CLASSIC ROCK PRESENTS: PROGNOSIS 18

Prognosis 18 opens with a top three for me in BIG BIG TRAIN's "Kingmaker". I just really like the sound of this band and the vocals. The big surprise for me on this compilation is NEKTAR's "Desolation Valley". Now I didn't remember at first that this was actually an old track from "A Tab In The Ocean" although this is a newer version.The surprise is the fact I haven't heard anything i've liked from this band after their first two studio albums.So thinking this was a new track left me in shock because I actually liked it.The mystery became clear though when I realized this is a track from "A Tab In The Ocean". A top three.

CCLR is different and by that I mean not so good at first but then it grew on me so... COMEDY OF ERRORS offers up an appealing number in "The Student Prince".They just do a good job here with interesting lyrics too.

MOTORPSYCHO gives us a live version of "Wishing Well".This is excellent. It's like they keep everything restrained yet it's powerful. PHI YAAN-ZEK is another tune i'd call interesting. It's got some variety that's for sure.

SCALE THE SUMMIT's "Gallows" is a heavy instrumental that i'm giving my final top three spot to. SPIRITS BURNING's "Internal Detective" is an instrumental as well and a good one.

ATRIUM ends it but not in style. I'm not a fan of the vocals at all on this one.

Prognosis 18, is the free CD with Classic Rock presents Prog magazine. Once again this is a hit and miss affair with thankfully more hits than misses. It has one of the best front cover artworks definitely. With the likes of Big Big Train and none other than Nektar to kick things off it is off to a flying start. The track from Big Big Train is the unreleased 'Kingmaker'. It features a 70s style feel and melancholy harmonies. The keyboards are majestic and there are pleasant lead guitar passages. It cruises along at a nice pace with some sweet harmonies over the organic layer of guitar and keys. The lead breaks are always a feature and it was nice to hear some flute in some sections. Certainly this delivers to those who like a complex brand of prog with virtuoso playing. The keyboards are a sensuous element of the music.

Nektar follows and of course most of us would be familiar with the classic 'Desolation Valley'. This is from one of their best albums "A Tab in the Ocean". There is no difference here to my album version but it was still nice to revisit as always. If you do not have the full album, it is an essential listen.

CCLR feature with 'Morning Comes'; a band I have little knowledge of. This is from their self titled album on Esoteric labels. The Italian trio feature ex PFM vocalist and sound similar to the legendary RPI band. The melodic song meanders along on a crest of clean strong vocals and sustained keyboard orchestrated pads. The lead solo is well executed and perhaps the best thing about this. There is a time sig change toward the end with ambient acoustics and keys. Not a bad track.

Next is 'The Student Prince (part 1)' by Comedy of Errors, a neo prog band. Taken from the album "Disobey" the 9 minute song is rather medieval in theme and has a heavy guitar with atmospheric drones and chimes. The vocals are clear and have a Glasow accent. The storyteller lyrics are effective. The keyboards are very skilfully played and have a neo feel. This one gets better the more it continues. There is a story to latch onto and the music is constantly upbeat and bright. The sparkling synthesizer sounds are uplifting and it ends with a very high key chiming keyboard sound

Motorpsycho's 'Wishing Well' is a great rocker from the Norwegian trio incorporating psych prog, jazz fusion and softcore metal. It comes from the album "Roadwork Vol 4 Intrepid Skronk". This one is recorded live and it has a grinding riff. The vocals are crystal clear and it has rumbling guitar driving it along. The raw sounding guitars are played with a cool sense of calmness and a lengthy lead break with spacey overtones is a great touch. I would like to hear more from this band.

Phi Yaan-Zek is a guitarist with jazz fusion influences and his track 'Adventures in Myth/ Ecstacies of the Starlight self' is taken from the album "Dance With the Anima". He plays like Malmsteen with esoteric guitar tones and sustained notes. The time sig is odd and off kilter with sporadic blasts, and some jazzy piano and percussion. The piece has a rather unusual structure, with scratches, violining and strange interludes. At times there are dissonant drum beats and organ while the guitar competes with repetition rhythm and a lead solo soars over the top. A very enjoyable piece worth a listen.

Scale The Summit are a great band I have admired and here they are represented by a track from "The Collective" called 'The Gallows'. The quartet from Houston play some complex music incorporating guitar, heavy drums and a pulsating bassline. The lead guitars crunch out distorted waves of dynamic rhythm. The main theme is a thrash metal style overall. It settles into a quieter section with clean guitars twanging some pretty melody. The time sig shifts into a different meter and the feel changes into half time. It is a very good instrumental with powerful lead breaks and a technical metal style.

Spirit's Burning are next with 'Internal Detective' from "Behold The Action Man". This is space rock from San Francisco and they work with Gong's Daevid Allen and Albert Bouchard, Blue Oyster Cult's drummer. The flowing instrumental is dominated by ethereal keyboard effects and acoustic guitar chord changes. There are definite spacey guitar embellishments but it is nothing like Hawkwind. I like the screeching violins and very ambient keyboards.

The final track is 'Like You' from neo prog band Atrium, another of the more famous prog groups from Portugal. There is a symphonic edge to the music similar to Camel or Pink Floyd. The track is taken from their new album "2011", and is a piece that represents the type of music to stem from the Latin prog scene. The vocals take some getting used to with a strong accent, and rather than singing it feels like a spoken recitation and often out of tune. There is a true sense of beauty and tranquillity in the music. The haunting strings are offset by clean electric guitar tones. The retro synths and wah wah guitar melodies are a pleasant addition.

Overall this is certainly a compilation that has some worthwhile tracks. The best on offer are from Big Big Train, Nektar, Scale the Summit, Motorpsycho and I have some interest in the work of Phi Yaan-Zek. Parts of the other tracks are fine but did not resonate with me as well as the others.