Everything seemed to come together for Clive Stevens when he moved to America to further his education on the saxaphone. At the Berklee College Of Music he was in the same class as Ralph Towner and John Abercrombie which certainly had a lot to do with this. His two classmates would introduce him to like minded muscians and the ideas and creative juices started to flow. An exciting time not just for Stevens but for fans of the electric side of jazz. There was enough inspiration for two studio albums both released in 1974, but the debut was recorded early in 1972.

And what a debut! Having the MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA rhythm section didn't hurt, or Steve Kahn adding 6 and 12 string guitars. And while the lineup on album number two is not nearly as sexy, the performances speak for themselves. Michael Carvin is on drums while David Earl Johnson(Jan Hammer Group) adds percussion. There is no second guitarist this time around as Abercrombie and Towner add the acoustics here this time, while the former plays mostly electric. Stu Woods is on bass. The album title was inspired by a dream that Clive had about travelling to Uranus.

Like the debut this was recorded in New York City but this time at The Record Plant. In the liner notes Clive mentions that "The ambience of the session was absolute extraordinary and I will never forget those cosmic moments." So on both albums we have the core trio of Stevens, Abercrombie and Towner. The latter adds clavinet and 12 string this time but no ring modulator on that electric piano like on the debut. And there is a different mood on this latest. You could call this one more mature sounding I suppose but it's also not as impressive or adventerous.

My top three includes the opener "Shifting Phases" where a bass line is joined quickly by guitar followed by sax and electric piano. And we are off! So much going on here and we're moving at a good pace. Nice guitar picking before 3 minutes then flute arrives with some crazy percussion in tow. Sax is back late. Great track! Next top three is "Electric Impulse" and I have to say this album does have a strong second half. This one is subdued with electric piano leading early. Sax starts to solo over top and this section is such a mind blowing display of Stevens' talents on the sax. He is using that wah-wah pedal again.

"Water Rhythms" rounds out my top three. While the sax sounds more traditional early on, this track is like three different ones. A calm at 2 minutes signals a new section then check out the crying sax before 4 minutes. Some punishing bass as the electric piano then leads. Sax is back late and a big finish. I do like "Cultural Release" a lot with Abercrombie trading off with Towners' clavinet before the sax joins in. Lots of solos on this one including a short drum solo. Abercrombie really impresses me on the moody "Inner Spaces & Outer Places". Not big on the french titled track. It's fairly light with flute. More flute led music on the closer and the title track.

A four star album for sure, but give me the more inventive and exciting debut.

Originally scheduled to be part a 2nd disc for the Up The Downstair release, Voyage 34 as eventually axed to make UTD a single disc release. We have long, free-form ambient jams as all songs clock in between 13 and 19 minutes. The two shorter, opening songs combine for a good 30-minute musical experience. If the album consisted of only these 2 songs it would be a4-star rating from me.

But songs 3 and 4 combine for nearly 40 minutes and are not nearly as compelling. These are often formless ambient excursions with little for listeners to grab onto. Both of these are 2-star songs for me.

So when you combine all 4 songs I give it a 3-star rating but honestly, the two good songs make it a compelling purchase. The Delerium Years boxset include Voyage 34 for anyone interested in that set.

Selling England by the Pound is the album that got me into prog and I think it's the album that represents the genre the best. It's always the album I give to newbies who want to know what prog is. Besides the fact it's an amazing intro to prog, it's also just one of the best prog albums in general and is the peak of Genesis.

Dancing With The Moonlit Knight is an amazing intro. It might not be Genesis's greatest song ever, but it does everything an intro song wants to do. (8/8)

I Know What I Like is obviously the weakest song on it, and one of the rare pop song Genesis did in that era. It's a decent song, not much more. (2/4)

Firth Of Fifth is peak, peak of everything. It's in my opinion one of the essential prog pieces of all time. The piano intro and the guitar solo are both out of this world. It's one of my favorite song of all time (9/9)

More Fool Me is a soft piece, and the first lead vocals of Collins. I think it's a wonderful little track, tho can't compete with the rest of the album (2/3)

The Battle Of Epping Forest is probably one of their most complex song ever. There's a lot of stuff going on, sometimes even too much. I love the middle 6/8 part but it's not a perfect song. (10/12)

After The Ordeal is Hackett's follow up to the great Horizons, and it delivers. Hackett on classical guitar will always be something I love, and the electric solo is just as great. (4/4)

The Cinema Show is the other essential masterpiece on this album. The 7/8 keyboard solo at the end is iconic and one of the great keyboard solo ever (Banks was on fire on this album) (11/11)

Aisle of Plenty is a reprise of Moonlit Knight and closes the album wonderfully. It's a pretty short track but this album is already pretty song so it's fine. (2/2)

FINAL SCORE: 48/53 = 90. Pretty Easy 5 stars, one of the greatest way to start in Prog

One of several archival live discs originally put out on the magnificent The Road boxed sets (as part of the 40th Anniversary Henry Cow box) before being reissued individually (and in the Cow Box Redux). As the title implies, this is a grab-bag performances from late in Henry Cow's existence. All recorded in 1978, these pieces - including their appearance at the seminal Rock In Opposition festival they played a key hand in bringing together - finds them in their post-Dagmar Krause mostly-instrumental configuration, barrelling towards the studio sessions which would see them finishing off Western Culture before calling it a day. It's a gripping last live hurrah from a group whose live exploits those boxed sets finally brought to light.

— First review of this album —

Suzi James is a star in my books, proving once and for all, that age is just a number, nothing more, nothing less. Fluent with both guitars , bass and keyboards, as well as flute, violin oud, mandolin and occasional kitchen sinks, Suzi keeps both drummer Sharon Petrover as well as lead vocalist Yael Shotts involved, as with her previous album and cleverly titled "The Difficult Second". She does enlist American wunderkind Warr guitarist Mark Cook (Chakra Vidmana, Gayle Ellett and the Electromags and Herd of Instinct among many others) to play on the 7th track. If you are looking for symphonic bombast, heavy doom-laden progressive, zeuhl or RIO , you are not going to find your nirvana. In fact, most if not all her music is inherently positive, upbeat, and plain old fun. We certainly can use some stress-free enjoyment from time to time, no?

The opening "One by One" demonstrates these intentions to a tee, with classy instrumental interventions that seek only to express the joy of playing for the thrill of it all. Zero pretentiousness, just natural enjoyment within a sturdy rock, jazz-fusion element, shuttled by slick drumming and crystal-clear vocals. All the subsequent tracks behave as pages within a chapter, with endless twists , and utter cleverness, like on "Hard as Diamonds" which may imply a weighty tune, when in fact it is closer to a sunshiny breeze while hiking through the Lake District! James shoots off a sensational bass line, electrifying guitar pikes, wondrous keyboard fills , with Yael showing clearly, she can sing with the best of them.

Suzi keeps the expectation level high, careful not to stay within the same furrow, lest any kind of distraction should meander in. As the title may hint at, "The Demented Third" is more than simple instrumental noodling, in fact a rather tortuous arrangement that sits between all kinds of benchmarks, from blues-based rock with a hint of BOC to a guitar-driven sizzle mid-section, so as to demonstrate her abilities and rightly so. Musical chairs time, she sets up a sensual bass groove up front and central, Andy Summers-like axe slashes, and the magical flute to further her cause. Petrover does his thing on the drum kit with precise abandon, and the demented final segment shuts the door for good. Lovely stuff .

Both "On the Street Today" and "Someone" fit into an easy-listening vocal centric frame of mind, the first showcasing a short but surreal guitar venture, while the second gets the mood into spy thriller mode for a second, before taking the exit into a romantic lane, looking up at the stars and dreaming of only pleasant things. Some frantic playing by James and Petrover keep the tempo on fire, jaunty and excitable.

Taking inspiration from Scottish folklore, the tingling "The Dance of the Ghillie Dhu " refers to a faerie, an intangible forest lifeforce that allegedly continues to inhabit the Highlands , and as such, serenely bathes in Celtic luxuriance, vocally penetrating, while musically dreamy and reverential. The violin takes its place next to the tricky acoustic guitar and mandolin chords , a wonderful trespass into the past. Easily a highpoint on the album.

The next three shorter tracks continue in the same vein as the two earlier twinned pieces. No need to hire an expert and ask why there are no vocals on "There Are no Words", it's a jazzy instrumental rumble, accenting both the wondrous e-piano, and an e-guitar technique reminiscent of Allan Holdsworth, as Mark Cook bends the strings like an eagle with its sharp talons. Totally cool track. Back to romantic ballad time, as "Everything and Nothing" is a plaintive reminiscence of love's ability to be an emotional roller-coaster, knowledgeably evoked by Yael, using her most sorrowful timbre. The criminally tasty "Theme for an Imaginary Cop Show" really suggests any old-school US based constabulary drama soundtrack, with a slight Southern glimpse as if suggesting the Alabama State police were in on the chase. The cool e-piano and slick drum work combines with the guitar-led highway pursuit, enough thrills and spills to crash a few Dodge Chargers and Roadrunners in the process . Beep beep.

Wondering just how progressive this release is ? Well, the 10-minute epic "The Tears of the Gods" comes down from the sacred mount, bringing the stone tables of the progressive pantheon, and shaming the disbelievers who dared to worship the country music deities. Patience, my faithless patients! The buzzing electric guitar caves an archeological theme , Yael singing her truthful sermon with devout detail. Suzi takes her burning bush guitar from the shores of the Nile deep into the sonic Sinai Peninsula, 40 years of wandering turned into 10 minutes of proggy bliss. Sand swept synthesizers eventually lead the listener to the beckoning frontiers of the verdant promised land. Kept the best for last. Bravo.

A refreshing stress-free upbeat release that should find a place in any collection. 4.5 sacred continuations

An excellent album and a must have for fans of classic era Yes.

Jon's voice is in great form, he was 78 when this was recorded. The band are top-notch musicians, a special mention for the bass player who channels Chris Squire brilliantly.

The setlist is similar to Yessongs, except with Siberian Khattru, Long Distance Runaround/The Fish and The Six Wives excepts missing. In their place are The Gates of Derilium and Awaken.

One of the highlights for me is the "Wurm" section of Starship Trooper which has an amazing keyboard solo and some excellent lead guitar work.

Well worth buying if your favourite era of Yes is The Yes Album through to Going For The One.

Too flawless, too perfectly arranged, performed and engineered, in brief, too masterpiece-like to be a masterpiece. I suspect this music was not composed with real inspiration but very rationally constructed by a very cool head. Looks like the artist carefully collected all the prog cliches which have stood the test of time best of all, and combined them in neatest possible way. Only a few moments of The Book Of Hours Pt II have soul. The rest seems pre-programmed by a hypothetical soft for composing prog rock - in fact I don't know if such soft really exists, but if it does, it must produce music of the same kind as The Book Of Hours by Agropelter. Nothing but armchair academism. Just remember how emotional, thrilled, agitated, inventive - and often riskily inventive! - were most of 70s-90s prog masterpieces. And now, it came to this absolutely rational and schematical mode of writing? to a sort of 'prog sure bet' as a norm? Not an achievement I'd say. Banks and Fripp were never afraid to risk. And the 70s-90s prog heroes really knew how to make a melody. A melody, not a chosen variant from some approbated set of chords and musical phrases (do you feel the difference?). On the contrary, Mr Olsen never risks, he strictly prefers solutions which are guaranteed to meet the demands of highest standard. But a standard is nothing more than a standard, even if it's highest. In addition, Mr Olsen is quite weak in melody making. Just compare any track from the debut album by Agropelter to (for example) White Mountain from Trespass by Genesis. Strict following the win-win algorithm of prog rock instead of inventing new algorithms seems inexcusable even for well-experienced veterans like Kaipa or Spock's Beard. As for a newcomer... We all remember the times when Fripp or Emerson were newcomers. And they were revolutionists since their first steps in music. Now, in 2025, we got a debut album that brings nothing new, nothing unexpected. Well, I don't know how about anybody else, but I am dejected.

Resurgence

Back for real! As I mentioned in my recent review of 2023's Obliquizioni d'Autunno. Prima che l'Aquilone se ne Voli Via, I believed Cormorano were savoring the chance to have a second act, another shot at exploring new creative impulses beyond material they wrote decades ago. I had hoped they would return for another album and, lo and behold, they were apparently already working on it! The core band is the same as the 2023 album lineup with the exception of Michele Zanni taking over on guitar (and his playing is killer).

Reiterating what I just wrote about these guys, Cormorano's sound has often been compared to RPI legends, Area, but the connection is probably too tidy and convenient. Yes, Regoli does sound remarkably like his old friend and mentor Demetrio Stratos, but the two bands and the songs themselves differ a fair bit. I would say Area were more strident in pushing toward avant-garde areas of prog rock. Cormorano will head in that direction occasionally, certainly, but they also have their own style, which is a bit more melodic, a bit more understated, and yet no less satisfying. They are still quite unique and hard to compare to other current prog rock bands, but I would put them in the orbit of Altare Thotemico, another current group with a bold and enigmatic frontman, vibrant songwriting, and pure musical adventure.

"Pax MSG from Universe" starts the show at its most difficult, a jarring, dissonant mix of otherworldly vocalization and "Grand Vizier's Garden Party's" afterparty. They come back to earth after that opening, but they never get truly conventional. While Cormorano embrace the most accomplished and serious of the '70s RPI scene, particularly the fusion and brass-flavored outfits, they have become very effective at crafting a new and fulfilling presentation in the modern era. These last two albums may confuse or alienate on your first couple spins as they are challenging and actually progressive rock, but if you give them some patience, they will reward you.

I used to consider Cormorano just an oddity in the RPI canon based on knowing only "Giro Tondo," but with these two recent albums, they have now confidently assumed a role in the wing of modern RPI that still wishes to push the envelope. This is not a band for those wanting the pretty symphonic Italian rock, pop-prog, or the prog-metal influenced bands. Cormorano is an updated vehicle for fans of the most serious and saucy RPI, for those who crave the experimental spirit of bands like Area, Stormy Six, S.A.D.O, Officina Meccanica, or Gruppo D'alternativa. And they manage to invoke such lofty creative company while actually crafting music that is a bit more mature if you will. That's not to say those older bands were immature, but that Cormorano of today has this broader musical maturity or wisdom or refinement that, even in the experimental wing, gives them another attribute to appreciate. In other words, they can make the difficult and the challenging quite easy to dig.

Put another way, what wins me over on both recent albums is not simply the experimental edge, but the sneaky excellence of the playing underneath it all, the not-immediately-obvious undercurrents. The songs and the playing are so well constructed and nuanced as to leave a listener somewhat perplexed at the end of a listening session, yet anxious to get back to it again for another try. For gents who are the age of the older members of the "Cormorano Reunion" as they refer to themselves on social media, coming up with two excellent progressive works back-to-back in the 2020s is a legacy to be truly proud of. Highly recommended to RPI fans.

Way back in the summer of 1973, I was introduced to Gentle Giant by new musician friends who were looking for a singer and listening and trying playing some songs of this band that I didn't know (especially Peel The Paint and Wreck). It was really hard but great to try. Then, later in the year, just before Christmas, I had the chance, if I can say because I was living in Montreal, QC, Canada, to buy the new long play of Gentle Giant, In A Glass House, at a record store where there was a lot of import vinyl. Since then, for me, this extraordinary progressive music stands as the perfect one in this genre.

After the release of Dronne in 2016, singer Sharron Fortnam left the band. The following Folly Bololey album (2019) was a bit of an outlier in the NSRO discography, covering songs from Robert Wyatt's Rock Bottom with a guest singer. Despite many years of waiting and Chantelle Pike as a new singer, Special Powers feels very much like picking up where Dronne left, and very much in line with the band's earlier work, with even Pike's singing very similar to Sharron Fortnam.

Craig Fortnam, still major composer of the band, strikes gold with many tunes here. All the non-instrumental songs have wonderful melodies and tasteful arrangements and composition. Very addictive all this! NSRO fans like me will for sure love this. There are three instrumentals, two of which are very short (the Guitar Miniature no. 5 is just that, and only has Fortnam on acoustic guitar) and just provide some contrast. The opener Mansions in Eternity is a longer almost classical composition at almost 8 minutes with strings and woodwind, taking some time to set the scene and start the album off very gently.

Generally the music is more a fusion between classical chamber music and folk melodies and songwriting, with very little rock in there. Modern elements are used very economically with a little bit more prominence in the very end. And what an end that is!

Those who know their earlier work will wonder whether "less rock more chamber music" is even possible, but let me assure you, it is (on the second track Hearty they are as punchy as it gets from them though). Like earlier albums of the NSRO, the album features the unique style of the band very confidently, and it's a joy to listen to the rich arrangements with various orchestral instruments and well arranged harmony vocals.

Overall this is a fantastic "chamber fusion" album that I love to pieces. Misses out on the fifth star just because (a) hardly any rock on it (so doesn't fit the PA five star descriptor), (b) not very revolutionary - they used these elements before (therefore listen to all of their albums if you love this!) and (c) too short. Well, actually at 37:41 not that short, but it always feels over far too soon!

Another début foray from veteran British proggers Brian Hulse (Plenty, Tim Bowness) on various guitars and keyboards, bassist David K. Jones (Bowness, solo) as well vocalist John Wilkinson (Ellesmere, The Swan Chorus, Bill Bressler, The Samurai of Prog, The Guildmaster) alongside drummer James Cooper (Mama, Moonshot) and keyboardist Antony Wretham (the Mousetrap Factory). They seek not to reinvent the prog wheel, just making it impervious to flat tires.

Both "Tomorrow" and "As Blue as the Sky " serve to establish the comfort zone, setting the parameters of what is to follow, introducing all the players. On the first one, Hulse's acoustic guitar is followed by the electric version, the rhythm section kicking butt, the organ roiling and broiling in the undertow. Yes, we are in Yes land and Going for the One. Jones' devilish bass in particular causing temporary arrhythmia, a superb musical intruder that sets the tone. The smooth instrumental section is splendidly concocted, infused with enough variety to keep any potential naysayers at bay. The second is shinier, brighter and more resonant, as the choppy percussion proves beyond any doubt. And contrary to the cover art, where the sky is earthy in colour and the ground is definitely blue, the topsy- turvy pace is what really sets this apart from all the other tracks, witness the swooning electric guitar solo from Hulse that illuminates the firmament. An elegant piano waves goodbye.

The luscious "Redemption" is the epic track that seals the deal here, a wonderfully executed slab of genius, incorporating a delicious vocal aria by Sian Doyle that exudes Celtic mystery. The piano leads the way through the foggy loch, a vivid soundscape that takes its sweet time paddling ahead in the opaque mist, a rushing organ and bold bass taking the helm elevating the overall energy . Captain Wilkinson steers the path with trepidation, in his usual Collins-like tone, while Jones' sombre bass provides the wake. The keyboards rekindle the technical mastery of Tony Banks, a harsher tone in the synthesizers, making this quite the evocative prog marathon. Had this piece been included on Abacab, well?. you can guess the rest! Magnificent.

Creating the sonic equivalent of "Autum Song" would be quite the task, as the fall season is quite sensorial, as opposed to the extremist birth, heat and cold, offered by the remaining trio. This is a harmless, very British pop ballad that would have fit on perfectly on "We Can Dance" , for example.

Reverting to more symphonic bombast on "One" can only be welcomed by applause, offering all kinds of ornamentation that hits the spot, namely an atmospheric entrance with ambient meanderings, followed by colliding rhythms, rural acoustic guitar, a pipe organ flurry, and finally the bass initiating a full-blown prog groove. Wilkinson's urgent voice 'rides the wind', all pomp and circumstance., the arrangement seductively poignant, as Cooper shifts the pulse into overdrive, synths barreling along for the extended drive. Veering into more ponderous reflections, the acoustics then lead the way for the solemn vocalizing , the ardent electric guitars adding the coup de grace (Cooper's drum stabs).

Two shorter tracks are up next , "Along Similar Lines" throttling up the piston-engine rhythmic machine into a frenzy of highway star driving thrills, laden with stinging guitar trappings, heavy bass exhaust, piano shifts and spoken voice effects. It certainly tips the needle towards the red zone, a racy slice of radar love. "Sail Towards the Sun" acts as a vocal version of the above track, instilled with ongoing movement and focused initiative. Harmony vocals add a fresh accessibility, the loopy synths and biting guitar flicks intensely playful , all wrapped into a tight melodic channel. Well crafted and enjoyable.

And a final lengthier tune, "World is Changing ", a profound thought that keeps proving that while humanity can improve on so many levels, it's also relinquishing past achievements by turning them into tragedy. All it takes is a few media-fueled socio/political manipulations, and we find ourselves still walking the tightrope. 'Along Similar Lines' is reinserted, though never clearly deciding whether the 'change' is for the better or worse. "The world is falling and seems strange' intones Mr Wilkinson, and you better believe it! The sweet synth solo exudes hope and peaceful resolution, and yet?The nervy drum fills highlight the information overload we all suffer from, unable to determine truth from lies. Home is where the heart is and will always remain. It's the world outside that needs repair and change. Excellent finale.

I found that the longer tracks were easily the most progressively expressive, as they provide the musicians with the expanse to stretch out and demonstrate their skills . The shorter ones are closer to comfort zones, more accessible and pragmatic pieces that have their own audience and certainly do not collide negatively with the weightier material. I also noticed that each subsequent audition made me smile even more, generally a very good omen. 4.5 haphazard opportunities

While not as striking from the outset as "Battle and Victory", and with nothing as masterful as "Off with Your Axe", NANCY ELIZABETH's last album as of 2025 is certainly her most consistent and accomplished collection overall. Resuming with her more centered take on wyrd folk, this largely DIY release is hypnotic, energetic, and replete with hooks, kind of like CIRCULUS might have been if they paid for a seriously good female singer, or like ENYA if she ever stopped floating about the troposphere for 47 minutes. I'm told JOANNA NEWSOM is a big influence but have not yet tried to verify this.

While it's all worthwhile, and most excellent, with spare but atmospheric arrangements on acoustic guitars and sundry keys, if I had to pick a few must hears, they would be the slightly eastern Euro influenced "Indelible Day", the mesmerizing "Simon Says Dance", the western rebel feel of "Debt", and the epic "Raven City".

While NANCY ELIZABETH has continued to tour and even released a single or two in the interim, this 12 year absence is becoming a major concern, but not surprising in a realm where income is rarely better than very modest. The title gave me pause, and while this isn't especially danceable in the physical realm, it does pull those neurons up off the killing floor for a few.

Hawkwind's latest release is nothing short of a journey in vacuum. Once again bringing something new to the meaning of space rock, never staying in the same place, always moving through time and space.

There Is No Space Fot Us is mostly instrumental work, rich in experimental moments, often cinematic. Synth oriented with big amount of effects added, sometimes it sounds lifeless, just like space void (Space Continues (Lifeform)); other times - like a literal explosion or potent light ray (Neutron Stars (Pulsating Light)). Didn't know 'space country/prog folk' was a thing either, until heard the title track.

This album further cements Hawks as the nucleus of the genre, proves that modern Hawkwind has (dare I say) an infinite amount of ideas, constantly pushing the boundaries of what is more to come. Clearly they can do it again and I surely hope they will.

Can't recommend this more, check it out!

— First review of this album —

1. Bear With Me for RIVERSIDE's bass, Floydian guitar, and VOTUM's heaviness; a beautiful soaring buildup with the rippling riff and the vocals a little too withdrawn; a beautiful opening that requires confirmation because the final buildup is simply stunning, between post guitars, vibrant bass, and drums hammering in a stroboscopic way. 2. Unmanned for this reverberating sound on the shortest track; a sound between heavy prog and post rock with the energy of despair from Michał and Marcin's sheared guitars; latency of the break with dripping ambient, flirting with COMA ROSSI, ANATHEMA. A dose of dark synths while the keyboards are not credited, in overboosted dark wave, in short, a slap. 3. Falling Upwards at the beginning djent guitar, sheared sound; the monolithic vocal brings closer to the dark wave current, I insist on melancholic heavy synth prog; The build-up begins and Łukasz shifts into second gear. A calm, serene break follows this catchy crescendo; the finale is louder, incisive, and de-scaling, at least for the speakers.

4. Reasonate with this superb metronomic, martial intro, piercing the ears, Łukasz's expressive pad accompanied by Jacek's bewitching bass seeming to cry out its notes; COMA ROSSI again muted for the heady yet melodic sound; a track that takes its time without falling into melodic tones, an easy filler for some bands of this style; a riff accompanied by heavy bass makes the ears prick up, who's taking care of the reverberating synths? The sound becomes fatter, the vocals more expressive, and the heaviness brings them well into the heavy prog metal space, the one that scares the early prog crowd, which is a shame because the post-heavy rock build-up reminds me of Simon from the CURE's bass, enjoyable. 5. Attract / Deter in repetitive mode with the build-up and reverb, metallic post-rock at its peak without becoming too heavy. The spatial, invasive keyboards; the latency of the sounds, the brilliance of the notes, the zest of the SIMPLE MINDS guitar, easy listening for contemplative listening with the suave energy; the strong, gripping finale, full of cold, soaring, sidereal emotion just before the acoustic outro. 6. A Sun Blur in the finale completing and accentuating the oppressive atmosphere; in melting pot with a longer crescendo to live even more this moment of length that we can find in the post, in electronic music, in everything that is progressive precisely, like the purely enjoyable finales of Anathema, seemingly endless. To listen to more than to try to chronicle. (4.25)

From the very first sound of rain, until the fading tones of the pipe organ, are we witnessing an undisputed masterpiece. Not since the debut of the swedes in Änglagard, has there been a symphonic prog release of this caliber from the icy north.

Agropelter is a new addition to the current movement that is norwegian progressive music. An unstoppable force these days it seems. The bands inspirational lineage can be traced back to the obvious and usual suspects Genesis, Camel, Kansas and SFF, all wrapped up in a classical presentation. But there are subtle tendencies of jazz and contemporary music here also, which sets this album apart from the rest of todays profressive offerings.

The debut release will also comfort fans of vintage instruments. Mellotron, Hammond, cembalo, Moog synthesizers, and earth shattering bass pedals are plentiful. All guitars, organs, and keyboard leads on the album are administered by Olsen, but the album also features world class efforts by Jonas Reingold on fretless bass and Mattias Olsson knocking out fantastic percussion, vintage synth overdubs, and atmosphere. For the afficionados of the symphony, an ensamble of classical musicians are providing various strings and woodwinds which breathes life and vitality into the compositions.

The use of vintage and familiar analogue instruments and virtuosity, doesn't offer a groundbreaking angle to todays progressive rock climate. But it is the fresh approach, a completely new sound and character along with delightful originality that should make the ears of fellow proggers perk up.

A truly exceptional album that will prove to stand tall amongst the other historic masterpieces of progressive rock. 5/5

The band's second album, this is the best example of how to make a successful sophmore album; you take the energy of the first but expand, and boy do they expand. One of the most intriguing parts of the album is the fantastic musicianship, especially with the guitar work of James & Kirk, showing incredibly intricacy, passion, style and harmony. Lyrically the band have improved, making more topical songs that are easily relatable. Lars and Cliff don't hold back either, showing off great speed and technical ability. While there is some very minor filler, it's debatable if this is their best album, and to be honest, chosing between this and the follow up is a hard decision.

In my opinion the best album by Metallica is Master Of Puppets. The ultimate culmination of the bands sound. Taking what they did on their sophmore release, but adding in a more progressive element to the songwriting, it made the tracks feel like classical pieces rather than just metal songs, really pushing the boundaries of thrash and metal in general. Each song has its own unique characteristic and stands out with fantastic musicianship and performances throughout. Very much a period where everything went right for the band before tragedy struck and Cliff Burton was taken from us. It gets alot of praise, and it's all well deserved.

Review Nº 907

Roxy Music always was a relatively stabilized band. It always had three main members, the front man and main composer Bryan Ferry, the guitarist Phil Manzanera and the saxophonist Andy Mackay, which formed the core of the group. Still, in a way, we can also join them with the drummer Paul Thompson who participated on six of the eight Roxy Music's studio albums. However, the other band's members have changed frequently all over the history of the band.

"The Collection" is a compilation album of Roxy Music released in 2004. It's a varied and complete compilation album of Roxy Music. It's a very representative compilation album of the band with tracks from all their eight studio albums. So, it has tracks that belong to their golden era and also tracks that belong to their most pop phase. It has one track from "Roxy Music", one track from "For Your Pleasure", one track from "Stranded", three tracks from "Country Life", one track from "Siren", two tracks from "Manifesto", one track from "Flesh + Blood" and two tracks from "Avalon".

So, "The Collection" has twelve tracks. The first track "Virginia Plain" was the song released as their debut single. The song wasn't present on the original version of their album "Roxy Music", and hasn't been recorded when the album was released. However, after the success of their debut album, it was included on later reissues. It was also released as a new single, together with "Pyjamarama", in 1977. It's a very interesting song which was originally made to be released as a hit single. It has some good interesting musical appointments by Brian Eno. The second track "Do The Strand" was originally released on their album "For Your Pleasure". It's a perfect way to open that album brilliantly. It's a song with fantastic vocal work by Bryan Ferry that sings curious lyrics, and it also has great guitar, keyboard, and saxophone performances, very well accompanied by strong and vigorous drums. This is an excellent song with plenty of energy. The third track "Street Life" was originally released on their album "Stranded". It's a song in the pop/rock style, very enjoyable and composed in the commercial vein. It's well performed and Bryan Ferry's vocal style is really good. The fourth track "The Thrill Of It All" was also originally released on their album "Country Life". It's a great opener for "Country Life", as is usual for this band. It's a Roxy Music's classic rock song very frenetic and with great individual performances. It deserves special mention Phil Manzanera's individual work and the powerful presence of the violin of Eddie Jobson. The fifth track "All I Want Is You" was also originally released on their album "Country Life". It's a powerful song full of energy, very melodic and with another absolutely fantastic guitar work performed by Manzanera. The sixth track "Love Is The Drug" was originally released on "Siren". It's an incredible song, very melodic and with good quality. It has an incredible performance too. Andy MacKay and his saxophone are absolutely great, Manzanera and his guitar work is great too and Bryan Ferry and his vocals are fantastic as always. The seventh track "Out Of The Blue" was originally released on their album "Country Life". It's a rock song with plenty of energy with great vocals, good piano, amazing synthesizer effects, a fantastic violin solo and a striking guitar work. It soon became one of the favourite songs of the fans in their live concerts. The eighth track "Ain't That So" was originally released on their album "Manifesto". It's a song with a mix of pop, disco and avant-garde music. It's an interesting music with a nice and catchy tune, well played and that was made to be danced. The ninth track "Dance Away" was also originally released on their album "Manifesto". Despite having nothing of progressive really, it has good and simple lyrics, a fantastic melody and a great dancing rhythm. I always loved this song which is, for me, one of the greatest pop songs ever written. The tenth track "Same Old Scene" was originally released on their album "Flesh + Blood". It's a song with a strong bass line, nice vocals, great keyboards and a special fantastic saxophone work by Andy MacKay. This is another great Roxy Music song. The eleventh track "The Main Thing" was originally released on their album "Avalon". It's a song with a fantastic and unique musical atmosphere and where Bryan Ferry's vocals are some of the best on "Avalon". This is a song with a great beat. The twelfth track "More Than This" was also originally released on their album "Avalon". This is a great commercial pop song composed for easy radio listening. So, we may say this is a perfect hit pop song of the 80's.

Conclusion: "The Collection" is one of the many compilation albums released by Roxy Music all over the entire career of them. And as is usual, some are better than others, some are better representatives than others and some are more extensive than others. There are also hybrid compilations, with and without Bryan Ferry's solo tracks. "The Collection" is, as mentioned before, very representative and a complete compilation album of the band that covers the entire career of the band, with tracks from their eight studio albums put in the respective chronological order and without solo tracks by Bryan Ferry. Thus, despite being a relatively small compilation album, I think we can say that "The Collection" is a good compilation of Roxy Music. So, "The Collection" can be considered a good introduction to Roxy Music's career.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

METAPHYSICAL ANIMATION formed in Gainesville, Florida back in 1968. They would move south to Miami where there would be more opportunities for them to succeed. They were a four piece with the singer being the keyboardist. These guys can play I'll say that. They would go into the studio and record this album but it would be self-released as they couldn't get any interest from record labels. A run of only fifty made this one as rare as hen's teeth. Black Widow out of Italy would re-issue it but not until 2019.

It's kind of crazy that their first release would be a double album. My two issues with it are the production which is poor at times, but also the vocals. Sure he can sing but it dates the music and I really don't like them. Like an AOR vocalist. These two things keep this at 3 stars. Too bad in a sense because I really enjoy some of those long instrumental sections. The organ and guitar are the solo instruments mostly but the bass is upfront and really good.

It's almost like each song has it's excellent moments when it's all instrumental, but also it's "oh no he's singing again" moments. This is a very up and down listen for me. There's a bit of blues with the guitar on "I've Been Blue" but many more jazz moments where the bass helps a lot with this style. There's a lot of jamming it feels like, with many extended instrumental sections throughout.

So while I applaud Black Widow for the re-issue after such a long time. I sadly have to say that this one just doesn't catch my fancy. 3 stars.

— First review of this album —

This third solo album by multi-instrumentalist Wippy Bonstack grabbed me instantly and makes me un- grumpy every time I listen to it. "Tactile Demons" is all instrumental and loaded with variety... hard rock, classical, jazzy, acoustic interludes, avant and proggy riffs, and every song is fabulous. Complex yet emotional compositions that are loaded with groovin hooks that keep you coming back for multiple listens. Wippy is a master at all the instruments he plays and he sounds smokin doing it.

There have been a lot of killer albums this year but this release is a master class in song crafting, musicianship, arranging, positive vibes, and blows everything else away. Most definitely a must have and worthy of five stars.

Matthew Parmenter and company are back with yet another poignant yet powerful offering of simple-yet-masterful prog songs.

1. "Breadcrumbs" (16:56) I feel as if this song represents a couple of old friends who hadn't seen or played with one another got together for lunch, talked about the state of the world (America, Detroit), which fueled the question: "We've still got something to say! With our music! Do you think we've still got it?" and this was the result: three guys getting together in their musty old basement studio with Matthew's "young kid" sitting behind la batterie to help them out, coming up with some simple music that could serve to see if they still had chops (barely) and could still turn a phrase (yes, if extemporaneously and as generically as ever). They sat down, found an Elton John "Someone Saved My Life Tonight"-like riff to build upon, and then pushed "record" on their digital tape recorder--and this is what they got! Not bad for a bunch of old geezers! It'll serve! (31.25/35)

2. "Keep the Change" (7:06) the first song I heard from the album, I thought I was listening to something from around 1970--something from The Outlaws or a rock band whose music would soon become established as what we in the US of A would soon be calling "Southern Rock." I swear I thought it was some long-lost song I'd missed from an old Buffalo Springfield, Stephen Stills, or The Allman Brothers album--or even something from early Lynyrd Skynyrd or very early Bon Jovi. I never in a million years would have pegged this as a Discipline song or coming from the voice of Matthew Parmenter! In the end, it's a nice, solid song--even though it definitely feels like one of the new AI-generated songs meant to recreate an old sound or style. Amazing the power that maturity can spawn. (13.875/15)

3. "When the Night Calls" (5:25) I am not used to hearing this version of Matthew Parmenter: his voice sounds thin, weak, even frail while I'd been used to him being so almost-over-the-top theatric. The style and melodic choices are all him, it's just that the voice sounds like . . . something has happened to him! (Like life, you moron!) Interesting sound engineering with minimal effects deployed on the band--almost sounding like one of those single microphone Joe Jackson recordings--here used on a older Billy Joel composition. Great Discipline/Parmenter-like chorus. I love the simple near-Latin riffs the whole song is built upon, the little but very effective accents, flourishes, and solos from Chris, Henry, and Matthew's organ, as well as his brief little Demetrios Stratos-like vocalese warbles at 3:40. (9/10)

4. "Aloft" (7:46) this one sounds like an instrumental continuation of the previous song on which the musicians pick up different instruments to lay over the steady foundation of bass, piano and drums. As Matthew's piano riff provides the song's foundation we are thereby offered a display of some of Henry Parmenter's instinctual talents on the drums. Chris Herin's choice for guitar sound reminds me at first of some of Robert Fripp's "Frippertronic" like stuff but then, around the mid-point of the song he switches (or else Matthew takes a turn on his own guitar--or vice-versa) to something more in the realm of Randy Bachman's sound on BTO's "Blue Collar" (as well as Roy Buchanan's beautiful tone for his classic "Fly ? Night Bird"). Matthew's overdub of violin (joining in at 3:10) sounds a lot like something from Mark O'Connor in his old (Dixie) Dregs-Shankar days. And then there's the interesting injection of what sounds like an old Farfisa organ. Peaceful and steady, the song is quite a balm for people craving less-complex prog music. (13.5/15)

5. "Aria" (10:41) though far more delicate and jazz-crooner like, there are moments on this song in which the power of the old Matthew can be felt and heard--and definitely in the melodic choices he takes. Piano based for the first five minutes, once Matthew steps back from the vocal microphone the band enters into some interesting, very proggy instrumental music--for about a minute. But then things settle back into the piano's pocket and by 6:45 Matthew is back at the mic, Chris, Mathew, and Henry stepping into line behind him. Enjoyably, there is a full three minutes given at the end for instrumental work: some really nice low violin strikes, smooth lead guitar work and jazzy lounge piano work over Henry's steady jazz-support drums. It's very pretty, very engaging and soothing. There's nothing like a good old solid song as medicine for the soul! (18/20)

Total Time 47:54

I have to give it to these old reptiles, they do still have it! Still using minimal tactics to tell their stories with their usual and very effective power and force. Mega kudos, Matthew, Chris, and Mathew (and Henry!).

