| Musical Style: Progressive Rock | Produced By: David Bradley Mau & Ralph Otteson |
| Record Label: Melodic Revolution | Country Of Origin: USA |
| Year Released: 2022 | Artist Website: Time Horizon |
| Tracks: 8 | Rating: 85% |
| Running Time: 44:18 |
Manteca, California based Time Horizon packs choice musicianship, polished production and a lyrical Christian worldview into an AOR meets progressive rock package. The group traces to a gathering of friends that wrote music together and performed throughout the Central Valley of California until recording and releasing its 2011 debut full length Living Water to feature founding members drummer Bruce Gaetke and keyboardist Ralph Otteson, with form mixing it and latter funding it. Later signing with Melodic Revolution Records, Time Horizon followed up in 2015 with sophomore effort Transitions in which it reinforced a progressive foundation but not to fault, noting how ‘the group keeps track times below ten minutes while also including several numbers taking a traditional verse-chorus-verse stance’ (noting the 80% Angelic Warlord review).
Hence, the musical direction to the group’s spring of 2022 aptly entitled third full length offering Power Of Three (also Melodic Revolution). Yes, Time Horizon maintains its affinity for delectable progressive rock pieces in the six to eight minute range - highlighting unconventional song structuring and outside the box inventiveness - but equally joined with melodic hard rock and AOR tincturing. Group all the same is not afraid to truncate its songwriting and deliver a song in more traditional four to five minute territory or even a well-timed instrumental, with Neal Morse coming to mind either way. Where Power Of Three diverges is in changes to the Time Horizon roster, with holdovers Gaetke and Otteson and guitarist Dave Miller and bassist Allen White joining newcomer’s vocalist David Bradley Mau and guitarist Michael Gregory.
Power Of Three opens to a pair of quintessential progressive rockers in “Living For A Better Day” and “Here, I See”. Former is albums lengthiest at eight minutes, resonating of the pristine with its sleek joining of crisp guitar and classy keyboards but interwoven with a thick bass driven groove foundation. The melodic ‘miles and miles away, waiting for a better day’ refrain gives prominence to those AOR elements in question. As typical of the progressive genre, significant portions are instrumental, including the mid-point break to feature a lead guitar and keyboard dual, and jam flavored final two minutes. Song presents an encouraging message:
Shed light on low discretion
Expose shadow on expression
Wrestle with yes and wrestle with no
Until the truth of the matter shows
Time in, the course has been charted
Raise sails, spirit imparted
Important to you, important to me
The One, who calms the storm in me
Latter at seven minutes maintains the AOR leanings within a progressive framework. It proves primarily keyboard driven, with echoing keyboards dancing between the left and right channels ahead of Mau taking over with his smooth classic tenor vocal delivery to lead the way to the elegant refrain in which the group’s wondrous harmonies hold sway. Rhythm guitar makes its presence felt briefly at the mid-point and lead guitar for the instrumental run to close. Message bases around hope in the face of a world crisis:
Reach out and tell me what you feel
Fear not for He is always there
Listen and you will hear His words
Open your eyes and you will truly see
Hope truth and wonder
Feeds all those who hunger
“Prelude”, a short (two and half minute) Neal Morse influenced instrumental carried by organ, swirling lead guitar and keyboards, gives way to “The Razor’s Edge”. What we have is one of albums heaviest, with full on rhythm guitars bordering on hard rock allying with scintillating vocal melodies and eighties style hooks to set an inspiring radio friendly tone. Yes, “The Razor’s Edge” finds Time Horizon backing from its progressive ways but also proves no less notable as an essential deep cut.
Second instrumental “Steve’s Song”, written in tribute to former Time Horizon bassist Steve Gourley, gently hovers to buoyant keyboards, piano and deliberate bass. Keyboard footing carries over to “Time To Wonder Why”, an elegant ballad resonating of majestic melody, affluent vocals and stately demeanor. Again, this is another quality example of Time Horizon successfully taking a non-progressive songwriting stance.
Subsequent to several keyboard based songs, I welcome the seventies hard rock to “The Great Divide”. Charging guitars and pounding drums jump-start at once, soon joined by organ and keyboards with the allotment coalescing for a lucid feel (albums transparent production separates in this regard). The heavier rocking proclivity that carries to the earthy and gritty verse sections and anthem-like refrain to see organ manifest to the front of the mix cannot help but bring to mind Sweden’s Modest Attraction. Focus is on building bridges across the division we see in the world:
Don’t drop me in the water
Don’t’ wanna breathe that air
A darkness that’s approaching
Like a cloud everywhere
Hey, news for you
A heavy load to carry
Be there if you want me to
Man, lay it aside
Work on it together
Let’s unite the Great Divide
Album closes in strong progressive fashion to the six and half minute “Digital Us”. Flowing keyboards to start with animated bass, slow and dreamy - almost drifting in an ethereal sense - until a slight rhythm guitar edge cuts in to bolster the adulatory refrain. Several instrumental runs present, including first to highlight Gregory’s bold lead guitar and second driven grandly by rhythm guitar and feedback underlined by ‘digitized’ narration. How technology enhances our lives but also binds it is the topic at hand:
Divisive words fragmented us
We always think we can outsmart
Congregate not allowed
The whole is framed with summed up parts
Truth is, what is the truth
It’s what’s repeated numerous times
Alone, better in groups
It can blind, but also bind
The AOR infused progressive rock sound to third Time Horizon album Power Of Three finds the group in top form. All the needed ingredients are at hand: top-notch musicianship and vocals inherent to the progressive genre, lush production and eye catching cover art. Yes, the group stretches and reveals its lengthy song structuring and time signature driven licks and chops but is also not afraid to condense its songwriting in a heavier rocking or ballad formula. Lone complaint is that with six full-length songs and two shorter instrumentals, album impresses as an extended EP; perhaps it could have been rounded out with an extra song or two or at very least an eight to nine minute epic to close. Still, if a fan of the styles presented or into the previous two Time Horizon albums, Power Of Three comes strongly recommended.
Review by Andrew Rockwell
Track Listing: “Living For A Better Day” (7:48), “I Hear, I See” (6:54), “Prelude” (2:32), “The Razor’s Edge” (4:57), “Steve’s Song” (3:59), “Time To Wonder Why” (5:39), “The Great Divide” (6:09), “Digital Us” (6:21)
Musicians
David Bradley Mau - Lead Vocals & Support Keyboards
David Miller - Electric & Acoustic Guitar
Michael Gregory - Electric, Lead & Acoustic Guitar
Allen White - Electric & Acoustic Bass
Ralph Otteson - Keyboards, Piano & Organ
Bruce Gaetke - Drums, Percussion, Lead & Backing Vocals
Additional Musicians
Michael Sadler - Lead Vocals
Michael Manring - Bass
