Course of Fate – Mindweaver

Label: ROAR!  Playing Time: 45 Min  Release: 15th May 2020

Course of Fate are a six men Progressive Metal band from Norway. Until now, they have been quite unknown outside their home country, especially because they have not released a full-length album yet. Their debut album is released by the well-known Heavy Metal label Rock of Angels Records (ROAR!). This could be a big push for the bands popularity. “Mindweaver” is a classic concept album, which design and structure reminds me of albums like Pink Floyd’s “The Wall”, Queensryche’s “Operation Mindcrime” or Dream Theater’s “Scene From A Memory”. The story deals with a dystopic scenario in which faceless beings could rescue the earth from its demise.

In terms of music, there is indeed a lot to discover. Course of Fate are creating songs with multiple layers which demand a lot from their listeners. Easy listening is something entirely different, and it’s obvious that actually this has nothing to do with the band’s approach to music. If you spend the necessary time with “Mindweaver”, you will discover some very nice and also catchy songs (‚The Faceless Men Pt. 1‘, ‚Endgame‘ and ‚Drifting Away‘). But there are also a couple of songs, that lack ear candy quality, especially the choruses and the melodies. One last word to the production: It is both powerful and clear. But the vocals have too much reverb which is diminishing their presence.

“Mindweaver” does not sound like a typical debut album. Songwriting and arrangement are both ambitious and multi-layered. Although there is still room for improvement, this album has several highlights and hits. I am curious about future releases of the band!