As a certified Dino "Lifer", I felt disappointed by Beyond. Most tunes didn’t go ‘beyond’ J’s solid but all too familiar writing style. I would even say that Hand It Over and More Light had better songs.
I was hoping for more of a return to Bug or YLAOM, both in terms of the crazy multi-part structures and the awesome layered production. To me, the difference between YLAOMand Beyond is HUGE. Maybe it’s the relatively short time they spent recording the new album or the fact that J probably (and sort of understandably) doesn’t care about remaking Bug. But still, think about the first time you heard YLAOM. Did Beyond even come closer to blowing your mind the same way? I don’t wanna hear a remake, but this was a chance to take things to a new plane and it didn’t happen.
Of course, I’m not 19 anymore. Ehh..I wanna cheer on, but it feels a bit forced…