Los sueños de un higado ends up being an ORL album that stands out for a couple of reasons, not only being a series of live performances, but also being the first time Omar made an album that was heavily based around the vocals of someone other than Cedric. It ends up making for an experience that right out of the gate feels rather different, made further apparent by the overall cleaner sound present here, with all the tones of the instruments sounding rather similar, but just a bit more "pleasant" for lack of a better word. While at first this may seem like a totally pointless listen, with the tracks being the same jazzy jams as certain other previous works by Omar, the vocal performances of Ximena Sarian do a decent job at breathing new life into these tracks with her wonderful, passionate delivery throughout. Even with that fact proving yet again that he's able to reinvent old tracks time and time again in a variety of novel ways (in this case adding those vocals), I still couldn't really recommend this above a lot of Omar's other albums for the simple reason that while all of this is performed very competently and the vocals are wonderful, the album doesn't really go above and beyond that, it's merely good, it's safe, it's just not a good showcase of a lot of the unfiltered creativity that makes me love so much of ORL's work. Worth a listen if you're a big fan, but otherwise I'd suggest listening to quite a few other albums first.

How do you screw something up like this?

Great Rick Wakeman music from start to finish, I've loved the soundtrack since the early 90s and the videotape for over 20 years now. But somebody at Rick's end screwed this DVD over. It's in black & white (no color tints), the Christopher Lee intro is a "special feature" accessible via the loud noisy menu (rather than at the beginning of the film where it belongs). While the print is clearer without the damage seen on the earlier video version, the last reel is so dark it's imposssible to see the action climax. What--the-- ??? I've contacted several video companies suggesting they could do better, since the guy running Rick's website informed me there's "no plans" for them to do more with this project. My favorite version of my favorite silent, and the videotape is better than the DVD? That's just not right.

First - 2 salient points. One - I love Gabriel era Genesis, 2 - I believe that most studio double albums contain some padding that diminishes album quality. Two key exceptions to the double album rule are Tommy and Quadrophenia by the Who, among a few others.

Having loved Genesis's 3 previous studio efforts I was excited when I bought this on vinyl on the day of its release. On first play I was left a bit cold but felt I needed to give it a few plays, as with most Genesis stuff, to appreciate its subtleties. Dozens of plays later and I still don't get it.

Fine, there are few good pieces (Fly on a Windshield, In the Cage, Carpet Crawlers, Riding the Scree..) but the majority of tracks still give me the feeling of padding out to make a double album out of a decent single album.

It's not that there weren't songs on previous albums that didn't strike a chord with me (e.g You Know What I Like on SEBTP) but the previous albums gave me a feeling that pretty much every track was a worthy listen. I'm afraid I find it difficult to sit all through a play of The Lamb as so many tracks don't match up to the quality of earlier stuff.

Instead I find myself selecting a few tracks from the whole though I do also play some of the padding from time to time, still without "getting it".

I agree with the ratings given to their previous output but this is only a mere 3 stars for me. Thankfully, their next 3 efforts made a good recovery, especially "WaW" before their prog decline started.

An apparently 100% digital release compilation for The Neal Morse Band, I have to be honest, this is actually my first serious listen to any of their material. The majority of Neal I've known before this listen (and before my review for the other Neal Morse Collection) was in the form of early early Spock's Beard and Transatlantic, the former I could really use a refresher, I feel, and the latter of which I'm a big fan. There's just so much to love about/in Transatlantic, and really, regardless of his focus, Neal at his best is really a phenomenal performer and composer. It's certainly been well proved. [I just realized that there is a second keyboardist, Bill Hubauer, now of We Came From Space, and so there may be solos that I should have but ignorantly could not attribute to him. Who knows? They do! haha.]

The compilation starts off with the heavy "City of Destruction". Vocally, there's something that was immediately reminiscent of Tommy Shaw of Styx. This is rooted in a sort of late-70s Hard Rock, equally tying the music to them as well in my mind. I'm not super into the verses. The chorus on the other hand is pretty solid. Pretty impressive performance from guitarist Eric Gillette in the middle, specifically, he a member of newer Neo-Prog band Lazzleitt. Best part of the song was, the bridge and the ending. It very rapidly ends for the piano-led "The Ways of a Fool", featuring a different vocalist (forgive my ignorance, but I am new to this band). This track features a very cool rhythm and a sort of quirky Psych Pop feel. All of the instrumentation, from Mike's drumming to the keys, is very satisfying. I really like this sort of style. The middle section is sort of Beach Boys-esque vocally. Great vocals, unsurprisingly. Reminiscent, too (and therefore?), of '90s legends Jellyfish. The sort of... breakdown?... and the organ solo with it is just... *chef's kiss* haha. Fantastic. Neal takes the fore vocally in this second half.