The band may have mellowed over the years but then, like a fine aged red wine, it just goes down so smoothly, so satisfyingly.

A-/4.5 stars rated up for consistency and sustained allure: it just keeps growing on you! I don't know how these guys keep doing it with such simple music but they do keep doing it!

Have to give a massive shout out to Garage Ink. One of the best examples of how to do a covers album right. The first half of this compilation is studio recordings of covers, showing off a very wide range of influences. The band are able to add their own style perfectly to these songs without insulting the artists themselves. The second disc is a collection of their covers from the start of their career, and again it's a perfect amalgamation of showing off influence and progression of their own style throughout the years. If you want a list of good bands or artists to get into, then checking out the original artists is a great idea.

A band of promising young Norwegians are showing their serious enthusiasm for a career in music as they have, with this album, returned (in less than two years) with their sophomore album release.

1. "Preceding" (3:13) solid instrumental power prog with a great sound palette, great rhythmic force, and cool engineering. I'm not as much of a fan of the monotonous single chord motif that dominates the third minute, but otherwise a song that gives me great promise for the rest of the album. (9/10)

2. "The Trauma" (5:17) picking right back up from where "Preceding" left off, I'm discovering reminders of bands like Distorted Harmony, Stare At The Clouds, Atmospheres, and Taylor Watson as I listen to this. When Simon Bergseth's vocals enter to become the featured item of the song, my associations to American and Australian Heavy Prog/Prog Metal bands only increases--and then you get the Death Metal growls at the end and the categorization is complete! I like it! (9.125/10)

3. "Families are Forever" (7:49) the requisite slowed down, spacious complex drum play that seems so common to 21st Century Prog Metal bands--especially the good ones who use atmospheric sections in some of their songs. Here is where the quality and skill of a singer's voice is really tested and Simon flies through with great results! He's no Ian Kenny (Karnivool) or Einar Solberg (Leprous) but he is great--on a level with The Contortionist's Michael Lessard and others. Awesome synth-wash-backed guitar solo in the seventh and eighth minutes! A song worthy of a place in the pantheon of great atmospheric Prog Metal songs! (14.375/15)

4. "Conflating Memories" (6:59) what starts out fine seals the deal with that awesome key/chord change at 0:49! Genius (and daring)! The multi-voice chorus singing is a bit hokey/fake sounding, but the compositional surprises and rich sonosphere more than make up for it. In the fourth minute Edvard Seim gives us another guitar solo that really grabs the listener's attention: it's not so flashy just solid, melodic, smooth, and satisfying--like something by Mirek Gil or perhaps David Gilmour. Then, at the end of the fifth minute a Moog-like synthesizer solo takes over as the band shifts into a darker, heavier minor chord structure. A little more singing, a little more guitar soloing, and the band decides on a long fade out to end it. Great stuff! (9.25/10)

5. "The Malevolent" (3:24) a solid song that feels like a 21st Century sound palette presentation of a 1990s LINKIN PARK song--and it sounds so easy for them: they sound like their just cruising along on laid back autopilot! At the same time, something minor is missing: I'm not sure if it's enthusiasm or originality but there's just a little too much ease. (8.875/10)

6. "Ghosts of Yesteryear" (6:17) a complex and challenging composition in which the band display some quite diverse and sophisticated stylistic and sonic faces: after starting out with some high-speed intricate instrumental djenty metal play while incorprating some B parts with Haken-like synths they suddenly switch early in the third minute to a Motorpsycho/Needlepoint-like pastoral acoustic vocal folk sound and motif--and then back to the crashing metal motif at the end of the fourth, employing the folk melody for a bit before descending back into the sophisticated djenty stuff! And then they kind of combine it all with Simon singing in a mellifluous voice. Very interesting . . . and bold! (9.125/10)

7. "Waving at the Sky" (12:19) the album's only epic, it comes in three parts, ABAB-CD-EF. The first two minutes sounding very much like the Naughties' hot Manchester band, DOVES, the next section (chorus) coming across as more THE PINEAPPLE THIEF despite the return to the opening motif after the first chorus. At the 4:00 mark, segueing from the second chorus, the band sways into a C section before devolving into a cacophony of distorted gremlin voices seeming to be in the middle of arguing while a PORCUPINE TREE-like motif materializes at 5:45 from behind before taking over. The ensuing synth-arpeggiated three-chord odd-timed motif is as much like Fear of a Blank Planet PT as anything, but then in the first half of the eighth minute Simon's death metal growls segue into some of that middle-register saw-synth soloing that we hear near the end of "Conflating Memories." But then we come out "into the Light" with a Neo-Prog like ending. Great drumming--as it has been throughout the album; mega kudos to stick man Martin Utby. (23/25)

Total Time 45:21

The band's 2023 debut, The Approbation, leapt onto the scene to great acclaim, presenting a band with great promise. Well I'm here to tell you that that promise (or potential) is being realized!

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of refreshing new prog. Highly recommended for all prog lovers.

In the early 1980s, the tireless Ian Anderson decided, without abandoning his glorious 1970s harmonies, that Jethro Tull should incorporate a greater dose of synthesizers to meet the challenges that the nascent decade presented. First came the more electronic rock of 1980's 'A', a solo project by the multifaceted musician that ended up being signed by the band, and a couple of years later it was the turn of 'The Broadsword and the Beast' (1982), the British band's fourteenth album.

And that inclination to 'modernise' the band's sound on 'The Broadsword and the Beast' (even though the cover suggests the opposite...) doesn't quite work when the keyboards are so prominent, as in the introductions to the simplistic 'Beatsie', with its bland chorus, or in the insipid middle section of 'Flying Colours', which detracts from Peter John Vettese's beautiful piano introduction, or in the hybrid melody between rock, folk and synth pop of 'Watching Me Watching You', which seems out of context.

In contrast, the album has its moments of greatest clarity when it approaches more folk structures with Anderson's acoustic guitars and flutes seasoned with ingredients from classic hard rock courtesy of Martin Barre's guitar riffs, as in the medieval 'Fallen on Hard Times' and Barre's outstanding use of the slide, also in the baroque sounds of the welcoming and emotional 'Slow Marching Band' (a gem), in the ceremonious mid-tempo of the epic 'Broadsword', or in the more progressive 'Seal Driver' and David Page's enveloping bass counterpointed by the guitarist's riffs and under an atmospheric blanket, probably the track that best encapsulates Anderson's stubborn quest to find the balance between the band's musical universes.

The brief and warm 'Cheerio' provides an interesting close to an album that, despite the ups and downs of its disjointed compilation, is a commendable attempt by Jethro Tull (or rather Ian Anderson...) to remain relevant.

P.S. From the 2005 remastering, both the pastoral 'Jack Frost and The Hooded Crow', the beautiful first part of 'Jack-A-Lynn' and the acoustic delight 'Mayhem, Maybe' would have deserved to be part of the main album.

3 stars

The Astonishing is one of Dream Theater's most ambitious albums, but also apparently one of their most divisive!

From the start, with the ambient instrumental The Scent of the Nomads, the album presents itself as a cinematic, theatrical experience. The Gift of Music offers hope, with an energetic intro and some beautiful instrumental passages, but quickly loses steam when James LaBrie's vocals come in, exposing a central problem of the album.

This record marks a clear turn towards melody, narrative, and mid-tempo pacing. It's structured entirely around a concept story, resembling a rock opera more than a traditional progressive metal album. The songs are shorter, simpler, and focused on advancing the plot rather than showcasing musical creativity. Unfortunately, the dramatic responsibility falls heavily on LaBrie, whose voice lacks the versatility and emotional range required to convincingly embody multiple characters.

There are evident aspirations to match masterpieces like Metropolis Pt. 2 or even the second disc of Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence. Jordan Rudess shines more than ever here, with lush, orchestral keyboards that recall moments of past greatness. Other instruments, like bagpipes in The X Aspect or strings scattered throughout the album, add color to the sonic palette.

However, despite all these efforts, the songs simply don't hold up. Unlike great concept albums from bands like Savatage (The Wake of Magellan, Dead Winter Dead) or Ayreon, which use multiple or at least more versatile vocalists and strong songwriting to support the narrative, The Astonishing offers little in terms of individually memorable tracks.

Moment of Betrayal is a rare highlight, more focused and rooted in Dream Theater's classic style. But the second half of the album becomes dull, meandering, and hard to follow. It's simply too long, too soft, and too forgettable.

Conclusion: The Astonishing turns into a never-ending stream of uninspired, overly slow songs. The intensity, complexity, and technical brilliance that defined Dream Theater are largely absent.

It's a bold experiment, but one that ultimately fails to deliver.

Best tracks: The Gift of Music, Moment of Betrayal, select keyboard passages by Jordan Rudess.

The band's most progressive album, it saw their songs become longer and more expansive. The guitar sound is heavier, and riff wise at times it compares to the early death metal at the time. Loud, fierce yet at times incredibly beautiful, especially with the epic track One, which has one of the best music videos every made in my opinion. The lack of bass is petty and a massive mistake for the band, but it does give the album a certain a certain metallic feel. Lyrically the album is one of the bands best, dealing with topics like the environment and political issues. I do think that the seeds of what was soon to come were spread on this album, but it's overall an achievement.

The idea that they sold out for this album is a tale as old as time and will be debated until the sun runs out of energy. Yes they did streamline to a more acceptable sound, but they were getting over indulgent with their progressive elements, and a change was needed. Groovier than before, almost reflecting the change Pantera made at the time, the riff was more important than the overall journey of the song. Their is more intricate arrangements even within the song's strophic structures. The album tracks are fun while the singles are pretty much fire. Possibly overplayed, but it is basically the Thriller of metal.

A lot of people consider Styx to be a "Kansas at home" kind of band. And honestly?yeah they kinda are. Ironic since they came out first before Kansas' self-titled debut, but these bands always have been neck and neck with each other in the whole classic American prog ethos. Obviously I am more of a Kansas fan, but I do enjoy some Styx from time to time. And honestly, I sometimes forget they're still going, especially when I heard they made a new studio album this year. They're such an old band, and they're still going strong. You gotta admit they have determination.

And what surprises me a lot is that this is probably their best record since 1978's Pieces of Eight.

Circling from Above takes all the right notes of Crash of the Crown, and refines its qualities to make something much more charming. It has a good mix of flavorful progressive rock moments that feel right at home in their 70s catalog, whilst also showing a clear love for more of their mainstream elements, with a bit more of a pop edge to the entire thing. I honestly think it's a great direction the band is going, and it makes for some really fun music, such as with the almost power pop It's Clear, or the Queen-like Everybody Raise A Glass. A good mix of prog and pop.

I also like how they managed to make the songs definitely progressive rock, whilst keeping them relatively short. Obviously this can be a bit of a double edged sword in my opinion, as I generally prefer the more longer Styx pieces like Movement for the Common Man, or Come Sail Away. You can only do so much when your longest track is three minutes and fifty four seconds.

But I do admire them for making these little bite sized pieces of progressive rock goodness. Admittedly sometimes not even I, someone who consumes prog rock as if it was water, feel like listening to like eight minutes of a very niche genre. Sometimes you just gotta have that 3 minute track that is jam packed with carefully constructed scores.

Honestly I think this record's biggest charm for me is that it just?doesn't feel old. Like Styx is an old band, but where some long lasting legacy prog rock groups like Yes or Premiata Forneria Marconi clearly show their age, I think Styx, at least with this effort, doesn't really share that sentiment. Yeah it sounds like dad rock, but it doesn't really feel like it. Guess to sound fresh, you gotta just sound your best.

While not perfect, I think Circling From Above is a really great effort from this long lasting band. Would I say any of the songs hold a candle to some of their older bangers like The Serpent Is Rising, Blue Collar Man (Long Nights), or Suite Madame Blue? No. But I think this assortment of songs are still charming in their own right. Perhaps in the 21st century, Styx has lost their "Kansas at home" status. Now that status goes to Toto.

Best tracks: Michigan, Everyone Raise a Glass, She Knows, The Things That You Said

Worst track: Ease Your Mind

4.5 stars. Clive Stevens is from Bristol, England, and it was while in America at Berklee College Of Music that he would meet Ralph Towner and John Abercrombie. These three were in the same class! And this project called ATMOSPHERES was Clive's idea. He composed all the music here, while his brother Martin produced it. And of course this band features Ralph Towner and John Abercrombie. These three musicians are the common denominator when it comes to the two ATMOSPHERES releases.

So basically a trio with the rhythm section and second guitarist being different on both albums. Ralph by the way plays keyboards and often processed through the ring modulator which sounds insane at times. So they did this one off session at Times Square in New York on February 5th, 1972. And guess who showed up? Well, the second guitarist is Steve Khan, and the rhythm section is Billy Cobham and Rick Laird. Yes those two! This is the only recording of the MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA rhythm section playing together outside of that band. Crazy eh?

Oh, Harry Wilkinson adds percussion but it was added to the recording later on. Harry was on that "Barefoot Boy" masterpiece by Larry Coryell and some of those Eleventh House records. Some of the compositions here came from Clive's original band from London called CAPARIUS. Clive had this to say about the session for this album. "The raw power of the session was electric, beyond belief." Calling it a super session of the highest level. I should mention too that Clive uses pedals when playing sax much of the time. This album is just so adventerous.

We get six tracks worth 40 minutes starting with "Earth Spirit". This one gets pretty wild 2 minutes in, and how about the sax after 3 1/2 minutes. "Nova '72" is the car right? I hope. An amazing looking vehicle. Or is this some space thing? Anyway this one is a little more restrained when compared to the opener, but not when that dissonant sax kicks in at around 3 1/2 minutes. Cobham is in fine form here, I mean always. "Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow" starts off with Laird strutting his stuff. And he has plenty of stuff. Electric piano and sax kick in quickly. Then some Elton Dean-like soprano sax soloing adventerously. This is bordering on avant jazz after 4 minute.

"Astral Dreams" is the longest piece at 9 1/2 minutes and that guitar from Abercrombie after 5 minutes is impressive. Electric piano will then lead followed by sax. "All Day Next Week" is different sounding more traditional and we also get some flute later on. "The Parameters Of Saturn" is the closer and the most experimental track on here. Come on! I'm just surprised at this being the closer. Like free jazz but actually good. A free for all!

I'm bumping this one up. This is just too good, in all areas as well. And what a lineup! MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA by the way formed the year before this album was recorded, releasing their debut then as well. Cobham and Laird are on fire here.

I am sure it's a purely coincidental comment, but the title contains a few words that may , (possibly a shot in the dark), provide a hint at Jamie Parker's potential influences, namely Bill Nelson, a legendary irascible icon who had a great tune called "Do You Dream in Colours?" as well as later album called "Luminous". Who is Jamie Parker, you may ask now but one day very soon, many in Progland and beyond will recognize this name, so take note now, you can brag about it later. You have been warned. Partnered with a valiant crew of accomplices, Jamie handles all the guitar and vocal duties, ably assisted by Will Sear on organ/piano/synths, Lucy Hackett on strings/synths, bass guitar by Jack Ansell and the drum stool taken over by Rick Veall. Jamie had sent me a single "How I Caught the Moon" for review but as you all know, I do not review singles as a rule but the track was phenomenal, and I urged him to send me the album. Ah, the joys of proper communication.

I certainly admires audacity, and launching any album, especially the inaugural full-length release ,with a 19-minute cyclone is quite the bold statement, iznit? Confident, chiseled and creative, the groovy mood is set in stone, with the stirring "The Radient", introducing all the beacon elements that will guide the listener on their musical discovery. Jamie has a most expressive voice, both urgent and radiant (oops! there I go again), instantly believable and attractive. The intricate guitar phrasings weld to the organ colorations with perfect synchronicity, the rhythmic duo holding the fort with valiant determination. Both the feathery electric guitar and the slippery synth solos are spot on, healthy proof that the crew can play with the best of them. When you add an extensive baroque piano and synthesized strings as a variation, the symphonic aspect leaps to the forefront with courageous fortitude. Another deviation suddenly occurs when the rousing saxophone (courtesy of guest Amy Williams) seeks to imply a Floydian sensation, soothing organ in tow, and masonic tempo for good measure. The final outro ratchets up the atmosphere with a stirring guitar-fuelled rapture that gathers in all the players, in a common outcome.

The delectable single mentioned earlier is the celestial "How I Caught the Moon", a brisk and passionate Traffic-like performance, Jamie channelling his Stevie Winwood influences, both the lead and choral vocals on this side of paradise, imbued with sterling orchestrations from Lucy Hackett in particular. The silky flow definitely emits 'a low spark of high-heeled boys' impression, as both Parker and slide guitarist Tim Bascombe combine in weaving up a fantasy factory of delirious notes. Amazing tune.

A brittle rocker is up next , showcasing a versatility that keeps the listener on the razor's edge, broiling organ bullying the grisly guitar riffs along on "Steeped in Burning Flowers" , Jamie quite comfortable in veering his voice modulation into more angry (almost punky) mode, hitting the vertiginous high notes with utter impunity. A galvanizing piece of surly electricity that should go down a storm in a live context.

You never quite know what to expect next and Parker does a magic trick with a stunning proggy composition led by a lengthy narration (Molly Waters) in a sea of luminous atmospherics drenched in psychedelic splendour, "A Place I Can Disappear" is an electronic space rock masterclass of the highest order, an incredibly dreamy novelty in a cosmos of illuminated things and perhaps my fave track (but only barely).

Now, here comes the clincher and why this album should be considered as a masterstroke of mettle under pressure, explaining the glowing initial comment on rogue audacity ! Parker and company press all the right buttons by polishing off the album with not one but two extended prog epics! "Waking in the Land of Giants" follows a16-minute long pathway into a faraway torpor , a cinematic excursion well beyond the redundancy of commercial music, throwing as many curves as possible into the ,at times, liner onslaught. From the rabid opening steps to the inevitable arrival among the titans, a panorama of moods unfold like a caravanserai through the desert. An ardent and bluesy vocal with organ shimmers as propellant, eddying orchestrations discreetly along for the ride, reflective halts at an unexpected oasis of thoughtful salvation, 'changing landscapes' of unforeseen wonders, a Spanish themed saxophone wave to the torero, experimental pools of reflection and, a short thrust into a Hawkwind-like metronomic launch into a distant orbit. It's the flute's turn to momentarily calm the senses, tingling guitar flicks notwithstanding. The chugging rhythmic assault and battery shuffles hard and relentless, with biting accuracy. A space ritual comes to mind, and then there is silence. Magnificent.

The 14 minute "A Grief That Does Not Speak" is probably the most engrossing and demanding piece, a rapturous melee of collision and deflection in musical terms, playing the ebb and flow, peak and valley cards to perfection, not just the sink but the entire kitchen, dining room and salon, to boot. Insistent to the nth degree, with a purling sax and guitar rampages combining in an obstruse frenzy of finality. The sombre reptilian string arrangement is sheer unadulterated drama and overt theatrics. A mute pain conveyed in loud brassy shards of jagged edge.

This album spans 72 minutes, and I am always wanting for more by the end. There is always the convenience of the replay button. I intend to wish for many more shining returns.

5 Rarefied airs

A debut that may just be one of the revelations of 2025, a full-on instrumental tornado of old-school progressive magic, in a modern sheen that many will find quite orgasmic. Kai Olsen is the musician behind the project, fluent on both keyboards as well as guitar chores and with the help of fellow Vikings who need no introduction, the ridiculously talented bassist Jonas Reingold and Mattias Olsson on the percussive side of things, aided by Andreas Sjoen. "The Book of Hours" exudes past sonic glimpses of such legendary artists as Trace, Rick Wakeman, Par Lindh, and Hamburger Concerto-era Focus, starting off the escapade with 3 shorter tracks to be followed by the magnificent title track 4-part suite. A sensational old-fashioned progressive that will stand the test of time, a sense of musical eternity and universality that cannot be denied.

As the title may indicate, "Flute of Peril" is a suave baroque inspired entrance into the heart of the sunrise, the magical flute doing its fluttering best to enchant the spirit with infectious beauty , as if renewing the past with the present, birds cawing in the background, pastoral mellotron and delicate acoustic guitar (a surefire combination) decorating the mood. A church organ and electric guitar passage elevates this into bliss. The ingress of classic prog sensibilities is furthered on "Levitator", a resolute build-up of pace and harmonious melody that sets the cruise control on full speed ahead, laced with keyboard bombast, guitar heroics and intricate percussive elements. In the latter half, the pipe organ makes its spiritual presence felt with a crowning cathedral of magnificent sound. An ideal segue, the solemn "Burial Mound" imbues some sonic dramatics in compliance with the sensational fretless bass solo from Jonas, proving once again his immense mastery of the instrument. An almost Gregorian feel in the background stamps this little track with immense appeal.

Dipping into the classical pantheon, the ornate piano takes charge initially on "The Book of Hours Part 1", layered with assorted keyboard colorations for good measure, namely synthesizer and organ in the Rick Wright school of ivory tickling, tick-tocking clocks cooking up a sonic squall, as the fretboard riffs start acrobatically flipping into the nucleus of the rhythmic pulse. The gorgeous piano re-enters with grave mannered gentility, alone within the black and white tumble, a spotlight Wakeman-esque tour de force. The athletic bass leaps forward as the synths follow in obedience, garnished with a vast array of detailed fluctuations, the sombre memory of the preceding piece being remembered. This is mesmerizing, as Jonas kills it once again with a whirlwind display of technique and awareness. An orchestral outro with lush strings and woodwinds becomes the final countdown to ecstasy. Passing the baton to the organ to lead the way on "Part 2", Olsen shows off some incredible wizardry on his arsenal of keyboards , furthering the symphonic components to mythical heights, a glittering display of vigor and passion. Subtle use of contrasts of light and shadow, glimmers of Saharan dunes with just a hint of reflective commitment, and some playfulness as well, in order to keep things in perspective. The fluid synth work is off the charts brilliant, the electric guitar being the perfect companion, perhaps even the wilful lover, with attention paid to more ambient cinematographic expressions that suite the music perfectly. The elegant piano returns for a final curtsy, leading headfirst into the beastly pulse of "Part 3", coming across as an instrumentally only tribute to Triumvirat's magnificent album Spartacus, what with the powerful drum procession , as if leading the charge through the hallowed gates of Rome. The mid-section relies on sublime guitar work that needs to be highlighted, all subtlety and feeling, eventually gearing back into the full throttle thrust at the beginning. The final third has some massive Carmina Burana-like choir involvement which, frankly, flings this piece into outer space. Brilliant stuff indeed. The final stretch on "Part 4" encompasses all the various attributes previously mentioned, as would befit a grand finale! As such, its all there for the ears to consume, starting off with lacing delicate harpsichord segments that give the intro a distinct Baroque/Renaissance feel, a moment of silence ensues before shepherding the listener into deep space rock realms with glittering synthesizer flutters, bold bass guitar vectors and screeching guitar flareups that dives into the farthest void. A spectacular ending to a monster album.

I always hesitate to give any debut the full 5 star treatment but this, my dearest friends, colleagues and fans, cannot deserve anything less that 5 timely tomes.

Mathew Parmenter is back, after a long undisciplined hiatus, with a spanking new release on the ProgRock.com Essentials label. I have a particular fondness for 'Unfolded the Staircase', their now mythical masterpiece album, as it arrived in the early years of the prog renaissance back in 1997. Today I have an equal partiality for this new 2025 recording , as it will be released globally on August 1, on the above-mentioned label, along with my own musical project Enigmatic Sound Machines' Imperfect Silence. We are forever twinned. Adorned with a stunning cover and manned by talented Chris Herin of Tiles on guitars, longtime bassist Matthew Kennedy as well as drummer Henry Parmenter , Matthew rekindles the American prog torch with this impressive effort.

Wasting little time with mundane introduction, the whopping title track clocks in nearly 17 minutes of playing time, the eye perhaps in the crow's mouth but thankfully our ears still functioning full throttle. Within a few seconds, the brooding theme is set in dramatic fashion, an organ roiling around a coiling bass slither, an oblique electric guitar slice, the thudding drums, elegant piano and finally Matthew's voice seizing the moment. The jazzy intensity collides lovingly with the crafty story-telling delivery for which Matthew is famous for, cooing like a bird when necessary, hushing and talking when the need arises. He remains true to his form, often referred to in the past as the US Peter Gabriel, which is a lofty honorific, to say the least. The sound is pristine, with each instrument having its own space, the piano clear as crystal, the bass lovingly caressing the low end, the piano tinkling like unbroken glassware and the pulse solidly entrenched. Chris Herin is the big surprise here, though he has proved his versatility over decades of service in various releases including his recent solo album. We know he can energetically rock but hear him dance with his fretboard! His playing flirts with experimental phrasings easier found in jazz/fusion, yet intensely melodic by the same token. When Matthew states 'touch me', I felt a shiver on my arm, when Chris peels off a rabid surge towards the finale, my trembling only increased. Surely among the most devastating epics of 2025, as the commentary tackles the issues of our times, and hell, we all know what they are, as its shoved daily down our throats , at times in abject surrender.

Though plastic tapping money is the current sigh (wordplay!), "Keep the Change" has more to do with the shrug of the shoulders in dispensing with pocket intruders. Acoustic guitar takes the listener into an altogether different dimension, a bluesy, almost countrified Americana tune, footloose or fancy free that aims at the endless fascination with human conflict, an affliction seemingly impossible to shed. I immediately thought of a wise quote by a former president : "Perhaps we need some outside universal threat to make us recognize this common bond. I occasionally think how quickly our differences would vanish if we were facing an alien threat from outside this world". Food for thought and no breadcrumbs in sight. A gem of a track, certainly on the outer fringes of classic prog but Music is music.

From prog, to folk-rock, might as well dip now into a jazz furrow, adding some bluesy elements to boot, as on the cool "When the Night Calls to Day", a smoky piano and drum platform for some heartfelt lyrical expertly sung , with occasional bursts of Hammond organ to add to the Oblivion Express feel. The choppy amalgamation of rhythmic piano and the shuffling percussion is a masterful creation, the ideal set up for Herin to slither into moody crevasses of the mind. One thing for sure, there is little comparison with other bands, Discipline has their own muse. The same deliberate piano thread lingers on "Aloft ", two pieces blending into one, keeping the atmosphere intact and unsullied, the electric guitar soaring away into the clouds, like majestic bird searching for new horizons. Matthew then wields his patented violin, joining in on the flight, eventually both string machines dueling in the heavens above, a mesmerizing arrangement that mere words cannot describe. 'Enigmatic Ocean' meets 'Lizard' actually came to mind at one point. I consider these two tracks to be joined at the hip, as one.

Hmm, what could be left to discover for the ravenous fan ? "Aria" is an operatic torch song, tackling reverently that foremost progressive sentiment ever, yes, it's the love word , the one that after thousands of years of art, no one can still not quite perfectly explain. Its bombastic, overpowering and dramatic. Nearly 11 minutes of attempted expression can offer hope but still there is no revelation, perhaps in another life. Pain is never far away. Matthew has managed to present the four perennial human struggles, namely life, war, freedom, and love, and delivering it musically in the 4 major stylistics that permeate the widest panorama of styles within one genre, which prog most certainly can 'crow' about for eternity.

We all need more Discipline in our overloaded lives, as well as in our prog collection. Bravo, and welcome back my friends to the show that never ends. 5 morsels

Rush's best, one of the greatest progressive rock albums of all time. This trio from Canada is arguably the band with the overall most talent, and it shows. Peart's Drumming, but also his lyrics, are sometimes controversial but often times magical. It's rare I care about lyrics, but this album is very special lyrically.

Hemispheres starts us off exactly where the previous album left us. The world beyond the Black Hole is fascinating, and goes deep with philosophical thoughts and greek mythology. The divide between our rational side and the irrational side, fun vs reason. It's a fun theme, and it is very well brought up in this sequel track. While it might not be the most impressive Rush song musically (thought it's still very good), the lyrics more than make up for it. Probably my favorite Rush song ever (18/18)

Circumstances is a very complex short song. While it does it's job, it's easily the worst song on the album. It's one of those rare Rush song that doesn't really seem to be going somewhere, but for once this one doesn't really needs to. It does the job, showcasing the immense talent these guys had without going too deep. My Quebecois brain loves the little french line in the lyrics (2/4)

The Trees is one of Rush's most popular song, for a good reason. The themes are once again amazing, and it's brilliant musically. Might not be as grandiose as other songs in their catalog, but it really does the job and I very much like this song (3/4)

La Villa Strangiato, do I have to say more? The guys were barely able to play it themselves. It's probably the wildest and most complex piece of music I know, it's a masterpiece, and it shows the best of Alex, proving he's just as great as the other guys. His guitar solo is one of my favorite of all time. (10/10)

FINAL SCORE: 33/36 = 91. Easy 5 Stars, one of the most fun I've ever had on an album

The band's debut, it really was a breath of fresh air in the metal world. The seeds of thrash, mixing the speed of punk, the technical elements of heavy metal and a more grounded personality, it's no wonder this turned alot of heads. Containing some of the bands all time classic tracks and fan favourites, it is a very enjoyable listen still to this day. Some of the lyrics are silly but they were very young. Also an album with a bass solo as a track was very brave, even to this day.

The band's most recent album, it saw them continue their thrash renaissance, but it has a vast amount of filler. There are great moments, especially the song Inamorata, being the band's longest song to date, but there is a lack of passion. The guitar solos from Kirk are very lazy but Lars does show off some of his best drumming. James's vocals are some of his strongest but sadly his lyrics, while showing promise, end up wrapped with too many clichés. The idea behind the concept was good but there wasn't enough creativity to its action.

Asceta is an instrumental group from Chile founded In 2020. Their music is composed by Rodrigo Maccioni who plays electric guitar, flute and synths, but the rest of the instrumentation (apart from the rhythm section featuring electric bass) is completely acoustic, representing the world of art music: violin, cello, clarinet, bassoon, oboe, cor anglais and piano. This is their second album.

The first piece is very slow and moody but right away In the lengthy second track the RIO-ish rhythmical and melodic complexity is on full action. The wind instruments and strings pretty much rule the soundscape together with highly sophisticated drumming that brings the progressive rock or fusion element to the otherwise chamber music oriented sound. In fact, the composer's electric guitar or synths have surprisingly unnoticeable roles In the music.

The album seems to have a conceptual story printed In the booklet, but unfortunately my Spanish is far too limited to try and make much sense of it. Sombras means shadows, I suppose, and indeed "A suite of shadows" fits to the mysterious and rather dark-toned atmosphere. But there's a playful side too, it's not depressive listening. All In all this music is pretty timeless, so to speak. As a prog rock album it more or less could have come from the late seventies when European group like Univers Zero were making this kind of avant chamber prog. And for the classical music influences you could go back to the modernistic era In the first half of the twentieth century. But perhaps this high level of production and the general sophistication In the musical flow takes a few decades of avant prog evolution.

RIO is not a subgenre close to my heart, and I'm aware my humble review won't add much to the previous reviews here. Nevertheless, I enjoy this arty but not pretentiious music and 'm grateful of finding this band. Also the black & white artwork is excellent.

I have to admit it was a welcome surprise to hear that this great band was releasing a new album after so many years. And if there is a word for describing it, it should be: elegance. Jazz rhythms, guitar leaks, the astonishing voice of Matthew Parmenter, riffs, violins, mellotron,...all constructing delightful sonic journey. From the energetic title track, through the familiar Keep the change, which reminds of the sounds from their earlier works, to the jazzy Aloft and the emotional and classy Aria, the album is so well measured that it should please all progressive rock fans out there.

Four stars, strongly recommended.

That's the Way

What happens when you merge the spirit of '70s and '90s rock and release it today? The result is The Book of Hours by Agropelter a sumptuous fusion of Camel, Eloy, and '70s Italian prog. and also a portion of the 90's sound from Änglagård, Anekdoten and White Willow, Kay Olsen, the mastermind behind the project, draws on this palette of influences to craft a sound that feels refreshingly original.

The Book of Hours is a completely instrumental album, beautifully crafted with dedication and vision. The production is clear and warm, and the execution reflects emotion. It's atmospheric and symphonic, full of strong moments all handled with care and a high level of musical quality. The artwork complements the music perfectly: dark - evocative, reminiscent of Roger Dean, yet striking in its own unique way.

The album consists of four tracks, including the title piece a four-part epic that unfolds as a cohesive musical journey. "The Book of Hours" is undoubtedly the highlight, but the 45-minute album as a whole stands out for its immersive, unified experience. Agropelter manages to transport the listener to a world of symphonies, vintage textures, and complex layers. Beyond the progressive influences, there's a strong influence of classical music, which adds depth to the composition.

Kay Olsen is the new guy in the global progressive rock scene and a new promise from the Nordic prog landscape. He plays Mellotrons, Hammond organs, harps, cembalos, moogs, Taurus bass pedals, guitars, and basses. He's supported by an exceptional group: Jonas Reingold (Steve Hackett, The Flower Kings, Kaipa, Karmakanic) on fretless bass; Mattias Olsson ( Änglagård, White Willow, Molesome) on percussion, vintage synths, and textures; and Andreas Sjøen (Umpfel, VADE, Sean Ashe) on drums along with several classical musicians contributing strings and wind instruments.

If there's any minor drawback, it's that the album occasionally stretches into ambient passages or leans on technical virtuosity reminiscent of some of the excesses of '70s supergroups like SKY. But this hardly detracts from the album's brilliance. With The Book of Hours, Kay Olsen may have created a future classic?an album that, with time, could earn its place among the genre's masterpieces.

Website info:" An explanation by the band for the weird name Baro Prog-Jets is the name referring to Italian multi- instrumentalist Alberto "Baro" Molesini dreams of his own progressive rock compositions taking flight! Baro started to play in the mid-Seventies, inspired by the progressive music from Genesis, King Crimson, Yes, Pink Floyd, ELP and Frank Zappa. He took up playing musical instruments, and eventually founded the formation La Sintesi, but disbanded at the end of the Eighties. But Baro kept on writing and recording, the first versions of ambitious concept works, although these would remain uncompleted for some time yet... Fast forward to now, Baro has finally completed several of his once only dreamed-about works, in 2019 released in a special double-CD edition. CD-1 is entitled Lucille A Giada, a 44 minute, multi-part suite in the classic and grandiose vintage RPI manner. And CD-2 is entitled Topic Würlenio, it is comprised of shorter political and social themed songs. But both discs offer a varied and colourful collection of lavish progressive rock music. In 2021 Baro Prog-Jets released a new album named Utopie, as a duo with drummer Gigi Murari, along guest musicians on piano, guitars and bass. About this album I wrote "To me this music sounds as interesting blend of Old School Prog (especially Yes) and varied, own musical ideas."

This new album is a concept album titled Prog-jet iv Aionverse. It is a rock opera with 8 characters conceived and directed by the earlier mentioned Alberto Molesini, aka Baro. It has a 20-page booklet with stories, lyrics and images. On this new album, the band features again a collaboration of multi-instrumentalist Baro (lead & backing vocals, bass, guitars, keyboards) and drummer Gigi Murari, supported by Elena Cipriani on backing vocals, and a wide range of guest musicians, including Paolo Zanella on piano, Nicola Rotta, Baxnug and Massimo Basaglia on electric guitar, Jack Molesini on jambè, Gabriel Bellorti and violin, and Heather Findlay (Mostly Autumn and Ayreon) and Iacopo Meille (Tygers Of Pan Tang) on vocals.

The sound is in the vein of the previous album Utopie (see my PA review). Which means lots of Yes hints, especially due to the Jon Anderson like voice, vocal harmonies and growling bass, blended with interesting musical ideas. Remarkable is the contrast between the melodic and accessible parts with pleasant and varied vocals in English and the more complex, often instrumental interludes (with hints from Frank Zappa, UK and King Crimson), embellished with lots of fine work on keyboards, and some harder-edged guitar solos in the longer compositions Creator's Farewell (between 70s Yes and Neo-Prog, with lots of shifting moods and keyboards, and a heavy guitar solo), Flow Of Life (from sparkling classical piano to Steve Howe influenced acoustic guitar) and the epic Crossing Pathways (3 parts) that sounds like a blend of 70s Yes and Gentle Giant featuring strong work on synthesizers, piano and organ, lots of powerful breaks and variety, and fine acoustic guitar play.

My rating: 3,5 star.

"Elias Blackwood" cinematic fairground telling the story of a magician; a reverberating Floydian bass and the sound on Genesis, Big Big Train. The acoustic guitar with the vocal between the Archangel and Jon of Yes for a nostalgic atmosphere, title revealing the climate. "Victor Malveil" with the puppeteer on a typical Mellotron air, alternating melancholic spleen and symphonic Yessian opening. The aerial pad, the elegiac vocal and the final keyboard solo on the neo era of the 80s evolve the sound. "Isabella Thorn" continues to regress to the 70s with the romantic- spleen ballad where the acoustic solo then the vintage keyboard touch on the original Genesis sound. A fruity flute break followed by the Hackettian arpeggio in the finale, the nostalgia is there. "Seraphina Moon," Tangerine Dream's electronic-spatial intro; the rest is a "ersatz rehash" of previous tracks, from yesteryear, with proven vocals and melancholic instrumentation; the final, invasive organ helps differentiate the tracks.

"Lilith Vale," with its title cue; the regression is interesting, giving the impression of Genesis-esque outtakes rediscovered by chance. The synth solo is stunning, the old guitar addictive. Have we gone back to the 70s with this energetic passage on "The Knife"? The flute and keyboard finale is grandiloquent and solemn. "Gregor Titan Volkov" drives the musical point home further, with a slow, oppressive tempo, over an enigmatic march. The break sounds more modern while retaining the atmosphere of yesteryear; a circus-like finale. "Dante Blaze," with its dark intro, smoke from the fire-eater? An Olympian air navigating the Charisma label's territory, flirting with Big Big Train, themselves great Genesis devotees. "Evelyne Nocturne" follows, just as it is, each track possessing its own soul through its marked symphonic digression. The break with the dancer in the father's bottle of water, "Daddy, I love you...," or "The Mother's Music Box" is a wonderful example of this captivating piece. "Lucian Graves" serves as a finale, with the sound evolving into dithyrambic and Olympian thanks to the trumpet synthesizer. The unabashed Banksian melody is enhanced by a passage of Carl Orff, returning during the coda to a rustic Albion tune.

Cen-ProjekT continues to surprise with the release of fast-moving albums, three per year on average. This opus returns to the 70s, dear to Genesis and Yes above all; Genesis-esque regressive and symphonic solemnity. Origin on Progcensor.

1. Frontera, with hints of South American melodic prog, his homeland through his mother; a pleasant sound with a beautiful solo and Robert Wyatt as guest vocalist, a pleasant track. 2. Diamond Head for the ROXY MUSIC-style sound, soft sounds, slow tempo dripping on the reverberating guitar; classical-spleen tunes with strings, imprinting a contemplative atmosphere, a beautiful stylistic exercise. 3. Big Day, with Brian Eno on vocals, a return of the elevator; a fresh pop rock track with a catchy chorus, synths galore, bass and watery guitar, coming from a half-dry waterfall, proven marshmallow and pensive sweetness. 4. The Flex, with Sonny's congas, a South American air for the bass, Eddie Jobson's electric clavinet, Andy's irritating sax; in short, instruments that make headlines with their innovative sound. 5. Same Time Next Week for the distinctive percussion, Doreen's voice joining John Wetton's for a hell of a duet, fresh, eruptive, and hilarious during Doreen's frenetic rises; the alto saxophone amplifies the sonic aggression with its musical farts, and it takes John's Mellotron and Phil's chiseled guitar to shape this bouncy piece. 6. Miss Shapiro with Brian's vocals, which can bring to mind the future musical evolution of dark wave, a bit punky; yes, ROXY MUSIC had already experimented, Brian reinforces this haunting sound on a conglomeration of KING CRIMSON, ROXY MUSIC, TALKING HEADS, and even XTC; quite an achievement in 1975 to talk about bands after! 7. East of Echo with Ian McDonald as a guest, a heady sound reminiscent of the future BOWIE, a DEVO vibe, it tingles with this avant-garde riff and this overheated guitar; Ian's bagpipes have this hypnotic effect and draw us into 8. Lagrima with this solemn oboe, a primary sound coming as an interlude to establish musical contemplation; an acoustic guitar in addition on an Andalusian air and the torrid heat appears 9. Alma with Bill MacCormick on lead vocal, Phil remaining as butler conductor; an ambient track of romantic melancholy with varied excursions and a superb guitar solo from you-know-who for the final bouquet; between emotion and melancholy, between solemnity and memory with Eddie Jobson's synthesizer bringing us for a few moments to the deep sound of the great KING CRIMSON, I'll let you guess which emblematic track. Yes, with 3 notes and 2 chords in rock, you can quickly get around everything, but the tour can be great! 10. CarRhumba as a bonus CD. Yes, it's a shame not to have listened to it at the time, because this track is purely enjoyable; catchy, with a distinct South American vibe with the western trumpets and the furious guitar. In short, a hidden musical pleasure that wouldn't be released for another 25 years, a drop in the ocean. Diamond Head, a blend of Roxy Music, progressive rock, jazz rock, and avant-garde with a Latin vibe, is a real bomb... Latin!!!!!

This talented Brazilian band released their debut and while the ratings given by others were not as lofty as mine, I simply adored what I hear, a softer more seductive form of jazz-rock prog. What particularly caught my fine-tuned attention was the stellar bass work by two guests, who have been replaced on this album by Arthur Cunha, the sole change in the original line-up of David Leite (guitars), keyboardist Thiago Albuquerque and drummer Henrique Penna. New percussionist Kleber Benigno also joins 'the Hermit' album . The gorgeous cover art is a sight to behold .

Now we start off with a grandiose prog stylistic on "Odissea para Sirius", a 9-minute symphonic track with operatic voice, and orchestral synths to open the curtain. Leite adorns the melody with electric licks that offer lots of latitude to roam, as if travelling the cosmos in search of new worlds. The marching drums provide the astute propulsion and the synths the necessary vectors, amid a myriad of sonic asteroids and foreboding planets. The composition certain does a lot of voyaging into various styles yet includes those amazing operatic arias throughout.

Next up , the smooth and stellar "Solaris", a jewel of subtle resonance, the e-piano doing its best to dazzle, the rhythmic pace relaxed, that sensational bass dancing on the nocturnal beach all night long, adorned with two guitar sorties , the first fluid and romantic, the second straight out of the fusion school of blazing notes. The magic appears with the groovy romp on "Abracadabra", an unrepentant electric guitar procession repeated ad infinitum, on top of which the bouncy bass and flashy drums can dance along as if on a tightrope, with occasional organ flourishes, keeping a tight groove , until the rabbit emerges from the hat. An elegant piano appears (finally!) on "Samsara", initiating a lively return to more complex exertions, a suave bass intervention for the ages, yet highlighted by ebb and flow contrasts that make this the most intriguing track on the album, intensely jazzy and urban, as well maintaining that slight bossa nova feel. Leite's solo is an illuminating sliver of beauty. My top track here.

After all that experimental belligerence out of their system, "O Regresso" is all sun and beach, a cool breeze coming in from the ocean, and a melody that perfectly symbolizes the Brazilian mind-set, carefree and laid-back. When the eclectic bass loops charm the ears, the bliss factor rises to the top, as Cunha is a crafty musician who knows his strings. The synthesizer carves the melodic content in a hyper jazzy manner, think Allan Zavod of JL Ponty fame or Pat Moraz' "I " album. A luxuriant piece of music.

"Horizonte de Eventos" is a frolicsome track, with an assortment of stormy keyboard layers from Albuquerque, synths and organ at the forefront in a rather aggressive mode, while the lead Leite solo is both abrasive and raspy. The lead instruments battle each other for supremacy, neither able to dominate.

The title track is a 9-minute job, that straddles the blurred line between jazz-rock and prog, the elastic Cunha bass once again leading the pack, a churning organ fighting for its rights, setting up the extended guitar solo that shows off a particularly original talent, as the various effects are often extreme, at times jarring or even grubby, which suits the well-oiled arrangement to a tee. Falling accidentally into a more ambient pool lasts only a few seconds, before the choppy, rather discordant piece regains its aggressive notoriety. The audition requires stamina, as it is a most adventurous exercise, a wonderfully fluid bass solo the highlight. The softness arrives with a slithering synthesizer flurry that hands over the baton to an odd guitar/organ duel that gently vaporizes into the mist. As a bonus track, "Aquantica" navigates a more tropical environment, a dense percussive piece as Benigno athletically settles the rhythmic pulse. The synthesizers seem distant, as the Amazonian voice effects recall a possible diversion near Manaus, wrapped up in an all-pervading jungle of experimentation. The piranha-like electric guitars collide with the ethnic motifs to create a hybrid style of what I would call heavy jazz-rock, anaconda fretless bass coiling in anticipation, all of this recorded in alive setting!

An obviously talented band that, in my humble opinion, is headed in the right direction with its challenging music, needing perhaps cleaner production values and an increased use of the piano as the perfect intermediary between melody and rhythm.

4 Belem recluses

On NANCY ELIZABETH's successor to "Battle and Victory", she adopts more of a neo folk stance as opposed to the creative folk rock that dominated half of that debut. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, and I particularly enjoy her piano work on the opening instrumental and the CURRENT 93 esque "Ruins", but this rarely hits her previous highs. Mesmerizingly pagan at times (the chanty "Feet of Courage", and the jauntily haunting "Lay Low"), it's also soporific at others ("Tow the Line", "The Act", "Winter Baby" ), which means that, although accomplished, it represents more of a step back than marking time in anticipation of future achievements. Still her voice, thoughtful lyrics and some of the arrangements hath wrought a solid opus that could have been deemed promising if it came first.

In March 2023, I wrote in a review of the album Fear Inoculum, among other things:

For me, this is without a doubt the best record Tool has ever released, and even though they only have five albums, I don't think there is another band that would be at its peak after thirty years of existence.

Today, I know of another band like that. I thought I would see if I could say something similar about other groups, so I compiled a list for myself (alphabetically and without genre restrictions), where two conditions were set - firstly, that the band had been around for thirty years, and secondly, that it was an album that was (for me, of course) excellent. I may have forgotten some, but I got fourteen:

AC/DC - Black Ice ? 2008 Black Sabbath ? 13 - 2013 Deep Purple - Abandon ? 1998, Bananas ? 2003, Rapture Of The Deep ? 2005, Now What?! - 2013, = 1 ? 2024 Dream Theater ? Parasomnia - 2025 Jethro Tull ? J-Tull Dot Com - 1999 King Crimson ? The Construction Of Light ? 2000 Marillion ? Fuck Everyone And Run ? 2016 Porcupine Tree ? Closure/Continuation ? 2022 Rush ? Snakes & Arrows - 2007 The Cure ? Songs Of A Lost World ? 2024 The Rolling Stones ? Hackney Diamonds ? 2023 Tool ? Fear Inoculum ? 2019 Uriah Heep ? Wake The Sleeper - 2008 Yes ? Magnification ? 2001

I was intrigued ? and surprised ? by a few things on that list. Most of all, probably Deep Purple, who are the only ones to have more than one album on there ? even five!!! And along with the Rolling Stones, these are albums recorded after more than fifty/sixty years of existence, which is truly admirable.

Then I thought again and kept only the albums that I think are among the best in the bands' discography. Half of them remained. And I went even further and kept only the records that I consider truly essential and can declare to be the best that these bands have recorded for me. That was quite a difficult task, and some albums were really hard for me to cross out. In the end, I had the task of leaving only one album, and that was Fear Inoculum.

Now I have the most difficult task ? to try to explain why the absolute best album, meeting those two criteria, is Time Silent Radio by Echolyn.

Time Has No Place After about twenty listens to the album, the truly festive day came when I put on my headphones for the first time ? I expected to be amazed, but not to this extent. After those sixteen minutes, I don't know what to write, but I feel absolutely certain that it is the most beautiful song by Echolyn. After two minutes of instrumental overture, beautiful polyphonies are heard accompanied only by acoustic guitar. I really like the piano, which Chris often uses. In Time, it has no place, amazing vocals are heard again. In the interludes, when the bars alternate in eight and seven beats, there is an excellent (probably) mellotron, and in I'm flying by into blue, I'm flying by into green, there is piano again. After less than six minutes, the first part of Into Blue and Green ends. The second, The Air of Ivy Hill, begins with a guitar slightly in the style of Pink Floyd, and in the choruses there are otherworldly beautiful polyphonies. Unfortunately, I don't know English and the translator didn't help me much in understanding the lyrics, but I still have to write that this really brought tears to my eyes, you don't hear such beauty often:

They'll be waiting but please don't hurry Just hold in the air of Ivy Hill Everything's been given All these days that I'm reliving Still holding in the air of Ivy Hill

In Emerald Garden, I really like the melody that Chris plays on the piano between the verses. I don't understand the lyrics here either - but I don't understand the music either, and I still like it very much.

The fourth and final part, Forever Anymore, is interesting rhythmically, it seems choppy and I admit that this time I didn't need to count how many beats there are. I emphasize the piano again, which is beautiful here. It is amazing how the composition breaks beautifully before Midnight ocean, Eighteen thousand, Swallow oil and blue green sea, so that the musical motif from the introduction returns at the very end. If I wrote something in the last review about perfection and beauty, about how everything is thought out and elaborated in detail, then this is perhaps even more true here. For me, sixteen and a half minutes of musical pleasure and delight.

Water In Our Hands In the first part, the bars alternate between five and six beats. The second begins cheerfully, in five beats, and while listening, I was again totally amazed and unable to express what I feel. And what to mention before ? everything is absolutely perfect, flawless, brilliant, beautiful. Organ. Applause in Take our crooked arrow, Dip it in the marrow, Paint the dead bones, Paint the dead bones. Or this:

We feel the time idle on And stare into the noise ? and all the noise it's making We feel the time idle on With everything ? with everything it's taking

I really think to myself that it's impossible ? to invent, rehearse, arrange, record, sing ? what kind of amazing people must be who can do this? I'm left speechless.

The third part is ? and now I'll probably surprise someone, hehe ? fantastic. In ten beats. And so dark. Also thanks to those passages where instead of singing, there is recitation. This piece is captivating with its atmosphere, energy, hardness.

In the fourth part, the piece reaches an even higher level, I really like Talking on mountains your loud megaphone whines, Making the waves of the pleads that will rise, again in ten beats. The contrast between this passage and the following one, where it is played in four beats, is great. I then hear a similar amazing contrast in the piano and the aggressive, somehow distorted bass guitar. The fifth part continues in a ten-beat (or maybe five-beat) rhythm, the motifs from the introduction are heard here (the guitar reminds me a bit of The Shadows). The bass is beautiful here. And again the piano. The farewell in the last, sixth part is magnificent. The acoustic passages with a beautiful piano are fantastic, where it stands out how amazing and exceptional the vocalists in the band are. The composition culminates and progresses:

Everything, you and I, lasts forever Nothing lasts forever Everything, you and I, lasts forever Nothing lasts forever No earth and sky

That musical motif is ? how could it be otherwise ? beautiful. And if I thought I couldn't be more excited ? after all the previous albums and after Time Has No Place, then know that I can. And I am 😀

Radio Waves Oh yeah, it's really terrible, but terribly hard work to write about this album, because one would think that they had used all possible superlatives on the previous two long compositions, and now there will be only some simpler, ordinary songs. But I can tell you that I wanted to cry again, especially when those incredibly polished and pampered vocals sounded in the headphones for the first time - I think Echolyn reached their peak here. And even the best bands that really knew how to do this - Gentle Giant, Yes, The Beatles, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young or Queen - could envy. The choruses are really beautiful. And in seven time 😀

Silent Years Even in this shortest song, Echolyn are simply incredible. Again, a great contrast between the seven-time passages and the four-time ones. I don't understand where they get these ideas, after thirty-five years of the band's existence.

Cul-De-Sacs And Tunnels Another beautiful song ? a real treat for headphones, a complete caress for the ears. Again, I don't know what to highlight first ? piano, later some synthesizer, excellent bass, amazing singing and again those polyphonies ? it's really incredible how they won with them and literally spoiled them. The first part is so dreamy, lyrical, in the second part the tempo changes and it seems cheerful, joyful, at the end the opening passage returns.

Boulders On Hills This is a pretty hard song in places, especially in the choruses. About in a six-eighth rhythm, I would say ? and I like how the snare drum plays in a fourth-eighth. Echolyn also used clapping, and of course in their case it doesn't seem awkward at all, as it sometimes does.

Our Brilliant Next A single guitar and a distorted vocal in the opening. Very nice bass. Angry and harsh Ray in the choruses - Fill my mouth with stone, Flowers for the after-burning bright. Great piano interlude. Interesting guitar solo in the middle, kind of jazzy.

One We Blur A cheerful, cheerful song, I always like the stopwatches before the singing. Again, beautiful bass guitar, vocals or piano in the background. In the choruses, a kind of military rhythm, the interlude with clanging cymbals and piano is nice. There is probably no point in mentioning the absolutely perfectly and beautifully elaborated polyphony. Then in the end, an amazing gradation and piano with some echo.

Tiny Star Beautiful piano with bass in the introduction and in the interludes, nice doubled vocals or piano solos in the singing. The choruses are very strong, catchy. After three and a half minutes, there is a change - such a slow, rambling interlude with guitar as from David Gilmour. A beautiful female vocal and the other male vocals. Then there's an even wilder part, we hear the depressing sounds of some synthesizer - and that piano around 6:30 is absolutely fantastic!!! Finally, a guitar solo.

On March 9, I heard Time Silent Radio for the first time, and that day Miro also wrote this:

Anything else that comes out this year in the music world (and not just progressive rock and metal of any subgenre) will have a huge problem coming even close to the quality and power of this two suite album. And above all, the 29-minute "Water in Our Hands" from the peak of Yes, Genesis and EL&P's work is an ideal example of endless beauty and invention in composing and interpreting a prog/rock suite with a huge amount of ideas, motifs, vocal harmonies, four great musicians - instrumentalists and singers in a light, non-violent and playful way.

The whole album is 10 ***/10, "Water in Our Hands" alone is 15 / 10 ... I should point out that I have listened to the album (including "Time Silent Radio VII") at least 30 times in over two months ... so my "opinion" is already deeply rooted ...

I think I have listened to a similar number of times - and not only because of that I completely agree with it. Honestly - I am very sorry that writing reviews of Echolyn has come to an end, because I do not want to say goodbye to the band at all. I will definitely give myself one more complete final round, which I always do, and I will look forward to another immense pleasure that the otherworldly music of this fantastic band brings me.

— First review of this album —

Kyle & Phantom Spell's

Phantom Spell's second album is the work of Kyle McNeill, the project's sole member, who, once again, plays all the instruments impeccably. On this release, Phantom Spell leans more toward a symphonic and melodic power metal sound, retaining elements of the progressive hard rock of their debut, reminiscent of bands like Styx and Kansas. That earlier influence is still present, but this time with less prominence. The album is superbly executed by Kyle, featuring tandem guitar work and classic keyboards, including a Hammond organ and a Mini Moog.

The album opens with "The Autumn Citadel," a 12-minute heavy piece full of dynamic rhythm changes and a strong sense of melancholy. The track leans toward classic 70s heavy metal, enriched with hints of progressive rock.

Siren Song follows, with a more folky feel, but with dramatic changes and powerful solos, with exceptional middle sections that demonstrate Kyle's songwriting skill.

Evil Hand delves into the world of progressive power metal, with captivating choruses, dynamic keyboards, and precise guitar riffs. It's a track in which Kyle demonstrates his mastery of each instrument with precision and style.

A Distant Shore offers another impressive display of harmonic interplay between guitars, keyboards, and vocals. While maintaining the heaviness of the previous track, it also introduces acoustic passages that add depth and contrast.

The 11-minute Heather & Hearth is, in my opinion, the highlight of the album. It begins with a beautifully crafted acoustic intro that gradually transitions into electric guitars with great delicacy. It is followed by melancholic vocals that give way to a powerful heavy metal expansion. This track is undoubtedly Kyle's masterpiece, showcasing his full range as a composer and performer.

The album closes with Old Pendle, a folk-style song that evokes elements of Celtic music and conveys a subtle medieval vibe. It's a soft and atmospheric ending that adds a timeless touch to the album's final moments.

Kyle McNeill expands Phantom Spell's sound, moving beyond the foundation of his debut. This record feels more mature and emotional, blending classic heavy metal, folk, and progressive rock in a uniquely personal way. Heather & Hearth confirms McNeill as a great musician and composer, capable of turning something classic into something entirely original.

Out of the surprising success of the V.S.O.P. first appearance at the Newport Jazz Festival in July of 1976, Herbie orchestrated a tour of Freddie Hubbard and four-fifths of Miles Davis' "Second Great Quintet" for the following summer. In between some concert dates in California, Herbie organized some recording time at David Rubinson's new recording studio in San Francisco--to which Tony Williams and Ron Carter showed up (and out of which, due to separate contractual obligations, arose two albums: this one from CBS/Columbia/Sony Records and another on Milestone Records attributed to Ron Carter, called Third Plane). The session conveys the musicians enthusiasm for the new V.S.O.P. collaboration--which would also culminate in several albums, live and studio, over the next few years.

1. "Watch It" (12:24) Though four of the songs are Herbie Hancock compositions (the fifth, Miles Davis' famous "Milestones") there is a very strong feeling of Tony Williams' LIFETIME in this, the opener. An amazing, jaw-dropping yet thoroughly-engaging song of dynamic Power Jazz/Jazz-Rock Fusion of the kind that Tony is so known for--but all of the performances on this song are humming along at "Eleven": virtuosos performing at the absolute peak of their powers. As a matter of fact, I find my judgment as to who's the ascendant performer swaying back and forth between Ron, Herbie, and Tony, over and over. What enthusiasm! Sublime expressions of joy and camaraderie. (25/25)

2. "Speak Like a Child" (13:04) while absolutely adore the original version of this song on the 1969 album of the same name, this one is a bit showy--especially from Herbie. It's still a great tune--and I love Ron's gnarly play on his fretless bass. Still a great song, just not the innocent and pure masterpiece that was rendered for Speak Like a Child. Though Herbie is dominant, the other two give every bit as much of their power and force as they did at any point of working with Miles in the "Second Great Quintet" (which, in my opinion, peaked with Sorcerer). (22.5/25)

3. "Watcha Waitin For" (6:19) the band members' energy seems to be waning a bit--at least Tony's--from that of that amazingly dynamic opener. Ron is still going super strong, super creative, and Herbie's doing fine; Tony just feels a little less enthused. The song is upbeat and uptempo slightly less melodic and engaging as the previous two songs. (8.875/10)

4. "Look" (7:40) an attempt at a late night cruiser is slightly diminished or led askew by both Ron and Herbie's more- enthusiastic-than-desirable play while Tony's subdued brush play on the traps is both suitable and perfect to capture the night fly. It's as if the guys want to play something for the late night crowd but two of them are still riding the high of adrenaline pumping through their system (especially Ron). Melodically, the song has quite a similar sound and feel to BRIAN JACKSON and GIL SCOTT-HERON's great "Pieces of a Man." (13.375/15)

5. "Milestones" (6:38) taking advantage of the trio's boundless energy, they decide to cover a classic Miles Davis song (now a jazz standard)--one that I'm sure they'd covered many times in live concert performances. All three of the band members are on fire throughout this but I must say that Herbie really puts on a show to display how good and how confident he's become over the years. Amazing! One of my favorite covers of this classic jazz tune! (10/10)

Total Time 46:05

A/five stars; a masterpiece of high-powered, highly-skilled acoustic jazz. HIGHLY recommended.

An absolutely wonderful album of pristine and deeply introspective piano improvisations: seven songs amounting to only 31 minutes of music that was highly treasured in Japan where it was recorded in 1969 in a studio in Tokyo before being released on June 21 of that year in Japan only--on CD in 1983! (It did not receive its public release in the West until 2004.) As I listen to this (over and over) I can only imagine the inspiration Herbie's music had on aspiring musicians in Japan. (Think: Ryuichi Sakamoto and Hiromi Uehara.)

This is definitely one of the finest solo piano albums you are likely to encounter from any genre of music! HIGHLY recommended.

Songs one through three were originally recorded on March 6th, 1968 (as well as material that would appear on later expanded releases as "bonus" songs #7 & 8) while songs four through six were recorded on March 9th (as well as bonus song #9), all at Rudy Van Gelder's Studio in New Jersey. Other than long-time collaborator Ron Carter, Herbie's new lineup of collaborators are all musicians of his own choosing.

1. "Riot" (4:40) good standard fare jazz. NOthing to write home about--except for the very palpable sense that one gets that this album is about Herbie, Herbie's piano play, and Herbie's ideas. (8.875/10)

2. "Speak Like a Child" (7:51) an amazingly beautiful song: it really draws one in and holds one close, surrounding and imbuing the listener with a calming, comforting feeling that is akin to those precious moments of deep connection between parent and child. One of the finest songs Herbie ever created--and some of the most beautiful piano playing he ever recorded. Quite the appropriate song title. (15/15)

3. "First Trip" (6:02) the only song on the album that is not attributed to Herbie, this is bassist Ron Carter's first and only compositional contribution to Speak Like a Child, one can certainly derive from this tune how much Ron loves bop--especially the mindless entertainment jazz of the past, both post World War II and pre-war; happy-go-lucky, carefree music to escape into--and it's all for Herbie (who solos over the entire song)! (9.25/10)

4. "Toys" (5:53) perhaps Herbie is giving back a little with this one as Ron Carter's bass is mixed very far forward. In the second minute Ron settles into a steady walking routine while Herbie steps into the spotlight--the music feeling very similar to the Vince Guaraldi stuff in the Charlie Brown television show soundtracks (thus the song title?). Herbie's piano work is exquisite: never getting stale or drowsy, always staying vibrant, melodic, and youthful. Brilliant! (9.333/10)

5. "Goodbye To Childhood" (7:07) pretty late-night deep-rumination music--something about this song reminds me of the work of both Bill Evans and the near-ambient solo work that Eberhard Weber would start doing around 1976. An eminently enjoyable musical listening experience; I feel washed and cleansed after listening to this beautiful song. Kudos to the brass section: their contributions were perfect as complements to Herbie's stellar piano play. (14.125/15)

6. "The Sorcerer" (5:37) it is rare that I feel some Chick Corea in Herbie's music, but this is one of those occasions: the tempo and phrasing (as well as Ron Carter's walking bass lines) feel as if they come straight out of my favorite Chick album of all-time, 1978's The Mad Hatter (to which, curiously, Herbie was a contributor). (9.125/10)

Total time 37:10

I agree with many other reviewers and music critics that with this album Herbie puts on display the extraordinary growth he has achieved piano player but more it shows how mature he's become as both a composer and bandleader! Speak Like a Child definitely contains some of my favorite piano music of all-time.

A/four stars; another jazz masterpiece--this one piano-centric--that I think every music lover would like--especially if you're partial to the melodic side of jazz. I have to say that I think of all the Herbie Hancock albums I've heard, this one might contain the most beautiful music--and certainly Herbie's prettiest piano playing.

Originally released in 2005, what we have here is the third solo album from JPL, released between the third and fourth Nemo albums. JP provides vocals, guitar and bass and he is joined by bandmates Guillaume Fontaine (keyboards) and bassist Lionel B. Guichard (who had just joined Nemo and would appear on the next release) and a few guests. What we have here is a reissue, 20 years on, which has been remixed and partially re-recorded. It contains two versions of "Le Prix de l'Exil" and both the original and new versions of "St Pétrole".

I was not aware of either JP or Nemo when it was originally released, as it was only with being sent a copy of 'Immersion Publique ? Live' and reviewing it in 2006 that I came across them, so this is the first time I have heard this. What is obvious from the off is just how forward the guitars are in the mix, much more than one would normally expect from a prog release, as JPL has obviously been influenced by shredders and has no issue at all in demonstrating is speed, just listen to the blistering "Guest Star War" to see what I mean. Although JP has been included as Crossover on PA, there is no doubt that if this album was the only one listened to by the team he would have been snapped up by Heavy.

But there is much more than just heaviness on this album, but it is quite different from what Nemo were producing so I can see why JP wanted to release this as a solo album as opposed to band. Since discovering his music I have been a big fan of JP and the way he approaches prog from a guitar viewpoint, and while I have not heard the original so cannot say if there are many differences with this version of 'Canibales', what I can say it is great to have this version available as this is guitar-led, symphonic and totally enjoyable prog from beginning to end.

It is not the first time there have been two versions of Yes doing the rounds: the last time was when we had both ABWH and Yes, which eventually saw the bands come together for 'Union'. For some reason, Yes were unable to find New Zealand on a map until fairly recently, and I count myself lucky to have seen the Davidson, Howe, Squire, Downes, White line-up twice. However, I do also think there has only been one truly enjoyable album since 'Drama' (which is one of my favourites ? I don't care what anyone else says), which is 2011's 'Fly From Here'. There is something about the Seventies and Anderson, Wakeman, Howe, Squire, Bruford/White which was truly remarkable, and they have never been able to truly recapture that, which means in all honesty we now have two cover bands on the circuit, and which is the better?

True, I would go and see either if they discovered where Aoteaora is on a map (something which map makers themselves seem to often fail at), but if I had to see just one it would be this one. Jon Anderson will always be the voice of Yes, and it is remarkable to hear him singing like this at the age of 79 ? true, he is not always perfect, but there is no autotune and while one would never think this was him in his prime it is still a wonderful performance. The Band Geeks were put together by long-time Blue Öyster Cult member Richie Castellano (bass, guitar) and he has been joined by Rob Kipp (guitar, keyboards), Chris Clark (keyboards), Andy Graziano (guitar, bass) and Andy Ascolese (drums). This was all about classic Yes, with all the songs available on the 1973 'Yessongs' release (surely one of the greatest live albums of all time), apart from "Awaken" and "Gates of Delirium", both of which were originally recorded on later albums. "Awaken" is the newest number, from 1977, and this performance really is like being in a time machine as each member of the band has done everything they can to replicate the originals. The keyboard patches are impressive, as it sounds as if we are listening to someone play Wakeman's notes on his keyboards, while the Squire bass sound is also great.

The question is, do we need this album? And do we need it from Anderson and some hired musicians? Guess what? I am not sure if we need it or not, but I know I have thoroughly enjoyed every second of it as it took me back to my youth and playing 'Yessongs' repeatedly. If I go back 50 years, I would guess it was my most played album, something I still return to today, and the only thing I would change on this would be if it could be a triple CD and not double so we could have "Going For The One", "Wondrous Stories" and some others. Will Yes and Jon Anderson ever reconcile? I doubt it, which is a real shame as life is too short, but if someone gave me a live album from the current line-up or this one, I know which one I would turn to as this is simply wonderful from first note to the last.

THOUGHT INDUSTRY were from kalamazoo, Michigan and formed in 1989. They were a four piece and this is their debut from 1992. Based on this album I'm surprised they aren't in Tech/Extreme Prog Metal. This is incredibly complex and cold. Maybe not as cold as WATCHTOWER and better vocals(barely). WATCHTOWER were ending their careers as THOUGHT INDUSTRY were just starting. The enjoyment level for me is very low here.

Now I understand they went out of their way to make each album different, so I'm looking forward to hearing their sophomore release soon. It's interesting that they seemed to change their name to THE THOUGHT INDUSTRY with that 1998 compilation album, and also with that final studio album from 2001. I was also reminded of "Master Of Puppets" with this debut, another record I do not like. So ten tracks worth 64 minutes. And the cover art of course is a Salvador Dali, which actually fits the weird and chaotic music.

I also feel the production could have been a lot better, but it doesn't affect my rating. The one track that sort of caught my attention for the tempo shifts was the opener "Third Eye". Just the way they do it was really cool. The last minute is insane. The title track like most of them is difficult to swallow. Not my thing basically, but still, it's hard not to be impressed with the skills. Strange to hear lame clapping to end "Daughter Mobius". "Alexander Vs. The Puzzle" is mellow! That is news! With the last four tracks we are back to status quo you could say, and by this time I am done.

Maybe if I was an insect I would appreciate this more. But I'd rather be me. This will be permanently put away. Maybe beside the WATCHTOWER cd I own.

Let's just start by saying that Camel is my favorite band and Andrew Latimer is my favorite musician ever. Fan or not, we can essentially all agree Mirage is a masterpiece. It doesn't revolutionize anything nor is it the most impressive album technically, but it just does everything right. I would almost argue it's one of the best starting point to prog, it's complex enough to really get the essence of the genre and accessible enough to not be too jarring as a starting point. It's one of the greatest symphonic prog albums of all time, let's go in depth:

Freefall is an amazing starter, and probably the most different track on this album. It's very energetic, uses a lot of odd time signatures, and is probably a big piece to swallow as the starting track of an album. While the first listen might be intense, it gets better everytime, it's an amazing opening (6/6)

Supertwister is named after the band Supersister which Camel quite loved. It's a slower piece, and crams a lot of stuff in it for a 3 min track. Latimer's flute is beautiful and it represents the essence of Camel perfectly. (3/3)

NImrodel, do I even have to say more? It's the greatest track on this album, and just overall one of the greatest tracks of all time. It just does everything right. (9/9)

Earthrise will be the only track to not get a perfect on my review. Some parts are great, but it's a bit too stretched out and is one of those jam songs that I'm not the biggest fan of. It's still very cool and probably the track that shows the virtuosity the best, but it's very clearly the worst track on this album (5/7)

The only reason Lady Fantasy is not my favorite camel track is because Nimrodel exists. It's another masterpiece with an instantly recognizable guitar melody, it's another absolute gem, another prog rock classic. (13/13)

FINAL SCORE: 36/38 = 94. Easy 5 Stars, arguably the greatest symphonic prog album of all time

I have not seen the physical CD of this release, but I can only hope it includes the notes from each member of the band, as they are incredibly interesting. After the 2014 'Minimal Gods' tour they needed a break, and somehow that break lasted for ten years and could still be going on until today if not for Cuneiform Records' boss Steve Feigenbaum asking the guys if they would like to be involved in the fortieth anniversary of that august label. Consequently Kenichi Morimoto (keyboards), Takahiro Izutani (guitar), Hidemi Ichikawa (bass) and Keiichi Nagase (drums) found themselves in a rehearsal studio for the first time in ten years and it was as if they had never been apart. The title comes from the 40 years of Cuneiform, along with the 37 years of Happy Family (althoug h in fairness they had a 15-year break before the last album, so plus the ten from recently they have been apart from than they have been together), and the concept was that each of the band would compose an instrumental track. This in itself was a new way of working, and the result is something where each track is very different indeed yet also brought together by the togetherness of Happy Family. When it comes to Zeuhl/RIO there are few which match their use of space and jagged melodies, and it is difficult to understand that Morimoto didn't touch an instrument for nearly ten years before starting to play Henry Cow pieces for relaxation (needless to say, his track "The Flying Man" is very much in that style).

This is a wonderful release, and let's hope they keep it going and we get another full release soon, and that we don't have to wait five years for the next one (15, 10, 5?).

Back in 2018 I reviewed the 2016 mini-album by this Canadian outfit and asked the question "where have you been?". The reason for that statement was although their debut was released in 2008, and the follow-up in 2013, this was the first time I had come across them, and given I think I have a fairly good idea on what is happening in the progverse it was a surprise to find such an amazing outfit who had pedigree. The thing is, I am obviously not the only one, as upon looking on ProgArchives I notice there has not been another review of that release, 9 years after it came out! They are now back with their third full-length album, released in May, and yet again I find myself the first person to write about it, which is nothing short of astonishing. There has been a line-up change since the last one but given that has been nine years it probably is not too surprising, with Kyree Vibrant (lead vocals, backing vocals), Dmitry Lesov (bass, backing vocals) and Igor Kurtzman (keyboards, backing vocals) now joined by Boris Kalantyr (guitars, backing vocals) and Roberto Bitti (drums, backing vocals).

Musically this is a beautiful mess, with influences from the likes of Zappa, Todd Rundgren, King Crimson, Cardiacs, Poisoned Electrick Head, Kate Bush, Jethro Tull and others. It feels very Seventies, not only in the instrumentation but in the breadth of the approach ? this is not something attempting to fit into anyone's idea of a pigeonhole, as music isn't a pigeon, and instead are going wherever the muse takes them, which is exactly how it should be. PA lists them as Eclectic, and that is probably right, although I can see Crossover trying to claim them as well.

There are just two issues with this album, it has taken too long to come out and is too short at 34 minutes. Hopefully the next one will be longer and it won't take so long to be released as this band is a hidden gem and once they see the light they shine beautifully. Another awesome release.

1. Do The Strand for one of the glam rock signatures, a bit of sweetness, a bit of punk, and a unique sound with the two heavyweights Phil Manzanera and Brian Eno, masters of guitar and synth; 2. Beauty Queen for Bryan's unique voice that will set so many female choirs ablaze; a track bordering on Southern country with its phrasing and groovy slow tempo that makes you dance alone while waiting for the eternal blonde, Amanda, get out of this body! 3. Strictly Confidential with Andy's tearful sax, the track that searches for itself, progressive latency, just for the trouble, Paul's drum roll will also be one of the band's signatures, pre-symphonic. Phil throws us a raw solo accompanying Bryan until the finale; a moving track. 4. Editions Of You for the timeless keyboard intro and the return to the post-punk sound before its time; A touch of Lou Reed, a crazy rhythmic sound, a belching sax for MADNESS before its time; ROXY MUSIC, by discovering baroque glam, had already paved the way for other musical genres; a special mention goes to the electric organ, which adds a layer of 70s vibes to the mix. 5. In Every Dream Home A Heartache for the dark, almost agonizing ballad with Brian's avant-garde synths on Bryan's phrasing of vocals with this unique sound and the explosion in the baroque, glam hard rock chorus. The finale with the hidden outro, another thing before its time, Brian's tinkering without a doubt, for a distorted sound for ears still unfamiliar with this new genre.

6. The Bogus Man for the long morau, an intrusive, metronomic tune with the voice and sax talking to each other; Ska, CLASH before its time, this repetitive tune on Bryan's wild vocals; John, credited, compulsively launches his bass, facilitating the musical trance; it's catchy and jerky, Brian's tinkering ends up charming by capsizing; not prog, but melodic prog spirit, hypnotic for sure 7. Grey Lagoons for Bryan's hit as if he knew he was already going to play solo; wild sax and piano kick him out of the song; the harmonica brings everyone together with a hilarious western solo before the Bill HALEY-style piano returns; in short, madness with Bryan returning as if nothing had happened 8. For Your Pleasure, BOWIE style, for the high voice, the rhythm on a guitar and pad from the 60s for the gangster movie soundtrack trip; The voice is the best part of this emerging group, the voice becoming melting, addictive, radiant and expressive on the repetitive pad; a prog wave that reminds me of an XTC title from the 80s, almost a generation later with the reverberating, enjoyable, orgasmic, mantranic effect... with the electro finale worthy of a TANGERINE DREAM coupled with POPOL VUH.

Moving on as Herbie was want to do, here he enters full-on into the worlds of Disco and Urban R&B, still exploring technologies but with less adherence to his Jazz roots, more from a sense of staying relevant, of riding the elusive wave of popularity.

A1. "You Bet Your Love" (7:36) a fairly-simple and straightforward Disco song with a Michael Bublé-like jazz-crooner vocal over the top and active, animated posse of background vocalists (who perform arguably the best roles on the song). As with Sunlight, Herbie is proving that he has a rather nice, likable voice. The hand claps, slap bass, "horn" hits, and Fender Rhodes solo in the middle are great. (13.25/15)

A2. "Trust Me" (5:41) a gentle, laid back tune that makes me think of both the jazz crooners of the 50s and 60s as well as the Yacht Rockers emerging in the late 1970s like Barry Manilow, Boz Scaggs, Michael Franks, Al Jarreau, and Michael Walden. It's nice! Herbie's voice sounds so classic smooth crooner--very similar to that of Michael Bublé. (8.875/10)

A3. "Ready Or Not" (6:42) now here's a form of Disco that sounds more like that which will become bands like Parliament, The Isley Brothers, The Brothers Johnson, Chic, and even Prince (or, more accurately, Sheila E and the funk pop of the mid-to-late 1980s). Very contagious--and fun--especially, I would think, for the dance floor. (9.125/10)

B1. "Tell Everybody" (7:09) a Disco beat opens this one, setting up that which will become a Pop/R&B-Funk sound/song similar to those being played by bands like Rose Royce, Lipps, Inc., Rufus, Dazz Dazz, Atlantic Starr, and The Gap Band. Electronic percussion and horn sounds being experimented with. (despite the credits claiming that Bill Summers is the administrator of such sounds and play, it feels suspiciously like the work of the Escovedo family--especially Sheila E-- who are credited as contribution to the previous song. A song that will be remembered as a novelty song in an era when novelty songs were a common way to garner attention (and sales). (13/15)

B2. "Honey From The Jar" (6:51) take away the disco, rejoin the R&B slap-bass funk of Parliament, War, and The Ohio Players. Fun, funny, and entertaining but a long way from Jazz-Rock Fusion. (13.25/15)

B3. "Knee Deep" (5:39) applying distortional effects to all instruments--here drums and percussion as as well as using synthesized horns/brass exclusively. As a matter of fact, the song may be seen as an experiment in how to work with synthesized horns (despite the presence of Bennie Maupin with his soprano sax). The only song on the album whose funk is closer to Jazz-Rock Fusion than R&B or Disco.(9/10)

Total Time: 40:10

While I do like the music--found myself entertained and amused--I was really hoping from more vestiges of Jazz or Jazz-Rock Fusion in this Herbie album. Alas! He's evolved (for now) away from his roots. At the same time, I love that Herbie was so open--that his trajectory was one of adaptation and evolution rather than steadfast (and stubborn) conservation and preservation.

B/four stars; an excellent collection of funky Disco-and R&B-based songs. The album as a whole feels more driving by Herbie's propensity for experimentation with all that is "the latest": technology, stylistically, sonically.

Herbie's personal infatuation with the vocoder and other voice-manipulation tactics and technical devices has given him the courage to sing--which he does! on almost every song! The lead vocals!!

A1. "I Thought It Was You" (8:54) using melodies familiar to us from various theme songs to popular television shows plus a full brass section, Herbie & Co. explore the novelty side of Disco Pop music--here using a vocoder-like effect to modulate his singing voice. I hear a little of that which will become The Crusaders' "Street Life" in multiple aspects of this song. It's good--with the high-skill performances from all on board as one has come to expect from a Herbie production--just not great. As I said: it feels a little more like a novelty song. (17.75/20)

A2. "Come Running To Me" (8:23) using a whole different effect tool kit to modulate his voice on this one, Herbie adds his rather-pleasant and surprisingly-skilled voice to what feels like more of a Jazz-Pop song. A very pleasant, even relaxing and enjoyable, listening experience, the song comes across as less Smooth Jazz > Jazz-Rock Fusion > Jazz. (17.75/20)

B1. "Sunlight" (7:09) actually a pretty cool, very enjoyable song--structured over something that one might call funk- lite, Herbie's smooth vocal conveys some poetic lyrics, accented by the horn section, before moving into some scatting as the funk thickens a little. Ray Parker, Jr., Paul Jackson, and Bill Summers are essential to the success of the groove. LONG-time collaborator Bennie Maupin makes his only, albeit, brief appearance on the album in the middle. Herbie's own synth work in the second half is unusual and highly complementary to both his vocals and the funk motif. (14/15)

B2. "No Means Yes" (6:18) Harvey Mason, Bill Summers, Raul Reckow, and Paul Jackson make quite a team in the rhythm section--such virtuosic nuance represented--while the woodwinds, Fender Rhodes and lack of guitar all make quite the impact. Very cool song (despite its similarity to the slightly gentler work of Bob James)! (9.25/10)

B3. "Good Question" (8:31) a cool Latin jam that includes Tony Williams and Jaco Pastorius to give it the more serious jazz foundation that pianist Herbie was surely going for. The percussionist (Bill and Raul) and guest synthesizer guru, Dr. Patrick Gleeson (back from the old Mwandishi days) round out a rousing piece of jazz on which Mr. Hancock sounds like he's exploring the territory more commonly tread by contemporaries Chick Corea and Don Pullen. High speed and dynamic piano playing, to be sure! (18.125/20)

Total Time: 39:26

The transition over to easy listening, Adult Contemporary, Smooth Jazz seems pretty complete with this album despite the addition of a horn section and all of the compositions being Herbie's save one. The performances of the jazz musicians are all stellar--so polished and professional--and the compositions all quite mature and sophisticated, they're just falling more into conformation with the prevailing flow toward easy listening Smooth Jazz.

P.S. I can see how some people credit this album with helping to birth the Daft Punk-type of music of the 1990s and 2000s: Herbie seems quite intent on singing--and using massive distortion effects on his (actually-lovely) voice.

A-/five stars; a very nice contribution to Smooth Jazz which definitely helps legitimize the new direction that Jazz-Rock Fusion has evolved into.

Yet more evolution in the HH line-up of collaborators: only horn player Bennie Maupin remains from the Mwandishi lineup, and bassist Paul Jackson from the Head Hunter days. Besides the new sounds, the work of Melvin "Wah-Wah" Watson as both multi-instrumental performer and co-composer of five of the seven songs is particularly notable. The man was a creative force!

A1. "Doin' It" (8:00) funky rhythm guitar, bass, and "Voice Bag" all performed by Wah Wah Watson while the James Gadson and Ray Parker team helped out on the sides. Herbie's Fender Rhodes sounds pretty standard but the clavinet, organ, and synthesizer work alongside the "Just keep on doin' it" vocal chant is wild and definitely mega- funky. Do they think their Sly & The Family Stone? or the Ohio Players? Great funk tune that is especially notable for all of the advanced sound technologies used (and how they're used). (13.5/15) A2. "People Music" (7:07) cool Bob James- like funk-lite tune within which Bennie Maupin plays some weird horn (most likely the lyricon though it could be the saxello) to smooth effect. The song has many twists and turns, stops and starts, including a complete change in direction around the three-minute mark into a really cool spacey synth section over which Herbie helps re-establish the funk with his Fender Rhodes solo. I love Paul Jackson's bass play as well as the sophisticated compositional structure and spacey synth presence--and the fact that it just keeps getting better the further you get into it. (14.5/15)

A3. "Cantelope Island" (7:06) there's nothing like the revisitation to an old classic (now a "standard") from one's own repertoire and compositional legacy. I actually love how Herbie and Billy Cobham have been unafraid to "update" their popular/iconic compositions as there is so much to be said for the technological (and stylistic) progressions presented in each successive decade. While I like this version--it's pretty wild on the sound and solo side--but there's something that feels a bit like drag or a "too cool for your own shoes" attitude coming through. It's also difficult when you love the original. (13.333/15)

B1. "Spider" (7:20) dramatic like a film soundtrack song (think Shaft), this one harkens back to the Fat Albert Rotunda album in its urban soundtrack feel; one can just picture the montage of scenes as Huggy Bear, Bootney Farnsworth and/or Biggie Smalls walked through the streets of Harlem or Chicago's South Side. Cool, fun song with lots of virtuosic-though-understated individual work. (13.75/15)

B2. "Gentle Thoughts" (7:01) more gentle Pop-Funk with Wah-Wah and Herbie laying back while Bennie solos again on lyricon (and/or saxello). Nice melodies and interesting sounds being melded together, but, again, the similarities to the music Bob James was now making are not unnoticed. (13.5/15) B3. "Swamp Rat" (6:25) back to some really complex (and, I would think, demanding) funk that somehow still manages to come across as smooth and laid back. I love the syncopation being demanded of all performers--with Paul Jackson, Herbie and Wah Wah Watson particularly stepping up to the task. Interesting that Bennie's sax solo starts out far in the background but then slowly, gradually moves to the front and center. Was that an engineering choice or due to Bennie's distance to/from the recording microphone? The song becomes much more animated as it goes, even threatening to derail--but not if drummer James Levi can help it! (9.3333/10)

B4. "Sansho Shima" (4:50) Bennie Maupin's lone composition on the album, the song definitely brings the band back into some of the more jazz-oriented super-funk that was being explored by the more jazz-dedicated purists of the time (and beyond). Very demanding hyper-speed jazz performances are herebeing demanded of the musicians. Well met! Not as engaging of a tune as the previous ones but definitely impressive (9.125/10)

Total Time: 48:01

The performances are all loose and relaxed though tightly-synchronized: this band feels well-oiled and all on the same page. The compositions are all sophisticated and interesting, requiring virtuosic skills to perform, though some fall into the Bob James vein of Smooth Jazz that is beginning to take over and will soon dominate the Jazz-Rock Fusion idiom.

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of funk-leaning Jazz-Rock Fusion that covers the spectrum of both hard-core jazz as well as the insidious pull of the more commercially enticing and easy listening movement toward Smooth Jazz.

Déjà-Vu - Between The Leaves (5/5)

Some albums are just way ahead of their time. This is one of them, Between The Leaves by Norwegian heavy proggers Déjà-Vu is one of them. Recorded in 1976 but buried for decades, this is a perfect example of an obscure Scandinavian prog band rivaling the heights of their British contemporaries. Yet having a much grittier sound. This is Déjà-Vu's only release to this date, it blends emotionally raw vocals with basslines, scorching guitars and a keyboard arsenal that could rival Rick Wakeman.

Otterstad's mastery of multiple keyboard tones is just stunning. Rhodes and Hammond dominate the foreground, but lurking are MiniMoog squeals and Mellotron washes appear just when the songs start to fray into abstraction. They pull the songs back toward cohesion. Rønning's guitar tone isn't overly flashy, but his lines are melodic and assertive. Often counteracting Otterstad's keys.

Underneath it all lies Per Amundsen's bass playing. His playing worked as the unspoken glue. His tone is bold and up- front, not just a background thrum either. But a melodic presence. He didn't just follow the root. His lines weave around the drums and keys with subtle flair which in a way added harmonic richness and unexpected turns that elevated the music's sense of motion.

Then there's Grønlie, whose dual role as a vocalist and drummer laid the foundation for the band. He holds time whilst sculpting it at the same time. His drumming is precise, loose and assertive. He plays kind of light-footed, incorporating jazzy hi-hat work and tom-heavy accents that elevate the rhythmic aspects. The fact that he's doing all of this whilst singing is just mindboggling. Grønlie's vocals don't take away anything from the rest, instead he strengthens everything.

As most prog bands Déjà-Vu excel in long-form composition without falling into the traps of endless noodling. 'Burning Bridges' and 'Somebody Cares' both stretch past the 10 minute mark. Every section feels pieced out, from the commanding organs to the instrumental parts where everything feels like it just collapses on top of each other but in a beautiful and fitting way. They write their songs with arcs (peaks and plateaus) rather than rigid templates. This makes even the most predictable choruses, riffs, fills feel unpredictable.

It's staggering to think that Déjà-Vu's only release sat basically unheard for two decades, it's only a legacy, a couple of white-label pressings and memories of local Norwegian gigs. Had it been released with the backing of a label like Vertigo or Harvest, we might today be speaking of Déjà-Vu alongside Gentle Giant and Camel. Instead it became a buried relic that sounds more and more contemporary each passing decade.

Between The Leaves is one of those albums that just yearns for rediscovery and deserves it as well. This album would please any invested prog rock listener and could even please those who aren't very keen on the genre. Maybe its obscurity is part of its magic. Almost like a half-forgotten forest path, it sits there patiently for those willing to listen with open ears and an open heart.

Between The Leaves (5/5)

Review Nº 906

"Heart Still Beating" is the second live album of Roxy Music that was only released in 1990. While the album's sleeve states that the album was recorded at Fréjus, France in 1982, it's in reality a mixture of shows from several locals and dates in Europe in 1982 and 1983 when Roxy Music made their Avalon's Tour and was mixed together as only one live show. It's interesting to note that, unlike most bands of that time, Roxy Music has very few live albums. At that time, beyond "Viva! Roxy Music" released in 1976, Roxy Music had only released their four track live EP "The High Road".

Relatively to the line up on "Heart Still Beating" and in addition to the only three founding members that remaining on the group Bryan Ferry (vocals and keyboards), Phil Manzanera (guitars) and Andy MacKay (saxophone and oboe), there are several additional musicians on "Heart Still Beating". So, we also have Neil Hubbard (guitar), Alan Spenner (bass), Guy Fletcher (keyboards), Andy Newmark (drums) and Jimmy Maelen (percussion). We still also have Fonzi Thornton, Mitchelle Cobbs and Tawatha Agee (backing vocals.

"Heart Still Beating" has fourteen tracks. The first track "India" was originally released on Roxy Music's album "Avalon". The second track "Can't Let Go" isn't a Roxy Music's track. It's a Ferry's track. It was originally released on his album "The Bride Stripped Bare". The third track, which gave its name to the album, "While My Heart Is Still Beating" was originally released on Roxy Music's album "Avalon". The fourth track "Out Of The Blue" was originally released on Roxy Music's album "Country Live". The fifth track "Dance Away" was originally released on Roxy Music's album "Manifesto". The sixth track "Impossible Guitar" isn't a Roxy Music's track. It's a Manzanera's track. It was originally released on his album "Primitive Guitars". The seventh track "A Song For Europe" was originally released on Roxy Music's album "Stranded". The eighth track "Love Is The Drug" was originally released on Roxy Music's album "Siren". The ninth track "Like A Hurricane" isn't a Roxy Music's track. It's a Neil Young's track. It was originally released on his album "American Stars 'n Bars". The tenth track "My Only Love" was originally released on Roxy Music's album "Flesh + Blood". The eleventh track "Both Ends Burning" was originally released on Roxy Music's album "Siren". The twelfth track "Avalon" was originally released on Roxy Music's album "Avalon". The thirteenth track "Editions Of You" was originally released on Roxy Music's album "For Your Pleasure". The fourteenth track "Jealous Guy" isn't a Roxy Music's track. It's a John Lennon's track. It was originally released on his album "Imagine".

So, "Heart Still Beating" was Roxy Music's second live album, following the 1976's "Viva! Roxy Music". When the album came out, the band hadn't existed for a few years. The fourteen tracks were recorded in 1982 but not released until 1990. This period of eight years shows how fresh and timeless the band's music sounds. Even today, the pieces don't seem to me a bit dusty. Musically, Bryan Ferry, Phil Manzanera and Andy MacKay offer a journey through the albums "Stranded", "Country Life", "Siren", "Manifesto", "Flesh + Blood" and "Avalon". Alongside the hits "Editions Of You", "Love Is The Drug", "Both Ends Burning", "Dance Away", "My Only Love", "Jealous Guy" and "Avalon". "Heart Still Beating" also includes interesting interpretations of "A Song For Europe", "Out Of The Blue" and "While My Heart Is Still Beating". As a treat, there are some extra tracks here. Tracks don't belong to Roxy Music. So, we have "Impossible Guitar" by Manzanera, "Like A Hurricane" by Neil Young and "Jealous Guy" by John Lennon. The band comes closer to a mainstream rock sound with enjoyable interpretations of "Like A Hurricane" and "Jealous Guy", but even then, the distinctive band's art-rock tendencies remain faithful. All in all, "Heart Still Beating" is an absolute listening pleasure.

Conclusion: I almost agree with Raff when he says this album is a little bit cold. This is true in the beginning of the album but as the concert advances it will become warmer. That is especially true from "A Song For Europe", eventually being brilliant, in certain moments, like "Like A Hurricane", "My Only Love" and particularly "Jealous Guy". However, I think this album has a different problem. The problem isn't with Ferry, MacKay or Manzanera, because they're excellent as always. Manzanera features some of his best guitar solos as a Roxy Music member. The problems are with the additional musicians because they're all good but not as great as they must be. The main problem is on the keyboards where the sound is a bit faint, failing to fill the concert with its sound. I'm convinced that if Eddie Jobson was still in the band this live album could be a masterpiece. Still and despite all I said before, I decided to rate this album with 4 stars. The track list of the album is great, the live performances are in general very good, the sound quality is excellent, particularly my CD because it's a HDCD version and finally because there are so few live albums of the band. So, I think it's necessary to have it. All of this makes it an excellent addition to any Roxy Music's decent music collection.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

I have been revisiting artists that I have pretty much only one review for, and checking out their other works. I love working with bands with small discographies, since it allows me to just go into them and come back out without needing months upon months in advance to work through their discographies. Not a detriment to bands with bigger lists of albums, but I do enjoy more bitesized snacks rather than taking in a German fair's worth of sweets and treats. Which is why I shall be revisiting Änglagård since my last review of them was on August 21st, 2022. Three years ago. Way too long honestly.

So, what better way to pick them back up is with their second record, Epilog.

I think, if I am not mistaken, Epilog was meant to be Änglagård's final record, at least for the time. I mean, it's literally titled epilogue in Swedish.

That said, this was obviously not the end to Änglagård, but back then it was, and it's a pretty good way to end their short careers after their magnificent Hybris.

In a way, if Hybris is Änglagård building the gothic cathedral, Epilog is them burning it down in an act of rebellion against their own beliefs. A fully instrumental piece of music that, while extending their reach on Hybris' scores, finds itself into more folksy and anxious territories.

I think musically, which is really the only thing to look into this about, Epilog is a great distraction from Hybris for me. It has all the right beats that a gothic prog masterpiece holds, from the disjointed organs to the symphonic qualities that pay homage to acts like England and ELP. But it is all wrong. Where Hybris is pumped and ready for anything with bombastic scores and lyrical amazement, Epilog is quiet, disturbed, like someone who is near death but is pleading for life. Sometimes it'll get loud like Hybris, but it feels soulless, but obviously not in a bad way.

I believe Epilog does what it does greatly, a score that is meant to focus on the death of Änglagård, rather than on what it was in the past. I know this sounds like a weird comparison, but I think the best way to describe the kind of feelings this record has is to look at one of my favorite video games ever, OMORI. In the game, there is a character named Basil, a pretty important one in both the dream world segments of the game, as well as the real world ones. I won't spoil the game since I think one should play it for themselves, but essentially, Änglagård made two of their own Basils during their career in the 90s. Hybris is their Basil from their dreams, while Epilog is the Basil from reality. Two sides and similar sounds, but ultimately different.

Though, unfortunately, Epilog is one of those albums that never really?clicked with me. I mean, I really like it, don't get me wrong. But Hybris just feels better for me. Sure Epilog has some great moments too, like I really love the first half of Skogsranden, and I dig the little ending of Saknadens fullhet. But Epilog never really snapped into place whenever I listened to it, unlike Hybris did. I get that if they did try to just make another Hybris for this record it'd devalue it as the band's quote on quote end, since it'd be too jovial of a demise. But still, Hybris just feels better.

If I am gonna be real, I don't quite have any critiques on Epilog, so this really is more of a mental thing for me. I guess years of listening to mostly Jordrök has spoiled my brain and made me less appreciative of what Epilog manages to do.

But I'd still recommend this album since, well, it's an Änglagård album. Änglagård makes some fine records, both studio and live. So really, getting this album through Bandcamp is not a waste at all. Check it out for a darker take on an already dark band.

Best tracks: Höstsejd, Skogsranden, Saknadens fullhet

Worst track: Rösten

The unexpected Album

Almost ten years after Postmodern Passions of a Wandering Musician (2016), keyboardist and composer Corrado Sardella returns with Unexpected Intersections, a personal and refined album for his Doracor label. The fruit of an unfinished collaboration with Red Canzian and subsequently shaped by singer Lorena Cossu, the album unfolds over 75 minutes with a central idea: keeping the inner child alive while facing adulthood.

The music is driven by Sardella's keyboards, oscillating between neo-prog and fusion, with emotional moments, soft passages, and elegant guitar and sax solos. A stellar group of guests brings depth and dynamism: John Jowitt (IQ, Arena), Mirko De Maio (The Flower Kings), Simona Malandrino, Elisa Montaldo (Il Tempio delle Clessidre), and Kostas Milonas. The album opens with "Journey," a brief, cinematic introduction that leads into "Remnants of Memories," a 10-minute climax filled with dramatic synth layers and reflective moments. Tracks like "Il Coraggio di Essere" and "Distant Lights (You Can't Forget)" showcase Sardella's melodic power, while "That Silent Tear" and "Simply You" shine with emotive vocals and warm arrangements. Shorter tracks like "Stella D'Agosto" and "Laurie" provide charm and balance. The centerpiece is the 15-minute suite "Unexpected Intersections," a multi-section epic that combines choirs, progressive rhythms, and emotive repetition, perfectly capturing the album's ambition. The closing track, "Di Questi Giorni Infiniti," leaves a meditative aftertaste.

Unexpected Intersections is a great record, elegant and cohesive album where emotion, melody, and progressive richness make it one of the most outstanding Italian releases of 2025.

#58 Review

Finally back! While I already reviewed this one on my YouTube channel, I was surprised to learn that I didn't do it here first, so here we go.

I found this disc for very cheap, its an interesting relic of a different time, as it has a promotion for The Longs, coming the year after this one. Besides that, the packaging is pretty standard and I struggle a bit to understand the reasoning behind them dividing the tour album release into two, besides just padding out their album releases.

The track listing is not very special, mainly because of how little of Genesis discography it actually covers, only 3 albums: Genesis, Invisible Touch and the sake of the tour in question, I believe that the hits are fine, is just that an album with similar sounding songs can be kind of boring, all 3 albums are different, but some songs feel like they fulfill a similar purpose, such as Hold On My Heart and In Too Deep for example, they are both soft and slow songs with weird Tony Banks chord progressions.

Add to everything that this release was not taken just from The Way We Walk tour, but also from the Invisible Touch tour, with songs like Mama, That's All and In Too Deep, seemingly taken from the Invisible Touch tour video, so not much special there, except for the later that sounds a bit special, and speaking of an special sound, I really enjoy how Tonight, Tonight, Tonight sounds in this version, sadly, its from the We Can't Dance tour, so its only the part of the song before the solo.

All in all, as a cheap release to keep you waiting its fine, in the physical department it could've been better though, with pictures from the Invisible Touch tour, making it more obvious what songs are from what venue, or tour and whatever, I know that they started sounding very similar in different venues, is just that this release doesn't hide how cheap it is when what I'm mentioning could've take just a little bit more effort, I'm not even asking to change the song selection, which is probably the thing that shows even more how cheap this release is, as you need to copyright only 3 albums with only 3 members.

So, if you find this for cheap, I think that its worth it to add into a Genesis collection, it just works and looks fine on the shelf but other than that, is just a cheap old live hits collection, just being official, working as intended with good live sound and from 30 years ago makes it an step above every recent official or bootleg hits compilation.

This is a young musical whiz from Kolkata, India , proving once and for all that prog is a global phenomenon. Mahesh Arora is a talented multi-instrumentalist who began learning piano at a very young age and now in his very early 20s, he is ready to embark on a hopefully prolific career in prog. This 2024 album is 32 minutes long and he has released many more subsequent works since, though all under 40 minutes . I would like to take the opportunity to suggest to this stellar young musician, that while short can be considered precious and cute, prog fans generally prefer somewhat lengthier affairs, mostly out of habit but also because, they are not specific track but rather an album- oriented audience.

Opening up with the intro to the album title and second track, a piano sort of sets the tone, dominating the airwaves, with some vocals strangely reminiscent of Phideaux, a marching drum parade gently saluting in the background. The title track I had heard on Progzilla Radio on the Lazland show , which I listen to devoutly every Saturday, and Steve played this track. Its sensual ,nearly 12-minute run was quite an exhilarating experience, as Mahesh does everything here, including the high-pitched vocal chores. The epic arrangement is cleverly developed, with exemplary pacing, texture and mood. There are streaking melodic heights, suddenly swerving into ambient depths, as well as some sizzling lead guitar work, with endless detailed excursions into spoken word effects, echoing galactic sonics aided by spanning choirs and regularly reverting to the piano as the leader of the pack. Nimble drum work keeps the rhythmic tension constant, on the edge of falling off some precipice. The musicality surely parallels both the title and the evocative artwork, as if looking out of some cosmic porthole in one's mind. Surely an epic track for the ages. Another piano based etude that lurks behind pastoral trees and bushes, "Sage & Harmony" offers exactly what is advertised, choir mellotron in the background, and a lovely melody to boot. Keeping the mood pleasantly in the garden, "Flowers for All" supplies a dream-like sequence, with reverberating vocal moans, spindly guitar trimmings and that doggone piano glistening in the sunshine. Both exquisite little vignettes , that could easily have been further developed into more substantial epics or even joined like two lovers into one longer arrangement. Opting for increased classical music impact, "Polyphonic Walls" elevated the symphonics to blur the lines even further, increasing the prog quotient in the meantime. Drenched in sonic clouds of colliding streaks, the shrill voice pleads escape from some claustrophobic experience, surrounded by dark shudders of anxious temperament, as if trapped in some experimental Floydian nightmare. Pause. The orchestral feel resurfaces from the abyss, as if resurrecting past glories, yet still wet from the spectral tempest. A distant siren-like voice beckoning the sailors to visit her hazardous shores, the moment of fate has arrived. "Silk (extended version)" is the harbor where they hoped to find shelter, comfort and rest. As befits such a velvety smooth title, the piece evolves in comfortable numbness, a vaporous glide into golden slumbers and soon a distant point on the horizon. Well done.

Extremely thoughtful composing and obvious talent. Its is up to Mahesh to decide how to consolidate this miraculous talent and fit his craft into more concise and complete chapters that will hoist him up to a wider audience. 4 cellphone illusions

The combination of raw, primal energy with the elaborate soundscape envisioned for Iron Maiden's future by Steve Harris was cemented with the vital addition of Bruce Dickinson, with his wide vocal range and powerful stage presence, replacing the problematic Paul Di'Anno in the second half of 1981, injecting the band with an extra dose of dramatic and innovative textures that explode in "The Number of the Beast" (1982), the English band's third album. An album not without controversy given its challenging demonic aesthetics and musicality, which even led it to be the centre of debate in the United States due to its rejection by conservative religious groups who considered it an apology for Satanism (especially the song of the same name), something that naturally contributed to its greater popularity and interest in listening to it...

A devastating offering, somewhere between marginal, vigorous, sophisticated and epic, it was also a source of inspiration for countless bands attracted by songs that, controversies aside, ended up becoming fundamental to heavy metal, such as the sombre and intense "Children of the Damned", where Adrian Smith shines with impeccable clean acoustic arpeggios at the beginning and a great guitar solo, or the unrestrained and painful "The Prisoner" and "22 Acacia Avenue", both pure metal power, or the provocative and galloping "The Number of the Beast", or the aggressive and infectious "Run to the Hills", a scathing critique of colonialism. And finally, the unavoidable "Hallowed Be Thy Name", an epic that describes the reflections of a man condemned to die by hanging, from the solemn introduction tense with bells in the background, Dickinson's theatrical singing and the synchronised riffs and guitar solos of the Murray/Smith duo in a stupendous middle section sustained by the rhythmic base built by Harris' bass and Clive Burr's percussion. A definitive icon of the genre.

With 20 million copies sold, "The Number of the Beast" not only contributed enormously to the mass dissemination of heavy metal, but also transcended the boundaries of the genre itself, turning the band into a global phenomenon.

4/4.5 stars

Harmonium's second album is as great as Folk Prog can get. Les Cinq Saisons is a concept album based on the seasons, the first 4 tracks each represent one, and the final instrumental is supposed to represent the fifth season. While this album is definitely prog, it's not rock. The lack of any drums (and even almost any percussions) is pretty atypical for this genre. This 5 piece band did a beautiful album, let's go in depth:

Vert is the spring song. The flute work on this one is particularly beautiful. We obviously have to give credit to Fiori's voice, it makes this one even better. (6/6)

Did you know the clarinet solo from Dixie was recorded in the staircase? Yeah, that's pretty cool. It's the most rhythmically interesting song on the album, and also the most joyful. Locat's piano work is amazing, a classic. (3/3)

Depuis l'Automne is a relaxing track with lyrics talking about Quebec's potential independence. It's probably the softest track on this album, and uses a lot of mellotron. Might be a tiny bit long at point, but that's also what makes it great. (9/10)

En Pleine Face is my least favorite, and then i listen to it and it becomes a favorite again. It's just really the most forgettable song on this album, it's not bad at all, but the competition doesn't help it. It might be the most interesting vocally, which is pretty cool. (4/5)

Histoires Sans Paroles is the fifth season. The instrumental aspect of it makes it very different from anything Harmonium ever did, and it also makes it insanely unique. You get a little vocals with no lyrics towards the middle to spice it up, Locat's piano is on fire, it's a perfect track to end a perfect album. (17/17)

FINAL SCORE: 39/41 = 95. Easy 5 stars, greatest album in Quebec's history and maybe greatest album in french

Hooffoot Phantoms from the past .

This record is a sonic expedition. A daring journey through late 1960s German experimental jazz, enriched with Canterbury nuances and hints of Zappa's eccentric brilliance from the One Size Fits All era. The band features Pär Hallgren (electric bass and effects), Jacob Hamilton (drums), Jocke Jönsson (electric guitar and effects), and Bengt Wahlgren (electric piano, organ, and synthesizers).

Hooffoot sound revolves around Wahlgren's Hammond and Fender Rhodes, which create a warm, vintage sound and are made the band's sound.

Phantom Limb opens with its eponymous 11-minute track, an ambient and cinematic piece led by a Hammond organ, layered with Rhodes, and punctuated by surf-inspired guitar tones. This opening track immediately showcases the album's thematic range: its rhythmic development, melodic depth, and tonal interplay set the stage for what follows.

At nearly 12 minutes long, When the Insane Go Marching In delves into Canterbury-style territory. Interlocking guitar motifs intertwine with driving bass grooves, while keyboards add harmonic color and playful shifts, blending jazz fusion with hints of progressive rock.

At just under 9 minutes long, Liisa (a Finnish Spectrolite) is the album's most concise piece, a groove-laden journey that fuses motorized, krautrock-inspired rhythms with the warmth of soulful jazz. Touches of flute and synthesizer add a bright and energetic touch, with the track dynamically shifting pace before closing on a reflective, subdued note.

Finally, Last Letter Home, the epic 14-minute closer, begins with a spacious jazz-rock intro and evolves through multiple shifting rhythm sections. It balances progressive ambition, improvisational spirit, and a hypnotic krautrock pulse, delivering a mature and sophisticated finale that unites the album's themes.

Phantom Limb delivers Hooffoot finest work to date, fusing the adventurous spirit of late-'60s experimental jazz with the elegance of progressive rock. It's an album that rewards close listening, unfolding its layers with every spin.

After barely two years, the Dutch progressive rock project The Foundation has released a follow-up to their debut album, "Mask." The new album is titled "Relations." Because it's not entirely a concept album, The Foundation founder Ron Lammers calls it a thematic album. An album about all kinds of relationships between us humans and all kinds of partners and environments. To be able to connect with another, you first have to love yourself. But this doesn't stop there; what is the relationship between us and the world, nature, and our creator? The positive reactions and reviews of their debut album, "Mask," not only inspired all the members to create more music together, but also led to this second album being created by almost the same group of musicians. Jan Munnik could now fully concentrate on the mixing and mastering of the album. This is because more members contributed compositions and more members are responsible for all the keyboard parts. The only new name is Masaki Shimakawa ("Makkie"), who is responsible for the violin parts in the song "BackBone." One of two compositions by guitarist Rinie Huigen. Multi-instrumentalist Gijs Koopman contributed three pieces, singer Mark Smit the only French-language song "Ses Lunettes Noires," and keyboardist Ron Lammers contributed two. This resulted in an even more varied and consistent sound. The Foundation project sounds like a well-oiled band on "Relations." Yours truly (Douwe Fledderus, Blissy Design) was once again commissioned to provide the compositions with suitable artwork. Besides the music, the artwork also had to evolve to a higher level. I hope you think this was achieved. I won't comment on that myself, of course, but the music turned out well. Who said a second album is always difficult to make? In addition to digital releases, the album, like "Mask," has been released physically as a 28-page media-book and double vinyl.

The album "Relations" has 8 tracks of which the middle 6 are enclosed by a diptych which consists of the tracks "Alpha" and "Omega". As the designer of the artwork, I chose the two images I designed especially for these two tracks for the front of the printed inner covers of the vinyl version. You could also see them as part 1 and part 2 of a long epic composition written by Gijs Koopman. But this long composition is deliberately divided into two parts. Personally, I think this is a right choice because it also emphasises the homogeneous nature of the album. Especially if you consider that the third composition, which is by Gijs Koopman, is placed in the centre of the album. This has to do with the intensity and progressive character of these compositions. So I think that third Koopman composition that has been given the title "Intense" has been deliberately put in the middle of the tracklist. The other songs emphasise more the melodic character of The Foundation's music. You could call this one of the trademarks of (The Foundation's) music. "Relations" has become a very varied but very homogeneous album. And the position of the tracks certainly contributed to that. Everything has been well thought out and as the designer of the artwork I was also able to make a small contribution to that. Another trademark is of course the frequent use of a Rickenbacher bass and the Moog Taurus bass pedals. Lovers of the sound of these instruments will get their money's worth in "Alpha" and "Omega". Thematically, these compositions are about our relationship with our creator. If you listen carefully to the lyrics of singer Mark Smit, you will hear that the creation story from the Bible is incorporated into this. Would like to emphasise that The Foundation only wants to convey the positive message of the faith of some of its members and certainly does not want to go towards gospel. It's not like Neal Morse, where you can get annoyed.

In the song "Alpha" the symphonic character of the music stands out. You can enjoy fat synths and Taurus bass pedals in the instrumental parts. But as a contrast, the vocal parts are very melodic. The beautiful melodic flute work by Judith van der Valk, which is combined with the vocals of singer Mark Smit, should certainly not be unmentioned. In the spectacular last instrumental part, this is combined in a fantastic way. Fat but melodic keyboard carpets, melodic guitar work and a Gijs Koopman who goes all out on his Rickenbacker bass. Personally, I would buy this album for this wonderful opener, where for me personally the thoughts go back to the music of the band Cliffhanger. Fantastic opener of this remarkable album.

The second song is a composition by Ron Lammers. The instrumental "Beauty of Nature" opens with a beautiful melodic flute and Low whistle solo by Judith van der Valk. This intro exudes an Irish / Celtic atmosphere. This is followed by very beautiful melodic electric guitar work by Rinie Huigen, who surpasses himself on this album, with his melodic guitar style and his own compositions. Just listen to the next track "Backbone". A beautiful composition by Rinie Huigen in which he plays both acoustically and electrically. It has a beautiful intro on acoustic guitar. Before switching to the electric guitar, newcomer Masaki ("Makkie") Shimakawa adds his beautiful violin sounds. The abrupt transition to the melodic electric guitar and delicious keyboard parts is very beautiful. This is followed by the first vocal part which has catchy choruses and where Gijs Koopman's supporting bass comes a little more to the fore. Just like on the debut album "Mask", singer Mark Smit convinces again with clearly audible vocal parts and intriguing lyrics. "Backbone" is a varied composition in which, in addition to the vocal choruses, some melodies on guitar and flute are repeated.

The next song is the surprise of this album. The original text was written in French and it has been decided not to translate it into English. The right choice because the atmosphere is preserved as much as possible and because some parts would be difficult to translate. The lyrics were written by Hugo Asensio, the stepson of singer Mark Smit who is responsible for the composition. In the first verses there is only accompaniment with delicate piano and quiet drum parts. This beautiful ballad gets its highlights from the melodic electric guitar injections at the end. A surprising and beautiful song. Now it's time for a Gijs Koopman composition again. An uptempo song with fat keyboard and bass pedal parts. This strong song slowly works towards a nice climax. This is another piece of pure symphonic rock that reminds me of the music of Knight Area because of the synth and guitar solos.

We already know Ron Lammer's composition "Rubberband", but a new mix has been made for this album. It is a number about the relationship between parent and child. This varied song is the longest song of "Relations" album with a duration of more than 10 minutes. The first part is instrumental and is again full of fat keyboard and electric guitar parts. The Moog solo was recorded by Gijs Koopman. In the second part there is a beautiful passage with acoustic guitar and flute. Fine synth melodies eventually bring us to the vocal part of this song. This song is also provided with beautiful vocal melodies. The music of The Foundation is always full of beautiful melodies. "Rubberband" is a strong song with beautiful vocals.

The song "Life" is a composition by guitarist Rinie Huigen. The song could be categorised as an acoustic ballad. In addition to the acoustic guitar, you hear delicate vocals and Judith van der Valk's flute is also back in the game. A nice rest before the album is closed with the aforementioned "Omega". As mentioned before, the song "Omega" is the second part of the diptych "Alpha" and "Omega." You could also say this is a long epic deliberately divided into two parts. Lyrically, we also continue with the creation story. First, we get a sort of introduction sung with a distorted voice. Then, vocalist Mark Smit, with an undistorted voice, continues with day two of the creation story. It's a long stretch of text that has to be recited. But this also allows the music to slowly increase in intensity, building to a fantastic climax. During this climax, guitarist Jens van der Valk, known primarily for his rhythm guitar skills, surprises with the most beautiful melodic electric guitar solo of the entire album. The Foundation ends its "Relations" album on a high note that leaves the listener with goosebumps on his or her arms.

With their second album, "Relations," the progressive rock project The Foundation proves that a second album doesn't have to be the most difficult. "Relations" shows progress in every respect. The members' enthusiasm has resulted in several composers who further develop their compositions (arrangements) through input from the others. This benefits the diversity and development of their own style and sound. The impressive thing is that the "Relations" album has a homogeneous feel. I believe this is also due to the positioning of the tracks and the conscious separation of the "Alpha" and "Omega" compositions. This creates a diverse album that still sounds cohesive. Leave the mixing and mastering of the album to Jan Munnik (M4-Studio). It once again yielded the right transparency. "Relations" sounds fantastic. You can also notice a positive development among the musicians. Gijs Koopman goes all out on his own compositions, and his characteristic playing on the Rickenbacker bass and Moog Taurus bass pedals gives The Foundation one of their trademarks. Speaking of trademarks, The Foundation once again goes for good melodies on this album. Guitarist Rinie Huigen also surprised me with two good compositions and polished guitar playing on both acoustic and electric guitar. We don't really need to mention singer Smit. With his intriguing lyrics and clearly audible vocals, he elevates this album to a higher level. Judith van der Valk's refined flute and (low) whistle sounds have become a staple in The Foundation's sound palette. Guitarist Jens van der Valk, known primarily for his rhythm guitar skills, conjures up a beautiful melodic guitar solo on this album. I think both guitarists stimulate each other to such an extent that they develop in a positive way. The fact that I haven't mentioned drummer Jan Grijpstra yet is actually a compliment, because this man truly serves the compositions. With his polished drum and percussion parts, he provides the necessary accents where needed. Keyboards play a significant role in The Foundation's soundscape. But as unassuming as he is, the keyboardist and composer Ron Lammers prefers polished and melodic keyboard playing over exuberant keyboard solos. And that's to his credit, everything in service of the composition. He's the leader and stimulator of the bunch. He's also the one who oversees The Foundation's sound (there must be plenty of melody) and determined the order of the previously discussed tracklist. For fans of their debut album, "Mask," the follow-up, "Relations," is a must-have. "Relations" is a well-balanced and fantastic album with a homogeneous feel. progVisions highly recommends this album to fans of melodic symphonic rock.

Douwe Fledderus, progVisions

It was interesting seeing this album reviewed earlier this month, because I knew it was coming up soon in my pipeline for review. That review was from Jonas the Metalmusicarchives guy. And I agree with his opinions. It's difficult finding a review for a SOEN album that doesn't mention TOOL. And the two constants in this band over the years has been the singer as well as the drummer Martin Lopez formerly of OPETH. Lopez was with OPETH from "My Arms, Your Hearse" to "Ghost Reveries" a nice little six album run.

SOEN have had a lot of lineup changes over their six album run so far. Based in Sweden but they are a multi-national band. I have their first two records and this is the debut from 2012. I rated both 3 stars. Now after that second release they added a keyboardist and I understand they have become less proggy in the process. I just have had trouble latching on to this music. It's not sticking. KARNIVOOL is a similar band who just does it better in my opinion, at least on their "Sound Awake" record.

We get ten tracks worth 48 minutes. The opener "Fraktal" is interesting because of how psychedelic it sounds. It's just over a minute long. The next song "Fraccions" is where the heaviness arrives and right from the start. TOOL comes to mind for sure on this one. Love the drumming. Sounds like double tracked vocals after 4 minutes that I'm not into. "Last Light" is pretty sad sounding overall but how about the uplifting chorus on the next track "Oscillation". Still, sadness arrives here too along with some heavy music and riffs.

My favourite song is "Canvas". It just has this heavy groove that I like and includes some riffs. It's surprisingly atmospheric early on in "Ideate", in fact for the first 2 minutes. Best part of the song. "Purpose" is good, nice and heavy throughout. "Slithering" really has it's moments and disappointments too. The singer reminds me of Duda early on that closer. This is the only time on this record that I felt that though. A good way to end this album.

The two people that originally formed this band drummer Martin Lopez and the guitarist Joakim Platbarzdis co-produced this record.

Paatos's 7th album, finally, continues with cinematic atmospheres bathed in melancholy, where his voice complements the Crimsonian sound.

"Chemical Escape" begins with a noisy trip-hop stroboscopic foundation, boosted by the invasive bass and Petronella's languid vocals. A syncopated electric tune with an atmospheric Crimsonian feel. "Beyond the Forest" follows with this mysterious track, a duet of Petronella and Mikael from OPETH on a melancholic tune, a depressive MEER with folk instruments such as the cello amplifying the progressive side, a marshmallow-laced LANDBERK of yesteryear. The staccato drum drift magnifies the captivating, nostalgic Scandinavian atmosphere; the vocals return, syrupy, divine. "I Deny" has a Floydian atmosphere, psychedelic with a Greek mandolin, the vocals on BJÖRK, disconcerting. A contemplative piece apart from rock, oozing emotion with the trumpet in the distance, a spark emerging from the darkness. "Ligament" arrives, enraged, vocoded vocals (?), enraged in any case; a sonic maelstrom between electric, frenzy, jazzy, and psychedelia, looking to the East. The sensation of a monolithic, viscous Frippian aggression. "Post War Limina" for its extreme counterpart, a latent, anxiety-inducing sound; a dazed, dark, mysterious air, a feeling of imminent war?

"I'm Letting Go" on the old-fashioned organ, close your eyes, the great KING CRIMSON is before you. Petronella captivates this track, surfing on the progressive trip hop movement, on the works of The Gathering. The warm and plaintive guitar solo with the final choruses is astounding. "Who Am I" is an introspective, meditative tune, with dark bass and Mike's flowing piano, Petronella tearing out words. An ode to BOWIE, a grating, strange tune, on PORTISHEAD. "November" is a jazzy night bar tune, the one where the rain invites itself on the way back. Primary harmonics with melancholic instruments, with a jazzy beat that gives goosebumps: a captivating, languid sweetness. "Last Ones of Our Kind" is a long, stroboscopic, lunar track, with the syncopated beat of the pad alternating with the haunting vocal. The compulsive search for sound and the heavy bass with its swirling instruments give the proven psychedelic impression. The final rise plays with standard atmospheres by offering a laconic spell. "Svart" arrives, darker, a grating funeral march on the vocal flirting with BJÖRK; Disturbing shouted notes remind me of ART ZOYD's gloomy atmospheres, reminiscent of the works of KING CRIMSON during his "red" period.

PAATOS recorded live, amplifying the primal atmospheres. A unique, brutal, animal world, juggling between trip hop, jazz, electro, and restrained improvisation. A raw, distressing sound symbolizing a world adrift, a deep and delicate intimate album. (3.75)

RETROSPECTIVE are a six piece band out of Poland who released their first recording back in 2007. I have that Ep along with their full length debut called "Stolen Thoughts" from 2008. This is their second studio album released in 2012. My feelings have been that this recording is more mature which doesn't mean better, but a very uniform sounding album with nine tracks worth under 51 minutes.

I like that this lineup has pretty much stayed in tact over the many years of this band's existence. They have released three studio albums after this one with the most recent coming in 2022. The one change was one of their two guitarists leaving, meaning that on the fifth album they are a five piece, but they replaced that guitarist on their most recent bringing them back up to a six piece. The singer has an Eddie Vedder styled voice, but with each album that becomes less obvious. This record features plenty of atmosphere and heaviness, although they have toned down the heaviness on here.

I do like the way the album starts off with "The End Of The Winter Lethargy" and how the intensity seems to be held in check, never breaking out. The synths create some nice atmosphere after 3 minutes. "Huge Black Hole" has a darkness to it, and again the synths are well used here. The vocals turn passionate on and off on this one. I'm not a big fan of "Egoist" but "Lunch" is one I like despite being fairly light and melodic. I like how the keys echo to open this track. "Our Story Is Beginning Now" is another good one. Plenty of piano and atmosphere.

My favourite though is that sixth song "Tomorrow Will Never Change". Melancholy here, especially the guitar early on. Love that bass coming out of the calm around 4 minutes in. And the wordless vocals late. "Musical Land" is uptempo and intricate reminding me of KC's "Discipline" slightly. Then we have that longest track, the 10 1/2 minute closer called "Swallow The Green Tone" which starts out sounding like FLOYD ala "Wish You Were Here". A great way to end the album.

I haven't heard any of the three studio albums that followed this one, but I have to say this is a band that has impressed me. I do like the Heavy Prog sound even though they are here under Prog Metal. And I also like the references here to fellow Poles RIVERSIDE. At least instrumentally.

The Flower Kings are back with their 17th studio album, following on from 2023's 'Look At You Now' with Roine Stolt (vocals, electric, acoustic, 6- & 12-string guitars, ukulele), Hans Fröberg (vocals), Michael Stolt (bass, moogbass, vocals) and Mirko DeMaio (drums, percussion) now welcoming Lalle Larsson (grand piano, Rhodes piano, Hammond B3, synthesizers) as a full member after guesting on one track on the last one. Roine and Hans have been with the band since it was formed by Roine in 1994 as a way of performing his solo album of the same name, while Michael came back to the fold in 2021 after more than 20 years away, so they certainly have strong ideas on what they want to achieve, with 10 of the 12 numbers composed by Roine.

I will always have a soft spot for this band, as they were the first group my youngest daughter ever saw play, sat on the stage in awe of Roine. But we all know that they can have an annoying tendency not to edit where they should, and their albums are at times over-long. Here they have managed to keep it down to 75 minutes and a single disc, but even so I did find there were instances where I felt it could have been tightened up. Yes, there are wonderful arrangements with great guitars while the keyboard playing has also improved on the last release, and there are some wonderful retro sounds, while the fretless bass on the introduction of "How Can You Leave" is delicious, and Hans is singing as well as ever, but for me there is something missing, I am just not sure what it is. There is a feeling almost of this being worked through as an exercise as opposed to something that is dramatic and exciting, with less of the dynamics and contrasts which are needed to stop the listener from being smothered.

It is incredibly dated, pulling us back some 50 years, but that has never been an issue for me, it is just that the emotions are muted and dampened, which is somewhat strange given the album title. Putting all that negativity to one side, this is still an album I have enjoyed listening to, it is just that it is not as essential as some of their others although I am sure there are many out who will be giving this very high praise indeed. It's just that I am not one of them.

Here is the 1977 debut album from Patrick Forgas, which was only available on vinyl until it was released on CD by Musea in 2008 with an additional 13 tracks taking its running time up to 73 minutes, and now that has been picked up and reissued by Cuneiform. This is the first time I have come across any of Patrick's solo albums, but following this release there was a gap until 1990 when he released the next, and then later formed Forgas Band Phenomena, and I have reviewed a couple of theirs which also follow his heavy influence of Robert Wyatt.

If we take the original album first, excluding the additional tracks, it is something of quite a strange beast in that Side A and Side B are very different indeed. The first side contains 9 tracks, of which only three are more than two minutes long, and some sound finished while others are more like demos. Patrick is primarily a drummer and singer, although here he provides many other instruments as well, plus he is joined by guests including members of Magma and Zao. The result is something which has that very Seventies Robert Wyatt feel, but the song quality is not nearly as good as it is somewhat difficult to get into, especially with so many short songs and instrumentals. Then we have the second side of the album, which contains just one song, the 18-minute-long "My Trip" which is more solidly in Soft Machine territory and is in many ways quite at odds with what went before.

The first of the additional tracks is a demo of that song, which was originally only six minutes in length, so it was certainly expanded a great deal when it was worked on in the studio as opposed to Patrick's home. The additional tracks contain a few reworkings of sone of the songs on the original album, plus plenty others which are unreleased, and while the material is generally longer it still has that feel of the first side of the album. I don't believe this release is as good as the later FBP material I have heard, but fans of Forgas and Canterbury will certainly be pleased to know this is again available some years after it was last released. Just not quite for me.

In Transit is the first Saga album I bought, back in 1982 when I was 13. Although Saga wasn't very popular on commercial radio, the band had a solid reputation among young fans of hard rock and progressive rock. Its melodic side made it more accessible to the uninitiated than some of the heavier or more complex prog bands. The album was recorded during the Worlds Apart tour in Europe - in my opinion, the band's best studio album.

In Transit feels like a kind of "best-of" from the 1978-1982 period, featuring superb, fairly progressive songs like "Don't Be Late", alongside more hard rock-oriented tracks like "Wind Him Up" and "On the Loose."

The production is excellent, with all instruments clearly audible. Jim Gilmour is an outstanding keyboard player - the synthesizers are prominent (think Rush Signals) but they never overshadow guitarist Ian Crichton, who shines with several excellent solo. And of course, Michael Sadler delivers a strong vocal performance throughout.

Saga is a cult band with thousands of fans in Europe (especially in Germany) and in Canada. Their music isn't pure prog, but it's highly enjoyable - somewhere between Rush (circa '80), Kansas, Marillion, and Styx, while still having something unique that's hard to define.

An excellent live album with great songs and superb musicianship.

3.7/5

1. In Perfect Silence for the slightly pompous musical intro, a lyrical flight with a lot of solemn keyboards, piano, and flute for the track that's easy to listen to, nothing new on the horizon except the grandiloquence of the affable tune. 2. The Distance Between Here and Now with Rob's guitar and flute again, on a regressive folk tune from yesteryear; the vocal flirting with overdone Floyd vibes for a long monologue that loops; the nostalgic sax saves the track, vibrating while keeping the spirit of the past; it takes these last two minutes to finally get a sound worthy of 2020 and avoid falling asleep. 3. House of Shadows for its minimalist beat, pad of an 80s GENESIS, yes more than 40 years ago. The typical vocal can be jarring, raw on a melodic tune with a soporific metronomic drum machine. The sampled choir and then the old-fashioned sax plunge us back into the haunting atmosphere where I desperately await the end. The outro reminds me a bit of Wally Badarou. 4. Wrapped in Black, with its solemn spatial departure, the ship's departure for a prog land, finally magnificent. The vocals are reminiscent of an Alan Parson's melody without the innovative spirit; here, it's a soporific repetitive base. The mid-track break with sax and a sampled pad, too predictable, brightens the end of the track with Alain's slide guitar reminiscent of Ry Cooder, a finale that will be the musical cherry on the cake.

5. Hallow, packed with electronics, with a tune flirting with an Archange track; The guitar is still lively, melting, the sax regains its groovy side, the keyboard tries to find an atmosphere between solo and melodic repetition, boredom on this consensual track that stretches, stretches on the long, heady chorus. 6. Haunted with a beautiful electro sound, I breathe; after the annoying 80s clap today, warm vocals that keep you on the edge of your seat with the Phil Collins-like chorus, a good point. A bit of synth riff to shake things up, finally; the least of this linear refrain that brings nothing new. It still needs the typical sax on the worked synth to have this finale, lively but conventional without the innovative prog spirit, an ambivalent track that takes a while to take off, which suggests beautiful aborted things. 7. Endless Beginning with Rob's sax in front, a southern folk air on an imposing bass, the good side. The other side is the heady electric piano notes, played quickly, that bring this piece back to its Bontempi synth straitjacket, a shame because there was potential in this heavy, melancholic, and colorful hi-hat track. 8 Red Forest, with Rob's sax again, the mastermind of this group, in fact, spearheading the long, slow ambient buildup, a tune that can take its time here, like the ambient electronic sounds of TANGERINE DREAM. The keyboard is watery in the break, water and droplets falling from the leaves of this Chernobyl forest regaining a taste for life? The birds chirp, a little joy. A beautiful ambient jungle passage and a sweet melody with the return of the wolves, the only inhabitants of this unique region in the world. The final prophetic narration in the outro and the ending leave you speechless.

— First review of this album —

Grand Prog Concept Album

Here we have another tragically overlooked title currently residing in Prog Metal, and while that placement may be accurate for the band as a whole, this is an epic concept album that would be of most interest to modern RPI, symphonic, and even crossover fans. While I have not heard their first four albums, this fifth album by the veteran band is what I would called "metal-tinged" progressive rock with all Italian vocals. It has its heavy moments and guitar-shred passages, but rarely did I feel like it was a primarily metal album. I'd say it's more like a metal band dipping their toe back into the roots of prog traditions while trying to tell the conceptual story about the horrors of slavery. It is very well done and should not be missed if you enjoy groups like VIII Strada, a band I once referred to as "power-RPI." Not exactly RPI, not exactly traditional symphonic metal, but robust, powerful, metal-informed, and benefitting from the power and passion of the Italian language and musical tradition.

The acoustic guitar with accordion instrumental is a lovely opening and introduction to where we are headed. When the Italian vocals enter with piano, it sounds like it could be Banco almost! Majestic, mournful, gorgeous. Enter the huge electric guitar sounds in the second track. I'll add here this is a more guitar-driven album than keyboard, keys being used in a more background role, though they certainly provide richness throughout. The lead guitar work varies from Petrucci-level shred all the way to classical, nylon-stringed delicacy. There are power-chord-driven rockers to crossover art rock sections to the lovely, diverse interludes. Vocals, both male and female, are superb. The 12-minute "Barnum" is a show-stopper, and many of the songs have the muscular, elaborate blend you might get from Epica. It just feels like grand storytelling willing to use every weapon in the sling. The only downside to me was that the production pushed the bass farther to the background than I like, but it's a minor quibble. Recommended.

1. Cannibal with Anders from IN FLAMES; a screamed cry that raises the tone of VOLA; a tune filled with more colorful synths than its predecessor, with a heavier rhythm for an amplified contrast effect and a stunning softness 2. Break My Lying Tongue amplifies the fresh new-wave tone of the 80s, that of A-HA and DURAN DURAN, TALK TALK too; In short, a nostalgic and innovative sound with cascading synths and a frenetic rhythm, screamed vocals, and a Danish surge, otherwise it's definitely metal à la KATATONIA or LEPROUS. 3. We Will Not Disband as an encore with softer synths and a captivating riff, keyboards flirting with electric djent, all sprinkled with ethereal vocals, a beautiful fusion. 4. Glass Mannequin for the evanescent slow synth ballad, soft and languid as a radio hit, understand without embellishment, get into it.

5. Bleed Out starts off electro, somewhere between RAMMSTEIN and LACRIMOSA at the start; keyboard noises then the synthetic pop rock chorus inviting you to trance; a drop-off then an aggressive djent metal howl, a sound that the hardcore prog fan will simply compare to noise; yet the chorus is haunting, progressively ambient and incredibly heavy metal, bordering on doom-like, ah, it feels good. 6. Paper Wolf, a radio edit without too much musical architectural work; more of a flowing sound with a few rogue waves and a fluid vocal. 7. I Don't Know How We Got Here, with its USHUAIA-esque synth, is a consensual track lacking the pep that makes you prick up your ears; perhaps too soft? A marshmallowy air for the nostalgic synth love song with its heady final solo. 8. Hollow Kid, for its archaic southern western riff, its soaring riff, and its deafening pad. The rhythmic base reminds me of ROGUE MALE from the 80s, which proves there was something good in that decade. A bright, simple but well-crafted track, addictive. 9. Tray, for the warm vocal on a linear synth; a crescendos-like ending to the album where the synth takes the lion's share, moving away from the synth-prog metal sound of the beginning. Asger's voice rising in range and influencing the marshmallow tune. (3.5)

Claustrophobic

Few albums capture the strange, claustrophobic atmosphere of the pandemic as perfectly as King Buffalo's Acheron. I remember it vividly: we were all locked inside, and although it was a harrowing time, there was still music, and some bands dared to create. One of them was King Buffalo, who recorded this extraordinary live album at Howe Caverns in New York, an idea that seemed unthinkable at the time. The result is an extraordinary album where the band's sound blends organically with the natural acoustics of the cave.

Acheron includes four tracks spanning over 40 minutes. The title refers to the River Acheron from Greek mythology, also known as the "river of sorrow," which fits perfectly with the subterranean, aquatic concept of the album. It's a conceptual piece about the end, about taking one's last breath to Charon, the ferryman who carries souls to the afterlife. The production, by Grant Husselman, stands out for its clarity and warmth, while retaining a classic, organic feel.

The album incorporates authentic cave reverberations, such as the faint sound of running water, which subtly emerge during transitions. The compositions emphasize wide, open spaces with minimalist vocals, echoing guitars, ethereal basses, keyboards, and extended solos that build a gradual and immersive narrative. The opening track, "Acheron," begins with meditative riffs that transform into dense layers of guitars and keyboards, and its sonic evolution offers a complete emotional journey. "Zephyr" continues with gentle rhythms and swirling psychedelic drones, punctuated by dynamic shifts and powerful solos that provide energy and flow. This is followed by "Shadows," a track notable for its simple yet hypnotic rhythm, fluid bass lines, and spacey guitars. Its reverberation evokes a sense of desolation, accompanied by introspective lyrics. After this reflective moment, "Cerberus" closes the album with a dramatic psychedelic crescendo, built on palm-muted triplet riffs and a cinematic intensity that's almost visual.

It's one of the band's best works, combining elements reminiscent of Pink Floyd's most experimental and psychedelic era without losing its originality. With Acheron, King Buffalo achieves their most experimental album to date, crafted with elegance, style, and a confidence that consolidates the band's extraordinary discography.

Review originally published at www.lazland.org and recreated here for my very good friends, Mr T Szirmay and Jeremie Arrobas.

In my recent review of Massimo Pieretti's class album, The Next Dream, I remarked upon how class musicians who guest on a work tend not to be wholly mercenary and will work on a project only if they feel it is worthy of their input. Class tends to be choosy.

Well, to those comments, we can unequivocally state that this applies to Enigmatic Sound Machines, who also have a knack of attracting exceptional talent to assist them in realising their musical dreams. For their third album, Imperfect Silence, they have recruited the class flautist & saxophonist Rob Harrison of Z Machine who is based a few short miles from Lazland HQ in South Wales, the return of legendary prog/fusion bassist Hansford Rowe of Gong and Gongzilla, as well as guitarist Alain Roig alongside French fret man Alain Bellaiche of Heldon and Richard Pinhas.

ESM is the project of multi-instrumentalist, and much else besides, Jeremie Arrobas and Thomas Szirmay, who has written oodles of music reviews over the years on Prog Archives, House of Prog, and latterly with a thousand followers as Prog Rogue on Facebook.

This album takes the duo further down the progressive rock path than the previous two. It is a work which will appeal to those, like me, who love symphonic, orchestral layers to their keyboard-led music. The themes are very relevant to the world in which we live in 2025, a tired one of endless confusion, stress, depression, hardship, fear but, ultimately, hope for a better future. I share that. I despair as often as anyone else at the seemingly endless march into historical irrelevance of Western democracy but will always pull myself up by the bootstraps and remember the "glass half full" mantra I have tried to live by all my life.

There are eight pieces of music on the album lasting about an hour. The project has just had the incredible honour of being signed by Progrock Essentials, a label with an increasing importance and impressive stable of artists. The digital version will be available on 1st June, with a physical copy 1st August. I am extremely happy for them. Both are wonderful people, talented artists, and this project is making some strong noises in our progressive world. Let's discuss it and play some music.

The opening track is a very strong contender for this website's "instrumental of the year" award, with a nice play on words in the title, In Perfect Silence. I think there is such a mysterious quality to this piece, ethereal, pulling the listener in, and, as such, is the perfect opener, awash with synths, effects, and the dear old mellotron. The pair show that they have not lost their inherent sense of melody and playful pop-infused rhythm, and the Hansford Rowe bass melody here is to die for, the soundscape taken to a stratospheric level by the flute. It really is quite a beautiful piece of music, the synth-guitar adding a rock sensibility. Superb and delicately moving in places.

The Distance Between Here & Now is an interesting play on words. It is a long track at eight and a half minutes. Bellaiche is immediately noticeable with some delicate fretwork, Harrison leading the melodic charge over the thumping drums, the first vocals telling an interesting narrative, with God crying a thousand tears when he created the subject of the words, only lovers capable of rescuing this world of ours, the feel of a story veering between despair and hope. It's a dramatic piece which stays the right side of dystopian, the flute swirling and cascading a la Anderson at his most brazen, before Harrison introduces us to his saxophone work which is deeply seductive, tuneful in the manner of classic blues rock of yore, the closing passage being something you could quite happily dance to whilst under the influence in a ballroom full of sound. Enigmatic, for sure. House of Shadows follows. After a traditional electronica beat, we are merged with a pretty set of notes, a sax then taking us on a journey of mystery and hidden meanings, shadows peering in a song which doesn't fall into the trap of descending into a doom loop but is thoughtful and in the choral voices rather pretty as well. I think this harks back to shared memories but wants to move on, this achieved when the sax marks a light and playful mood.

Wrapped in Black is, pardon the pun, a dark title, and the opening notes are slow, almost funereal, but still performed with a pleasing lightness of touch which enables one to listen with the smile on your face the subject has never known. Depression is a relentless pit of despair that humans can fall into, the sense of self melting away. The stark change in mood musically at the three-minute mark makes you sit up and stare at the speaker, the sax now deeply reflective, a relentless beat underneath. Bellaiche produces a guitar solo dripping with Americana, moody, sliding, eyes closed, concentrating on recovering self. A stunning piece of music.

Hallow is up next. This has the feel of the electronica pop rock we heard in the first two albums, but with a lush jazz fusion infused texture added by Bellaiche on his guitar, the sax parping along to the lyrical prayer to a leader, cult, party, the societal curse of the modern age; we seem incapable of allowing ourselves the freedom to determine our destiny, instead pandering to the modern media and political gods. This song has so much going on, blues, jazz, pastoral, electronica, quietly symphonic, and I think it is entrancing, the loop as we close swirling around in your head.

Haunted I believe references the voices within as opposed to things that go bump in the night, and Arrobas provides us with a deeply "haunted" vocal here which I can't help thinking of Collins on his Home by the Sea, from where I suspect the overarching theme might have taken inspiration. It is a different work, but the tone of these vocals is very reminiscent, disturbingly so, actually. Harrison provides us with a masterclass in how a sax plays as lead instrument, whilst all the time, the soundscapes are revolving between your ears, the closing section quietening down for the act of internal struggle trying to resolve itself.

Endless Beginning is the penultimate track. The sax is achingly sad on this track, with a sense to me of a conversation, even a row, between loved ones, with thumping notes underlining the saxophone discussion and diatribe, angry, raging against the machine, with a perfectly pitched piano holding it together. This is as close as the act have got to what we might call heavy progressive rock, and it is very good.

We close with an instrumental bookend, Red Forest, which after 1986 became the most contaminated woodland on earth following the Chernobyl nuclear reactor disaster. It is the longest piece on the album, just a shade short of epic length. It is decidedly broody, and extremely well performed and produced, Arrobas really impressing here with his guitar work as well as his ability to produce a picture of a vast landscape once beautiful and unspoilt, but now a victim of the imbecility of man, the single piano notes so effective in painting a picture of despair, noises of the forest ghostly in remembrance of a once thriving environment, with two thirds of the way in, the entire track quietening down with the memories of the birdsong which once surrounded the senses, but as we close, the anger and determination led by the sax to try to reclaim, with Thomas then narrating the album themes, hallowed be thy name.

Progrock Essentials have signed ESM for a reason. They are very good, and this album is a very tangible progression on what was already impressive body of work. Very highly recommended, their website is at enigmaticsoundmachines.com

I don't give rating scores on my website, but for PA purposes, 4.5 stars. An excellent addition to any prog rock music collection.

"Fuglekongen" for the enchanting vocals, a blend of ambient baroque folk leading to a dreamlike crescendo of hysterical choirs over a heavy riff. "Vaetter" on a piano, then the modern guitar with a chiseled riff and the mystical and complex folk vocal, somewhere between Bjork and The Corrs. "Natsvaermer" for the heady piano, like the idea of insomnia in the title, serving as a base for the crystalline vocals worthy of the Gathering of their beginnings. A slow build-up brings the distorted and embellished guitar. "Vandskabt" for its dreamlike, melancholic djent and extreme doom-post. The progressive combination of vibrant sounds followed by dark, hammering riffs imprints an innovative, avant-garde, fresh, and interesting touch.

"P.S. Far er død» epic, soft and captivating piece, a millimeter-perfect harmony about the loss of a loved one. Narration on tribal pads, with the gripping guitar, the notion of loss and the hypnotic, metallic, post-ethnic flight with Anne possessed and Anders as a fiery guitar hero on energetic growls. «Trøst» for its melancholic instrumental on a grain of rain, very progressive. «Blind» with a Leprousian sound, a captivating djent riff, Anne using her voice like an instrument and letting her words melt inside. The parable of the addictive hamster wheel, deadly on a captivating tessitura between post-heavy and surging rhythm. «Sang om Håb» syncopated applause, frenzied fest noz, melting vocal bringing the riff to the energetic cello. Apocalyptic, triple-pedal, and machine-gun fire are on the menu, astonishingly beautiful.

Danefae hammers home the secrets of their musical longship by offering otherworldly prog metal. A captivating new emotional sound for those looking for a change from the everyday. Originally released on Progcensor.

I have always been a huge Mike Portnoy fan, and always felt that Dream Theater were missing something without him involved, but I am sure I am not the only one who thought he would never return to the band he co-founded, but after years doing plenty of other things, he has been welcomed back to the fold and here we have the first album with this line-up since 2009's 'Black Clouds & Silver Linings'. Parasomnia is a category of sleep disorders, and this album is a concept based around that theme.

What strikes me most about this album is just how much it feels like a Portnoy release as opposed to pure Dream Theater. While we do get the bursts of the complexity and majestic interplay we know and expect from these guys, and LaBrie is singing just as well as ever, what is ever driving this album in the right direction is the sheer punishment being given out by the bearded gentleman at the back. It is almost as if Mike feels he has something to prove, and the result is incredibly hard-hitting and a drummer who is very much an integral part of the sound and not just someone keeping time at the back. His use of everything at his disposal is a drummer's wet dream, as he is everywhere at once and while James may be holding long notes, Mike is smashing his kit to pieces. This means John Myung's contribution can often be overlooked, while neither Jordan nor John Petrucci have as much space as one would normally expect. The production keeps the drums up in the mix, allowing for us to easily hear what Mike is doing, but never at the detriment at the rest of the instruments, which means we have one of the most exciting and vibrant DT albums in many years.

"Dead Asleep" is probably my favourite song on the album, which commences with a blasting riff and everyone punching above their weight, with James then singing the sad tale of someone who killed his wife while sleepwalking. It has harmonies, great rippling piano, huge riffs and a drummer trying to hit through his kit, who could wish for more? Packed with hooks it is a delight from beginning to end.

Dream Theater may not have been away, but arguably they have been somewhat dormant, but the beast is awake again, and prog metal is all the better for it.

Looking at my CDs, I can see that it has been quite a while since I last heard a new album from Judy (2006's "Spindle"), and this album has reminded me that I really need to play the ones I have more often and then go and discover her others, as the only word to describe this is "Beautiful". Although the album is acoustic, there are multiple styles here so sometimes Judy's clear voice is accompanied just by piano and at others there are lush strings. Pat Mastelotto (King Crimson) provides drums and percussion while Julianne Regan (All About Eve) plays a supporting role on backing vocals, along with a whole host of other musicians whose names I don't recognise, but throughout this is all about Judy. The music is always here to provide a backdrop for her vocals, and it is incredible to think that she still has the clarity and presence that she has always possessed. Just think, she joined Fairport Convention in 1967, sang on their debut album in 1968 (as well as ISB's 'The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter' in the same year), yet here she is 2014 (okay, the album was released in 2013 but you know what I mean) and still producing extremely high quality work. For me this is not an album for the middle of the day, but rather either at the start to gently get the listener into the right frame of mind to face the day, or at the end when it is the perfect accompaniment to a glass of wine while sitting on the deck listening to the moreporks. Wonderful from start to end.

Written for Amplified, 2013

I never met Judy, although her voice has long been a soundtrack to my wanderings, from the time I first came across Fairport Convention in the Seventies to her work with Trader Horne and beyond. To me Judy was a friend on Facebook, who cheered my days with her photos of her garden and her beloved greyhound Jessie, and whose posts were always positive and full of life even though she was gravely ill. When she passed from cancer earlier this year aged 71, I was deeply saddened, yet I knew she was incredibly excited about her latest recording, and very much looked forward to hearing it. This was recorded with Big Big Train singer David Longdon, and I knew a large part of me really wanted to enjoy it, but would that emotion change my approach to the music given I felt a bond with it?

I can't tell if that has actually had an impact, but I know I love this album deeply. It is a restrained modern album, and although Judy's voice has aged, she still has that wonderful warm and delicate approach. Longdon has long been recognised as one of the best singers around and here he weaves spells around Judy to often provide strength and support, and when he takes the lead it is in such a fashion that Judy is very much an integral part of it. On the album Judy (vocals, autoharp) and David (vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, mandolin, piano and keyboards) were joined by Jeff Davenport (Jade Warrior, drums) and Longdon's Big Big Train bandmates Danny Manners (double bass), Rikard Sjöblom (accordion), Rachel Hall (violin), Greg Spawton (bass guitar and Moog Taurus pedals) and Nick D'Virgilio (drums). Other featured musicians are Dave Gregory (ex-Big Big Train and XTC, guitar), Andy Lewis (Paul Weller, bass guitar), Luca Calabrese (Isildurs Bane, trumpet), Dave Sturt (Gong and Steve Hillage, fretless bass). It is a modern progressive rock album which is delicate, restrained, full of folk elements, layered, yet fresh and powerful. When this album is playing the rest of the world melt away and all that exists is the music the voices. The arrangements are simply divine, with vocals going from simple lines to massed overdubs, Nick powering his way around the kit, with songs such as "France" being far from what one would expect from an old folk singer.

Judy's collaboration with David Longdon was something she had long wished to undertake. "I first heard David sing with Big Big Train at King's Place in London in 2015 and immediately decided that I really wanted to sing with him someday" she said. She duetted with Longdon on "The Ivy Gate" ('Grimspound') and the album itself is a natural development from there. Let's hope the many Big Big Train fans who are out there discover Judy with this and look back over a career of amazing music from a wonderful singer. This is a superb book end to a wonderful career which started more than 50 years earlier with the first Fairport Convention album which featured such classics as "Time Will Show The Wiser". Although it is an album of equals, there is also very much the feeling that this was designed by those involved to keep Judy at the fore, and the result is something which is very special indeed. This is an absolutely essential delightful album which should be investigated by all lovers of modern progressive folk and is one I have enjoyed immensely.

Written for Progressor, November 2020

"Soli" is the plural of "solo", so what we have here is one person performing on his own, but providing multiple layers and instruments, so much so that the list I have seen includes piccolo flute, flute, alto flute, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, clarinet, alto clarinet, bass clarinet, keyboards, accordion, kit drums, hand drum, percussion, voice, guitar and bass. What I also find remarkable is not only the dedication and skill which comes with this effort, but his last album 'Natura Morta' only came out last year, he has just published his first novel, continues to paint as well as perform in other bands and on sessions. That is just insane.

Dave has of course been at the cutting edge of music for 50 years, with The Muffins, Manna/Mirage and many others, and I always find his work exciting as it is just not possible to predict what journey he is going to take us on, not only with no idea of the final destination but how the travel will unravel. He is widely known and recognised for his woodwind and keyboard prowess, but if one wants to attempt to understand how his brain works then visit "Bande Noire" and sit back in reverence as he makes an accordion the foundation, slowly bringing in other instruments to provide depth and power before moving away again. The flute gives this a very Native American feel and listening to this I am in a dark forest, not knowing where I am but also not worried about being in these surroundings but instead am invigorated by what is around me.

Towards the end of the album is the deep and poignant "Not Enough Time, Billy". This takes us into a dreamscape which allows us to think of what might happen after death and is a homage to his friend and co-founder of The Muffins, Billy Swann, who sadly passed away last year. This album is a delight which refuses to sit within any particular genre, blending world music, jazz, prog, Canterbury and so much more into a collection which demands the listener pay full attention whilst playing this, preferably on headphones, as we are taken on a magic carpet ride of the senses.

This is the second album by Enigmatic Sound Machines, a band formed by multi-instrumentalist Jeremie Arrobas (Men Without Hats) and musicologist, researcher, producer, arranger, and writer Thomas Szirmay. Thomas and I have known each other for years, but until he sent me this album, I was not aware he was a musician as well. The two men went to the same school together in Montreal, attending many prog concerts in the early Seventies, but it was only recently that they started to record together. In the summer of 2023 Jeremie had the urge to start recording again, even though he had lost 80% of his hearing, so he turned to his old friend to be his guide and following the success of 'Telepathic Waves' are now back with the next release. The line-up is Jeremie (keyboards, lead vocals, guitars, bass, and electronic sound machines), Thomas (electronic sound machines, backing vocals, sonic shaping, and humour), Hansford Rowe (bass and fretless bass), Shane Hoy (guitars), Alain Roig (guitars), and Anna Arrobas (voices).

There is always a risk when being sent an album by a friend, as what happens if I don't like it? I remember girding my loins and writing a pretty brutal review some years back, and was quite relieved when I had an email back saying everything I had put in the review was totally fair. Not long afterwards there was a significant line-up change and the next album was much improved. But what about this? I had no idea what to expect, but even though there are two guitarists this is mostly an electronic album which moves between 70's/80's pop and prog. I smiled when I saw the DPRP review of their debut release as the obviously had similar views to mine, although also slightly different. What we have here is a band who take their prog influences from Tangerine Dream and Kraftwerk, then mixing in the more pop influences of Ultravox and Gary Numan to create something which at times straddles the different genres, and at others moves more one way or the other.

When I first started playing this, I really wasn't too sure what to think as this is not a style of music I generally listen to, but after a while I realised that whether I normally listened to this style or not, there was something about this which I was really enjoying. The changes in style can sometimes be quite severe, but never so much that the thread is not continued, and there is the surprise in never knowing quite what is going to come next. In some ways this feels quite a light album in that there is never a tremendous amount of depth, and everything seems to be happening at the same level, but at the same time there is the impression this is deeply thought out and constructed with a strong sense of direction and never meandering endlessly.

It is definitely a dated album in that it is firmly in the early Eighties, but whereas I truly despised most of the music when I lived through it (apart from metal and Marillion, I had yet to discover the rest of the underground prog scene) now we are this far removed I can honestly say this is a refreshing and totally enjoyable album. There was no need for me to be worried about upsetting Thomas, as this is a delight.

It would be easy to just state we have yet another Neal Morse project on our hands, and in while in some ways that is true it is also very different in others. Neal hung out with Chester Thompson at a Steve Hackett gig in Nashville and felt they should do something together, and a month later they had lunch and a jam which delivered interesting results, so Neal then invited in two of his previous collaborators, guitarist and singer Phil Keaggy, and bassist Byron House, and they got together for some sessions. Much of the album was apparently created from those jams, where Morse's long-time audio partner Jerry Guidroz put the best parts together, such as for the 38-minute epic, "Deep Water Suite". However, this album has Morse all over it, although the main surprise for me was the power of Thompson's drumming as he is all around the kit, hitting very hard indeed. Bear in mind he is in his mid-seventies, it is astounding he is able to punch like this, while Phil Keaggy is not much younger and both House and Morse (the youngest) are in their mid-sixties. Mind you, one would never guess from the music and performance that all these guys could retire and collect their pension.

What comes with age is experience and musical nous, and there is no doubt here we have a quartet who can easily bounce ideas off each other and know how to make a difference with nuances here and there. I have followed Neal's career since I first came across an import of 'The Light' more than 30 years ago, and this feels very much like a follow- on from much of what has come before, just with some different arrangements, with "Time To Fly" having some very Morse-like female backing harmonies. This apparently commenced with an idea from Phil which the others all took on, but one certainly feels Morse has bent this to his will.

The final result is an album which will in many ways feel familiar to fans of Neal's work, and if, like me, you cannot get enough then this is a really interesting release indeed. I cannot say enough about Chester's drumming though, as it is a core element of this record. I find it strange to think I first saw him play on the Genesis 'Duke' tour in 1980, as that was such a very long time ago, and here he is still putting the youngsters to shame.

If you like Morse-style commercial prog, then this is definitely for you.

I was going to use the coma analogy but thought that would be cruel, not to this album but to coma sufferers at large. So I'll trot out the more tasteful sleepwalking metaphor. In the 6 years subsequent to the very fine "Jet Plane and Oxbow" , SHEARWATER backed off original material apart from the amorphous "Quarantine Series", and rededicated themselves to BOWIE's Berlin trilogy. The idolatry with latter day TALK TALK remains intact here, and hopefully they can soon wash their hands of it. But in the meantime....

The moral quandary here is whether to wake up the somnambulist, which is generally not advised, especially as I would be doing this for my own sanity not theirs. Like MIDLAKE's "For the Sake of Bethel Woods" only far worse, this stylized, breathy, ultra processed chill, and remarkably undead recording lacks even the vitality of anyone with a pulse between 10 and 20, and I'm including the chuckwalla lizard during a deep freeze. Sure, I think they plug in a drum machine a few times, and the keys sometimes resemble the pedestrian patter of a polydactyl housecat, but I want a bit, a lot more, please.

Apart from the decent ballad "Xenarthran", this is a colossal fail, and to donate 2 stars to its memory is to cheapen SHEARWATER's prior mediocre entries, for which I've suddenly developed a wistful admiration. I've tried over and over, but I've got nothing. "The Great Awakening" is neither, not even close, but here's hoping that the next release truly sees the band emerge from sleep mode long enough to restore their credibility as an original force.

Dream Theater is and has been my favorite band for nearly 30 years now, but my love for them is based mostly on their past albums. Their creativity peaked about 20 years ago, and has been in decline since. The departure of Mike Portnoy over a decade ago sparked a bit of a short-lived renaissance (the first 3 Mangini albums had some songs going in interesting directions, and the Astonishing was a daring and delightful foray into something grand), but now we're back to a time where Dream Theater is putting out entire albums of nothing more than a traffic jam of down-tuned, semitonic/diminished jams with little to no memorable licks, riffs, or melodies--kind of where they left off with Black Clouds. They've foregone the mood creation that used to put the "Dream" in Dream Theater for an entire album of strung-together musical passages that one could mistake for a warm-up exercise rather than a song. There's only one listenable song on this album, Bend the Clock, which is a reminder to all that these guys still have amazing songwriting abilities, should they decide to put themselves up to such a task. But like their worst critics have said over the years (despite not being entirely true in their earlier days), much of their modern music is nothing more than a disjointed showcase of how many notes they can fit into a second, or how many time signature changes they can fit into a song--rather than the creation of something truly artistic.

I realize that they have sworn off outside producers while making their albums, but I feel like they could benefit from having some diversity of thought and new perspectives in the songwriting process. They didn't enjoy such influences during the recording of Images and Words & Awake, but those albums turned out to be among their best and their most memorable (as you can see from their overall ratings on here). This album is not one of them; instead, it is more of the same aimless wankery I have come to expect from them these days.

Following their eponymous and groundbreaking debut album, Iron Maiden faced the daunting task of ensuring that "Killers" (1981) lived up to the expectations generated among their growing fan base and the music press. Composed largely of songs not included on the first album and a few more developed later, "Killers" sounds like a natural continuation of "Iron Maiden", with the added bonus of a more polished and less raw production.

The melodies, tremendously angry and direct, unfold full of sharp riffs and solos sustained by the synchronised duo of Dave Murray/Adrian Smith (replacing Dennis Stratton, who left the band due to musical differences), Steve Harris' enveloping and aggressive bass and Clive Burr's agitated percussion, complemented by an appealing and disturbingly sombre narrative, such as the frustration and anger over abandonment in the lively "Wrathchild" (the band's timeless anthem splendidly sung by the unstable Paul Di'Anno), the bloody tribute to writer Edgar Allan Poe in the intense "Murders in the Rue Morgue", the suicidal tendencies in the anxious "Another Life", the injustice in the speed metal airs of the dizzying "Innocent Exile", the twisted and ruthless mind in the fast-paced "Killers" (great song), or the redemptive and very heavy "Drifter".

The relentless and overwhelming soundscapes also give way to equally powerful instrumentals with a slightly more hard rock feel, such as the brief "The Ides of March" and the combative "Genghis Khan", both historical epics that reference the Roman emperor Julius Caesar and the 12th-century Mongol leader respectively, and there is an additional place for the restful and mythological "Prodigal Son", an elaborate electroacoustic melody that departs from the general guidelines of the album with slight progressive registers and whose guitar solo bears some distant resemblance to the one that will adorn "Revelations" two years later.

"Killers", which over the years has gained ground to become a cult album, received mixed reviews at the time because it did not seem to add any new nuances to the English band's first work. And while it was not a big step forward in that sense, it was not a step backwards either, leaving expectations intact for their next work.

3/3.5 stars

The ever increasing track lengths and expanding symphonic and neo influences be damned, I still think of the WOOD DEMONS as a high decibel folk rock group in the tradition of HORSLIPS or RUNRIG, but what did they expect with a name like that? Full disclosure, there's as much GENESIS, CARAVAN and FM here as well. This is their first post pandemic release, and it piles epic upon epic - 5 in total - into our streaming medium of choice.

With authorship apportioned equitably among the keyboardist (listen to the vintage organs), guitarist and bassist, and similarly democratic arrangements that wisely favor the violinist (or fiddler as dictates your preference), the oddly titled "In Rabbits and Corners" is by far the group's most cohesive and professional outing to date. It achieves this with no sacrifice in passion but rather a 52 minute exercise in welcoming the next 30 seconds with tongue hanging out and tail wagging, and the next, and the next, in a setting where disappointment is an endangered emotion. Yet this isn't prog by the numbers at all, even as you will feel quite comfortable drawing insufficient comparisons to artists from across the diaspora, many more than the names I tossed out above.

In a just world, the WOOD DEMONS would propagate in playlists much like lagomorphs in meadows, but let's not fuss over popularity imagined, hoped for, or realized. The band recently played at an annual festival dedicated to NEIL PEART and medical research, so they are surrounding themselves with the right folk...folk or not. 4.5 stars.

3.5 stars. Patrick Vian was part of the band RED NOISE previously who released one album in 1970. Patrick was a student at the time, and he was their guitarist. He would get heavily involved in electronics after that, and would release this one studio album in 1976. He's playing sequencers, moog and synths while bringing in three guests who add drums, percussion, guitar, marimba and noises. Patrick also plays piano on track 8. Both RED NOISE, and he as a solo artist are included in the Nurse With Wound list.

While I'm not all in on this record, I do feel it's a low four star album. Mainly I just don't get the enjoyment out of this like I do my favourite Electronic albums. We get seven tracks worth under 40 minutes. The cover art is the best thing about this album in my opinion. Just incredible! I have a cd by a project called THE FUSION SYNDICATE called "A Speedway On Saturn's Rings". The cover art appears to be inspired by the art work here. Same girl? In her spacesuit. That album hasn't been added the site here but others from them are. You will not believe the artists who are on that one.

The opener here is a top three called "Sphere" and this track is the only one with drums. Lots of guitar too along with electronics. "R&B Degenerit!" is another top three. This is dark to start but brightens quickly. Lots of keyboards, guitar and bass-like synths. The other top three is "Tunnel 4, Red Noise" and that title brings in the name of his old band. Sequencers and spacey synths early. There's so much going on after a minute as it turns more intense.

"Grosse Nacht Musik" is slow moving and melancholic. "Oreknock" is interesting as we get lots of "knocks" you could say with the noises, marimba, percussion and electronics. A cool sounding piece actually. Tracks 4, 8 & 9 are all around the 2 minute mark. Not big on those, especially the closer with all the samples added. My least favourite though is "Barong Rough" which is fairly random sounding and sparse. A tough listen. So this album is very much hit and miss for me but I feel this it's worth the 4 stars, barely.

Recorded on the 1990 Knitting Factory tour, this album features one complete show (DNA Lounge, San Francisco, California) and one nearly complete show (Fasching Club, Stockholm, Sweden) from fairly late in the timeline of the Barnett / Cora / Cartwright / Rupel / Williams line-up. Curlew were a band who had many musicians in their time, with the only constant being George Cartwright (saxophones), and what we have here is the 'Bee' line-up with Ann Rupel (bass), Pippin Barnett (drums), Tom Cora (cello) and Davey Williams (guitar). The vast majority of the music is taken from that album, with just a few from the previous 'North America' but given there had been quite a few changes in personnel between the two that is not too surprising. Although we are treated to the majority of two shows on the same tour, the sequencing is very different and only five songs were played on both nights.

This RIO/avant-garde/free jazz outfit manage to be completely together, as tight as can be imagined while playing complex music, or free and loose as they improvised over the top, meaning each time they played a song it would be different as they reacted to the environment and what was happening around them. But whatever journeys they undertook they somehow always managed to be at the right place in the end. There is little between song banter, normally George saying what the next song is and possibly something about it, but it gives everyone a breather before they blast into the next. "The March (Or Ornette Went to Miles' House and They Didn't Get Along)" is incredibly frantic, massively over the top and absolutely insane, a remarkable piece of music as Ann tries to keep everyone to some semblance of order but fails wonderfully as everyone solos at once and then suddenly, they are all in sync!

This is music for those who love improvised music yet also need some semblance of structure, as this is dynamic and exciting, thought-provoking and necessary, all at once. The crowd were certainly appreciative of what must have an incredible experience, and it is great that 35 years after these events, Cuneiform have made the tapes available.

"The Haunted Life" for the melodic prog rock title, melting, airy vocal from Justin with velvety synths on a layer of Hackettian guitar from Myron; lively progressive finale, symphonic and muscular. "It's The Small Things" follows, air pop love song à la ALAN PARSONS embellished with Wesley's trumpet, inducing a jazzy-soul climate where the bass holds the upper hand. "The Haunted Life" with the delicate piano of Tony, yes GENESIS where his aura is very present; consensual title leaning on 'Ripples' less spleen, a beautiful ballad with airy choirs. "If We're Silent & We Listen" starts on a soft heavy pop rock piece, the guitar riff maintaining a sustained tribal rhythm on layers of keyboards with a string quartet amplifying the solemn side. Final aerial deliquescent fade. "The Ballad Of Joe Martin" sinks into a pop song feel, flirting with old R.E.M., a folk accent with slide guitar on a violin base for a very pleasant fresh tune. "Changing Channels" veers into a soft synth track where the Genesis atmosphere emerges; a no-nonsense pop tune, oozing emotion.

"The Ballad Of Wesley Martin" for the consensual ballad "again" where the sax comes to brighten up, as does the clarinet; otherwise, a tune somewhere between mawkish and marshmallow, simplicity and a vintage 80s tone, a hint of Christopher Cross, from the time when you could drive on national roads for pleasure. "Splitting Atoms" finally surprises me; the melancholic tune, slightly PINK FLOYD-esque, the monolithic keyboard progressing to a captivating crescendo, all of which brings a feeling of bliss. The airy guitar and the high but languid voice amplify the solemn unfolding, leading to a warm, meditative piece. Distant female choirs confirm the Floydian hook. "Restless Wanderers" fast interlude in 7/8 with dynamic keyboard decked out with a galloping sax from Richard flirting with SUPERTRAMP, nostalgia on an Anglican soundtrack. "Big City Small Town Blues" radically changes genre; warm, energetic blues, an organ, a guitar, ZZ TOP with ROZEDALE. A fresh, cheerful air that finally gets you moving. "The Last Pink Glow" eponymous piece, progressive; a text that stems from the work of Jack KEROUAC, having lost his manuscript. Some OLDFIELD, some BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST in the distance, a hint of GENESIS echoing through, and a track with a 70s feel. A beautiful, unpretentious, rustic feel right up to the ambient break, opening with fresh, ethereal, then shear notes. The build-up is contained, leaving a firmer vocal that suits the song's atmosphere; the guitar solo ends up annoying me with its analogy to Tony's 1991 album, which I'm eager to listen to again.

ROCKING HORSE MUSIC CLUB, bordering on Chris REA, BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST, and Christopher CROSS; an eclectic crossover album, a blend of numerous ballads with folk, bluesy, and Americana vibes. Originally on profilprog.(3.5)

Not perfect but some of the best guitar solos from Zappa in this live recording from 1980. I like the small club sound, makes you feel like you're there. The band, as always, is in perfect form and delivers a stellar performance all the way through, but like I said, the star here is the guitar, so if you like a guitar heavy show, you will like this album. The set might be missing most of the 73-74 songs that we like, but we have plenty of recordings from that time that have been released recently like Cheaper Than Cheep so I found the setlist on these two shows from 1980 quite refreshing. The only thing that prevents this to be a 5 stars is that, some of the keyboards sound are very 80's and have not aged very well but they reflect the time very well, when the technology was not there yet. If you're a fan of Joe's Garage album and you're nostalgic of the early eighties sound, this recording is for you. So 4 stars is the correct rating for me. Not perfect but very good performance wise.

I have to admit, Dominion didn't win me over right away. On the first few listens, I found it slow ... almost too slow, and the long, flowing melodies felt like they were leading nowhere. Nothing really grabbed me. I kept waiting for a spark, a moment of punch or urgency, and it just didn't come. I wondered if maybe this album just wasn't for me.

But something kept pulling me back. Maybe it was curiosity, or maybe a vague sense that I was missing something. And slowly, Dominion began to open up. I started noticing how much care had gone into building these soundscapes, how the calm, almost meditative passages weren't empty, but full of intention. They were setting the stage, quietly laying the emotional groundwork.

What I first saw as a lack of energy, I now hear as patience. And when the album finally does break into something more intense ? a sudden chord shift, a soaring guitar line, a subtle rhythmic lift, it feels powerful. Not because it's loud or fast, but because the moment has been earned. There's a sense of release, of something unfolding exactly when it needs to.

Dominion isn't trying to impress. It's not flashy. It asks you to slow down and listen closely, and if you do, it reveals a kind of beauty that's easy to overlook. For me, it went from distant to deeply affecting not through dramatic gestures, but through atmosphere, tension, and careful timing.

Containing a live set taken from an appearance on Radio Bremen, this archival Henry Cow release hails from the band's terminal phase. They'd already had the recording sessions that produced the material which, after some internal strife and dissent, eventually saw the light of day on the first Art Bears album (with the rest of Henry Cow credited merely as backing), and they'd yet to go into the studio to record their swansong, Western Culture. Precisely because it was recorded for radio, the sound quality is solid, and the band are going out on a high, with an extensive improvised segment (titled simply Bremen) at the heart of the set.

Originally made as a free gift to subscribers of the 40th Anniversary Henry Cow box, before being made available separately and bundled in the Cow Box Redux, this is a grab-bag of material which didn't fit anywhere else either on their studio albums or on the various archival live releases the Cow has put out. Material ranges from early demos from before they'd even signed to Virgin to latter-day live material, the latest of which comes from a Radio Bremen appearance hailing from the period after the sessions that eventually got released as the first Art Bears album and before the sessions that gave rise to Western Culture, Henry Cow's swansong.

Moon Letters, old symphonic prog transforming into a psychedelic crossover with touches of classical. New progressive rock.

"Energy of the Heart" is a frontal attack on crazy heavy prog rock with a hint of growl, the fruity tune frantically experimenting with a unique, rhythmic sound, somewhere between uninhibited Zappa, And You Will Know, Moon Safari for its prog wanderings, even the Mute Gods and even Beardfish. The second part is about the bucolic, unique electric Charisma Label madness. "Silver Dream" is more languid in the marshmallow spirit of the '60s, a Genesis-like pastoral melody with reverberating guitar; a slight variation with the vintage keyboard; the moment of gentle madness with its western trumpet amplifying the fusion of genres; the final vibrant symphonic outro. "Island of Magic Mirrors" drives the musical point home, a frenetic bucolic-psychedelic rhythm rushing into a Crimsonian atmosphere blended with the swirling keyboard. A bouncy track with an oriental drift and its crazy heavy rock feel, merging where Michael bellows while John and Dave play it out in a frantic battle. "Lonely Moon" for its soothing acoustic guitar with the orchestral passage, a modern "Horizons," a tune that Steve Howe should appreciate for its purity and simply hypnotic melody.

"In the Catacombs" returns to the electric syncopated rhythm, a cheap way to get an electroshock. A musical assault of notes coming out of nowhere, a latent mini-break, and the rogue wave returns with a vengeance. There's a riff, the frenzied piano, the drums rolling with anger, and a funk-hard tune worthy of Suicidal Tendencies. "Dawn of the Winterbird" in three parts for the reggae-rock-fruity title; a fusion of genres with flowers instead of notes, a solemn air all crazy from the islands where pleasure invites itself. "I Am Not Afraid" with Michael not being afraid of the cold, the icy, ambient, grandiloquent break with its masterful keyboard and the marshmallow drift. "Laughing Stream" with the water carrying musical warmth, Michael's melting voice, the prog sound of the 70s that would have evolved, emerging laughingly today; the sweetness with the contained violence like this mid-course break made of choirs, languid keyboards and drum rolls. "The Portal" with the solemn entrance, flute, drums, fragile vocal. A whiff of the great King Crimson with the crystalline piano associated with Dave's spurting guitar. The keyboard sounds prog while the rest goes on frenzied heavy rock. A modern Genesis passage with fruity guitar shaping the band's sound as it continues its momentum. The eloquent title reminds me of Echolyn for its perfectly executed progressive blend, a piece worthy of a musical maelstrom, an organized chaos.

For the supercharged heavy rock tracks that will delight fans of power with their disjointed, fusional parts. For the epic piece, a captivating prog-psych odyssey plunging into the catacombs of the mind with an unparalleled fusion of genres. Originally released on Progcensor (4.5).

Apart from a couple of guests adding little touches here and there, this album is by the Ars Nova/Nepenthe core trio of Matt Mizenko (basses, guitars, keyboards, programming, vocals), Todd Mizenko (guitars, keyboards, programming, vocals) and Jamie Boruch (drums, percussion). They had broken up at the turn of the century when nothing had been going well for them on a musical basis, and although they had always kept in touch it was only after Covid they decided to work on some songs again, for the first time in decades. They brought in Brett Kull (Echolyn) to assist with the engineering and mixing, and he was the person who put them onto me. There are not many bands who arguably have released three different albums under three different names, but that is essentially what we have here, but it never seems as if Matt, Todd and Jamie have been away from the scene for so long, as this demonstrates just how many hours they spent together in the old days. What we have here is a polished "debut" (it is their first album, but also their third) which shows a band staying true to their roots and possibly getting a little heavier but still having a load of fun and providing quality melodic progressive rock music.

They are still determined to be Neo by ProgArchives, and that is probably the most accurate although there are still high levels of commerciality within, although the guitars are much more to the fore this time. In fact, if they had been put into Heavy Prog they could well have been accepted there as well as this definitely has a much rockier element. I was a little surprised at the vocals, as they are very good, and given they used a guest singer when they were Nepenthe, I had thought they were not confident or good enough to do it themselves, but that is certainly not the issue here at all. I honestly don't feel these guys needed "redemption" from anything they had been involved with previously, but they obviously felt they did, but the decision to work just as a trio without others has obviously been the right one as here it really does feel as if everything has been turned up a notch, with far more complexity in what they are doing.

This album has been getting some positive response so let us hope that continues, and we do not have to wait so long for the next time as if you enjoy rock-based prog with great interlaying of keyboards and guitars being driven strongly by the drums, all with nice vocals and hooks, then this is for you.

I received a request earlier this year to review the debut album by Cheat The Prophet, a progressive band I had not previously heard of. Nothing strange there, as it is not unusual for bands to contact me, but I realised they had previously been active in the Nineties as Nepenthe, whose album I had reviewed (1997's 'Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt'). However, on doing some digging I could see that Nepenthe themselves had originally had another name, Ars Nova, so now I am listening to their debut album from 1993.

The 1993 band comprised Matt Mizenko (bass), Todd Mizenko (guitars), Jamie Boruch (drums), Eddie Konczal (keyboards), who all performed on the Nepenthe release, plus singer Keith Watlington. In these days of glossy magazines devoted to prog music plus all the websites devoted to the topic, it can sometimes be difficult to remember that when this album was released none of that existed and the only publicity came from underground fanzines and word of mouth. I ran 'Feedback' and felt I had a very good handle on what was happening in the UK, a pretty good idea of Europe, but only had contacts with a few record labels in the States so unless an album was released on something like Kinesis or Magna Carta, I never heard it. Consequently, this album is new to me, and I was simply blown away by just how good it is. Here we have a prog band who are certainly not performing as if it is a debut, bringing together the idea of Neo with the commerciality of Crossover plus melodic rock stylings which makes this an album which is still relevant and enjoyable today, more than 30 years after it was released.

Not all prog albums from back then have aged well, as some were pretty much demos, but here we have something which is well produced and a load of fun the very first time it is played and just keeps getting better. True, it is a commercial and very American style of prog, but is one I have enjoyed a great deal, and it is strange to come across this only because I was sent an album to review which had been released 32 years later. Well worth investigation if this style of prog is to your liking.

4.5 stars. PASKINEL is the solo project of one Patrick Dufour who's nickname happens to be Paskinel. He's brought along one of his ALCO FRISBASS members Frederic Chaput making this a duo with six guests helping out. The third member of ALCO FRISBASS Fabrice Chouette guests on one track playing organ. We also get lap steel, sax, violin, flute and bassoon from the guests.

ALCO FRISBASS released three studio albums and I feel each album was not as good as the previous one. So yes their debut is the one for me, and this PASKINEL album does rival it. I love how uniform it is with really just that one track "L'echo Noir" sounding somewhat different with the guest bassoon and violin. There is so much going on with each track. Tons of sounds. Dufour playing electric piano, organ and synths, while Chaput adds guitar and bass. There is distortion in those organ sounds at times bringing Canterbury to mind once in a while.

This is all instrumental and we get eight tracks worth 50 minutes. So many keyboard sounds here, it's awesome! My favourite song is the title track. Such a warm sound as we get electric piano, bass and beats. Guitar joins in then Canterbury organ around 2 1/2 minutes. The bass here and throughout is really good. Upfront and dirty. Mellotron too at times like at 5 1/2 minutes on here. "Belle En Tete" opens with a bass line as electric piano joins in then organ. This sounds great, and we get guitar a couple of times later on.

My second favourite track is that one that is a little different "L'echo Noir". It's the bassoon that brings the darkness while violin, upfront bass and electric piano lead the way. Love this track! Very RIO sounding as in UNIVERS ZERO. Nasty bass 3 minutes in and I like when the tempo picks up late with guitar. "One O'clock" might be the shortest piece on here but it sure has plenty of energy. That second track needs to be mentioned "Tartempion" with the guest flute and Canterbury organ later on. But it's the mesh of sounds all working together that is so impressive. So much going on.

This will go down as a top ten for 2023 in my musical world. And my favourite when including the three albums by the parent band ALCO FRISBASS. Not sure about that cover art though.

Welcome Inside The Brain's Re:Creation struck me like a forgotten memory from the late 60s, with sounds that feel familiar and completely new. There's a softness and classic elegance reminiscent of The Moody Blues, Pink Floyd, and Procol Harum, without being superficial. This album has an emotional charge and nostalgia I haven't felt in a long time. It's a deeply heartfelt and moving work where every instrument shines, especially the guitars and keyboards, which are simply phenomenal.

I had heard their previous album and it was solid, but Re:Creation takes everything to another level. It's as if these guys had supported Pink Floyd in Pompeii, with the same atmospheric depth and cinematic mystery. Still, Welcome Inside The Brain isn't a relic of the past: they're a modern band from Leipzig, Germany, and this third full-length album is, in my opinion, their masterpiece to date. It's bold, cohesive, and perfectly balances darkness and light.

What makes Re:Creation so special is its ability to fuse classic tones with modern sensibilities. Franky's vocal work is really strong and fits perfectly with the band's style. Lennart Jahn's keyboards?Hammond organ, layers of Rhodes, and Mellotron?provide that outstanding classic prog sound, while Georg Spieß's guitar work intertwines hypnotic riffs, distortion-laden grooves, and moments of delicate psychedelia. The rhythm section, with Johannes Niklas on drums and Jacob Müller on bass, is powerful yet inventive, driving each song forward with dynamic shifts that keep you hooked. The vocals are warm and expressive, blending seamlessly with the rich soundscape.

The production is great, organic, and lively, allowing each instrument to breathe naturally. It's clear the band has given this record their all: it's the work of musicians who understand their roots yet have a voice all their own.

If there's a modern prog rock album that proves the genre can remain emotive, adventurous, and timeless, it's Re:Creation. Welcome Inside The Brain has delivered something really special here.

Maneige went through a second phase starting with Ni Vent... Ni Nouvelle where they were going for a more electric approach and for shorter pieces. Even with that, I can still tell it's Maneige. Libre Service - Self Service was their second album and there was a very rare version of this album with a more cartoon gas pump on the front cover that was instantly removed, probably because they felt it people weren't going to take that cover seriously, so a new cover was in its place, the one we're all familiar with. They take on a more funky approach (that use of slap bass is quite noticeable on this album), with Latin rhythms (which will scare some people away, but it actually works quite well, but other pieces they find themselves hearkening to their older sound. What I find really interesting is how the opening part of "La Belle Et La Bête" sounds like the theme song to TV series Unsolved Mysteries, although that one was American and didn't appear until the late 1980s. I also found "Noéme" reminding me strangely of Echolyn, those piano chord progressions sounds like something off As the World. "Bagdad" unsurprisingly has a Middle Eastern feel to it. "Les Péntocles" is a great proggy piece, and a favorite of mine. The second half of the album at times hearkens back to the sounds of Ni Vent... Ni Nouvelle, if not occasionally their Harvest-era material. This is a rather accessible album, but they didn't sacrifice quality, even if the lengthy suites of their first two albums were long gone. I am a minority, but I actually prefer Self Service over Ni Vent, as I rank it up there with Les Porches as my favorite Maneige album.

Fifteen short months after their brilliant debut album "Golden Fragments," FRAGILE (YES, we miss you) is back with their second album, "Beyond." The silver lining of the global health crisis is that musicians have more time to compose, although in FRAGILE's case, it's clear that the drafts of the new tracks were already well advanced when "Golden Fragments" was released.

Barely two minutes into "Beyond," the eponymous track, clocking in at twenty-one minutes and fifty-six minutes, there's no hesitation, we find ourselves on familiar ground (at least for those who made the effort to listen to the first album): Claire Hammill's voice (like an Annie Haslam who hasn't suffered the ravages of time), Oliver Day's Howardian guitar, Max Hunt's protean keyboards, including remarkable piano playing (more John Tout than Rick Wakeman), and the gurgling of the synthesizer around the fourteenth minute, a bass guitar worthy of Chris Squire no less... this isn't La Redoute's catalog, even if it sounds like it!

My only criticism of this very long piece (9/10) is that it's far too heavily sung for my taste, even though Claire Hammill is an excellent vocalist (she sings for fourteen of the twenty-two minutes; the main and final instrumental part is found in the second half and is absolutely remarkable in terms of symphonic progressive music).

The second piece, "Yours and Mine," at fourteen minutes and a bit, follows in the same vein, with the same inspiration, the same creativity, the same (damn?) Yessian influences (you can't change your ways, and when you love, you don't count!), a piece enhanced by a beautiful two-minute instrumental introduction before Claire Hamill's diaphanous voice takes over, like the ethereal voice of a child or, at most, a young adult, a musical canvas that never tires (10/10).

We're already coming to the last track, but there were only three: "The Golden Ring of Time" (10/10), almost as long as the previous one, with an instrumental opening of just over two minutes, a track where the London band's influence is more pronounced, especially for Oliver DAY's six-string guitar. If Steve HOWE needed support, he's there here (the funny thing is that Oliver didn't compose the track, which was written by Claire HAMILL and Max HUNT). Progressive with a symphonic tendency, without the sometimes pompous symphonic side, and still with that rare, beautiful voice that makes me simply adore FRAGILE.

We can't close this review without highlighting the remarkable iconographic work of Steve MAYERSON (as on the band's first album), a sort of hidden spiritual son of the illustrious Roger DEAN: mayersonart.wixsite.com/home.

We dedicate this first album to the memory of our old friend Tom DAWE, who founded the band a long time ago...

"Golden Fragments" is the first original album by FRAGILE, a tribute band to...YES, obviously present on European stages since the late 1990s, who decided to take the plunge into original compositions while maintaining the YES trademark in spirit and music. It's worth noting that singer Claire HAMILL has lent her voice to albums by Steve HOWE, Jon ANDERSON, JON & VANGELIS, and WISHBONE ASH, so she's on familiar ground.

Without prejudging what's to come, a minute and a half is enough to understand where we're going and how we're going there! All the brilliance and vision of the great British band are there, I mean the great British band, not the pale imitation that has been offered to us in 2020 and for several years now... The opening track, also the longest on the album, delightfully immerses us in our past fantasies. It's all there: the Howardian six-string played by Oliver Day, the Squirian four-string handled by Max Hunt, the Wakemanian keyboards under the agile fingers of the same Max Hunt, and the percussive drumming of Russ Wilson, which is more reminiscent of Bill than Alan... All of this is brightened by Claire Hamill's magnificent vocals, as if Jon Anderson had mutated into a feminine voice, with octaves inaccessible to most of the singers we usually encounter (10/10).

Obviously after this unmissable gem, we have to come back down a little to appreciate at its true value the second piece "Blessed by the Sun/Hey You And I And" whose title is a real reference to one of the anthology pieces of the historical and miracle YES, there too, we believe it, impressive mastery demonstrated by this FRAGILE (9/10). A little less exciting the "Five Senses" which follows, perhaps because sung by a male voice in its first part, that of the omnipresent Max HUNT and simply vocalized by Claire in its second part under a plethora of guitars worthy of who you know (8/10). We move on to "Heavens Core" with a mix of male and female vocals this time, with the former dominating, and here it's the keyboard instruments that dominate, combining the bombast of the seventies with an overall sound much more rooted in the 2000s, a piece that could have escaped from "The Ladder" (8/10). This is followed by the obligatory acoustic interlude "Open Space," which we'll just say they couldn't help themselves... (no rating intentionally).

The penultimate track, "Time To Dream/Now We Are The Sunlight," returns to the story, with the exception of the female vocals, featuring lots and lots of synthesizers, in layers for the first three minutes and a brilliant, burning explosion for the rest under the pressure of Oliver Day's guitar, who treats us to a sumptuous performance of his instrument, all worthy of the best period of their big brother (9/10).

The second epic that closes the album, "Old Worlds And Kingdoms/Too Late In The Day," has little to envy the first epic in terms of musicality. It's introduced by a delicate piano, in true Yessian style, before Claire Hamill ignites our senses with her high-pitched voice, accompanied by Oliver DAY's ethereal guitar, which multiplies like Steve (sorry, the comparison can't be avoided). A truly beautiful composition that captures the best moments of the London troupe at its peak. In short, a progressive gem for women (10/10).

I didn't know what to expect from FRAGILE, but let's just say it's a success, a beautiful and surprising satisfaction.

Part of the expansive range of Henry Cow archival releases that first saw release in the Road boxed sets before getting individual releases (and recompiled in the Cow Box Redux), Later and Post-Virgin is, as the name implies, a grab-bag of material from the twilight years of Henry Cow. Virgin and Henry Cow had become mutually unhappy with their contractual relationship, and Virgin agreed to release Henry Cow from their remaining obligations in mid-1977, after having breached the contract by refusing the Cow access to the Manor to record their next album.

But it would be internal creative differences that would slaughter the Cow in due course; though the wide range of performances this draws on leads to a certain lack of unity, that lack of unity itself reflects what was going on with band. Note in particular the presence of Joan and On Suicide - two songs which would see the light of day on the first Art Bears album, when after being recorded with Henry Cow a band dispute broke out over the song-oriented direction and eventually the compromise reached was that Krause, Cutler, and Frith would use the Art Bears project name for the material and the rest of Henry Cow would be credited as guests (in a sort of reflection of the process that saw Slapp Happy and Henry Cow merge).

The upside of the tensions within the band is that you get a decidedly broad range of material here, with different band factions each pushing their own material. It might not quite as gel as more harmonious moments chronicled in these live releases, but we're still dealing with competently executed and creatively interesting music turned out by a seasoned group whose creative fires were still burning hot at this point.

Blending together two sessions for Swedish radio, this was originally released on the second Road boxed set from Henry Cow before being made available separately (and also included in the Cow Box Redux). As a result of being recorded for radio broadcast, it's one of the better-sounding live discs to have emerged from the Cow archives, and reveals the late-era band in fine form, with a mixture of familiar Cow compositions, improvisation, and a dynamite cover of Phil Ochs' No More Songs. The latter makes you wonder whether Henry Cow realised their time as a unit was almost up; sure, they had one more studio album in them, but Western Culture was very much the end of the line, one last go-around together before the Cow name was put to rest. (John Greaves, indeed, had already left by this point.) If they did have a sense of impending mortality, they wear it well.

After the disjointed and underwhelming Seventh Star, The Eternal Idol marked a much-needed return to form for Tony Iommi!

Despite a turbulent production process that involved multiple producers, lineup changes, and even a change in lead vocalist midway through recording, the final result is far more coherent and focused than one might expect.

Right from the start with The Shining, it's clear that this album is aiming to reconnect with Black Sabbath's darker roots. The production is much improved over Seventh Star, and the guitar tone is heavier, more oppressive, and closer to the band's classic style. New vocalist Tony Martin makes his debut here, and what a debut it is. His vocal style, reminiscent in moments of Ronnie James Dio, is powerful, dramatic, and perfectly suited for the material. Though relatively unknown at the time, Martin would go on to become arguably the third most important frontman in the band's history.

Ancient Warrior is perhaps the best track on the album. With a haunting, slightly eastern flair and some of Iommi's most inventive riffing in years, it builds a dark and mystical atmosphere. Hard Life to Love follows with a more straightforward hard rock feel, featuring some stoner-adjacent riffs that are enjoyable, if less remarkable.

Glory Ride is the album's weakest point, a bland and overly glossy hard rock song that feels more like Europe or Survivor than Sabbath. Thankfully, Born to Lose restores some energy with a fast-paced delivery and strong vocals, even if the songwriting itself is relatively simple.

Nightmare brings things back into more atmospheric territory. Originally intended for the Nightmare on Elm Street 3 soundtrack, it features excellent guitar work and a brooding tone that fits the band much better than the radio rock attempts earlier on the record.

Lost Forever is a solid uptempo heavy metal song, but at this point the album does begin to show signs of fatigue. Fortunately, the title track, Eternal Idol, closes things on a high note. It's a doomy, brooding epic that captures the sense of dread and weight that made the early Sabbath records so memorable. The slow-burning riff, mournful atmosphere, and expressive vocals make it a true highlight.

Conclusión: The Eternal Idol is clearly Iommi's attempt to reclaim the darkness, low-tuned guitars, and groovy heaviness that had been mostly abandoned in Seventh Star. With Tony Martin stepping in confidently as frontman, this album feels more focused, more traditionally Sabbath, and more promising.

While not without its flaws, it started a hopeful new chapter for the band back in 1987.

Best tracks: The Shining, Ancient Warrior, Nightmare, Eternal Idol.

After touring the London underground circuit, the band founded in 1975 by bassist Steve Harris, Iron Maiden, finally released their debut album in 1980, simply titled 'Iron Maiden'. The name was inspired by the torture device of the same name described by French novelist Alexandre Dumas in his 1867 work 'The Man in the Iron Mask' and brought to the big screen in 1929 by American director Allan Dwan.

Iron Maiden's successful breakthrough had a lot to do with the boldness and originality of their raw and vigorous sound, which they unashamedly and fearlessly displayed in direct songs charged with voltaic energy, such as the opening track "Prowler", the pseudo-punk "Sanctuary", the intense and lively instrumental "Transylvania", the stark "Charlotte The Harlot" and the eponymous and overflowing "Iron Maiden". Pure metal, where Steve Harris's relentless and aggressive bass and Dave Murray and Dennis Stratton's machine-gun guitars interact and complement each other perfectly, setting the stage for Paul Di'Anno's unique vocal range, a mixture of raspy street rage and clean melodic lines, to describe everyday situations of marginalised and displaced characters.

But it is in the middle of the album where Iron Maiden gives clear indications of their particular vision of the future, with sound structures that go beyond the traditional guidelines of the genre, incorporating not only electro-acoustic nuances into their powerful guitar riffs, as in the introspective "Remember Tomorrow" or the splendid "Strange World", but also melodies that encourage audience participation in live performances, as in the cheeky and lively "Running Free", and above all, elaborate instrumental displays and galloping rhythm changes very much in the progressive vein, as in the epic and dramatic "The Phantom of the Opera", surely the best track on the album and one of the earliest examples of the band's versatility and ability to explore and navigate the infinite paths of the rock universe.

"Iron Maiden", whose cover image features the faithful and anthropomorphic Eddie in punk mode, is now considered a cult album and a cornerstone of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. Widely acclaimed, the album climbed to #4 in the UK charts and marked the beginning of the Maiden dynasty worldwide.

3.5/4 stars

It isn't everyday for a band to reach out to me in order to review something from their catalog. However, I suppose my name has reached a few figures in the prog rock community, as a new band hailing from Chile has requested I check out their self-titled debut record. Now, that alone got me intrigued, and certainly set an expectation for what is to come. However, what I didn't expect was for this debut to be really awesome!

Debuts nowadays tend to be pretty high quality, since bands nowadays kind of know what they want, but obviously they can change over time and improve on what they have made in the past. I doubt Chercán will be any different, but dang they came in swinging! From the first track alone, I knew I was in for a great time, with a great mix of old school jazzy prog rock, with a more modern day experimental edge that one could see from the modern age of rock music.

While I feel like this is too modern feeling to be coined retro prog, one can tell this group was inspired by a few notable legacy bands from South America, namely I can pinpoint inspiration coming from Invisible, Bubu, and La Máquina de Hacer Pájaros. However, they don't just take their styles and run. No. They take those styles, and do so many backflips with them that they turn it into something super original: a dark jazzy escapade that is rich within bombastic symphonics.

Matías Bahamondes' saxophone skills certainly won me over here. In fact, the whole band is very skilled, which surprised me a ton since most of the members, to my knowledge, never played in any other band. Which just baffled me because this album feels like it was made by a group of people that at least had a few years under their belts, but no! These are newbies! Well, actually, one isn't, that being Rodrigo González Mera, as he was the drummer for the band Homínido. However, Homínido hadn't made any albums since 2016, so Chercán is his first project in almost a decade, so if anything he's practically playing it fresh.

Funny thing too, he was actually the guy who messaged me on RYM that asked me to review this record. So, hey, that's pretty cool.

But genuinely, this debut is amazing. It genuinely surprised me the first time I heard it, and it still surprises me now. It is just a genuinely wonderful record. The only thing that sort of holds it back, at least for me anyways, is that they sometimes can dip a bit too much into a sort of King Crimson-esque sound. Not to say there is anything wrong with pulling from one of the greats, but I think the intro to Kalimba feels just a bit too much like the beginning to Larks' Tongues In Aspic Pt. 1.

But minor nitpick aside, Chercán is certainly a band I will be on the look for in the coming years. If this is their debut, then who knows what their magna carta will be? Latin American prog will always be a guilty pleasure for me, so seeing it still going strong in this modern age of progressive rock music blesses my heart! Genuinely listen to this one, you won't leave disappointed.

Best tracks: La culpa, Caen las hojas blanca, Las mentiras del muro, Relato de una obsesión. Parte II: El orate

worst track: Desolación (En)

All of Steve's live material is so great. As per usual, the first part is some of his personal work with some recent material represented. Sounds great and a well balanced selection. The second portion being Genesis material, is also well balanced and played. The light show, the stage, the sound, the musicianship, everything shown on this live video shows exactly why this guy keeps being able to fill large venues around the world. Keeps the spirit of the 70's Genesis material alive much better than did Genesis of the 80's and beyond. If he keeps making these live albums and videos, I'll keep buying them!

SHEARWATER's first album of original material since the island arc is a high voltage (for them anyway) shocker that effectively counteracts the pallid "Fellow Travelers". While that misstep was based on decent covers of mediocre tracks by also rans who happened to tour with Meiburg and co, "Jet Plane and Oxbow" pays homage to artistic and commercial giants who helped shape this fascinating cooperative.

FRom the very first notes of the hypnotic "Prime", a transformation from largely acoustic to electric keyboards is apparent, and these form many of the hooks that help make the album so appealing. From the 1980s synth pop of "Quiet Americans" to the 1990s jangly pop of "Only Child", through to the ENO/CAN THIRD EAR BAND (and somebody else in the infectious chorus I can't put my finger on though it's driving me crazy) extravaganza "Filaments" to the TALK TALK chatter of "Backchannels", the echoes of the usual suspects abound. A big surprise is how much "Pale Kings" sounds like a low key RUNRIG without the Scottish lilt.

While the last 4 tracks are relatively flat, particularly the busy work of "Glass Bones" and the irritating vocal effects of "Stray Light at Clouds Hill", I can readily forgive these meanderings, particularly on aerial view.

3.5 stars. Miroslav Vitous should need no introduction to Jazz fans out there. He's from the Czech Republic learning his instrument at the Prague Conservatory. He won an international competition in Vienna which included a scholarship to the Berklee College of Music in Boston. He moved there in 1966 and then movied to NYC after that. It was in New York that he would work with Miles Davis, Stan Getz, Chick Corea, Charlie Mariano and more. Miroslav is such a talented bass player.

Vitous released two solo albums in 1970 before joining WEATHER REPORT. "Purple" is the second of those and really it's a stepping stone to that first WEATHER REPORT album. In fact, two tracks on "Purple" would be on that WR debut. Those would be called "Water Lilie" and "Seventh Arrow". His first solo record was called "Infinite Search" and it's a much better album than "Purple". It has a pulse at least. We have John McLaughlin playing on both, but on "Purple" he's just briefly on one track and unless your listening closely you will miss it. You can't miss his playing on "Infinite Search", lets put it that way.

Also that debut had the great Joe Henderson on sax. No horns on "Purple". And it also had Herbie Hancock on keyboards. That truly was a band effort, while "Purple" is a trio for three of the songs, and a duo for the other two tracks. "Purple" is very ECM-like. Minimalistic and sparse. The only grit is the bowed bass from Vitous. I don't have the patience for this stuff. Thankfully it's just over 36 minutes. This record was only released in Japan as Vitous sold the rights to it to Sony in Japan. It was re-issued once in 1974 then crickets until 2024 and the release of this album on cd for the first time.

And what an embarrassment when you compare this re-issue to say what the MPS label has been releasing of late. MPS has done it right with detailed liner notes, taking pride in these old jazz recording, while Sony has done as little as possible. I opened the liner notes to see two blank/white pages. It reminds me of buying cds in the 90's and seeing that once in a while. So I get the original front and back cover and that's it! Two of the tracks here are covers as well. We get Ron Carter's "Mood" which is ballad-like(aren't they all) and Wayne Shorter's "Dolores". The closest artist in my opinion to what I'm hearing here is Eberhard Weber's solo music, but he did it much better.

So I can't say it was worth the wait. It wasn't. But you ECM label fans will find plenty to enjoy here.

Proto-progressive psychedelic pop is how you might want to describe the music on the second studio album of the legendary Yes - following up on their self-titled debut release, 'Time and a Word' from 1970 is a definitive improvement over the band's first effort, despite the fact that is resembles it quite a lot, both musically and structurally. The interesting mixture of original material and covers of pop and rock artists of the recent past is once again at stake here, however, this time with the inclusion of a small orchestra, which appears on most of the album and adds that flair of complexity and sonic intensity that the band would more thoroughly explore on future releases. The innocence and innovation of these early Yes album is what makes them delightful listens, as you understand the progression of their sound and the increasing ambitions of the talented musicians making up the five-piece band.

Primarily written by Jon Anderson, 'Time and Word' is a rather accessible album that often sees the use of extended instrumental sections, longer songs and the symphonic inclinations of the band - of course, sometimes the ambitious instrumental sections may not be as elaborate or impressive as on some of the band's classic albums, but the overall ambition of this record is something to appreciate. The gorgeous refrains, the fine vocal harmonies and the excellent bass playing grace the fine songs composed by Yes here, with 'Then', 'Everydays', 'The Prophet' and 'Astral Traveller' being particularly noteworthy. At the same time, the extended use of the orchestra often diminishes the role of Peter Banks and his guitar playing, which is far from dominant, and would become the reason for his leaving. Furthermore, there is little to no strong keyboard leads, which eventually indicates a possible lack of compelling ideas from Tony Kaye, whose playing is also undermined by the string sections and the orchestral interludes. All of this goes to show that 'Time and a Word' is a transitional Yes album, one that showcases how ambitious the band's music was becoming and who were the weak links in there.

'Soundtracks' is German band Can's second release, although not their second studio album - the aforementioned is a compilation of music written for various films, five to be precise, that feature for the first time new vocalist Damo Suzuki, while original singer Malcolm Mooney appears on two of the seven album tracks, formerly the voice of the band on their 1969 debut album 'Monster Movie'. And the successful post-psychedelic krautrock experiment continues with 1970's 'Soundtracks', an interesting collection of diverse compositions that on the surface seem to be somehow directionless and even a bit disorienting, especially knowing that this LP is made up of commissioned works for different movies, and was never meant to be as album-oriented as the debut album, elements of which are to be discovered all over this very decent collection.

With the introduction of Damo Suzuki, it is very interesting to see how his strangulated, odd vocal delivery fits the jam-based, experimental music of Can, becoming increasingly more intricate and labyrinthian, and on this album this aspect of the band's sound is opposed to the significantly different vocal style of Mooney, which ultimately becomes limited for the musical scope of the krautrock innovators. As for the music on the album, we have an overall eclectic sound that explores different corners of the band's musical interests - opener 'Deadlock' is definitely dark and nostalgic, and the upfront guitars sweep around rendering the atmosphere of this song hefty and remorseful, while tracks like 'Tango Whiskyman' and 'Don't Turn the Light On' offer a more upbeat post-psychedelic sound, more similar to the music on 'Monster Movie'. 'Soul Desert' is groovy and repetitive and works rather finely, despite the irritative qualities of the vocals. Then there is the 'Mother Sky' suite from 1971's 'Deep End' movie, with its fifteen minutes of fusion energy, manic guitar playing, and hypnotic rhythm section, definitely one of the essential Can works. The final song on 'Soundtracks' features Mooney and his soulful delivery, on a song that is more downtempo than the rest of the record.

This entire album is strange but rather good in parts, which is why it has remained many Can fans' favorite (or guilty pleasure). The major highlight has to the be 'Mother Sky' piece, which echoes the excellent experimental ventures of the band's 1969 debut.

Review Nº 905

Kollektiv was a German progressive rock band from Krefeld that was originally formed in 1964 under the name of The Generals. Mainly influenced by British music, they began playing beat music. However, as the time went by, they decided to risk themselves towards more experimentations and thus entirely changing their musical direction. In 1970 the band changed their name to Kollektiv. With this new name, the band released their debut and only album with the same name in 1973 that featured a jazzistic sound with a taste for space rock, involving a lot of experimentation and jamming, going nearly the same way of bands, like their compatriots Embryo. "Kollektiv" is an excellent fusion album and one of the most creative in the German scene. They disbanded in 1975, despite some few posthumous reunions.

The music on "Kollektiv" is close to the music of the pre-Kraftwerk album "Tone Float" of Organisation and of the two early Kraftwerk albums. "Kollektiv" is a spacious fusion of rock and jazz involving unusual structures for the time and using electrified flute and saxophone. At least the Dapper's flute with its alienated effect is reminiscent of Florian Schneider's playing on "Kraftwerk 1" and "Kraftwerk 2". But, the similarities are largely exhausted, although all three productions are characterized by a similar herbaceous and experimental atmosphere. But "Kollektiv" is an album that also reminds me of Neu!, and of course, the days of the experimentalism of Pink Floyd, the times of "Ummagumma".

This all instrumental album really knows how to soar into the depths of space. There's nothing too loud or musically complex here but rather seductive and transcendental. Kollectiv musically blends soft flute with flowing bass guitar and drum lines. Here, Kollektiv played edgy, raw jazz rock on their debut, dominated by the "cosmic" playing of Dapper on flute and sax and the bluesy, spacey electric guitar by Havix. Added to this is the driving rhythm work of the Karpemkiel brothers. Dapper has connected his wind instruments to all sorts of effects devices, so that their sounds waft and reverberate from the speakers in a very varied way, meditative, aggressive, mysterious or simply very jazzy rocking. Otherwise, the jamming is virtuoso and colorful, dreamily gliding along to exhilarate rushing along, especially in the two lengthy numbers. We also can say this is one of those albums where all the four instruments work to perfection.

The line up on "Kollektiv" is Jürgen Havix (guitar and zither), Klaus Dapper (flute and saxophone), Jürgen Karpenkiel (bass guitar) and Walemar Karpenkiel (drums). "Kollektiv" also had the participation of Axel Zinowski (guitar), Volkmar Hahn (violin), Christoph (electric piano) and Georg Funke (bass guitar), all as guest musicians.

"Rambo Zambo" opens the album with heavily processed flute soloing before jumping into high energy avant-funk with more flute work that takes you on a nearly twelve minute voyage. The grooves are laid down by the brothers Karpenkiel and effect tripped out flute and guitars rambling psychedelically in the front. This pretty much sets the tone for the rest of the album. "Baldrian" is slightly tamer. It's a very atmospheric piece with hypnotic, spacey and deeply psychedelic soundscapes. It's a laid back and a slightly bluesy track with its wah-wah sax and reverberated slide guitar. It delivers dreamy and psychedelic soundscapes. "Försterlied" is a short and bizarre track that is underlain with an equally bizarre poem by Robert Gernhardt. This eccentric experiment with humorous vocal improvisation closes out the first side of the album, giving way to the band's side long three part opus, "Gageg". "Gageg" is divided into three parts, "Andante", "Allegro" and "Pressluft", which seamlessly merge. The name comes from the fact that the piece originally arose from a sequence of the tones G,A,G,E,G. It has a more composed feel than most in the side one. It's full of tripped out effects, mixing floating flute lines and guitar disharmonies in a relative calm tempo. But, it still is mostly a vehicle for flute, sax and guitar soloing. It begins slowly before building into another intense avant-jazz funk work. "Andante" is very atmospheric and is the part that sets the stage. "Allegro" is the part that brings a laid back jam for both flute and guitars. The final part "Pressluft" that takes about eleven minutes to conclude, starts with an angular, King Crimson's guitar riff over which drums jazzily riff and with more sax plays in the front. This is clearly the best track on the album.

Conclusion: "Kollektiv" is truly one of the best and most original albums that were released in Germany in this genre, Krautrock with a jazz/rock vein. It's largely instrumental and devoted to dynamic prog injections with some flowing, spaced out sessions. The music is cool, imaginative, intense, improvised and still fresh after all these years. It's spacey but melodic, elevated yet rocking, innovative, progressive in the best sense, consequent in the realisation of intent, forging new musical territory without denying its roots. The musicians did not set great store by making the kind of music that would match with the common stereotypes. The intuitive jazzy improvisations on the album introduce some sunny, enchanting flute parts and groovy sax solos. It's an adventurous and talented effort with a sound that is really refined and sophisticated contrary to most of krautrock albums. It's highly recommended to all Krautrock fans.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

Galahad have been around for some decades as of now and have in recent years become one of the English modern progressive rock bands that are consistently putting out great material - from the highly-acclaimed 'Empires Never Last' to the more accessible 'Battle Scars' and the frequent releases during the current decade, this band has been navigated by vocalist and founding member Stu Nicholson and longtime drummer Spencer Luckman, with keyboard player Dean Baker also featuring on all of their albums since the mid-90s. 2018's 'Seas of Change' happens to be the tenth proper studio album by this group and in the very spirit of the progressive rock genre, it features one massive 42-minute twelve-part composition, a guitar and keyboard-driven mammoth of a song that encapsulates in itself the sound of modern progressive rock, while it also dares to examine a few tones that are more pertinent to the neo-prog movement, which Galahad had been a part of since their early days.

Now, this piece really works like a "movie for the ears" as it is split in twelve interrelated segments that discuss the state of English politics and dissect the difficulties of the grim [ongoing] situation of the country. Stu Nicholson is, of course, considerate and reflective, and he never goes into the preachy direction - he is merely externalizing the frustration and concerns of many. And the epic music that supports his concept is a perfect representation of that modern progressive rock sound that comes to define many of the bands that consistently put out strong albums. It can be very melodic, atmospheric and introspective, which is counterbalanced by the stabbing keys and the heavy guitars, which are prominent in the output of a lot of 21st century neo-prog acts. The main riff on 'Seas of Change' is infectious and is often used as a transition between two different sections of the song, and while the band carefully and effectively build up the piece, enframing it with that majestic refrain heard in the beginning, followed by some expansive prog sections and more acoustic ones, the entire epic is an all-encompassing piece that offers a little bit of everything; furthermore, it is one of the best-produced and most eclectic works of Galahad, which is certainly commendable. The CD edition features two extended edits of the 'Dust' and 'Smoke' sections off the main piece, which are a nice addition and offer an expansion of two of the main album themes. 'Seas of Change' is a great work overall, one that really approaches and rivals the scope of the excellent 'Empires Never Last'.

"Woe" is the second full-length studio album by Swedish progressive death metal act An Abstract Illusion. The album was released in September 2022 through Willowtip Records. It´s the successor to the July 2016 "Illuminate The Path" debut album. Both "Illuminate The Path" and the August 2014 "Atonement Is Nigh" EP were independent releases, so "Woe" is An Abstract Illusion´s first label release. "Woe" is a concept release consisting of one hour long track divided into seven sub-tracks.

The first thing I notice when listening to "Woe" is that An Abstract Illusion have increased the death metal brutality compared to the preceding releases and "Woe" is by far their most heavy, brutal, and raw release yet. That doesn´t mean they have shed any of the progressive rock/metal elements of the past, but to my ears a better balance exists on "Woe" between the death metal elements and the atmospheric and epic sounding progressive metal sections. The vocals still vary between death metal growling and clean male vocals. The keyboards have a dominant role in the soundscape but again they aren´t quite as dominant as they were on earlier releases, and An Abstract Illusion seem to have gained the knowledge that less is more and that epic keyboard chords and piano runs just work better when they aren´t being used all the time.

"Woe" features a powerful, heavy, and detailed sound production. It´s in the more polished end of the production spectrum when it comes to death metal productions, but for this type of music a multi-layered, professional, and clear sounding production is just what is needed. While six years may be a few years too long between albums, I´m happy to report that An Abstract Illusion have spend every second of those six years honing their skills as composers and writing an intriguing and varied progressive death metal album. This is a nice step forward for the band although not everything is perfect here. The 11:33 minutes long atmospheric "Tear Down This Holy Mountain" is for example a bit too ambient and uneventful for longer parts of the track, but overall An Abstract Illusion have struck gold here and fans of atmospheric/melodic progressive death metal are recommended giving this album a listen. A 3.5 - 4 star (75%) rating is deserved.

(Originally posted on Metal Music Archives).

Finally, the moment has arrived to do a review of this band, having the previous 3 albums in my collection, and somehow not getting my thoughts down on paper (paper?) . This quintet has always possessed an original sound, mostly due to vocalist Maartje Meessen rather original tone and her bandmate Eleen Bartholomeus (guitar, synths) , guitarist Ingo Dassen, bassist Ingo Jetten and drum stool director Bob Van Heumen. Six short tracks are the ideal set- up for a monster title track extravaganza of over 20 minutes that really seals the deal, stretching way beyond any previous comfort zone. Adding strings only elevate the orchestral qualities to be found littering the pieces.

The haunting acoustics on "The Settlement" easily set the mood, Maartje's swooning wail a soothing revelation, as the echoing shudder moves along in a contemplative furrow, the glistening slashes of electric guitars giving it a wide birth and establishing the atmospherics which will dominate this recording throughout. Case in point, the clever e- piano droplets on "The Build", a more raucous rampage with overarching keyboard symphonics, amid the criss- crossing riffs, a stunning track that could easily have been stretched out with a more elaborate arrangement. In all fairness, these two initial impressions can and should be considered as one mini-suite.

Catching the ears completely by surprise, the twangy pedal steel guitar ornamentations from Jetten perfectly exemplify the meaning of the title "A New Life", a sunshiny diversion into sweet harmonic flight. The percussion- laden "The Warning" includes audacious raspy guitars colliding with flute meanderings, dense wall-of-sound atmospherics and a driving rhythmic throb.

"Derailment" is a darker sonic train wreck, brooding and despondent in a rather attractive manner, as the piano somehow conveys a positive hope, as orchestral sheets attempt to smother the slippery e-guitar swirls. Segueing perfectly into "Chaos/The Slip Away", the intensity rages on mightily with overflowing mellotron cascades, dam- busting dual heavy guitars unchained, spoken word confusion and escape, leading to a pleading vocal, all at a throttling pace.

All these half-dozen vignettes (that could have easily developed into much more expansive epics) eventually and as promised, give way to the stunning "Babel" and its rather towering (excuse the pun) conviction. The main melody wastes little time in establishing its credentials, with a masterful vocal delivery, as well as a restrained energy that proves my earlier point about the vignettes potential embellishments. The soft flute contrasts slam headfirst into opulent wind-blown mellotron, never a bad idea in my book, and just as the arrangement kicks in to full gear, a sudden acoustic guitar and voice duet changes the mood in an instant, the astute band playing the contrast game faultlessly, daring to infuse strings as well as the countrified pedal steel for another spin around the polder. Van Heumen and Jetten then take over the controls of the rhythmic onslaught, progressively raising the temperature on the underbelly, as the Middle Eastern flute and percussives dance along for the ride. Patiently waiting for the right moment to enter the fray, the dual fretboards come charging through the sandstorm, as if propelled by historical zeal. After the tempest, silence. Back to a sense of normalcy, I am reminded at times of recent Anathema in the keyboard/guitar combinations, as the emotions slowly buildup once again, the piano marking the pace, the lead guitar unable to hold back its emotions, both weighty and heartfelt, constantly adjusting the throttle, as if impatiently searching for an oasis of peace. Without question, one the finest 2025 epics, an exhilarating exploration of power and substance, full of vigorous intensity and profound reflection.

All in all, a thrilling 40-minute album that has gone on in my mind, a lingering sense of enjoyment long after the last note was played. Called afterglow, I think.

4.5 Towering nights

Chops Galore

Moto Perpetuo is an instrumental fusion band from Lombardia who have been playing together since the 1990s. They've been playing live for years, and they finally released their full-length debut, Untitled, in 2023. The reason for the ambiguous album title is that they would prefer the entire experience of listening to them be in the court of the listener. They didn't want to impart any preconceived notions. "Why Untitled? Because it is an album without a real definition, just like the genre we play. Untitled, as instrumental tracks without lyrics should be." Fair enough then.

The album reminds me of many of the Italian fusion/jam albums I've come across: AIIR, Bella Band, D.F.A., Free Wave System, Kaleidon. Not being a jazz expert by any means or measure, I'll confess that fusion sometimes becomes an experience that blurs together into a similar sounding stew. I don't dislike it. On the contrary, it's pretty awesome. It's just more difficult to discuss. This is an album of technical performance prowess with a nice mix of stylistic shifts and loads of emotion coming through in the playing. For sure in the lead guitar as you'd expect, but also in every position. Some songs are more traditionally jazzy while others offer shots of chunky groove/funk or delicate classical touches. That is the part where I feel some of that lovely RPI intoxicant coming through, and that is where they win me over. There is a ton of piano playing on this album and a small bit of violin, and the beauty in these sections is undeniable. If you are into varied and impeccably performed instrumental rock, this is a release you'll not want to miss. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The main melody wastes little time in establishing its credentials, with a masterful vocal delivery, as well as a restrained energy and the soft flute contrasts slam headfirst into opulent wind-blown mellotron, never a bad idea in my book, and just as the arrangement kicks in to full gear, a sudden acoustic guitar and voice duet changes the mood in an instant, the astute band playing the contrast game faultlessly, daring to infuse strings as well as the countrified pedal steel for another spin around the polder. Van Heumen and Jetten then take over the controls of the rhythmic onslaught, progressively raising the temperature on the underbelly, as the Middle Eastern flute and percussives dance along for the ride. Patiently waiting for the right moment to enter the fray, the dual fretboards come charging through the sandstorm, as if propelled by historical zeal. After the tempest, silence. Back to a sense of normalcy, I am reminded at times of recent Anathema in the keyboard/guitar combinations, as the emotions slowly buildup once again, the piano marking the pace, the lead guitar unable to hold back its emotions, both weighty and heartfelt, constantly adjusting the throttle, as if impatiently searching for an oasis of peace. Without question, one the finest 2025 epics, an exhilarating exploration of power and substance, full of vigorous intensity and profound reflection.

4.5 Towering nights

It's a magnificent album of music overall. It obviously has a notable progressive rock content, but it goes far beyond that?both in terms of composition and in terms of production and sound. Many well-established bands would dream of breaking the norms of production and composition the way they have managed to. Every track is meticulously crafted, with layers that reveal new details on each listen. The album flows seamlessly from start to finish, offering moments as delicate as a baby unicorn's bottom and others as hard-hitting as a concrete building. There's a fearless approach to creativity here ? a refusal to be boxed in by genre or convention. The musicianship is top-tier, but never self-indulgent; everything serves the greater musical vision. Please, give them a chance and let's start putting these people where they truly belong ? at the very least, at the level of recognition they genuinely deserve. This is not just music; it's a statement.

The only SBB recording without leader Jozef Skrzek, in which he was replaced on Fender piano and polymoog by guitarist Piwowar. The performance took place in Nove Zamky, now in Slovakia. Skrzek reportedly had to travel later and separately due to some obligations at home and missed his connecting trains. Piwowar proves to be a surprisingly competent keyboardist. However, this change in the line-up also changed the whole sound of the band, with fewer heavy complex harmonies and a more airy jazz style. The album turned out surprisingly well, though, and is definitely not just a collector's item for SBB fans, but an excellent recording in its own right.

JUPITER FUNGUS are from Greece and they pay homage to the bands and music of the 70's like DEEP PURPLE, FOCUS and JETHRO TULL. Essentially a duo of vocals/keyboards and flute, they managed to get three more musicians to play on this record making them a five piece. I have the legit cd and I would not know this from the liner information as it shows the five members as part of this band. The guitarist and drummer are from LUCIFER'S CHILD with the guitarist coming from another band I won't even repeat due to my world view. Oh, and this was recorded and mixed by him at his Pentagram Studios.

I like that we get four long tracks with the shortest being just under 10 minutes. This is very much either flute or organ led. So yes, DEEP PURPLE and JETHRO TULL came to mind often. I do not like the flute style as it dances all over the place, fluttering away. I love flute but not in that style. Same with the Hammond, I just have never been a big fan of organ led music like this. The guitarist hardly causes a blip here. The keyboardist adds vocals and they are okay, but often mixed low.

The cover art actually impresses me more than anything I hear. The flautist did this and he clearly has a talent. Such a detailed picture that I have to applaud. It's a little bigger than the cover too, as it expands to the back some. So right from the first spin I knew this would be a challenge. If it was just the flute, or just the organ, but it's both giving me problems. My favourite musician on here is easily the bass player George Papageorgiou. Just love his tone, and how upfront he is. A talent for sure.

I won't describe what I'm hearing here as I would be repeating myself a lot, but I feel this album will get a lot of Prog fans exited who are more into FOCUS and TULL than I am.

Without losing the memory of their herculean and visceral past, still present, Iron Maiden nourishes "The Final Frontier" (2010), their fifteenth album, with elaborate structures with undisguised progressive components and nuances adapted to the new millennium, visually notorious from the cover where the anthropomorphic Eddie evolved in extraterrestrial predator mode inhabits a devastated and hostile futuristic space environment.

This sensation is reflected in the heavy and gloomy synthesizer-based atmosphere of the introductory "Satellite 15...", marking an unprecedented experimental facet of the English band, after which the most direct and effective tracks flow, impregnated with the band's primordial DNA, like its continuation, the avant-garde and homonymous "The Final Frontier', the galloping "El Dorado" and "The Alchemist", the plaintive "Mother of Mercy", and the splendorous half-time of the emotive "Coming Home".

And it's from there that the songs become especially polished, with the mystical "Isle of Avalon" where Steve Harris' infallible bass and Nicko McBrain's millimetric hi-hat mark the extensive introduction to a middle section starring the lucid riffs and solos of the trio Dave Murray, Adrian Smith and Janick Gers, as well as the convoluted and determined "Starblind", the tempestuous odyssey "The Talisman" and its crystalline acoustic intro accompanying the settled and impostured singing of the rejuvenated Bruce Dickinson before the instrumental display in which the three guitars flirt with each other, and the vigour of the introspective "The Man Who Would Be King", loaded with melancholic textures. Along the same route, the wind-blown 'When the Wild Wind Blows' kicks off a definitive epic in which Harris' bass and the trio's guitars advance slowly but surely, following Dickinson's vocal story, and then explode into a determined instrumentation that flows splendidly and infinitely until it returns to the same winds to conclude, in my opinion, the best track on the album.

The very good "The Final Frontier" is not so much more than "Brave New World", but not so much less than "Dance of Death" or "A Matter of Life and Death", and its success in the charts (#1 in the UK and in 27 other countries...) was a reaffirmation of the validity and popularity of one of the most emblematic Heavy Metal bands.

3.5/4 stars

As one of the really fine experimental art rock albums of the early 70s, Roxy Music's 'For Your Pleasure' is also quite significant for its masterful bridging between prog and glam - the daring in-depth exploration of unorthodox ideas, the extended song lengths and the focus on intricate instrumentation, extended soloing and technical acuteness, are combined with the relentless sexualization of the album's lyrical content, and the evocative all-around imagery of the band and their produce, which is a rare sight during this period in the development of rock music. There is an eclectic combustion of styles on this album, which might be an overall more focused and better-executed record than the band's famed self-titled debut album. The supposed clash between Ferry and Eno here, furthermore, is more of an abstraction rather than an actual source of conflict, and I do believe that their differing artistic visions had navigated this album into its more obscure presentation.

