Sea Of Dreams: Land Of Flames | A Gem Forgotten In Time
(1998 – Sea Of Dreams Records)
Can you imagine a band whose sound revolves around Power Metal and Progressive Metal, yet also incorporates elements into their music that have nothing to do with Metal? Yes, we know—there are plenty of examples—but I doubt any other band has achieved such a perfect blend as the Norwegian group Sea Of Dreams.
For most people, Sea Of Dreams might be an unknown band or one that slipped under the radar. That’s certainly not the case for us, of course, which is why, after digging through our archives, we stumbled upon this brilliant album. We felt it was necessary to rescue it from oblivion and obscurity, give it another listen, and provide a comprehensive review of a truly great record—one that, quite frankly, deserved far more recognition than it received.
To tell the truth, “Land Of Flames” is the second album by Sea Of Dreams, a band that formed around 1993 in Norway and had previously debuted with “Dawn Of Time” in 1996—another true gem— but by 1998 they managed to delve deeper into their own unique style on this album, which deserves a careful listen. It’s not recommended for impatient listeners accustomed to social media and digital platforms, since each song is quite long and stands as a world unto itself.
Sea Of Dreams’ music is strange but wonderful. Clearly, they didn’t follow in anyone’s footsteps, and while—like everyone—they have their obvious influences, they seem not to care at all; each song has a distinct character that clearly sets it apart from the others, with extensive, shifting passages interwoven with one another, incorporating elements from musical genres other than rock and metal, and if you think they needed an orchestra for all this or technology to replicate the sounds, you’re wrong. The only unusual element, perhaps, is the use of flutes and the “Munnharpe”—a type of Norwegian harp, a classic of Nordic folklore—which in this case is played by Trond Are, who is also the guitarist and who arranged the songs.
And that’s it. The rest of the lineup consists of a classic band configuration featuring Trond Are himself on guitars, Jim Foss on vocals, John Martin Haarr on bass, Svein Harald Kleppe on drums and percussion, and Jørgen Manke on keyboards and percussion. There may be plenty of synthesized sounds, but the overall impression is that Sea Of Dreams manages perfectly well without technology, proving that a great album doesn’t require all that tech, AI, and other such nonsense. Creativity is everything.
“Land Of Flames” features eight tracks, one of which is divided into five distinct parts, and the opening is a real knockout. “Eagle” is a classic track influenced by early Helloween-style Power Metal at a moderate tempo, but this is Sea Of Dreams we’re talking about, so along the way we’ll encounter plenty of eye-catching interludes that invite us on a journey through ’70s progressive rock. Nice combination, huh! And that’s not all. A melodic and introspective passage reminds us once again that Sea Of Dreams is pure musical creativity at its peak, and a touch of Eastern influences in some of the arrangements doesn’t hurt—so this is your invitation to the world of Sea Of Dreams, where anything is possible—or almost anything.
And if you don’t believe me when I say that every song on “Land Of Flames” is a world unto itself, you could check out “Temple Of Dreams,” the next track, which, starting with an “Eastern”-style intro, oscillates between stilted marches and a deliberate blend of epic metal elements and those signature touches that are commonplace in Sea Of Dreams’ music, such as the “classical”-style guitar solo and riffing.
“Vanishing Son” fits more into the typical Progressive Power Metal mold—a sort of ballad with plenty of melody and interesting harmonic lines—but it comes with its own shifts that are clearly unrelated to one another, yet Sea Of Dreams blends them almost perfectly, making them an integral part of the song itself.
“Last Trooper” has a similar opening and an epic, classic Power Metal vibe, with a sound much more rooted in classic metal and fewer extraneous embellishments, yet it retains that tendency to veer off in different directions within the same song—which is, after all, Sea Of Dreams’ signature style—but things really ramp up with what comes next.
Yes, of course, “Illusions” is perhaps the craziest track on the entire album. It’s a single 14-minute piece, divided into five parts: “Awake,” “The Journey,” “Phantasm,” “Disillusion,” and “Independence Day.” It’s an epic and poetic track in both lyrics and music, with an introspective, melodic, and unsettling beginning that takes us through different moods as the story Sea Of Dreams tells unfolds. Classic Metal, classical music, pop, opera, acoustic guitar riffs, and even an unprecedented foray into flamenco and Latin music—with lyrics in Spanish!
All of these elements intertwine to create one of the album’s finest moments and perhaps the pinnacle of Sea Of Dreams’ creativity.
“Morning Rain” is the classic ballad found on every album—perhaps one of the few moments where Sea Of Dreams doesn’t veer off into something out of the ordinary— and with “Strong Winds,” they affirm their place in the world of Progressive Power Metal with gentle guitar orchestrations and powerful marches when the occasion calls for it, resulting in a pleasant, intense ballad with an epic feel—much like the rest of the album.
Last but not least is the title track, and so “Land Of Flames” stands as the epilogue—the end of a long journey—and Sea Of Dreams chooses to go the Power Metal route, at a steady pace, firm and with its own personality, influenced by those typical bursts of energy from the Norwegians, who can switch styles and genres at any moment, and this final track is no exception.
“Land Of Flames” is quite a journey—unique, with a sound unlike anything else—but the originality and quality of the various arrangements are undeniable, demonstrating just how excellent these musicians are.
Despite all the general madness that Sea Of Dreams seems to bring with “Land Of Flames,” it’s clear that metal—in its power/progressive form—is the thread that ties all the loose ends together, and from which the band sets out on this adventure into territories beyond metal or heavy music.
The sound plays a key role in all of this. You can tell there’s a lot of studio work, a lot of thought, a lot of innovation, and a blending of different sounds. What stands out most is that the band hasn’t used any different instruments, except for the occasional flute and the “munharpe” we mentioned earlier—and that’s it. The rest is the classic lineup of a metal band, and everything stems from the guys’ ingenuity in the studio—which, considering that back then there was no intrusive technology or tools that could solve everything in a minute, is saying a lot. Creativity at its peak.
And speaking of creativity, we can’t fail to mention the cover art. At first glance, it doesn’t tell us much, but a closer look at the album cover art reveals far more than meets the eye—and it can be interpreted in various ways, beyond the album’s title. In fact, the band dedicates the album to “All people suffering in this world each day keep the faith.”
I don’t know to what extent Sea Of Dreams achieved fame, recognition, and all that things. We couldn’t care less about any of that. What is certain is that many have overlooked not only the history of Sea Of Dreams as a band but also their sparse discography and activity. We’re delighted to preserve this excellent album, and we believe it’s worth not only remembering it but also highlighting its value.
In theory, the band is listed as active, but as far as we know, they haven’t performed live or released anything in years. At least we still have “Land Of Flames” to enjoy—a magnificent album, just like their 1996 debut Dawn Of Time—and why not? It would be an excellent idea if someone were to reissue both albums. It’s truly worth it….
There’s no record of Sea Of Dreams having released any music videos for this album, but at least we’re sharing a taste of what “Land Of Flames” is all about—specifically, the track “Eagle”—as a way to remember and pay tribute to what, for us, was, and still is, a great album….
