A great epic with some of Jorn Lande's most powerful vocals ever. A brilliant keyboard arrangement that makes the song sound very epic. This has to be one of the best vocal performances of the 90's. The lyrics aren't the best but everything else is amazing.



8.If the Universe Transformed- 10/10 An excellent fast pased song with amazing vocals. This is one of the better songs vocally and a perfect way to close out the album.



This is an amazing power metal album. Jorn Lande's vocals are amazing. It's a shame that the band only released 1 album and 1 E.P. The band is



Jorn Lande- Vocals

Peter Thuve- Guitar

Lars Wilk- Drums, Bass

Bent Holm- Keyboards



If you like Iron Maiden, Rainbow, Dio, Hammerfall, Stratovarius, Children Of Bodom or Blind Guardian than you'll love this."