Images of Eden is back after their debut release in 2001 with a new label and new CD called “Sunlight of the Spirit.” The band has just signed a deal with Nightmare Records and been bombarded by the press.

As I read the press release that came along with the CD and some of the quotes from other sites, I can’t believe what I am reading after listening to “Sunlight of the Spirit.” I guess we must have gotten a different CD because this is in no way one of the greatest progressive metal offerings of all time. The music at best is average and the vocals by Gordon Tittsworth are fair. I just don’t get the vibe that I get with other Nightmare releases. Nightmare has some fantastic bands and Images of Eden is not one of them.

One of the better tracks is “A Midsummer Night's Dream” that inspires feelings and has some bluesy guitar work by Dennis Mullin, but the arrangements seem to be missing the mark. When I listen to progressive music everything is supposed to flow together and at times one of the members of the band steps into the spotlight. Check the song “Aladdin” as an example; the guitar work is sloppy and the vocals are completely not in time with the music.

The best song on “Sunlight of the Spirit” could have been “Part 1 - Emerald Rain” if Images of Eden had worked on emphasizing the breaks in the song and added some punch at different points, which they failed to do. I must admit the song “Part 2 - I Remember When” does have some great musical points. The guitar work is much better and Mullin has some great licks on this track while vocals by Tittsworth take on the magic quality that was missing throughout the CD. Now this is what I was waiting for; the short melodic instrumental at the end of this song gives me hope for the future Images of Eden releases.

It seems to me that in all three tracks “Part 1 - Emerald Rain”, “Part 2 - I Remember When”, and “Part 3 - Through October Skies” Images of Eden takes on a different identity. They seem like a totally different band and the second half of the CD is much better, especially with the emotional instrumental track “Ethereal.” So pick the CD up for that and check out some of the other releases on Nightmare Records.