Musically, Vanden Plas once again offers a perfect combination of heavy and melodic, while the orchestral arrangements here are more in the background compared to the last studio album. At the same time, the quintet comes closer to its original roots, such as “The God Thing” or “Far Off Grace”: more progressive elements in the songs, similar to what one knows from those earlier releases. The six, mostly long, pieces achieve their impressive and fascinating effect through a very band-oriented arrangement, so that the clear and intensive urgency of the songs shines through naturally. The listener is captivated from the start, first by songs that each deserve to be called epic and second through the story told through the lyrics.
This recording is once again a product of the band's trusted collaborations with sound engineer Markus Teske at Bazement Studios.
“The Ghost Xperiment – AwakenIng” is the first part of a two part series, with “The Ghost Xperiment – IIlumination,” expected to appear in fall 2020.
“The Ghost Xperiment – AwakenIng”, a phenomenal long player, once again proves why Vanden Plas are among prog metal's elite class.
