The first half of the self-titled debut from Mark Boals' new band, The Codex, comes off like typical progressive-tinged, European melodic metal. At this point, you would expect more from Boals — whose resume includes stints with Yngwie Malmsteen and Ring of Fire (with such luminaries as Virgil Donati, Tony MacAlpine and Vitalij Kuprij). But by the album's midpoint, beginning with the massive-sounding "Dream Makers" and continuing with the stunning violin-powered mid-tempo ballad-turned-rocker "Whole Again," The Codex reaches above-average status by veering from the genre's norms. Allen/Lande mastermind Magnus Karlsson, who plays guitars and keys for The Codex, wrote this material, and his songs bust out of neutral during the disc's second half — giving "Mistress of Death" a creepy minor-key treatment and injecting "Mystery" and "Prisoner" with arena-rock attitude. Mind's Eye drummer Daniel Flores proves to be exceedingly flexible behind the kit, shifting seamlessly between styles. And then there's Boals, who can still sing the hell out of anything.
Track Listing:
1) Beyond The Dark
2) Raise Your Hands
3) Toxic Kiss
4) Bring Down the Moon
5) Running Out of Hate
6) Dream Makers
7) Whole Again
8) Mistress of Death
9) Mystery
10) Prisoner
11) You Can Have It All
12) Garden of Grief
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