P:O:B
Crossing Over FishFarm Records

by Derric Miller
Staff Writer

Comments: Two releases this year own an impressive tendency to grow on you with every listen, and they both are a somewhat Toto-influenced blend of Progressive metal and AOR. Keldian is the first band to this year to unveil this captivating sound, and P:O:B (or Pedestrians of Blue) are the next, with their new release, aptly called Crossing Over.

P:O:B is a Norwegian band, and their new CD flaunts Daniel Flores’ touch, who mixed the album and plays drums on a few tracks, and it was mastered by Mike Jussila, who has lent his talents to bands like Nightwish and Masterplan. Interested yet? You should be …

Crossing Over begins with “Father & Son,” and the entire CD is a bit of a concept album, describing a young man’s journey with family, love and religion. “Father & Son” begins with a haunting keyboard line from Johannes Stole, who also sings lead vocals. This is one of the heaviest songs on the release, with chugging riffs and soaring, throaty vocals that are melodic and intense. The tempo changes are adept, and the whole song crescendos to an impressive vocal from Stole. Great song.

“Promises” is up next, and you may be reminded of the band Dogpound with the awesome chorus. “So many promises, there’s so many versions of a lie …,” goes the chorus, with smart lyrics and an addictive melody line. The keyboards make everything sound spacey, and this falls closer to AOR than a progressive track, although the guitar solo from Torfinn Sirnes is more skilled than you’d expect to hear on the radio.

You’ll hear some weird programming, again from Stole, on the track “The Garden.” It’s tough to even try to nail down the best track on Crossing Over — they are all that good. This song shines because of the vocals and programming working together, all building up to the lead-in riff and stellar drumming from Harald Levang. You’ll hear maybe a little Kansas in this track as well.

The title track, “Crossing Over,” is an atmospheric and again, spacey composition, that is slower and more dour than what you’ve heard previously. It’s tough not to compare this band to Keldian at times, who both succeed because they take their influences and make them their own.

They show another side to their songwriting ability on the keyboard ballad “How Much More Than a Dream.” They touch on the topic of a father and son again, and with just keys and Stole’s outstanding voice, you’ll just crank it up and soak in the atmosphere they create.

In short, Crossing Over is just one of those albums that get better every time you listen to it. So you’d best pick it up now, because just imagine how good it will be on your 100th spin of the CD …

www.pedestriansofblue.com

Track listing:
Forever Damned
Father & Son
Promises
The Garden
Where the Rain Falls
Crossing Over
The Line
World of Things
The Other Side
How Much More Than a Dream
The Altar of Love
Why
Out of the Rain

HRH rating: 8.1/10