One of my fondest memories of exploring adventerous music, was my foray into the music from Chile. I just kept discovering bands and albums that resonated with me, almost forcing me to continue exploring. Good memories. LOS JAIVAS might be the most well known of all the bands from Chile that I checked out. A talented Folk band that relies on a lot of ethnic instruments. Of the few albums that I have heard from this band, this one from 1981 stands head and shoulders above them all. Now consider that I am not a true Folk fan, I don't have the patience. So like most Folk albums that I'm a fan of, this isn't a pure Folk album.

And that really surprised me, I didn't see this coming based on what I had heard already. But the electric guitar, drums and mini moog in particular takes this album well beyond your typical all acoustic Folk records. This album excites me, partly because all five musicians add ethnic instruments, and half the time I don't even know what I am hearing. All are multi-instrumentalists. And their history is so interesting, with them living in Chile at first, then over to Argentina, then to France where this record was created and recorded.

It's worth reading Silly Puppy's review where he describes the background to this recording. It's just incredible the amount of work and hours that went into this. They were approached about doing this record, to which they declined, knowing that this was going to be a monumental experience that would be time and life consuming. They were hounded. Eventually accepting, and putting aside the record they were working on. This record is about the ruins in Peru, using the poetic texts from Pablo Neruda who was also from Chile.

My favourite tracks are the two shortest pieces that open and close the album. But my third favourite is that longest song at over 11 minutes, that is quite adventerous. And have you ever heard of a band opening their album with a song that they aren't even playing on? Well, that's the fact here as Alberto Ledo is the one man show on "Delaire Alaire". A fascinating track despite just being over 2 minutes long. Again it's those ethnic sounds that are so interesting. Pan flute, flute and percussion lead the way.

The closer "Final" at 2 1/2 minutes features piano and vocals. And it has this strange Symphonic vibe, almost like GENESIS with the vocals oddly enough. This one is different from the rest. And how about the waves of piano melodies on it? I've never heard that before. Besides that long 11 minute track I mentioned earlier, the other song that stands out is "Agula Sideral". It's almost haunting early but then brighter sounds arrive. Vocals will become the focus later, after the piano and percussion lead. The 11 minute track has some powerful moments with the electric guitar and passionate vocals. But this is a ride. An explosion ends it, which seems appropriate.

This was an absolute pleasure. And no doubt this record will be part of my "best of" Folk list, if I get to it. One of the most talented bands I've had the pleasure of hearing. They formed in 1963, first record 1971, last one 2001, but still playing live up until recently. A lifetime of creating and playing music. I want to rate this higher, but there's the other three songs that aren't on the level of my top four.

debut album by the legendary Canterbury group Hatfield And The North, probably one of the most iconic and unsurpassed masters of the genre. Comprising of keyboardist Dave Stewart, guitarist Phil Miller, bassist / vocalist Richard Sinclair and drummer Pip Pyle, with guests like reedman Geoff Leigh (Henry Cow), vocalist Robert Wyatt and others, they recorded what is considered to be the ultimate Canterbury masterpiece. The album represents everything that the genre stands for: brilliant melodies, strange harmonies, superb musicianship, quirk rhythmic patterns and a good dash of British humor. It is difficult to pinpoint why this album and its follow up turned out to be the genre's icons, but the fact that they are the first thing that come to mind when Canterbury is mentioned speaks for itself. Whatever the reasons, this is an absolute classic album, which lost nothing of its intrinsic beauty and musical perfection over time. A definite Canterbury essential 4.0

It is good to see this as the most popular album in the last twenty-four hours. Lush and satiated cosmic soundscapes to start the album and then back to the earth (or back from "out" to "in") as the album progresses. Masterful meditation on limits, infinity and afterlife. The best Moody Blues lyrics ever, and they are not as pretentious as it is often presented, in fact the closing Watching and Waiting is an exercise in humility. The balance between the substance and the ornaments is superbly maintained throughout the album, Out and In and Eternity Road being the most outstanding tracks with miles of space inbetween the mellotron and the other instruments. And so many beautiful moments on this one: the Floating/ EyesII segue, the mellotron flutes on Beyond, Hayward's heavenly guitar tone on Eternity Road, the bends on Sun Is Still Shining, the mellotron climax on Watching and Waiting. Definitely in top three Moody Blues albums.5.0

