Far Off Grace [Enhanced] [Extra tracks] [Limited Edition] [Original recording remastered] [Special Edition]

Far Off Grace [Enhanced] [Extra tracks] [Limited Edition] [Original recording remastered] [Special Edition]

Track Listings

1. I Can See

2. Far Off Grace

3. Into the Sun

4. Where Is the Man

5. Iodic Rain

6. I Don't Miss You

7. Inside of Your Head

8. Fields of Hope

9. I'm in You

10. Kiss of Death [*]

11. Shape of My Heart [*]

12. Iodic Rain [Live Video]

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Special edition reissue of the German progressive metal band's 1999 album features 12 tracks including three bonus tracks, 'Kiss Of Death', 'Shape Of My Heart', & 'Iodic Rain' (Live Video). Slipcase. Inside Out. 2004.

Tracks:

I Can See
Far Off Grace
Into the Sun
Where Is the Man
Iodic Rain
I Don't Miss You
Inside of Your Head
Fields of Hope
I'm in You
Kiss of Death [*]
Shape of My Heart [*]
Iodic Rain [Live Video]

Album Description

Special edition reissue of the German progressive metal band's 1999 album features 12 tracks including three bonus tracks, 'Kiss Of Death', 'Shape Of My Heart', & 'Iodic Rain' (Live Video). Slipcase. Inside Out. 2004.

Album Details

Vanden Plas Are Germany´s Leaders in the Progressive Metal Genre. After Having Achieved Substantial Recognition with the Release of their Second Album "The God Thing", and a Successful European Tour Supporting Dream Theater, They Returned 1999 to the Forefront of the Progressive Metal Scene with There Album "Far off Grace". After the Release of the First Vanden Plas Album "Colour Temple" as a Special Edition, Are Now Following the Second and Third CD with Special Packaging, Remastered and with Bonus Material.

Customer Reviews:

My favorite Vanden Plas album.......2005-06-26

For those who do not know, Vanden Plas is a German progressive metal band, and a damn good one.

The album features a nice tight guitar sound from Stephan Lill. Andreas Lill adds some damn fine drumming. Of course the vocals are top notch as expected from Andy Kuntz.

This album is not as melodic as "Beyond Daylight" or "The God Thing", it has a more aggressive sound which I like.

When I first got this album, it didnt leave my player for like 3 weeks, and to this day I still spin this CD on a regular basis.

If you like heavy prog metal, this album is a must have.

Average customer rating:

Check out Spirit of Live
In-between
Excellent album
Great music, lacking production and mix.
Generous at best

Far off Grace
Vanden Plas
Manufacturer: Inside Out U.S.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

Progressive Metal | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Beyond Daylight

ASIN: B00002EPRN
Release Date: 1999-11-16

Tracks:

I Can See
Far Off Grace
Into The Sun
Where Is The Man
Iodic Rain
I Don't Miss You
Inside Of Your Head
Fields Of Hope
I'm In You
Kiss Of Death

Customer Reviews:

Check out Spirit of Live .......2005-06-14

Many reviewers have criticized the album for the lack of production and "poor" vocal performance. Well, it is not totally unfounded.

I do not have any other VD studio albums and the only album that I heard before FOG is their live album Spirit of Live (SOL).

SOL is a great album for those new to VD. It contains 5 or 6 songs from FOG. The sound is much thicker and the vocals much more powerful. I much prefer the live version of the songs. Also, the songs flow more easily on SOL.

Still I give this album 4 stars for great guitars, good compositions and for being a heavy prog album.

In-between.......2005-02-10

Vanden Plas musically rivals Symphony X. The main difference between the two, however, is the singer. Symphony X's Russel Allen enhances the songs. He sings tunefully and doesn't overshadow the true melodic guitar and keyboard lines. In Vanden Plas, though, the vocalist (I don't know his name...) tends to overpower the melody line and isn't that tuneful in doing it. Maybe V.P. needs to borrow Russel Allen :) Then, they would truly be in the same league as Dream Theater and Symphony X.

Excellent album.......2003-08-06

Vanden Plas may be classified as a little bit prog, a whole lotta metal. They are more complex than heavy metal, but not quite as complex as excellent prog metal bands like Dream Theater and Symphony X. The singer sounds very 80's metal style, which isn't a bad thing. The strength of this band is guitarist, Stefan Lil. He has great taste and feel in his solos, and his rhythms really give the songs power. Excellent songs include "I Can See", "Far Off Grace", "Iodic Rain", & "Inside Your Head". If you like powerful metal with a slight hint of prog, Vanden Plas will not dissappoint. I have all their albums and I have yet to be dissappointed.

