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Nightfly 
Special Collaborator 
Honorary Collaborator Joined: August 01 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 3659 |
 Posted: January 31 2009 at 04:56 |
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^ Jon Lord like Hammond hey Erik, you've caught my interest here, I'll check them out and let you know my verdict.
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erik neuteboom
Prog Reviewer 
Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659 |
Posted: January 30 2009 at 17:04 |
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Well Paul, let's start to discuss the abovementioned bands and your comments
 ...  ! To end this day in style, here's another recommendation of an overlooked
new band, from my home country Holland:
SURVIVAL – Crusader (****)
- This is a musical project by Dutch keyboard player Jack Langevelt, a huge fan of the Seventies symphonic rock and the late keyboard wizard Rick Van Der Linden. Between 1981 and 1997 Survival existed in its first line-up, then disbanded but fortunately Jack didn’t give up and now we can enjoy the Musea release of his first album entitled Crusader (2008).  See also:
Edited by erik neuteboom - January 31 2009 at 04:24 |
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Nightfly
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator Joined: August 01 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 3659 |
Posted: January 30 2009 at 15:56 |
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Hi Erik, I wasn't blown away by Aly but i was by Barbares by Nemo, my most played cd at the moment....absolutely brilliant!
I'm really impressed by Pandora too but not as good as Il Bacio Della Medusa  .
I see you're giving Albatros another well deserved push too
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erik neuteboom
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659 |
Posted: January 30 2009 at 14:51 |
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These exciting new progrock albums can use some support here on PA:
LATTE E MIELE - Live Tasting
 - Incredible how many legendary Classic Italian Progrock bands have reunited in the last decade, after bands like Il Balletto Di Bronzo, Le Orme, Banco, New Trolls and Osanna, here is Latte E Miele featuring 3 members of the original line up on their debut album Passio Secundum Mattheum (1972).
- This live CD was recorded in Canada in 2008, it sounds good and the band plays very inspired songs from their three Seventies albums. The first part concerns a selection of their first album, we can enjoy a great blend of classical and symphonic rock with awesome vintage keyboard work (Grand piano, Hammond organ, Mellotron, synthesizers and some splendid harpsichord runs), wonderful moving guitar solos, warm Italian vocals and lots of variety, from a tender Grand piano solo or classical guitar with flute-Mellotron to mid-tempo with powerful organ and bombastic with a choir sound, propulsive drum beats and beautiful interplay between guitar and piano. Then three songs from the album Papillon (1973): a mid-tempo with Emerson-inspired Hammond work and classical orchestrations in Ouverture, lots of variety with brass instruments, classical guitar, church organ and a jazzy acoustic guitar solo in Primo Quadro and a dreamy climate with warm and sparkling Grand piano, flute-Mellotron, wonderful Italian vocals and compelling classical orechestrations in Rimani Nella Mia. Next is the song Fantasia Pere Chandra (I am not familiar with this track) that contains virtuosic classical guitar, followed by the suite Pavana from the album Aquile E Scoiattoli (1976). It often sounds similar to The Enid featuring a classical keyboard sound, blended with fiery electric guitar, a strong rhythm-section and again great work on keyboards, especially in Pavana Parte Terza (Hammond, church organ and Bolero-like accordion sound on synthesizer), very impressive! The band concludes this live CD with a new song entitled Vision Of Sunlight, it starts a bit polished but then we can enjoy strong work on guitar and keyboards in a more bombastic and compelling atmosphere, is this a prelude for a new album? I hope so! - My conclusion: great musicians, great music, great album! PANDORA – Dramma Di Un Poeta Ubriaco
 - Did you think Il Bacio Delle Medusa is the best new Italian progrock band in the last five years? Well, check out Italian four piece formation Pandora, what an exciting sound! The band is rooted in 2006, inspired by Genesis, Yes, PFM, New Trolls and Dream Theater. After a serie of concerts in early 2008, Pandora got a record deal with the known Italian label Btf., specialized in progressive rock.