The context is now inseparable from the art. David Bowie's unexpected death days after the release of Blackstar was a shocking departure from one of the most influential rock stars of all time. Now understood to be a parting gift from the legend, as a final statement Blackstar has few rivals. Previous album The Next Day was mostly a return to form for Bowie, but felt a bit cold and removed. In contrast, the dark Blackstar finds Bowie as emotive as ever. An artist who often transcended within the guise of alternate personas, the version found here is the real David Bowie. Joined by an excellent supporting cast of avant jazz musicians, they create a world that is both manic and haunting. The feel good pop of a "Modern Love" or "Changes" often associated with Bowie will not be found on Blackstar. It's an album more akin to the deranged experimental Bowie found on late 70s albums such as Lodger and Heroes. It's not just incredible because he was giving his all in his final days on earth, but in that this should go down amongst his most perfect of albums. If it's not on the level of masterpieces Hunky Dory, Ziggy Stardust and Low, it's really not that far off. 4.5

The Redemption of the Prophet

Cheat The Prophet, formed by brothers Matt Mizenko (bass, guitars, keys, vocals) and Todd Mizenko (guitars, keys, vocals), plus longtime friend and collaborator Jamie Boruch (drums, percussion), were once part of prog acts Ars Nova and Nepenthe. Now, with Redemption, they're back with a mix of old-school progressive ambition and a more modern neo-prog sound. Think IQ, Porcupine Tree, Steve Morse and others great neo acts . Despite the variety of influences, the band sounds really good.

Redemption is six tracks long, just under 38 minutes, but it's packed with rich musical textures analog keyboards, strong bass lines, great guitar work, and a very interesting drumming. The production also has a fresh, modern sound.

With Redemption , the band shows their experience in the classic prog now on the neo prog scene. Delivering decades of progressive and alternative influences but never fall into nostalgia they create something different. Cheat The Prophet takes risk with real emotional and artistic payoff.

The album opens with "Chaos," a great short-prog song full of everything we love catchy melodies, gymnastics keyboard solos, awesome bass and guitar tones, and energetic drumming. It keeps you alert and wanting more.

The second track, "Bad Bitch," tells the story of a bad, dirty woman. It has a bit of an '80s pop vibe, but it's still grounded in that strong neo-prog sound. The keyboards, drums, guitars everything is tight and well done.

"Marvelous World (Losing Season)" is the third song not my personal favorite, but still a solid track. It has a nice middle section with vocal harmonies and strong keyboard work. Acoustic piano and guitar lead most of the way, and in the final minute, finally explodes with the sound we've been waiting for.

"Paper White" (11:16) is an instrumental acoustic piece, with a bluegrass feel. It's played on a steel-string guitar in a Leo Kottke kind of style. Very cool and fits surprisingly well in the album.

The final track is "Whisper," a long 11-minute song in eight parts: i. Numbers ii. Queen of Diamonds iii. 1954 iv. Fever Dream v. Louder Than Bombs vi. Mommy Dearest vii. Revelation viii. Glory

This is my favorite song on the record. It starts with a mellotron and takes you on a kind of hypnotic trip, with sudden changes. It's about war and a turbulent life. The band sounds amazing here the playing is full of emotion, and the arrangement has a lot of great moments.

The bonus track, "Zaff's Fez," wraps things up. It's a killer instrumental that shows the whole band playing full force. A great closer.

Redemption is a strong album. The songs are well written, and the instruments are used in a smart way that lets the melodies evolve naturally. For me, "Whisper" is one of the best songs I've heard in a long time. Maybe the only weak point is brothers Mizenko lead vocals not too bad, just flat in places but it doesn't take anything away from how good the album is. If anything, it gives it character. Another standout for 2025.

at certain times and points in an artists career if they are special they reach a eureka

moment when something turns out to be bigger than the parts itself

in nearly two decades now of being lucky enough to be onboard the good plane antony from take off to landing safely and into the glorious sunshine of each and every journeys end

even I never thought I would be stepping aboard concord and a supersonic experience as the usual process of initially listening to a short instrumental demo would take us to the incredible heights of OMNI.