Great music, lacking production and mix........2002-11-21

German metal masters Vanden Plas had me from the opening notes of their previous release THE GOD THING, easily one of the best progressive-metal albums ever recorded (see my review). So I approached FAR OFF GRACE with anxious anticipation. I initially enjoyed the album more than I do now. Over time most of the tunes do not wear very well and that is due more to the recording itself than the song structures. Admittedly, some of the tunes are weak (I Don't Miss You, Fields of Hope), and some have complained about the singer (I'm guessing they have not heard his excellent performance on THE GOD THING). That aside, my problem is more with the mix than anything else; the drums have nowhere near the power and punch of the previous album (which had arguably the BEST drum sound of ANY album I've ever heard-and that's a lot). They sound too weak, too 'tinny'. The sound is also relatively confined; the drums to not take up the full aural spectrum, they do not envelop you as they did on TGT. The guitars sound ok, but *some* of the crunch has been removed from the mid and lower ranges resulting in a less-than-exciting sound. The bass is also not as thick as I would have expected. Everything-even the vocals-seem stripped of the power they had in the past. With THE GOD THING Vanden Plas proved that they were a big-time contender in the power/prog arena, and it's a shame to hear them partially robbed of their most enduring quality: a BIG FAT sound.

This is NOT to say that the album doesn't have its' moments. Take the chorus and quiet middle section of the title track for example. Wow! It's awesome to hear. Likewise, the slow drudge of "Where Is The Man" accentuated by the drummers kick drums is really nice. "Iodic Rain" is the albums best track, beginning with a full blow-out fretfest for the first ten or fifteen seconds a la Dream Theater or Liquid Tension Experiment. It is a truly great song with a gut-punch chorus. It's one of those one's that's hard to get out of your head. Which brings me to the other stand out of the album, "Inside of Your Mind", a tune that really brings to mind (ha, ha) shades of OPERATION MINDCRIME by Queensryche-in both lyrics and style.

My suggestion would be to listen to this before buying it -if possible- or make your own VP mix disc with their best stuff. A good hard rock album, but not the place to start.

Generous at best.......2002-03-12

I read with interest the other reviews on this site and, being a huge DT fan, decided to take the plunge. And what a plunge! The music, as in the playing, itself isn't that bad (and comprises both the stars I am prepared to award), but....and this is a double "but" underlined and in bold italics.....the singer is just so awful it completely negates any positive experience. Believe me I tried to get through it as most music in this genre takes a while to grow, still after 3or 4 listen I find it just grates.

Tracks:

I Can See
Far off Grace
Into the Sun
Where Is the Man
Iodic Rain
I Don't Miss You
Inside of Your Head
Fields of Hope
I'm in You
Kiss of Death [*]

Average customer rating:

Chicago Opera's Very Own Edith Mason

Opera in Chicago, Vol. 1

Manufacturer: Symposium
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Hymns | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Tracks:

Oh, For The Wings Of A Dove - Edith Mason
Martha: The Last Rose Of Summer - Edith Mason
Faust: Air Des Bijoux - Edith Mason
Madama Butterfly: Ancora Un Passo - Edith Mason
Madama Butterfly: Un Bel Di Vedremo - Edith Mason
Far Off I Hear A Lover's Flute - Edith Mason
O Dry Those Tears - Edith Mason
From The Land Of The Sky-Blue Water - Edith Mason
Kashmiri Song - Edith Mason
Dreamin' Time - Edith Mason
Ser - Edith Mason
Good-bye - Edith Mason
L'ombre Des Arbres - Mary Garden
Traviata: Ah! Fors'e Lui - Mary Garden
Le Jongleur De Notre-Dame: Liberte! - Mary Garden
Herodiade: Il Est Doux - Mary Garden
Louise: Depuis Le Jour - Mary Garden
Thais: L'amour Est Une Vertu Rare - Mary Garden
Resurrection: Dieu De Grace - Mary Garden
Louise: Depuis Le Jour - Mary Garden
Over The Steppe - Mary Garden
Carmen: En Vain Pour Eviter - Mary Garden
John Anderson, My Jo - Mary Garden

Customer Reviews:

Chicago Opera's Very Own Edith Mason.......2005-11-22

This CD represents one of only two CDs of Edith Mason, and may be out of print already. Mason was, with Rosa Ponselle, the finest American soprano of the twenties and thirties. Hers was a lighter more lyric voice than the tremendous dark voice of Ponselle. Here we can hear at least a few selections of a unique and wonderful soprano. Of especially note is her singing of Butterfly. Many people shake their heads in amazement when they hear her voice - she's that good. I am fortunate in having quite a few of Mason's original 78's and these dubbings are quite good. For a complete collection, including ridiculously rare unpublished takes, search for the Marston set. Anyone interested in American opera singers should hear Mason's art. Mason was terribly unrepresented on records, and was unlucky, too, in her choice of recording companies, Brunswick folding by the start of the depression. Sadly this bad luck carries over to this day.
The other selections of Mary Garden are not as interesting, though Garden is certainly a very well-schooled singer.

Average customer rating:

Far Off Grace
Vanden Plas
Manufacturer: Inside Out
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000LX009C

Music Track: