CLASSIC ROCK SOCIETY - NEW SPECIES

This is the first "New Species" volume of Classic Rock magazine's supplementary prog sampler discs that have rapidly grown in numbers within few years. I presume the magazine gives more information on the artists of each sampler, but I have received this - and one other - separately, and therefor my review won't be very informative. Instead I'm approaching this solely as a listening experience.

FREQUENCY DRIFT, one of those I've just heard the name of. 'Tempest' is a dreamy and melancholic track that continues four minutes before the female vocals arrive. The chorus repeating "fierce (fears?) the tempest" sticks out as more intense. A great 10-minute track that makes me interested in the band. - Norwegian WHITE WILLOW, Metal-oriented prog band with female vocals, I already know more or less. The track has some fine keyboard work and a nice but short guitar solo, while the song itself leaves me a bit cold. - DAY SIX is depressive Metal, not much to impress me. Or wait, that proggy instrumental section stepping further from the Metal style is pretty good.

WOBBLER is a highly appreciated Norwegian prog band with lots of nearly Gentle Giant-ish complexity and a strong YES flavour in sound. 'La Bealtaine' (7:53) shows their skills in an economic form and is a perfect choice for a sampler. - CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX, haven't heard before. A cross between Muse and Porcupine Tree perhaps. They try hard to sound original and occasionally - without the wailing vocals - they also succeed in it. - Australian UNITOPIA play pop-oriented modern cleanly produced prog. Longish 'What Kind of World' has many good things but slightly too much of quite average vocals.

Who's PAUL MENEL? His chosen track is tightly packed pop song with an ambitious sonic texture. Some less of political voice samples would do, thanks. - MORPHEUS RISING: what else can I say than that they sound to me like dozens of other Metal bands. - The U.S. artist PHIDEAUX I have already an interest in; having heard two albums I think 'Tempest of Mutiny' isn't Phideaux at his best, especially on the vocals. - And finally KONCHORDAT (??), whose 'Panic Room' (9:20) is abbreviated here. It's so exhaustingly full of energy and in-your-face edginess that I'm not encouraged to find out more.

"No moths were harmed in the making of this CD!" I like the covers of this series (that echo TALK TALK's The Colour of Spring - perhaps unintentionally). Musically this volume has some great things and some not exactly up to my taste. I've listened to many worse compilations, so three stars are easily earned.