As the short track expanded to some 30 minutes of the most wondrous melodies and musical shifts

we had reached the point where the demo would now turn to serious mode all his musicians would come and board the magic would continue to build and some four to six weeks later

the latest musical masterpiece would be finished

but not this time the instrumental music was just the starter for the vocal passages which

turn the album into a truly inspirational and exhilarating art rock opera

one by one I was listening to the demo vocals of some of the best front men in the business

richard sinclair and marco gluhmann just for starters along with instrumental additions from flautist john hackett and guitaring from

mysterys michel st pere amongst others

the final vocal being that of my long time dear friend per malmberg of salva fame

it seemed antony had moved on to a level even I was not expecting as the album was now

something much bigger than one could have imagined

I am very rarely lost for words but the end product had me speechless for once in my long lifetime

now you the listener have the chance too to listen to this magnificent monster of an album

so over to you folks and beware this music is seriously addictive the only known cure

is to give in to the temptation and play it again and again as the late great john lennon used to say please tell your friends " all we are saying is give OMNI a chance "

The early-90s collaboration between the talents of David Sylvian and Robert Fripp has birthed a marvelous exploration of elegiac art rock infused with improvisational bits and unorthodox rhythmic disruptions. The 1993 album 'The First Day' is composed of seven pieces of music whose style ranges from free-form funk to dazzling guitar improvisations as the duo is joined by stick player Trey Gunn, who would later join a new iteration of King Crimson as well as drummer Jerry Marotta and percussionist Marc Anderson, with David Bottril producing the record. After Fripp had invited Sylvian to form a new King Crimson, the latter had instead redirected the opportunity to a studio and live project, hence anticipating what would become 'The First Day', one of the most brilliant and overlooked albums of that decade, a record that oversees the fascinating merge of two of the most ingenious talents of the past two decades.

'God's Monkey' is the first song on this album, an artsy rock/pop tune with fine melodies and minimal but sufficiently dazzling amounts of Fripp-style picking, only a taster of what is about to come. It becomes immediately obvious how well-suited Sylvian's vocals are to the rich and disjointed guitar sweeps of Robert Fripp. A quirky single follows in the face of 'Jean the Birdman', a song that almost exhibits a pop sensibility, definitively contrasting with the avant-garde 10-minute suite 'Firepower', originating from a live jam and greatly extended in the studio, with prominent contributions from Fripp. The dynamics of 'Brightness Fall', on the other hand, certainly evoke a familiarity with the music on 'THRAK', which would come a bit later, while the textured piece '20th Century Dreaming' is another jam-based movement filled with mesmerizing passages. The centerpiece here has to the 18-minute 'Darshan', a piece based on a repetitive rhythmic pattern with various guitar-based, electronic and vocal pieces developing over it, leading to an intense and challenging but gorgeous piece of experimental rock, followed only by one of Fripp's ambient pieces, 'Bringing Down the Light'. A majestic collaboration truly in the spirit of progressive, this album is avant-garde and disruptive, but also beautiful and enchanting.

There is something bemusing about the abstract and dissonant sounds on Anekdoten's second studio album 'Nucleus', a 1995 recording recorded by the same lineup as the band's fantastic debut release 'Vemod'. Now, this band is one of the jewels of the underground progressive rock revival of the 90s and the immense qualities of their entire catalogue are undisputed. However, not every single corner of that catalog is as brilliant as that exemplary debut album, and the first sings of "sonic dissolution" are to be found on 'Nucleus'. Generally expanding the sounds established with the previous album, this recording features updated variations of that manic, abrasive and riff-heavy approach to progressive rock, preserving the sweeping mellotrons as well as the unfiltered melancholy of the band's lyrics and lonesome soundscapes, which makes this a great follow-up that indicates the extent of experimentation within the Anekdoten formula.

