Abraxas was a melodic power/prog metal band from Tübringen in Germany. They started life in 1985, but although some demo material showed up now and then, they didn't record their debut album 'til 1993. Then it took another 5 years for the album to see worldwide distribution, and by then the band had folded.

ABRAXAS is a magic word stemming from the Alexandrinical Gnossis (= revelation). The value of the Greek letters equals 365. ABRAXAS, therefore, is something like a God of the year. This God was displayed on the so-called ABRAXAS-gemstones as a being with human body, snake feet and a cock's head.

Tomorrow's World (1998) limb Music

Abraxas are one of those bands I learned about reading Scream Magazine, the leading Norwegian metal mag. 'Tomorrow's World' got a good review, so I bought the CD. Turns out 'Tomorrow's World' is actually a remastered re-release of the bands debut album, 'The Liaison', only released in Japan in 1993. As with any good reissue, this version contains 3 extra songs, taken from various demo recordings, and an extensive booklet.

'Tomorrow's World' is a good album with some catchy songs. But I can't seem to tell them apart when I haven't listened to the album in a while. So though I like the album, I don't actually listen to it all that much. There are so many other great bands in this genre, some of them just have to fall a little on the sideway. But if you're into German metal, ala Gamma Ray and Helloween, you could do worse then to check out the keyboard laced melodic power metal of Abraxas. Just make sure you stomach a thick German accent first, that is.

Killer tracks: Tomorrow's World, Dreamer's Island, Place Without Mirrors