I am super grateful for all the positive words sent to us regarding the new Philhelmon album: Into the Mist of Time! Here is the latest press from Progworld (translated from Dutch!):

October 22, 2024 by Hans Ravensbergen

As is known, Philhelmon is believed to be the 

alter ego of the Dutch musician Henk Bol in 

collaboration with the American Ky Fifer. 

Both the first album “Enjoy It While It Lasts” 

from 2012 and “Perpetual Immobile” from 2018 

received rave reviews. Also from Progwereld. 

With the current album “Into The Mist Of Time”, 

Philhelmon realizes a trilogy. A trilogy that 

was never conceived in this way, let alone 

that Henk Bol could have imagined in 2012 that 

it would ever come to this twelve years later.

Various circumstances were responsible for the 

fact that it took another six years to complete 

the album. But it was (more than) worth the wait. 

As on the previous two albums, various national 

and international musicians who are friends with 

Bol have once again been willing to cooperate. 

That in itself is a Houdini act, because how do 

you ensure that you don't lose the 

Philhelmon sound from your ear? Well, read and 

– better yet – listen.

The opening and title track Into The Mist Of 

Time immediately puts you upright as a listener. 

An intro as it should be according to my taste: 

immediately full with sturdy keys and guitar 

and later a grinding organ. Fifer's vocals, which 

are regularly doubled, are recognizable. You can 

hear different guitarists on guitar on the album. 

Here Greg den Hartog is the man who provides 

well-timed melodic solos. A lot of care has also 

been paid to the outro with not one, two, three, 

but four final chords. Blessed. Carousel is a 

song about the choice to live your own life 

instead of the life society expects. It is a 

mix of pop and rock with an optimistic 

atmosphere and certainly not intended for the 

gloomy (or is it?). Fifer's vocals, alternating 

with Marlou Vriens, are correct and as the icing 

on the cake we hear Ton Scherpenzeel with a 

wonderful keyboard solo.

The relatively short A Piece Of The Machine 

takes place in a completely different 

atmosphere, which is about the drudgery of 

working life. A lot of attention has been 

paid to the singing, which is very varied. 

The song was written and provided with lyrics 

by Fifer, who also plays piano, guitar, bass 

guitar and drums. It confirms that his role 

on this album is significant. This also 

applies to Diamond Eyes, where the singing and 

atmosphere are reminiscent of The Moody Blues. 

Hans Holema makes his appearance as a guest 

with a keyboard and guitar solo.

Shades Of Autumn – Winter Storm consists of 

two parts and is entirely instrumental. It 

is based on a poem by drummer Mels Bol (no 

relation), which is included in the CD booklet. 

You hear saxophone and flute, played by Pjotr ​​

Jurtschenko and on guitar John Voorbrood, 

whose style is reminiscent of that of Mark 

Bogert. After a bridge with flute you end up 

in the second part, which is a lot more 

frivolous. This is partly due to the 

(electronic) drumming of Marco Minnemann. On 

A World Encased In Glass, which is about the 

virtual world, AI and social media, we now 

hear Bogert in a guest role in addition to 

Minnemann. The atmosphere is dark and the 

composition and structure mean that the 

song needed more time to sink in for me.

Dreamtime is about memories in general and people 

in particular. It is the first resting point with 

singing from Fifer and Vriens. Towards the end the 

fire is ignited with a beautiful guitar solo by Bol, 

who plays all instruments on this song with the exception 

of drums. After the short Burning Bridge, which I 

consider a typical Philhelmon song due to its mix of 

pop and rock, Dreams Without An End follows. Dear listener,

 take a seat for this. At over fifteen minutes, it is the 

first (and only) epic from Philhelmon's oeuvre and a work 

of art in every respect. The theme is heavy, because it is 

about endless dreams, a nightmare of images, as a place of 

comfort for lost loved ones. In five parts that are not 

separately indexed, everything that makes prog rock beautiful 

is presented. A retro-style intro à la Emerson Lake & Palmer, 

rough-sounding guitar playing, unruly drum patterns (by Magnus 

Brandell), a slightly ominous atmosphere and diverse keyboard 

work, in which I especially mention the solos of 

Alessandro Bertoni and Bol on Moog.

After this beautiful, but at the same time energy-consuming 

epic, your head needs rest. How perfectly timed follows the 

heavenly beautiful Time Flies. The fully instrumental song 

is dedicated to Nick Oosterhuis, who passed away in 2021 and 

was a good friend of Bol. The booklet contains the text of a 

sonnet, written by Martin Vermeulen, another friend. Cleem 

Determeijer should not go unmentioned with his contribution on 

piano and beautiful orchestral arrangements. In a similar 

atmosphere, the album ends with She, again featuring piano 

playing by Determeijer.

I think “Into The Mist Of Time” is the best album that Bol and 

Fifer (with numerous collaborating artists) have released as 

Philhelmon. Just like the previous two albums, the design and 

artwork (with a little help from AI) are passable. How could 

it be otherwise with Bol's professional past?

Check out the original article here.