Album Review: Mindshift ‘Horizon’

Sweden’s Mindshift have been on quite the journey. The heavy metal band formed back in 2006, and after the release of their debut album ‘No Regrets’ in 2012 the quartet went through some line-up changes, released two EPs, and found themselves without a record label. But after almost two years of hard work, Mindshift inked a deal with Eclipse Records (Saint Diablo, A Breach Of Silence) and finally released ‘Horizon’.

With 15 songs at a length of 56 minutes, ‘Horizon’ is jam-packed with Mindshift’s version of melodic metal. The band has combined the best of their 10 year career on the album with their variety of melodic harmonies, progressive intricacies, and groove-laden heavy hitters.

“The band has combined the best of their 10 year career on the album with their variety of melodic harmonies, progressive intricacies and groove-laden heavy hitters.”

The heavier tracks on ‘Horizon’ are Arise and My Revenge that combine shredding, harsh vocals, and melodic breaks. Absolution is probably the heaviest track of the album that displays all those previously stated elements plus some impressive staccato riffing.

Then there’s the other side of Mindshift, which is a much more groove-laden approach. This side is clearly shown on Suffer In Silence and A Thousand Scars with their edgy riffs and occasional hints of progressive elements. The mixture of groove and heavy make ‘Horizon’ sound far more mature than anything the band has released before. However, tracks such as In The End and Drowning both venture too far into pop-punk territory, which isn’t Mindshift’s strength. The band are unquestionably at their best when they’re heavy, groovy, and focused more on their technical prowess.

‘Horizon’ is absolutely Mindshift’s strongest album to date. The song writing has matured over the years which has resulted in a very compact album with tracks to the point and refreshingly varied. The interplay between their harsh and clean vocals as well as the heavier riffs and melodic parts keep the album exciting, and the fact that most tracks have some quite catchy parts just opens up the audience for the band. ‘Horizon’ is a solid album and Mindshift should certainly be watched out for!