Review by Adam M on May 19, 2017.

Voyager cruises forward with more solid progressive music. The songs are like ear candy and will ingrain themselves in your brain. Ghost Mile is the kind of album that is crazily addictive and won’t get out of your head. It has streamlined guitar work that is complemented by wonderful keyboards in a manner that elevates the music. In fact, all elements of the musical experience are top notch here. There is an intertwining to the instruments that is wonderful to behold and makes them poignant upon their intersection. The songs are relatively simplistic for progressive metal, but this just makes them excellently streamlined.

Voyager has developed this straightforward prog approach and it is perfected to the utmost degree here. The riffs are really neat sounding and have a easy to listen to factor added to them. This leads to a sound that is distinctive and clearly the one that Voyager performs. Musically, the elements all come together. Most notably is the vocals, which are very commercial sounding, yet add to the atmosphere of the songs. The guitar riffs are also somewhat candy coated and are very accessible sounding. The overall sound of the band is like nothing else and is commendable. The only problem with this disc is that it sounds much like the band’s other material. There is very little deviation from a strong template that is formed and this is still welcome because one accepts this music as the strong stuff it is.

Voyager is a nice entry to the progressive metal genre because they fill the gap for this type of a straightforward band. Don’t think the music is simple, however, as there are tons of breakdowns and the band has a futuristic sound that is somewhat difficult to pigeonhole. The bottom line is that anyone looking for a strong progressive release will be well served to check out Ghost Mile.

Rating: 8.2 out of 10

Review by Adam M on May 19, 2017.

Voyager cruises forward with more solid progressive music. The songs are like ear candy and will ingrain themselves in your brain. Ghost Mile is the kind of album that is crazily addictive and won’t get out of your head. It has streamlined guitar work that is complemented by wonderful keyboards in a manner that elevates the music. In fact, all elements of the musical experience are top notch here. There is an intertwining to the instruments that is wonderful to behold and makes them poignant upon their intersection. The songs are relatively simplistic for progressive metal, but this just makes them excellently streamlined.

Voyager has developed this straightforward prog approach and it is perfected to the utmost degree here. The riffs are really neat sounding and have a easy to listen to factor added to them. This leads to a sound that is distinctive and clearly the one that Voyager performs. Musically, the elements all come together. Most notably is the vocals, which are very commercial sounding, yet add to the atmosphere of the songs. The guitar riffs are also somewhat candy coated and are very accessible sounding. The overall sound of the band is like nothing else and is commendable. The only problem with this disc is that it sounds much like the band’s other material. There is very little deviation from a strong template that is formed and this is still welcome because one accepts this music as the strong stuff it is.

Voyager is a nice entry to the progressive metal genre because they fill the gap for this type of a straightforward band. Don’t think the music is simple, however, as there are tons of breakdowns and the band has a futuristic sound that is somewhat difficult to pigeonhole. The bottom line is that anyone looking for a strong progressive release will be well served to check out Ghost Mile.

Rating: 8.2 out of 10

Review by JD on May 6, 2011.

Hymir is the name of a sea-giant who lives at the very edge of heaven as it been told in the ages past Norse Mythology. It is also the name of a Netherlands based metal band that plays aggressive Black Metal that is fortified with a good dose of Death Metal as well. Why would a band take such a name for their moniker? Let me tell you.

The Netherlands have been producing some very interesting metal lately, some of which I have been pleasantly surprised with. I was having some high expectations for this five piece band to really impress me. I would have to say that this band not only has reached that expectation I had. They have ran at me full out... knocked me on my ass, ran right over me without blinking and left me for dead. The aftermath was plain to see, I did see the giant that basically crushed me.

With song material like 'Let The World Be Cold' striking you with every blunt and heartless word it is made with, then adding to everything the very looming wall of death and relentless pain the song 'Soul Monolith' can create - the work Hymir put into it shows through. Each sentence or guitar line they create is crafted to create that shadowy and forbidding world of pain and intense torment, a place that good people fear to even find in their nightmares

Hymir has made a indelible impression on me, Black and Death Metal coming together like it did made me a happier metalhead after one listen. The album name means to be afraid if the dark... Hymir’s peers should be afraid of them, they are out to take over.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 9
Atmosphere: 9
Production: 8
Originality: 8.5
Overall: 9

Rating: 8.7 out of 10