From the land of predominantly black metal arises Pagan’s Mind a progressive metal quintet set to rise out of the dark shadows of their brethren and pour new life into the Norwegian melodic metal scene. Being not too fond of progressive metal I must admit I wasn’t looking forward to listening to this release, let alone review it. Fortunately, once in awhile I am forced to listen to releases that would not particularly interest me on first glance. I say fortunately, because “Enigmatic: Calling” is an album that has left a very good impression on me.

Right from the very first second of “The Celestine Prophecy” these Norwegians hit the nail on the head. A very powerful and clean production with all the elements mixed in near perfect harmony doesn’t hurt this release either. Why do I like this album why I normally do not enjoy progressive metal? The answer is so simple it almost hurts: Pagan’s Mind knows how to write catchy songs that – despite of all the technical interludes – in the end still remain recognizable songs.

They simply never lose sight of the melody, nor the catchy hooks. Where other bands drown songs in infinite boredom by showcasing their superior technical skills, Pagan’s Mind keep things tidy and compact; even though most of the tracks are well over 5 minutes.

Pagan’s Mind is by no means original and follows closely in the footsteps of bands like Dream Theater. Especially the song structures and riffing remind a lot of the aforementioned band. The vocals however are less emotional and a bit more standard but definitely above par. “Enigmatic: Calling” is an album that will appeal to the average fan of progressive metal because it simply has all the elements to be successful.