Balance Of Power

Who is a fan of this band. I've been listening to them since 2001 and IMO they are one of the best power/progressive metal bands. While I never heard their debut or the one without Lance King the ones I do have blow me away everytime I listen to them. My favorite by far is Perfect Balance (my first) but the other two I have are great as well and the one song I heard from the post-Lance era was pretty good as well.

This is the band with Zero Hour's Chris Salinas, right? Either way, what I've heard of them didn't impress me. They sounded like they worried too much about noodling and being progressive than actually writing good tunes. That opinion could be wrong, through, as I've not heard much. They are on my want lists.

Every BoP album is great. My favorites are Perfect Balance and the last studio effort (the name escapes me).

kmorg wrote:

Every BoP album is great. My favorites are Perfect Balance and the last studio effort (the name escapes me).

Well, I did hear them years ago, in my blossoming prog-metal enlightenment phase, so they may sit better with me now.

Eyesore wrote:

kmorg wrote:

Every BoP album is great. My favorites are Perfect Balance and the last studio effort (the name escapes me).

Well, I did hear them years ago, in my blossoming prog-metal enlightenment phase, so they may sit better with me now.

Do yourself a favor and try them again. They are not so much prog. I'd call them melodic metal with a flair! You familiar with Elegy? I think they reminds me of them.

I like BoP, every album, although I havent heard Heathen Machine so I cant comment on that one.

I just got Perfect Balance - my first BOP and it's great! They are on the side of wankery that I can handle. Great melody and songwriting.

Recently I traded my BoP albums away. Not that I dislike them anymore, I just got bored after awhile. Before trading them away I listened to them in earnest trying to justify why I shouldn't trade them, but the music no longer clicked.

I had Perfect Balance, and it was decent, but I just couldn't get into it. The other BoP album I have, Ten More Tales, is brilliant! I freakin' love that album! I would like, someday, to get a hold of Book of Secrets. Too many other things I want more right now, though.

I don't have much interest in the band since Lance King left.

Follower of Jesus wrote:

I don't have much interest in the band since Lance King left.

Same here, after Lance left I lost track of these guys. I love Ten More Tales too, to me it is almost on par with Perfect Balance and Book Of Secrets is a very close third.

I love Ten More Tales and Perfect Balance. This is my kind of prog. The technical wankery is more or less kept in check.

BoP, Shadow Gallery and Royal Hunt are my favorite prog bands.

I like Book of Secrets and Ten More Tales. I consider them melodic prog or even heavy AOR. Kinda like early Kamelot.

Heathen Machine is more on the prog side, not as "catchy" as the ones w/Lance, the debut is pretty lame IMO.

Both those previous posts above are right on IMO.

I agree BoP are similar to early Kamelot and I also agree Heathen Machine is more prog (which is why I don't like it).

Love the Lance BOP albums, but I have not heard any of the others. Perfect Balance is the best of the three, IMO. Heavy, melodic, good songwriting with a nice dose of prog thrown in for good measure. That's a mighty tasty recipe.....

Tall Tyrion wrote:

Love the Lance BOP albums, but I have not heard any of the others. Perfect Balance is the best of the three, IMO. Heavy, melodic, good songwriting with a nice dose of prog thrown in for good measure. That's a mighty tasty recipe.....

Same here. That was my first intro to BOP and from the first listen it has been a constant in my playlists. This was also at a time when I was still in the Chritian only (and Christian friendly) frame of mind and BOP, while not technically a Christian band, was close enough that I didn't feel the need to distance myself from it.

You should check out, United States of Mind. It's three of the BOP members, no Lance, but very solid.

I'll second that USM recommendation, great album with some really catchy (not cheesy) songs. Is it just me or do the Balance of Power albums with Lance King have all the best songs at the beginning and then taper off in quality a little. If Ten More Tales and Perfect Balance combined the first five tracks of each album they would have the perfect album.

The last album is a little heavier and a bit more prog but I love it. Took me two years before it clicked though, I was so bummed out that Lance King was not singing that it wasnt until I treated it as a new band that the songs got their claws into me. With the new singer they remind me of the the UK band Siam, which is another band I'll recommend strongly.

I never could get into this band.

ArmouredAngel wrote:

Is it just me or do the Balance of Power albums with Lance King have all the best songs at the beginning and then taper off in quality a little. If Ten More Tales and Perfect Balance combined the first five tracks of each album they would have the perfect album.

I don't know about that. Off TMT, tracks 6 and 10 (About To Burn and Ten More Tales) are two of my favorites. On PB, I like really liked track 6 (Killer Or The Cure).