| Track Listing 1. Arrival 2. Walked On the Water 3. Jungle 4. Straight to the Bone 5. Top of the World 6. Reload 7. Gift of Flesh 8. Grain of Sand 9. Fooled 10. I'm Alive Massacre 2000 |
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Cornerstone
Arrival
| Track Listing 1. Arrival 2. Walked On the Water 3. Jungle 4. Straight to the Bone 5. Top of the World 6. Reload 7. Gift of Flesh 8. Grain of Sand 9. Fooled 10. I'm Alive Massacre 2000 |
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| More Releases by Cornerstone This is the debut |
Related Releases (in members & Sound): Royal Hunt - Paradox (1997) Royal Hunt - Fear (1999) |
| Understated can be beautiful. So it is with Steen Mogensen's
Cornerstone project which is often slower paced, carefully flowing like a progressive
bubbling stream, with a strong pulsing heart of the elegance of melodic rock laying
underneath the rippling currents. An intriguing mix of Bob Catley (in his solo career -
more credit to Gary Hughes though since he's the main songwriting force behind Catley) and
experience and influence gained from Steen's time playing bass in Royal Hunt. During a
break from RH, Mogensen conjured up this delicious romp through prog-melodic fused heaven,
sparked by frustrations in songwriting confinements in the other band. Doogie and Steen
are the only two musicians listed as members of Cornerstone, the others are an array of
guest musicians, most coming from Royal Hunt, including Allan Sorensen (drums), Jacob
Kjaer (guitars) and Andre Anderson (keyboards), which without a doubt contributes to the
RH feel that can be found buried within some of these songs. "Arrival" is a concept album dealing with the beginning of life, starting with the first reptile/man on earth arriving from the sea and progressing throughout time as he adapts to life on land. But handling such a concept opens it to even more interpretations including the much more intimate viewpoint of a man experiencing a sort of awakening/grand change in his life. Rising from the depths of depression or perhaps the circle of pain from drug abuse, but despite the difficulties he has had over time, he emerges as a better man because of it. However, for the sake of accuracy, Steen's own explanation will be used throughout the review (that being the evolution theme). |
| 01.] "Arrival"(1:08)
- Ominious and foreboding, the beginning of the evolution of human life, this instrumental allows the listener to bring to mind the vision of this being, walking through the ocean and onto the shore, water shedding from his scales like drops of rain, enhanced by some rather subdued yet powerful sound effects especially near it's ending as it leads into... 02.] "Walked On the Water" (5:00) - The outstanding, showcase piece of the album, and a killer one at that. The instrumentation is breathtaking, the lush vocals of Doogie White captivating and the complex arrangements, created with an easy to listen, outer simplicity, are just to die for. An array of varying layers of sound cascade over one another, each instrument a droplet of water in a sea of sound, working together and flowing as one solid unit, every little nuance adding it's own individual trait to the well-structured masses. Five minutes of pure melodic/prog bliss. "It's in the cards I've been givin', please be there when the final curtains fall." 03.] "Jungle" (4:09) - Upfront bass thumping give this track a heavy backbone, but the rest of the song is based around the smooth as butter vocals and the rather striking chorus. "Who knows what's wrong, what's right, if there's a meaning to life, there must be a way out for me. 04.] "Straight to the Bone" (5:02) - Softer than the previous song and more along the lines of "Walked On the Water" this one features some truly gorgeous vocal harmonies and an easier relaxed pace coaxed along by clearly ringing acoustic and a bridge that builds in intensity until it breaks into the heavily melodic chorus. "They'll take us back to a darker kingdom come." 05.] "Top of the World" (3:27) - Comparisions can be draw up from a stable of bands, including current Praying Mantis and even some of the more subdued and introspective moments from Ten, but truly this one breaks away from all of these and ceases it's own sound. The unique keyboards add an additional stand-alone flair, and the guitar solo is simply heavenly. Audiophiles will be pleased with the crystalline sound that pours from this midtempo beauty of a track, including the crisp and prominent bass sound that catapults this one into a fourth dimension. "But yet so far and unreal, I'll analyze the way that I feel." 06.] "Reload"(4:33) - Gritty rhythm guitar opens the song, but is quickly joined by an electric guitar's crystal trills, keyboard frills and finally the amazing vocals of Doogie with Steen's bass lurking behind. Andre Anderson's signature ivory tickling adds a unique edge to this one. Do I have to mention this one also includes a hookfilled chorus? I don't think so. "So you cut me wide open, what do you see in a mind filled and frozen?" 07.] "Gift of Flesh" (4:00) - Soft violins swelling in sound usher in this delicately inspirational track. The chorus of vocals that backup the elegantly subdued lead, easily send chills down the spine. The quiet moments add a foreboding sense of drama, and the ripping axesolo reminds the listener that this beautiful ballad still holds the essence of metal firmly in it's hand. Slickly polished with a deep sense of melodic warmth and an icy progressive coolness that make it comparable to the solo works of Bob Catley. "As the night comes crawlin', feels like a flood in your veins, the gift of flesh remains." 08.] "Grain of Sand" (5:28) - Cornerstone swerves into a different direction here, showing a new side of the band, a very edgy bluesiness that is a surprising, yet natural change from what has been presented on the disc thus far. White's voice is stripped more to its core, the result being a rawer yet still savagely passionate, bluesy tone that matches the music perfectly. "You'll never stop for wanting more, you're lying, cheating - mistreating." 09.] "Fooled" (4:25) - Royal Hunt all the way baby! However this song is ten times better than anything from the band's last release, a true testament to Steen's writing capabilities. Pompously overblown and resounding with sheer shimmering beauty. Big overall sound, bold arrangements, commanding vocals - background 'gang' vocals and lead alike, and a heaping of progressive touches... yes this one has it all and more. "Fooled" even harbors an essential addictiveness that shoves it over the top and into near classic status. A song that shines brightly with pure class. "Can't you see I'm blind and fooled again, but it feels like a drug circling around in my blood." 10.] "I'm Alive" (6:42) - Doogie experiements with some different vocal inflections gives this closing track a haunting feeling. Guitar, bass and keys blend into a gorgeous spectacle of soul-driven performances, as the drum work provides the frame for the mixture of instruments to dance upon. It glides into a thought provoking close, enriched by the sound samples of ocean waves and the call of seagulls, bringing the concept element to a full circle. "I've been through changes, I've learned to survive, and the best of me comes out alive." |
Cornerstone was not created with the intentions of bringing to life a heavy metal album and thus this disc must not be viewed as one, but instead as a uniquely spiritual and magnificent release, where song structure and melody easily outweigh overboard virtuosic tendancies that bog down many a progressive release. This classifies it more in the category of emotionally breathtaking, darker, melodic rock. The influence of Mogensen being bassist in Royal Hunt for twelve years, coupled with almost the entire band (with the exception of John West) performing on the album, contribute to the underlying Royal Hunt overtones that can be seen in an occasional glimpse of pompous instrumentation or a chorus here or there. These flavors are a welcome spice to the flow of these songs, that move along at a pace as smooth as glass and as relaxing as listening to the waves of the ocean crashing against a sandy shore. It is atmospheres like these that help enhance the feeling of the evolution of the reptile/man yet never allow the listener to forget his origin. "Arrival" is simply a remarkable musical experience, and a very difficult album to pigeonhole. A delightful release that breaks the mold, and seems tailor made for those that crave a departure from the 'paint-by-numbers' typical song structures that overpopulate the subgenres of metal today. Ratings and Wrap Up: |