Nevertheless, 'Nucleus' jumps back and forth between impressive and memorable songs and some inconsistent compositions, which results in a somewhat mixed critical reception, with some fans enjoying the degree of frivolous experimentation, while others would prefer a more discernible rock sound. One feature of this album, characteristic of its separation from 'Vemod', is the focus on heavy writing, with many of the instrumental sections on here approaching what might be seen as avant-prog with their upfront heavy guitars and massive bass tones, resulting in some truly wild and even violent passages. Opener 'Nucleus' is a good example of that dynamic and heavy style, together with the shorter instrumental 'Rubankh'. Longer songs like 'Book of Hours' and 'This Far from the Sky' rely on a steady build-up and a sudden explosive burst of sounds, all while the mellotrons penetrate the music. The desperate mood of the wallowing 'Here' and closing track 'In Freedom' definitely seems to be a reminiscence of 'Vemod', while 'Harvest' remains the most chaotic song of them all. Weighing out everything this album offers, one could certainly conclude that 'Nucleus' is a stunner, an excellent and heavy offering from a band establishing a style of their own.

Thrashed-up prog metal and Jurassic theology prevail on Charlie Griffiths' second solo release 'Gods of Pangaea', as the Haken guitar player adopts the name of his debut album as his artistic moniker for this 2025 project. This is a direct and really fine follow-up to the 2022 'Tiktaalika' album, with many of the fabulous vocalists making their returning appearances on 'Gods of Pangaea', delivering an even more unbridled, cathartic performance as this gorgeous album marks a greater influence from 80s thrash metal, with Megadeth being one of the ostensible references. The eight tracks making up the album vary from standard-length pieces to lengthier epics that explore different movements, riffs and chord progressions, on an album that definitely not only preserves but expands the prog-metal pedigree of its creator and aims to act as a bridging entity between the seemingly incompatible worlds of thrash and prog.

Opener 'Tyrannicide' is a fast-paced, riff-heavy rocker that introduces a more classic metal feel, definitely one of the more aggressive numbers on here. This is followed by the 9-minute-long title track, a quirkier and more technically adept piece with memorable hooks and a great chorus, leading the listener to the gnarly 'The Forbidden Zone', with the album once again returning to a more riff-driven thrash sound with some harsh vocals swiveling around the heavy guitars. 'Mesozoic Mantras' is one of the highlights of the album, a more technical number that exhibits a dense, layered and intricate sound, very prominent in today's progressive metal. Then comes the Anthrax-ish 'Fault Lines' and the catchy 'Give Up the Ghost', both of which are more straightforward. The eighth track is a gorgeous and heavy ride, with the instantly recognizable vocals of Tommy Rogers from BTBAM. The final track is a fun instrumental, a very labyrinthian riff rampage. The entire record is very consistent and perhaps even more illustrative of Griffiths' songwriting skills than its predecessor, a welcome and well-executed blend of prog metal with thrash and groove metal influences.

— First review of this album —

Hey, Porcupine Tree fans....

If Closure/Continuation left you a bit cold or underwhelmed in 2022, if you've longed for an album that evokes what you felt in the days of Stupid Dream and Deadwing, you might wish to check out an Italian release from 2023 called Church. The oddly named eating.seats released their debut back in 2008, and it sounded a bit like an homage to early Pink Floyd with their own twist. Very promising debut. It would take 15 years for their follow-up second album to drop, but the results are worth the wait. And if you happen to be a fan of early-2000s Porcupine Tree, you are gonna need to hear this one.

Honestly, if you asked AI to create you an album that sounded like early/mid 2000s Porcupine Tree but with a slight Italian accent on the vocal, I suspect it might sound like Church. In no way is that intended as disrespect to eating.seats. I'm simply trying to give a quick general understanding of their sound, and that's what I hear. The fact is that I love this album. The songs are heavy and rocking, the moods melancholy but hopeful, dreamy. I feel as if I have found some lost PT album that evokes some of the pleasure I remember when I heard stuff like Deadwing and Fear of a Blank Planet and Stupid Dream for the first time all those years ago. Not only does the guitar style mirror the hyper-smooth/slight fuzz/heavy riffing of PT, but the vocalist sounds a bit similar to Wilson as well. They even layer on the gorgeous harmony technique Wilson perfected on those albums. The last track deviates the most from this sound, moving to a fairly traditional post-rock shimmering/swelling buildup and release. It's an effective closer that brings things down a notch from what is generally a pretty heavy album.

This is a thoroughly satisfying album for fans of spacey, heavy, modern prog in the Wilson-esque universe of sound. Kudos for the very XTC/Dukes of Stratosphear sounding song titles which amused me.