I Recommend...

Let me offer you something different than the previous band. I'll make it short without too much descriptions like the previous messy one...

SINKADUS - they are from Sweden. They play symph prog, not too dissimilar from old symph proggers, but they add their touches and personal tones. The album to which I refer is Aurum Nostrum.

This is the lineup of this release:

Line-up
- Rickard Bistrom / bass, vocals, guitar
- Fredrik Karlsson / keyboards
- Mats Svensson / drums
- Lena Petterson / cello
- Robert Sjoback / guitars
- Linda Johansson / flute, vocals

Their sound is made up of several elements. You have the flute relaxed element (Camel), the guitar dynamic element (KC, Anglagard) and the synth extravagant element (ELP). And they intertwine it all very well. for those intimidated by foreign lyrics, they are sung in Swedish. Overall, a very good album and performed very well. I can't see why any symph prog progger would not love this album, unless she/he really can't bare something modern that is influenced/copies old stuff.

Their website:

http://home1.swipnet.se/~w-18973/sinkadus/

Enjoy and a good weekend to all the PA community.

I'll be brief this time. The album this is from the Italian band METAMORFOSI, Inferno.

By the title of the album you can guess what it is based on. What a great album, each time I hear it I'm excited all over again. The music delivers a sense of dramatic events and the whole sound of the album (old due to production) just anhances the feelings brought up by the music. It is perhapse not as complex as pther bands, but it is very good symph prog. I love Davide's vocals, he does a great work. The keyboards here are very much responsible for the mood of the album. A must have IMHO.

What is great and frustrating at the same about Italy's prog is its abundance, there are so many bands and many unknowns. I suggest you go over the list of bands by country and just see for yourselves (that is how I discovered many bands (that, and also Andre Cortese and ANDREW's recommendations).

I have noticed some mis-genre-izations in the site lately. One of them is the following band I want to recommend. It is the French NeBeLNeST and the album is NoVa eXPReSS 

It is listed under symphonic prog, which is misleading. This is more of a RIO band and this album was released through Cuneiform, which can tell you a bit about their general style. This is an instrumental album, dynamic with many time sig changes. They sometomes give the impression the music you hear is improvisation and at other instances you realize what talent they have to play this kind of music and that everything is well planed. Each piece is evolving and does not linger too much in place. They are definitely talented musicians. This album needs to be listened to (like most prog records) with complete concentration to fully enjoy their musical talents and the complexity of the music. This album is not for everyone, and people who search for melody and a variety of instruments won't find it here. I think people who love Univers Zero, Shylock and Present will love this. This is intended for people who want to journey far away while listening to the music, but you must be aptient in order to get into this.

There are smaples on their website:

http://www.nebelnest.com/flash_index.htm

Their PA page:

http://www.progarchives.com/Progressive_rock_discography_BAN D.asp?band_id=259

Enjoy

I Listened to a song from cinque and it really impressed me, and it became my next goal to buy that album. The only song i've listened seems to be more like fusion, but it's clear that it has symphonic influences. It was really dinamic and unpredictible, i loved it

 

Cool name, although I would never have guessed it, I was in the wrong direction. I thought of something more delicate than that

Although it fits their music...

to Moatilliatta - I also love the Isis and Cult of luna. Regarding Neurosis, may I suggest the album - Souls At Zero, their third releaese. their first album which really shows their current tendencies and abilities.

to lesovation, thanks for the tip, I'll listen to them.

To all, if anyone wants to listen to a sample song or two from each of the albums mentioned above (or other) PM me and I'll send it throguh yousendit.com

Neurosis is pretty cool...I like The Eye of Every Storm and Through Silver in Blood. I was never heavily into them; I enjoy related bands like Isis and Cult of Luna more.

I just bought Triana's El Patio, but I haven't listened to it yet.

Uzva - Niittoaika



One of the best bands from Finland these days, Uzva's instrumental folk-jazz-prog sounds very refreshing. Their style is somewhat reminiscent of bands like Tasavallan Presidentti, Mike Oldfield, Soft Machine and many others, but their sound is still pretty much their own. A wide base of instruments (violin, flute, clarinet, piano, acoustic guitar, marimba, vibraphone, cello etc), very beautiful and warm sounding music, recommended!

You can listen to a track from both of their albums:

http://www.progarchives.com/Progressive_rock_discography_BAN D.asp?band_id=1309

I don't want this thread to become my personal thread, This is not what I had in mind. I stated in the beginning that I mean for everyone who wants to recommend something to add their post here. If there is an album you know of and love and you feel is neglected or unknown then talk about it here - a simle reference to its web page on PA would do. If there is an album you are really impressed with, le it be known or unknown, speak up about it and bring it forth.

Have a good day. everyone

Now for albums that don't invent anything new but they are still worth listening to.

The first album worth listening to is A Doorway To Summer by Moon Safari. It is symphonic prog, not very original in their concepts, so don't expect to hear something you haven't heard before, but they create beatiful music and perform it well. The first track Doorway may at first sound disaapointing but let it develop (11:36) and you'll hear it fills up with more instruments and morepassion. The second track opens beatifully and has a rich sound to it and switcehs to a nice acoustic guitar with keyboards tune with very nice singing and backing vocals. There is an opus of nearly 25 mins and I think it is a great achievement. Anyway, if you like Wobbler and Magic Pie I think this is for you.

http://www.moonsafari.se/

 

The second album I wish to introduce although many of you may already know it is The Allegory of Light   by Syzygy (named after one of the collaborators of PA  ).

http://www.progarchives.com/Progressive_rock_discography_BAN D.asp?band_id=714

You'll hear many familiar old prog favorites traces here (I'll let you figure them out yourselves). There are mostly instrumentals here and some songs (If I am not mistaken - 3). What I like in this album is that there are within the same song light and dark atmospheres and the changes between them are done in a good way that does not make feel it is forced. There is excellent guitar work and keyboard playing in here, you'll hear the musicians here know their instruments' abilities and try to make most of them. There are bombastic tracks like the opener (M.O.T.H - Master Of The House) and the last one The journey of Myrrdin (17:29 mins). And there is also slower quieter tracks like Forbidden. I know some people say this album is not original at all and don't like it for that reason. I differ on that matter. First of all I don't mind too much rehashing the same thing, although it can get a bit too much (i.e. - Citizen Cain). Second, I don't really hear where exactly the cloning has been done, though I hear influences and certain borrowed bits. Either way, I enjoy listening to this album and I recommend it to people who love ELP, KC, Yes (eclectic isn't it?) and Prog at large.

http://www.syzygymusic.com/

 

Enjoy