"The Call" then starts right off, with big group vocals a capella. This is our sole mini-epic at just over 10 minutes' length. Pretty immediately we get the Proggy bigness I anticipate we would all love. Delicious instrumentation here. Such a groove, thanks to Mike's counterpoint to the main rhythm. My mind once again goes to Styx and then... to... I dunno. It's very Neal haha. In the best way. Very bright track with sweeping, emotive optimism. The main theme, just as bright, follows a sweet guitar solo from Gillette. Goodness... This just makes me want to listen through The Whirlwind again. It's been a long while for me. Around minute 6, we get a compositional shift, a forward-driving, fairly heavy section. It's a bit spacy and very intense. Another great solo from Gillette, this one more a melodic line. This is then followed by a swelling improvised solo. A real scalp-scratcher. Goodness... He's so good. Like Steve Morse meets Steve Vai? This is then followed by a very DeYoung-esque synth solo from Neal [or is it? Likely yes.]. Good God! So intense. Then we're back, in this same full force, to the vocal passage. Big swells at the end. Epic.

"Agenda" is a very electric song. Neal's vocals are compressed and effected pretty heavily, and it features more synth padding than the norm, etc. etc. Overall, not a whole lot here. The vocals toward the end are actually quite nice. Regardless, not bad, but nothing to write home about. Next, "Welcome to the World" starts off as many others seem to, with solo vocals but then rapidly we are into heaviness... This though does not last here. Syncopated instrumentation falls under Neal's verses. The chorus is pretty good. Very... uh... pessimistic song haha. In the middle section there is an exchange of different lead vocalists and then... we have a pretty awesome instrumental bridge, plenty dark, with an amazing solo from Gillette. I have to hear more of him, for sure! Up next then is "Vanity Fair", and it is right up next. This song starts with some really cool vocals over piano. Alternatively, compared to what came before, back to super optimistic, though, of course, knowing Neal and where he's coming from theologically/philosophically, this is ironic. A great song though, regardless. Very infectious melodies throughout, in the verse and chorus. I feel some more Styx, but mixed with some Beatlesesque, thankfully and unsurprisingly. Bright Second Wave Prog meets Psych Pop here--but significantly more the former. Love the instrumentation at the end. Sort of... Fair-like. How 'bout that! haha.

Close to the closing out of the compilation, we have the very heavy "I Got to Run". But... the verse... hmmm... The second verse is better than the first haha. I think because the instrumentation there is fuller, as it is before and between the verses (which is metallic and... just real good). I will still say that the verses are still super weak compared to all else. The chorus is pretty solid though. All falls away after the middle. And we have a different lead vocalist--very interesting voice. Almost Gabriel-esque? I can't place it. Finally, we have the upbeat and bright "The Great Adventure". The instrumentation here, for me, is much superior to the vocal parts. The latter is fine. The former is excellent. Great synth solo. And Mike's backbeat is complex and so tasteful over, specifically, the second, very weird synth solo. I love that.

So yeah, of course, unsurprisingly, at their worst here the NMB is either not too too interesting or provide less than satisfactory vocal melodies, but almost always, quite consistently, the instrumentation is Prog par excellence, really. Unsurprising.

True Rate: 3.75/5.00

"Viva Emptiness" is the 6th full-length studio album by Swedish alternative/doom/progressive rock/metal act Katatonia. The album was released through Peaceville Records in April 2003. It´s the successor to "Last Fair Deal Gone Down" from 2001 and features the same five-piece lineup who recorded the predecessor. It was the first time in Katatonia´s history (up until then) that they had the same lineup on two consecutive album releases. 15 tracks were written and recorded during the sessions, and 13 tracks made the album. "Wait Outside" did not appear on the original version of the album, but appears on later reissues, and was first made available on the 2005 "The Black Sessions" compilation album. "Consternation", which ended up being re-recorded and released on "The Great Cold Distance (2006)", didn´t make the cut for "Viva Emptiness" either.