- On their debut album Dramma Di Un Poeta Ubriaco (7 tracks, running time 63 minutes) Pandora is scouting the borders between Classic Italian Prog, symphonic rock, Heavy Prog and prog metal in a very exciting way. We can enjoy lots of bombastic and compelling atmospheres, loaded with heavy guitarplay, sensational keyboardwork (3 members play on keyboards!) and thunderous drumming like Il Giudizio Universale (exciting break, great wah-wah guitar and passionate Italian vocals), the instrumental March To Hell (swirling Hammond organ solo, fat Minimoog sound and obvious Dream Theater elements), Pandora (the piano is wonderfully blended in the heavy sound) and the titletrack (beautiful Grand piano intro and a splendid grand finale with compelling keyboardwork and a very moving guitar solo, goose bumps). But in other songs Pandora also deliver great build-ups like Così Come Sei (from dreamy with soaring keyboards and acoustic guitar to compelling with a strong electric guitar/synthesizer duet and bombastic with furious drumwork and heavy guitar) or mellow like Breve Storia di San George (wonderful blend of acoustic guitar, flute-Mellotron, warm Italian vocals, classical orchestrations, delicate harpsichord runs and a pleasant flute solo in the end). The most elaborate composition is the final track entitled Salto Nel Buio (close to 14 minutes), it sounds very varied and contains lots of captivating, very flowing shifting moods and surprising musical ideas, from a short interlude with acoustic guitar and choir-Mellotron to a piece with prog metal overtones and a jazzy vibraphone solo. The final part is very exciting featuring fat synthesizer flights and propulsive drum beats, slowly fading away, I am in Progheaven! - My simple conclusion: highly recommended and ... play it loud! NEMO – Barbares
 Limited Edition Digipack 2-CD (including live disc)
- My first musical experience with Nemo was a few months after the release of their second album entitled Présages (2003), I was blown away by their dynamic and varied blend of several styles, topped with the slightly theatrical French vocals. Meanwhile I have become a huge fan and, apart from Si Partie I (a bit too experimental and fragmentic in my opinion), on every album you can notice progression, new ideas and more and more an own, very unique progrock sound. So I was very curious to this new effort, high expectations! - Well, I quickly got excited, very excited and after a few listening sessions I already took the conclusion that Nemo has delivered their best album and I will tell you why I am that euphoric about Barbares. My main conclusion is that on this new CD Nemo sounds very well balanced, there is a great ‘flow’ in the compositions and the band even sound pretty accessible for ‘Nemo standards’, despite the frequent shiftings moods, many breaks and huge variety. But I also would like to emphasize that three elements are on a level I have never heard on previous albums. First the interplay between the guitar and keyboards: both musicians are founding members, have played together for many years and on Barbares their musical understanding is mighty close to identical twins, amazing how they follow, challenge and stimulate each other, this gives a captivating and often exciting extra dimension to the music. Second the way JPL uses the vocals, it has become an instrument in the sound of Nemo and colours the music with a very special flavor, slightly theatrical and often with strong expressive undertones. An third ‘captain’ JPL his abilities to drive the music with his powerful and varied guitarwork, from biting wah-wah drenched runs or fat guitar riffs to funky rhythm-guitar and sensitive solos (fueled by an outstanding, very flowing and adventurous rhythm-section). My highlights on Barbares are the early Eighies Rush inspired Ldi (awesome interplay, exciting guitarwork, great dynamics and a very surprising break), the great tension between the powerful drums/prog metal riffs and acoustic rhythm-guitar/piano, embellished with passionate vocals in 19.59, a swinging rhythm with bombastic organ and wah-wah guitar in Faux Semolancs and the magnum opus Barbares (25 minutes) that presents Nemo at their best featuring spectacular synthesizer flights, exciting interplay between guitar and keyboards, lots of great changing climates and some strong musical ideas like the blend of an acoustic guitar solo, tin-whistle and sparkling piano into the music, culminating in a compelling grand finale, what a band! The bonus disc (500 copies limited edition, 15 songs, running time 71 minutes) is a live registration from 2007, you can enjoy their great power and dynamics with lots of awesome solo work on guitar and keyboards, strong interplay and a captivating live atmosphere, this is a perfect way to experience Nemo on stage, unfortunately I miss the song Une Question De Temps, one of the highlights of their Progfarm 2008 Festival gig I witnessed a few months ago. - Despite the language gap, during the years Nemo has made more and more friends, I hope this new CD Barbares will be their breakthrough to a wider audience, they fully deserve it, what a splendid effort! ALY – Hypotesis Ubicua
 - Aly is a musical project of Alonso Romero, he was born in Mexico (1979), started to study piano when he was 8 and he is playing guitar since his 13th. He has a varied taste: with the band Toccata he released the album entitled Circe (2005) on which he plays guitar in the progmetal vein but he also made a classical album with flute and guitar.
