CD Review DVS RECORDS
 This Austrian band has not had much luck in choosing a proper band name. Formed in 1991 they initially went with the name Brainstorm and released a demo "Studiodays" in 1988, before they changed their name to Mindgallery, which was better, suited to their new musical direction. "Portraits" was released early 2000 under the name Mindgallery but they've had to change their name again because a prog rock band had the rights to the name. "Portraits" is an above average release but Mindgallery is still searching for their own style to distinguish them from a lot of similar bands. The music is melodic hard rock at times bordering on progressive rock ("Portrait of a Lover" ) while sometimes bordering on power metal ("Weak" and "Middle Row"). As a whole the musical delivery is competent and the variation between and within the songs is done well but there's nothing that actually sparkles and I miss a certain heaviness. The weak aspects are the vocals and the lyrics. The voice of Max Kainz tends to become monotonous with little variation in vocal melodies and a limited range. The lyrics are too straightforward for me and miss a originality thematically. Peculiar is the fact that some of the songs such "Momentary Collapse" and "Don't Explain" have an up-beat rhythm while the lyrics have a certain depressive and solemn tone. The closing track "Portrait of a Lover" is more progressive and promises more for the future. |