The 13 tracks which did make the cut for the album, are a very interesting and quite different listen from the material on "Last Fair Deal Gone Down (2001)". While the band did come into their own on the predecessor they weren´t completely done developing their sound, and while "Viva Emptiness" overall continues the alternative rock/metal style with a melancholic atmosphere of "Last Fair Deal Gone Down (2001)", it´s generally a darker, heavier, and more gritty release. Keyboards have a more central place in the soundscape along with heavy guitars, powerful drumming, and Jonas Renkse´s soft voice and melancholic lyrics and delivery. The music is very dynamic though and the band still perfectly master the contrasts of light/dark and heavy/mellow.

"Viva Emptiness" opens with the strong trio of tracks "Ghost of the Sun", "Sleeper", and "Criminals" and the high quality generally continues on the remaining tracks of the album (a few tracks are slightly sup par to the best material on the album, but it´s a minor issue). Other highlights include "Burn the Remembrance", "Evidence", and the beautiful melancholic "Omerta". The instrumental "Inside the City of Glass" closes the album on a highly atmospheric note, and it appears a bit strange to me, that the band would chose to add vocals/lyrics to that particular track (which is perfect as it is) on the 10th anniversary version of the album. Truth be told I haven´t heard the version with vocals yet though, so it may be great, and I´m just complaining because I´m a grumpy old man...

"Viva Emptiness" features a dark, gritty, and relatively raw sounding production, although everything is audible in the mix. It´s just compared to the last couple of releases, the volume has definitely been dialed to 11 and sometimes the loud distorted parts are pretty noisy. Personally I enjoy the heaviness of the sound and the attitude Katatonia display on "Viva Emptiness", but it´s a bit less subtle than what is generally heard on the direct predecessor. "Viva Emptiness" marks the end of what I consider the mark II era of Katatonia, as they would change their sound again on "The Great Cold Distance (2006)". In that respect "Viva Emptiness" is a playful transition release, which shows Katatonia toying with time signatures, new timbres and dynamics, keyboards/synths/programming, and overall adventurous songwriting. This is anything but formulaic and it´s one of the more demanding, intriguing, and eclectic releases in the band´s discography. To my ears it´s their magnum opus. A 5 star (100%) rating is deserved.

(Originally posted on Metal Music Archives)

"Hushed and Grim" is the 8th full-length studio album by US progresive/sludge/heavy metal act Mastodon. The album was released through Reprise Records in October 2021. It´s the successor to "Emperor of Sand" from 2017 and it´s the band´s first double album (although such a description almost doesn´t make sense anymore in these digital release times), featuring no less than 15 tracks and a total playing time of 86:17 minutes. It´s a lot of material and probably a result of the long recording and touring break caused by the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. They wouldn´t be the first act to have been extra creative during those special circumstances.

"Hushed and Grim" features a progressive metal sound that is unmistakably the sound of Mastodon (although at its least heavy it´s closer to alternative rock than metal). The busy, organic, and innovative drumming, the distinct sounding guitar riffs (lots of open string chords), and the vocal style. Mastodon used to play a far more aggressive and technically challenging progressive sludge metal style, but the last many albums have featured a more accessible, melodic, and sometimes even laid back style of music. Mastodon can still deliver the occassionally harder edged, heavy, and raw section, but it´s almost always accompanied by a memorable melodic chorus, a mellow psychadelic tinged section, or an adventourus progressive structured part. The fact that the album features lead vocals by three of the four members (and backing vocals by guitarist Bill Kelliher), makes the vocal part of the album relatively varied. While it´s not the dominant vocal style anymore, there at still some pretty raw vocals on the album, but the vocals are often more mellow, melodic, and laid back in nature.

Pick any individual track from "Hushed and Grim", and you´ll find that any track you pick is a quality composition, but to my ears 15 tracks and a total playing time of 86:17 minutes are an excess of material and playing time, and the album does overstay its welcome when listened to in one sitting. The album is a quality product in every other way, featuring brilliant musical performances, adventurous songwriting, and a powerful and detailed sound production, so other than the fact that Mastodon should probably have shown restraint and culled a few tracks from the album, "Hushed and Grim" is still an enjoyable listen and a 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

(Originally posted on Metal Music Archives)

"The First Day" was a real turning point in Karcius's career, since with the entry of Sylvain Auclair on bass and vocals, they left their instrumental stage behind to focus on sung songs.

And the result was for my taste the best they did to date. They still needed to reach the maturity that they have achieved in the later "The Fold" and "Grey White Silver Yellow and Gold", but things were pointing pretty well.