Of course, Brian Eno is very prominent on the best tracks off 'For Your Pleasure', and his playing seems to be sprawling into punk, prog, and classic rock, while Phil Manzanera, for example, delivers some substantial solos as well as multiple fine riffs. Andy Mackay dares to play out of key on a few occasions, which gives the album an avant-garde touch, while the rhythm section is working tightly and does not shy away from being minimal, metronomic, or simply punctuative. For what concerns Ferry's vocals, independently of how much one might be into his singing style, it is a fact that his performance is exquisite, and he really experiments with his voice throughout this entire album. Obviously, 'Do the Strand' and 'The Bogus Man' are the best album tracks, perhaps depicting perfectly the band's bold amalgamation of glam, pop, prog and avant-garde. 'Strictly Confidential' and 'In Every Dream Home a Heartache' are also really fine attempts at having an unusual but compelling rock sound that diverges from the standard, blues-based formula and tries to introduce a novelty sound with an inherent progression. At the same time, the trivial 'Grey Lagoons' and the punk-backed 'Editions of You' are far from impressive, which lets the otherwise-excellent album down a little. Nevertheless, 'For Your Pleasure' is a unique and important album from the early 70s that above all introduced a fascinating synergy between glam rock and prog.

In 1990 Geoff had the idea of releasing 'I May Sing Grace' and 'Psalm Enchanted Evening', his second and third solo albums after leaving Twelfth Night (originally only on vinyl), as one CD. He felt that 'In One Era' would be the right title, explaining it as follows "In One Era, a pun of course. I do not know if you use the phrase 'In one ear and out of the other', it refers to a statement that no-one listens to!". This did not happen in Geoff's lifetime, but in 1994 Malcolm Parker worked with Andy Labrow to produce a set as close to Geoff's original concept as possible. Two tracks had to be dropped to make them fit onto a single CD, and the two albums were made available as 'In One Era', but it has long been unavailable, and it is only through the reissue series from Brian Devoil that this is now again seeing the light of day.

The cover has been changed, although it is still very much in the same vein as the original, the two missing tracks brought back in the correct places, plus this includes three tracks from Geoff's first post-TN band 'The Earthlings', which have never previously been released, as well as some live recordings and demos.

Geoff had a unique vocal style, and will always be one of my favourite singers, artists and poets and managed to pull together a lot of different styles in a way totally his own. Certainly, he was the most off the wall Christian artist to promote his faith through music. He was still developing his solo styles at this time, and elements can be seen that came through in his later works. Far more immediate than albums such as 'Second Chants', there is no doubting the Mann's talent. Geoff recorded albums incredibly quickly, with the two on here taking less than two weeks in total! There was never a sense of rush, but rather that he knew his own mind very much and what he wanted to achieve. It is also great to hear the additional tracks, as any lovers of the Mann can never get enough and to be presented with "new" material more than 30 years since his life was cut tragically short by cancer is immense.

I really enjoyed hearing the demo to "Piccadilly Square" for the first time, one of my all-time favourite tracks, whilst the version recorded with The Earthlings is very different indeed. There are three versions of "Flowers", with cuts by both The Bond and Godstars, and the result is the most complete version of these two albums ever released. Absolutely indispensable for fans of Twelfth Night and Edmund Geoffrey Mann.

The Kingdom of a buffalo

I've been listening to King Buffalo for many years, and today they stand as one of the best stoner and psychedelic rock bands out there. With six albums, a handful of EPs, and several live recordings, King Buffalo has steadily carved out a path for themselves, maintaining a solid and evolving sound. The band is always led by their extraordinary guitarist, vocalist, and keyboardist Sean McVay, whose skills as both a musician and composer continue to grow with each release. Alongside him, Dan Reynolds on bass and keyboards, and Scott Donaldson on drums, complete this power trio?each member playing a fundamental role in shaping the band's sound.

Among their impressive discography, one album stands out as a bold leap forward: Dead Star, their third record and also their most progressive. Here, King Buffalo commits to crafting longer and more intricate compositions. "Red Star Part 1 & 2" opens the album with 17 minutes of mantric, meditative sound, as the band takes you on a journey through dark and dense space?layers of delay- and distortion-soaked guitars, deep Taurus pedal drones, and looping drums that echo the atmosphere of Obscured by Clouds-era Pink Floyd. At the same time, there's a certain emotional isolation reminiscent of 2112 by Rush, combined with the sheer weight and force of eternal Black Sabbath. It's an album that reveals how far the band is willing to push their sound while still staying true to their roots.

"Echo of a Warning Star" is a more meditative track, driven by vocals that faintly recall Simon & Garfunkel's Scarborough Fair, yet with a unique twist that makes it their own. "Ecliptic" dives into a 70's krautrock vibe, which is one of the most fascinating aspects of King Buffalo?they are unafraid to explore any sound they like, and they do so with substance and confidence. "Eta Carinae" leans more into classic Black Sabbath territory, with a heavy riff reminiscent of Tool, delivering a crushing song with incredible solos and textures. The title track, "Dead Star," feels like a mourning song, almost like a lullaby for a dying star, filled with melancholic and Rush-like atmospheres. The album closes with an edited reprise of the opening track, tying the journey together perfectly.

Dead Star is one of King Buffalo best work , showing their ability to blend stoner, psychedelic, progressive rock, and even krautrock into a emotional experience. It's an album that rewards multiple listens, revealing new layers each time.

— First review of this album —

Here we have the fifth album from Eclectic Maybe Band, a collective organised by Univers Zero bassist Guy Segers who brings together a pool of creative progressive musicians to either play and improvise on his compositions or collectively compose live in the studio, with further work then often taken by Segers later. The physical release contains not only the lyrics for those songs which have vocals but also details who plays on what track which is important given no two songs have the same line-up and there may be as many as a dozen musicians involved in one piece of music.

In some ways it is reminiscent of Øresund Space Collective and their approach to space rock, while the way the music is constructed and brought together is similar to the work undertaken by the late Robin Taylor, except in both cases this feels far more earthy and real with less emphasis on electric guitars and synthesisers. In some ways it feels like the clashing together of multiple worlds with RIO and free jazz on one hand, progressive rock and avant on another, all coming together in an album where one never knows what is going to happen next, and often that includes not only the listener but also those involved in the performance. There are nearly 30 musicians involved in this particular project, and while musically it does fit in well with the imagery conjured up by the album title and photos, it is also out of left field and quite different to what many in the genre are producing and is all the better for that. Overall this is a great piece of work which need to be played on headphones and really listened to, as this is an unusual and jagged piece of work which somehow is also rounded and surreal.

The Nucleus takeover is nearly complete: Soft Machine founder and only remaining original core member Mike Ratledge only participates on two of this album's eleven songs; newcomers Alan Wakeman and John Etheridge make their marks with bells on!

1. "Aubade" (1:51) the addition of guitars, courtesy of newcomer John Etheridge, is a game changer for this band--as demonstrated by this opening duet between Etheridge and Alan Wakeman, another newcomer. Sounds like the PAUL WINTER CONSORT to me. (4.375/5)

2. "The Tale of Taliesin" (7:17) piano arpeggi and symphonic rhythmic accents from drums and bass make this feel like a prog piece from a long-lost ELP-CAMEL collaboration. A three-part suite, upon hearing the fiery electric guitar work throughout the mid-section of this song is just weird (despite Allan Holdsworth's indomitable presence on Bundles): not the Soft Machine I think of when I conjure up the essence as my brain categorizes it. Interesting and well-made; it's very proggy (which is, in my opinion, quite a departure from the Jazz and Jazz-Rock Fusion explorations of the previous eight albums). (13.5/15)

3. "Ban-Ban Caliban" (9:22) establishing itself like a train starting up from a standing/loading position, this song has a foundational rhythm track that seems massive: like a blunt force projectile that has relentless and insidious power. Sax takes the first solo, then John Etheridge's soaring guitar. The song's power and drive is so like that of Jean-Luc Ponty's "Egocentric Molecules" (which is much more familiar to me) from his 1978 masterpiece, Cosmic Messenger that it adds fuel to my theory that Jean-Luc must have been a voracious devourer of music new to the Jazz and Jazz- Rock Fusion world and that he was not at all shy about borrowing ideas from others. Bass player Roy Babbington and drummer John Marshall even gets some shine in the third quarter before keys and rhythm guitar try to step in--but the rhythm section's momentum is simply too much for any interlopers or intruders. Monster song! (18.875/20)

4. "Song of Aeolus" (4:31) the sound of winds, bleeding over from the weather system that was the decay of "Ban-Ban Caliban," this song slowly establishes itself as a slow, emotive guitar-led song that foretells all guitar-centered New Age music of the next 20 years--especially that of Ray Gomez, Hiram Bullock, and Paul Speer. Beautiful if more Adult Contemporary/Smooth Jazz that Jazz-Rock Fusion. (9/10)

5. "Out of Season" (5:32) what starts out as piano and acoustic guitar duet that sounds a lot like the "New Age" music work of David Lanz and Paul Speer--even moreso as the song develops and the other musicians join in--as John Etheridge adds a track of electric guitar to the mix. Again: pretty and emotionally-engaging but a far stretch to call this either Jazz-Rock Fusion or Progressive Rock. (8.875/10)

6. "Second Bundle" (2:37) layered and looped keyboard experimentation that recalls some of the work Ratledge and Jenkins had done with their Terry Riley inspiration. Sounds nice. (4.4375/5)

7. "Kayoo" (3:27) another Five "D.I.S."-like display of percussion play from and for John Marshall. This one has a more defined transition to full-on drum kit play: John exhibiting more Billy Cobham-like skill at presenting "song" and "melody" than on previous solo attempts. Still, however, not a song that really stands well on its own. (8.667/10)

8. "The Camden Tandem" (2:01) John Etheridge's machine gun guitar spews forth a spray of notes to try to match/keep up with the snare play of Mr. Marshall. In the second half he pauses to inject some blues notes, chords, and scales before the two go off into machine gun territory again. (4.375/5)

9. "Nexus" (0:49) a bombastic lead in to . . .

10. "One over the Eight" (5:25) a funk jazz tune that Roy Babbington and John Marshall lead the band into so that Alan Wakeman can blow on his ultra-cool reverb sax. Etheridge and Jenkins's support is strongly aligned with what the funk requires as Wakeman kills it with his sax. If only Sanborn, Kenny G, and Najee had this kind of support crew--this kind of songwriting--and this kind of presence! What a great song! Makes me want to jump and dance till the cows come home! (9.75/10)

11. "Etika" (2:21) another acoustic guitar composition--this time performed on two guitars, over two tracks, by John Etheridge tout seul. I like the transition into John McLaughlin territory in the second half of the song. Well done! (4.75/5)

Total Time 45:13

The new members have helped The Soft Machine to usher in an entirely new and quite different sound. Here they have taken on a much more symphonic mantle manifesting a sound that is much more aligned with progressive rock than their old Canterbury or even Jazz-Rock Fusion leanings.

A-/five stars; another mixed bag of materiel that has some very new-feeling elements at use (including entering/pioneering the Adult Contemporary/New Age world as well as crossing over into more generic prog territory) but of a very high quality of compositional and performative maturity.

4.5 stars. COMPUTERCHEMIST is the project of British multi-instrumentalist Dave Pearson. A man who has been part of bands since the eighties. He decided to go solo in the mid 00's and has released around 9 studio albums since then. He has had guests helping out minimally in the past but on the two "Signature" albums he released in 2013 he collaboarated with drummer Zsolt Galantai. The first "Signature" release was good, but this second edition is so much better in my opinion.

Part of the appeal on this one is the guitar. It's almost like Dave decided with Zsolt on drums he could focus more on the guitar. He plays bass and of course electronics here too. The result is amazing. I love those guitar expressions that bring to mind RADIO MASSACRE INTERNATIONAL and Manuel Gottsching. Another long one at just under 70 minutes over eight tracks. This is a uniform sounding album which I really like, very consistent. The exception to the "uniform" sound is the opener "Strangeness In 13" where I'm reminded of "Tubular Bells" with that piano sound and style. We do get drums and guitar and some melancholy here.

The next two tracks are incredible and my top two. "Goodbye, Moszkva Ter" where we get more intensity with the drums pounding away as spacey synths and guitar play over top. Really good! "Floor Zero" opens with a sample of a woman speaking over a intercom, like at an airport. Heavy beats and sound take over. I like the drumming here, but man those guitar expressions starting before 4 minutes contain a lot of "wow" moments. "Commution" opens with some experimental sounds from the guitar I believe and whistling? Drums join in and a guitar melody comes out of this. Suddenly piano only but the guitar returns to lead. Synths play the same melody the guitar did earlier as synths and guitar take turns leading.

"Forgotten Memory" opens with sequencers and spacey sounds from the guitar. Drums and bass replace the sequencers. "Smeem" opens with sequencers and more. Almost a bluesy vibe here surprisingly. This trips along with synths and drums, then the guitar starts to solo before 5 minutes. Keys and guitar will take turns leading. "The Needs Of The Many" is all about the beats and pulses with spacey synths over top. Guitar around 3 1/2 minutes to the end. "Bongo In 4" ends it, and the start is interesting with the percussion, atmosphere and more. Guitar before 2 minutes. Just a feel good sound to this one.

This will be part of my "best of" electronic list if I get to it. I'm so impressed with the guitar playing on here, in fact it takes Dave's music to another level.

"Illuminate The Path" is the debut full-length studio album by Swedish progressive death metal act An Abstract Illusion. The album was independently released in July 2016. It follows the release of the August 2014 "Atonement Is Nigh" EP. An Abstract Illusion are down to a trio on "Illuminate The Path" and only lead vocalist/drummer Christian Bergl'nn, keyboard player/vocalist Robert Stenvall, and guitarist/bassist Karl Westerlund remain from the lineup who recorded the "Atonement Is Nigh" EP.

Stylistically the material on the 8 tracks, 69:42 minutes long album continues the atmospheric/progressive death metal style of the preceding EP. The keyboards are still very dominant in the soundscape but the growling and clean vocals also add to the sound when they appear. The guitars, bass, and drums more seldom take the frontseat and often function as backing to the keyboards and the vocals. There are exceptions though and it's not that you can't find strong riffs, beatiful leads- and harmonies, and powerful drumming on the album, but those instruments just aren't the focus of the music. Piano runs and epic and darkly symphonic keyboard atmospheres make "Illuminate The Path" a layered, busy, and massive listen. When you discuss progressive death metal it's always Opeth which comes up first, but An Abstract Illusion sounds only very little like Opeth. Instead I'd look towards the Danes in Iotunn but add more keyboards and a less extreme edge.

Most tracks are long and the album is a continuously adventurous listen. Three tracks exceed 10 minutes in length, "Skeletons of Light" being the longest featuring a 16:20 minutes long playing time. The quality is high for the duration of the album and as "Illuminate The Path" features high level musical performances, and a clear, professional, and detailed sound production it's upon conclusion a high quality debut album from An Abstract Illusion. It's maybe a bit too polished and lacks some bite/rawness, but if you enjoy atmospheric/melodic progressive death metal in the more polished (less brutal and gritty) end of the scale, "Illuminate The Path" could be right down your alley. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

(Originally posted on Metal Music Archives).

A very menacing and impressive album, maybe even intimidating. Spanish heavy prog rock supreme. I didn't know how to listen to it, it is totally overwhelming. After a few spins I couldn't listen to anything else, I just simply couldn't. If they make prog like this in Spain, I'm seriously considering migrating. Heavy and distorted guitars in a beautiful setting of sounds and vocals. It's a pity I don't understand Spanish, but the lyrics are delivered with much urgency. I can make out some of it, but not all. There are also more quiet sections that flow naturally within the overall sound and setting. I have deep admiration for this exciting album. It's so good I bought the download on the band's site, and the CD on the label's site (both on Bandcamp). Please listen to this, you won't regret it. Be quick if you want to grab the CD, because it's a limited edition of 200. Still dumbfounded and flabbergasted, that this music exists.

Sigilu is a experimental/art rock band formed as a duo by Nacho Cuesta (vocals/vocals), formerly of Tierra de Cinco Minutos, and Pablo Saavedra (guitar/drums), from the indie pop band Técnicas Manuales. They currently perform as a trio, including bassist Ángel Boquete (drums).

Although they claim to be influenced by '70s progressive music and Tool, their sound is far from that of a so-called retro- prog band. As can be seen in the opening track, "Neuropa," which kicks off with an explosion of extremely distorted bass and a harmonizing vocal, this is a work with a distinctive and stimulating style, similar to the internationally known "Brutal Prog," where passionate post-rock/metal simmers and concentrates, while downtempo/dub/noise rock/hardcore are seamlessly blended. On the other hand, the vocals are surprisingly song-like, and along with the Spanish singing, can be considered a variation on the symphonic progressive/heavy metal that the Mylodon label specializes in. A band to watch, and a magnificent album, "Beta."

Is it basic to say Dark Side Of The Moon is one of the greatest albums of all time? Yes, but there's a reason, it's because it just is. DSOTM is one of the rare prog albums to have massive commercial success. That alone is good, but the music on it is unreal. It was Floyd's breakthrough album for good reasons, it's one of their most adventurous musically and thematically. Let's go in depth

Speak To Me/Breathe is one of the best ways to start an album. The heart beat with the screams that climaxes into that slow Dorian groove is nothing but iconic. Obviously we have to point of the vocals by Gilmour, nothing less than magical. (4/4)

On The Run is the transition and probably the only track I can realistically take off points, it serves it's purpose, and represents the stress of life fairly well, it's just maybe a tad long for me. (2/3)

Time is time, there's just nothing else to say, it's one of the greatest tracks of all time and you know it. I rarely give attention to lyrics, but this one it's a must. Gilmour's solo is arguably his greatest ever and the fact it's essentially the last time we ever hear Rick's vocals on a Floyd song make this even better (7/7)

The Great Gig In The Sky is obviously one of the greatest vocal performances ever and Rick's piano is nothing but extraordinary (5/5)

Money is the most Rock track on this album, and one of the rare instances of Floyd using odd time signatures. It's great, not necessarily perfect by all means but a good track that everybody knows (5/6)

Us and Them is my favorite, and in my opinion has the greatest chord progression I know. The fact every single chord in the verse uses the note D is genius (8/8)

Any Colour You Like is another transition song and technically the 3rd reprise of Breathe (though less obvious this time). It uses some cool sounds which I like but again it's mostly just a transition (2/3)

Brain Damage/Eclipse is still in my opinion the greatest way to end an album. The chromatic moves in Brain Damage and the epic reprise of all the theme in Eclipse makes this for the perfect finale to a perfect album (6/6)

FINAL SCORE: 40/43 = 93. Easy 5 stars, it's iconic for a reason

A highly creative, sophisticated, and far-more-advanced version of the 1990s' Grunge scene and its Tool and The Mars Volta spawn.

1. "Neuropa" (8:16) What the heck am I listening to? Reprocessed versions of Hendrix solos? Stripped down variations of songs/sounds from countrymates, ZA!? Maynard James Keenan and TOOL's latest expression of their wild, extra- visionary ideas? Whatever it is, they have my complete and undivided attention! And then, suddenly, out of the blue, at the five-minute mark, they go into the deep recesses of TOOL's inner world--a place I didn't know other humans were allowed to visit. Amazing! How do they enact much less envision this stuff? (18.875/20)

2. "Gracias Y Perdón" (5:56) sounds like something from NIRVANA or one of the other Grunge bands of the early 1990s. Very deeply impressive. (9.25/10)

3. "Sagitario A" (6:38) how do they do this? How can they get away with it? How can they so easily, so deftly, switch motifs while introducing entirely/completely new/fresh sound palettes and stylistic themes each time? (9.25/10)

4. "Tribu Virtual" (4:26) the first song that seems to get a little stuck in one universe (this one quite similar to those created by ALICE IN CHAINS, only evolved 30 years on). (8.75/10)

5. "SeñalRuido" (5:49) a song that feels quite conformist to the TOOL universe, despite its (usual) radical motif switches. What imaginations: both structurally (compositionally) but also--more--in terms of sound engineering choices and tricks! I feel as if I'm listening to a Jimi Hendrix of the engineering console: it's all so new, refreshing, and utterly astonishing to me! (9.125/10)

6. "Lloviembre" (5:00) a bare-bones, more starkly-laid out guitar palette that sounds much like Chris Isaak's "Wicked Ways," but then Layne Staley-like vocals and Danny Carey-like drum layout take us to the third minute's transition into guitar-bass-n-drum power trio heaven: like listening to a modern, more sophisticated ROBIN TROWER on heavy psychedelics! (Oh! Robin was on mind-altering substances already? Then he would appreciate this one!) The computer noise finish seems to prep us for the next tune--one that is focused on some of the issues of AI. (9/10)

7. "[i.4]" (5:26) though we start out in a world of simple blues-rock guitar, the technological sound manipulations begin in the second half of the second minute--and they really boggle my mind! What a brilliant (and great) enhancement to the stark guitar world. At the end of the third minute, then, we move into a motif with a base of heavily-distorted fuzz guitar which is then expanded with multiple other tracks of guitars, bass, drums, voices, and effects--piled on! So creative! (9.25/10)

8. "Concursología" (5:22) back to the Grunge of the 1990s yet anchored in the heavy metal of the 1980s (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica) and even 1970s (Black Sabbath and King Crimson). A truly mind-blowing (and mind-bending) song! How, I mean, HOW can they do this?!?!? And then they have to top it off with some sound-bending engineering tricks to bridge us into the next song! (10/10)

9. "Epílogo" (3:16) sounds like HYPNO5E's 2018 master class in cinematic adaptations, Alba - Los hombres errantes. But then the induction of electronic and engineered track manipulations renders it unto yet another parallel yet different universe. (8.875/10)

Total Time 50:09

This band is definitely taking Grunge and Tool-like tech Metal into new dimensions. Their ability to smoothly deceive us into letting them morph and apparate from one style and sound palette to another in the blink of an eye--over and over throughout the course of each and every song--is uncanny: akin to that of a master magician. Apparently, their previous album--their 2017 debut, Singularidad o barbarie was an exhibition of electronic experimentation, but this one is a demonstration of innovative sonic engineering unlike most anything you've ever heard! Beta is definitely an album that needs to be heard! Spread the word! Sigilu is ready to lead you into new and different dimensions of sound (and reality)!

A/five stars; a minor masterpiece of mind-blowingly-creative sound manipulation delivered in a musical style that might be called 21st Century Grunge TOOL-point-three-million-and-two.

I didn't know much about this band despite the high acclaim it has received for its two previous albums and a review of high praise I wrote in 2018 for their 2017 release, Son. I know they come from Ukraine. Whether or not they are made up of refugees living outside of their war-torn country and recording this in the relatively-safe studios of a neighboring country or trying to live and create while still within the hazardous confines of their homeland, I do not know. Achieving the release of an album of this quality, I would assume, would be quite challenging under the latter conditions.

1. "Діти / Children" (7:01) Hearing this beautiful song--an ode to humankind's insidious loss of innocence--I can definitely hear others' references to Québecois (prog) folk singer-songwriter SERGE FIORI. The slow build into progginess for the instrumental middle 90 seconds is what makes it prog. Amazing lyrics. Knowing what Volodymyr and his Ukrainian compatriots have been having to deal with while their homeland is being shredded by war and violence and how the realities of his friends, relatives, and fellow Ukranians must be skewed by the daily psycho- spiritual pressures and predicaments they're placed in only augments the weightiness of these lyrics. And then add into the mix the sincere and genuine feeling Voldoymyr manages to deliver in his singing and we have quite a powerful song here. (14.25/15)

2. "На відстані / At Distance" (5:08) sounds so much like Polish Heavy Proggers BELIEVE and their last couple of amazing albums. Volodymyr definitely has a great singing voice. The lyrics about living in a fog of death (ghosts), fatigue, and numbness are powerful. A nice song that I could see providing the balm of an anthem for his countrymates. (9/10)

3. "Буревій / Hurricane" (6:26) again I am struck by the similarities between Volodymyr's singing voice and those of Collage, Quidam, Satellite, Mr. Gil, and Believe: sometimes lead vocalists Robert Amirian and Karol Wróblewski. Here he uses Nature as a metaphor for the time and conditions in which the horrible effects of war can be left behind, even forgotten: in Nature the hurricane leaves behind . . . Nature. The lead guitar and chamber strings are great but are a bit drowned out by the prog rock mid-section and rock rhythm section. (8.875/10)

4. "Відрада / Refuge" (5:34) though populated with some threads of more delicately-played guitars (acoustic) and piano, the bass and drums--and vocals--still render this one a prog song, though lyrically it's more like a song of longing and future hope--the song has a kind of feel and structure that reminds me of American pop radio songs from the 1970s and 80s--the rock "power ballads" that classic rock and "hair bands" used to "crossover" into radio-friendly domains. A complex and well-designed tapestry. (9/10)

5. "Після війни / After the War" (4:44) sounds like Natalie Imbruglia's "Torn" mixed with Goo Goo Dolls' monster hit "Iris." The lyrics are rather self-explanatory but choose not to touch on the possibilities of scars, bitterness, regret, the need for vengeance, and future attitudes. (8.875/10)

6. "Час / Time" (5:29) powerful and emotional song that reminds me of some of Jimmy Webb's great songs from the 1960s & 70s again superimposed upon by a Goo Goo Dolls-like instrumental palette. How does humankind rise above the endless cycle of war and conflict? Is it possible? It's conceivable but given the way humans are wired, is it even practicable? Yaroslav Gladilin does a great job of grounding the song in rock foundations while the strings and piano move on to more chamber-like embellishments. And yet the song returns, over and over, to a delightful kind of chamber folk foundation (something that reminds me of ARCADE FIRE's classic Funeral album). It's as if Volodymyr & Company have something to teach us! The lyrics definitely flow from the present tense of future nows that was explored in the previous two songs into something more philosophical--about what possibilities lie ahead. Brilliant! (9.375/10)

7. "Істини / Truths" (8:57) piano, acoustic guitars, and strings open this song--a NOT A GOOD SIGN-like piano arpeggio motif--while Volodymyr sings in an impassioned Karol Wróblewski-like voice. The band amps up into a heavier, more full sonosphere in the the third minute with strings enhancing and further amplifying the two chords of the chorus. providing a gorgeous foundation for Volodymyr's public airing of his worries about the same issues I asked in "After the War" and "Time": Can humankind rise above the emotion-based cycles of war: heal the scars, get over the bitterness and regrets, sublimate the strong urges for vengeance and retribution--can they (we) ever achieve a "higher" state of detachment and universal love while still occupying these brute animal human bodyminds? With this heavy prog metal buildup and crescendo of the album's penultimate song Volodymyr & Company are not leaving me with much hope. A powerful song with a great, thick weave and some great guitar and vocal performances. (18.75/20)

8. "Не опускати руки / Don't Give Up" (6:16) the lyrics of this delightful and quirky final song are a bit fatalistic and cynical yet realistically pragmatic: make the most of now for tomorrow you (or your loved ones) may be gone. No, there's nothing new in Volodymyr's message but the music he chooses to deliver it in belies some hope and resignation to the process which does restore some hope. Live! It's life; it's just life, so live it while you've got it. Great song. Great finish--both the big chorus and the gorgeous chamber strings. (9.667/10)

Total Time 49:35

I respect Volodymyr and the band's gift for heart-wrenching Jimmy Webb-like melodies and unexpected hooks while, at the same, enriching and embellishing the musical weaves with layers of folk and classical themes and sounds. The musicians and engineers do a great job delivering some great BELIEVE-like prog rock while accommodating perfectly Volodymyr & Company's unique vision for thickly layered tapestries that are the end result. Mega kudos, señoras and señores! You have truly achieved something remarkable--something historical! Would that it helps you and your peoples persevere and heal!

A/five stars; an exceptional masterpiece of richly-textured progressive rock music that is greatly enhanced by carrying a relevant and meaningful message.

"Extracts" takes us straight to the mid-70s TANGERINE DREAM vibe with its dark, binary sound, embellished with distant reverberating guitar notes. Keyboards rule, followed by deep, ethereal choruses. These excerpts are a taster of her discography. "Interlocutor" is hypnotic, reverberating, and catchy, with its bouncy bass notes. "Regulo 75" with its syncopated pad, metronomic bass-keyboard-percussion, a slow derivation of the Mandarin sound with its dark aquatic sounds; the ending erases the oppression. "Primatonal" is an ephemeral ambient intro bringing the archaic flute to the forefront of the synth. "Shift" for its abrasive crescendo between the reverberating bass and its nostalgic sounds, flirting with JARRE, SCHULZE, and TANGERINE DREAM once again; an underwater finale.

"Corollary" brings a cheerful air to the whirring synths, reminiscent of the mid-70s mandarin era and its fade-in. "Vessel Redux" makes you close your eyes and try to figure out which TANGERINE DREAM track it is. As a fervent fan, I'll let you guess, but the slammed doors are a welcome clue. The sound could last an entire side: metronomic, hypnotic, captivating, Schulz-esque. "Flame" is an addictive electronic melting pot, a synthetic wave following the thread of old sounds with this recent ultrabass chord that makes you sway before the trance.

Brendan Pollard doesn't invent anything new, but keeps the electronic movement going: hypnotic, jerky, and syncopated. A tribute album immersed in the sounds of the aforementioned bands and keeping alive the hope of a revival. An ease of listening adorned with nostalgic technicality with flute, cinematic ambiances, Mellotron and Olympian choirs of the time.

"Preceding" with a syncopated sound, a frenetic staccato pad, Steven Wilson on one side, the raging bass on the other, an electric tune followed by a honeyed groove. An instrumental full of amphetamines, the sound reminding me of OSI in some way; real lyrics taken from the trial and the court is open. "The Trauma" follows, OPETH in sight; riff, electric, a propulsive pad for vitamin-packed progressive metal. Simon uses his clear voice as he pleases to move and attack the magnitude of the story; the languid acoustic guitar amplifies the perceived pain with the targeted growled final vocal. "Families are Forever" contemplative tune with the acoustic guitar supporting the melancholic keyboard, depressed voice then a hellish growl for a time, like a foreshadowing undertow. The synths are warm and captivating, with a djent feel, an acoustic exploration and a growl explosion, creating a weighty, oppressive instrumental atmosphere. The guitar brings the track to a head, distilling a message of hope. The solo melts into the feeling, oozing with melancholy, and the hairs suddenly stand on end. The Genesis-esque keyboard suddenly amplifies the pastoral atmosphere; a stunning piece combining emotion, aggression, and sensitivity. "Conflating Memories" features an ostinato guitar, an ethereal vocal variation followed by a folk flute entrechat; a fluid, consensual, monolithic melody that gradually builds and builds, the highlight of the track taking its time... It's time for Auver's hushed, rich, joyful, intense, and intimate keyboard solo, all within. The vocals return and launch Edvard's guitar solo to capsize any potential recalcitrant, as does the final fade-out vintage organ.

"The Malevolent" with the participation of Ross from HAKEN on a sound... of HAKEN and OPETH in addition doom; the solemn, Dantesque chorus, the captivating choirs, concentrated to give a little more madness and publicity to this group of which I had spoken as one of the best first prog albums upon its release. "Ghosts of Yesteryear" continues, mysterious intro, electro-jazzy-rock air, the bass and the djent guitar at will. The drum pad maintains a hellish rhythm during these two minutes before Simon speaks softly of a terrible drowning: flute, keyboard and lead guitar to erase this terrible moment, delicious climate becoming explosive with the tenacious riff. A concentrate of clarity, sweetness, languor and dynamite. "Waving at the Sky" also continues for the eponymous title; redundant acoustic on an atmospheric synth pad, languor of the vocal, rise of the piece. The opening section is conventional, latent, supported by synthesizers worthy of Porcupine Tree. The vocal break with effects and its drum variation launches into the hypnotic, enterprising, repetitive keyboard solo; the syncopated keyboard gives way to a growl for a moment before returning to a more academic sound, resolutely modern, symphonic, and solemn with its distant elegiac choirs. The rise never ends, like the horror enunciated, but the music is there to lift one to heaven and greet those who will be there. The outro fades in for a languid vibration of our crazy society; dive into its musical drawer like medicine.

AVKRVST has created a conceptual album without being a concept; a prog rock album of the 2020s with a tenuous, fleshy, captivating, malleable, and catchy sound, flirting with OPETH. A sound guiding one toward exaltation and reflection; A true evolution of today's prog sound. Originally from Profilprog.

One forgets about Airbag and its uber-talented guitar-songwriter due to the fact that everything they've ever done seems to be able to escape the realm of (and comparisons to) peak era, peak sound Pink Floyd. I always enjoy the rich and pristine production value but somehow end up feeling disconnected from it once it's over due to the fact that Pink Floyd already did it--and how many repetitions and reiterations of Pink Floyd do I (does the world) really need?

1. "Illhug" (1:43) an amazing little song, emotive and evocative on so many levels. Worthy of comparisons to anything David Gilmour has ever done. (5/5)

2. "Gone" (8:34) the background floating guitars in this are amazing but the vocals and bass and drum lines to this feel so derived from the 1980s New Wave scene that Bjørn has to do a ton more to win back my respect and attention. It doesn't happen, it just never happens. (17.333/20)

3. "Panic Attack" (10:56) on this one the listener can hear how Pink Floyd has evolved but cannot escape the fact that it's still grounded in all that is (was) Pink Floyd. The guitar solo in the song's peak--the ninth minute--is great BUT it's so David Gilmour--the song so Pink Floyd-turned-heavy-à-la-Porcupine-Tree that it makes me squirm with discomfort. And then he chooses to just end it mid phrase--like a death or loss of consciousness or end of a dream. (17.375/20)

4. "She" (6:33) emotional strummed acoustic guitar with background electronic loops support Bjørn's in-your-face whisper vocal. The lyrics, however, take so frickin' long to reveal what message he's trying to convey: they're sung so spaciously, drawn out over so much time. Read or sung straight it takes me no more than 20 seconds to read them; it took Bjørn four minutes to share them with us. They're a wonderful tribute to "her"--and the plaintive wail of the electric guitar that follows is powerful and evocative--but, why? Really? (8.875/10)

5. "Fimbulvinter" (9:00) more sublimely solid lead guitar work over some interesting but, in the end, obnoxious off-beat syncopated guitar power chords and rock drum and bass play leave me feeling hesitant and left on the outside walking my own way. There is a certain mystique in some of the richly layered places in which the drums and chugging guitars are absent--something mythical in a cool Norse way--but ultimately it's a collection of sounds, textures, and stylings that every lover of David Gilmour has heard over and over for 55 years. (17.333/20)

6. "Fear of Abandoned" (7:36) sounds exactly like a song (or remnant) from Airbag's debut album--way back in 2009--sixteen years ago! (12.75/15)

Total Time 44:22

Unfortunately, the raw and fairly-untreated voice that Bjørn uses (possesses) is just not special enough to earn my praises--and his lyrics are not as compelling or poetic enough to earn acclaim or adulation.

C+/3.5 stars; a beautifully-sounding album that, unfortunately, offers very little in the way of new or excitingly fresh ideas.

The Outsider, Numen's fourth studio album, is a bold and ambitious work that marks a significant evolution in the band's musical journey. Departing from the more melodic and neo-prog character of Cyclothymia, this two-disc rock opera embraces a richer, more experimental sound, reminiscent of their debut Samsara. Spanning nearly two hours, the album follows Paul, a man adrift in a superficial, materialistic world, whose unresolved conflicts push him toward a tragic point of no return.

Musically, The Outsider is a triumph of variety and sophistication. While rooted in classic progressive rock, the album expands its palette with flutes, oboes, trombones, strings, and layered orchestration, creating a lush and dynamic sonic landscape. The arrangements shift constantly between light and shadow, grandeur and intimacy, offering an emotional and thought-provoking experience that rewards repeated listening.

The addition of Alba Hernández as lead vocalist is a revelation. Her voice brings warmth, nuance, and emotional depth, marking a clear and refreshing contrast with former singer César Alcaraz. Alba doesn't just sing?she inhabits the character and becomes a vital force in the narrative.

Equally exciting are the guest appearances by Nacho Mañó (Presuntos Implicados), who adds elegance and musical sensitivity, and Steve Rothery (Marillion), whose iconic guitar work lends epic weight and poignancy to key moments. Their contributions feel organic, never gratuitous, enhancing the album's emotional arc.

With its compelling story, cinematic scope, and masterful performances, The Outsider is not only one of the essential prog releases of 2025, but arguably Numen's most accomplished and resonant work to date.