Sometimes, a cool album cover or album title is all it takes for me to like a band before I’ve even played the album. Of course, this doesn’t necessarily impact the score it receives, but it makes me a bit more eager to delve into the CD’s mysteries straightaway. Such is the case with MIND’S EYE and their sixth studio release, the impeccably titled “A Gentleman’s Hurricane”. One look at the cover art, which depicts a respectable old bloke calming walking towards a massive twister, and I muttered “that’s too awesome” and promptly got to reviewing.

Fortunately, MIND’S EYE aren’t just good for their cover art; their music is just as great. Taking cues from bands like QUEENSRźCHE and RUSH, MIND’S EYE have created an epic Prog Metal concept story in “A Gentleman’s Hurricane”. The story follows a wizened old assassin who, after years of carrying out kills on the Illuminati’s orders, is overcome by guilt. He seeks refuge in an old church, where he meets a retired priest and confesses to him. Over the course of the album, he recounts his bloody tales to the priest, who has a few of his own sins to share with the assassin. This unlikely friendship makes for a fascinating narrative, as the assassin has only seven days to clear his conscience before his next (and final) hit.

As with previous MIND’S EYE albums, nearly everything on “A Gentleman’s Hurricane” was handled by drummer Daniel Flores; in addition to drumming, he played keyboards, arranged strings, performed harmony vocals, wrote the story concept, wrote all the lyrics, wrote nearly all the music alone (bassist/guitarist Johan Niemann contributed on a few tracks), and handled all of the production and recording duties. He’s a busy fellow, but considering the excellent quality of nearly every facet of the album, it’s obvious that Flores excels at everything he does.

After a stirring intro, the album kicks into gear with “Seven Days”. Though MIND’S EYE firmly falls into the category of Progressive Metal, they have more of a gritty, mid-tempo Rock sound than, say, DREAM THEATER or label-mates SEVENTH WONDER. Much of the album fits this description, but there are a few surprises. From track to track, Niemann and Flores pound away at their instruments while singer Andreas Novak wails for all he’s worth, but all that gets thrown out the window on the semi-acoustic number “Graveyard Hands”. It’s a solemn, stirring song, and definitely an album highlight; it even has a flute and “warpipes” mixed in it.

Without a doubt, “A Gentleman’s Hurricane” is worthy of a buy. Hell, it may even end up being one of the best Prog releases of the year. Only time will tell, but for the time being, Flores and company have crafted a truly majestic listening experience. Prog Metal fans, you won’t be disappointed.

(Online October 13, 2007)