Here we still have compositions quite anchored in jazz and it shows that some of them were intended as instrumentals before the voices were added, but the result is still quite stimulating for a transition album.

Recommended!

Best Tracks: Rest My Head (I like the string arrangements), The Word (a very powerful opening that then gets a little cloudy in the jumble of instrumentals) and Water (I especially like the Hammond organ solo and the good and heavy instrumental section after that)

My Rating: ***

"Tormato" is some kind of logical continuation of "Going for the One".

Not only did the band repeat the same line-up, but they also deepened their vocation for shorter and more direct songs. This time, they don't even include a long song like Awaken from their previous work, with the longest composition reaching less than eight minutes.

However, taking the songs individually, "Tormato" seems to me to be a more complete and compositionally superior album than "Going for The One", and I would even dare to say that for my taste it is their most enjoyable album since "Close to the Edge".

Therefore, I would encourage the listener to listen to "Tormato" without prejudices, forget about the bad fame that has always followed him, and enjoy the wonderful melodies that Howe, Wakeman and company created for this album.

Best Tracks: Future Times / Rejoice (Howe's guitar work is simply amazing, as are Wakeman's melodies towards the end), Don't Kill the Whale (one of the band's most recognizable riffs), Release Release (furious, rocking and with impressive instrumental work, drum solo included), On the Silent Wings of Freedom (the longest and most instrumentally complex composition on the album)

My Rating: ****

Since the release of the album "The Fold", the band has changed their Jazz Fusion style to a much heavier style. This new album continues in that direction. The opener "Parasite" is full of anger with a heavy atmosphere not only coming from the guitar but also from the voice of Sylvain Auclair. "Supernova" starts in acoustic mode and the intensity grows up as the song progresses in a typical heavy rock fashion. "The Ladder" is the highlight song with many twists and turns, complex time signatures, and some Pink Floyd influence. The song goes back and forth between acoustic and electric. There are some impressive drums parts and cool sounds throughout the song including some groovy bass lines and what I think could be some mellotron parts in the middle and at the end. "Cosmic Rage" is another take on Pink Floyd with a Gilmore guitar-style passage. The drums again are shining with a song that t goes into some complex patterns as the song goes. The last song the epic "Needle Tree" starts in an ambient atmosphere with their first intrusion into their Jazz root. Then it switches off to an Opeth-style groove before returning to a Jazz section and ending in a rare peaceful moment. This is another strong album from Karcius that should give them a boost to present a great show this year I hope.

— First review of this album —

Mika Rintala from Nokia, Finland, is an underground musician and DIY electronics designer. In the past he's been involved in the groups Circle and Ektroverde, but primarily he has independently recorded and released experimental music as VERDE, with collaborators on board to a various degree. On this latest album the instruments and their players are indicated unlike on [at least most of the] earlier albums, and it seems that the music is also more collaborative than Verde usually is. Still we're dealing with pretty abstract, improvisatory avant/ free-jazz/ Krautrock, but perhaps slightly easier to digest in comparison to an average Verde album.

The Finnish-language track titles draw from fauna and flora with a twist of nonsense. The opening piece 'Heinävilla' is heady free-form Krautrock for drums, bass and synth. Saxophone-oriented 'Sammalpuus' could be regarded as jazz, although it stays firmly on the free jazz territory. The soundscape is delightfully spacy, making it easy to follow for example Rintala's bass lines. An interesting additional feature is the wordless singing (by Hanna Trygg) on this track and on the majority of the 61½-minute album. The fairly pleasant female voice is used as an instrument among other instruments and doesn't really steal the attention, but for me it somehow helps to "get into" some of the pieces, and the same could be said about Jouni Joronen's sax on three tracks or Rintala's horn on 'Kalasorsa'. This is worth mentioning since it's usually the dominant saxophone playing that irritates me on free jazz.

There are some very dissonant moments, too. 'Tukkahirvi' featuring the etnographic instrument called jouhikko frankly leaves me cold, despite the vocalising. Guitar, played by Rintala, appears on two tracks only. 'Asio otus' is rather spacey and calm. The final title track (14:40) features sounds of seabirds in the beginning and without any hurry proceeds as totally improvisatory free/avant jazz to which the synth adds the sense of Cosmische Musik.

If you enjoy the most abstract and trippy Krautrock plus free jazz, have a listen!