If there is one thing to be said about The Lost Horizon, it’s that Transcending Mortality is still struggling for its own sound. Opener ‘Beyond Remembrance’ sounds like the break on Tool’s ‘The Grudge’ at first sight and is followed with some unfortunate guitar riffs, a bad chosen keyboard sound, a singer who’s struggling to find the right accents and a bad mix between the guitars and the drums. That is, the guitars form almost 80% of the sound whereas the drums are hardly noticeable.
 

Unfortunately, the feeling that rises during this song cannot be erased. However, ‘Into the Light’ shows some more guts with a higher rhythm, a slightly better sound and vocals that seem to be more natural. And although these little improvements sound promising, the rest of the cd remains full of ‘things I just don’t understand’, with the prominent influence of the guitar as the most important barrier. And my god, the intro of ‘Twilight’ sounds like a beginning guitar player, practicing a loop his teacher has come up with in half a minute.

Don’t be misled, when looking at the website, reading the reviews that are presented over there. If you look at my score, I can assure you that there are a shitload of bands who will be under this one, yet there are also so many bands who’ve done a better job, even with a first release. It seems that Transcending Mortality is looking for a label. In my opinion, they will have to come up with a better follow-up for The Lost Horizon and create a better sound.