- We can find back this captivating contrast between rock and classical on Aly their instrumental debut album Hypotesis Ubicua. Alonso has invited a wide range of musicians featuring drummer Adolfo Ramundo who recently toured with the new line-up of Italian progrock legend Il Balletto Di Bronzo. On most of the nine compositions Alonso delivers heavy guitarwork with obvious hints of Steve Vai and Joe Satriani, fueled by a thunderous rhythm-section evoking Metallica and Opeth, very exciting and I am impressed by Alonso his furious, blistering and biting guitar runs and propulsive fat guitar riffs. The most interesting element of Aly their music is in my opinion the way he blends the sound of varied keyboards with the powerful guitarwork, often this evokes a lot of tension in the Aly sound: dazzling interplay with synthesizers (El Aspecto Sombrío De La Desinhibición and Sirenas Poseídas En La Mente De Omicrón), lush organ waves (Necesidad Ilimitada), dreamy piano work (Instinto En La Nostalgia) and orchestral keyboards (Ocular). Another wonderful contrast on this album is the short track Ocaso Inesperado that contains classical guitar, it sounds very warm. But the highlight is the ‘magnum opus progressivus’ Meh - Lahn - Coh - Lih – Ah, a 25 minutes composition that is divided into six alternating parts: from a majestic violin-Mellotron intro, soaring keyboards with howling guitar runs and an interlude with dreamy keyboards to an exciting wah-wah drenched guitar solo with populsive drums, powerful Hammond organ with heavy guitar work, a bombastic prog metal climate and a beautiful final part delivering acoustic rhythm guitar and a choir-Mellotron-like sound, goose bumps! - What an exciting debut album, I am sure the progmetal – and Heavy Prog fans and heavy metal guitar freaks wil be delighted about Aly their music! Edited by erik neuteboom - January 30 2009 at 15:19 |
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erik neuteboom
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659 |
Posted: January 29 2009 at 16:16 |
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AOR
 ... but I am still curious Paul because of the dominant keyboard work you mention, that is also one of the main elements why I love early Angel, it gives such a special flavor, especially because of the tension between the soaring sound of violin-Mellotron and strings and the heavy guitar sound  At this moment I am writing my Don Airey concert review, it was Hammond Heaven last week!
Alberto: thanks for your kind words, it's a pleasure to publish reviews about interesting but overlooked bands like Psiglo
Edited by erik neuteboom - February 11 2009 at 13:11 |
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Nightfly
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator Joined: August 01 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 3659 |
Posted: January 29 2009 at 10:13 |
Erik, I'm just listening to the 1st Giuffria album. It's pretty much as I remember it, more AOR with a bit of metal. Plenty of dominant keyboard work but more 80's sounding than 70's unfortunately. It's still an above average slice of melodic rock though. Edited by Nightfly - January 29 2009 at 10:14 |
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Alberto Muñoz
Forum Senior Member 
Joined: July 26 2006 Location: Mexico Status: Offline Points: 3577 |
Posted: January 28 2009 at 18:47 |
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Erik, good, concise and excellent review of the psiglo albums
Cheers!!!
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erik neuteboom
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659 |
Posted: January 28 2009 at 15:43 |
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Paul, I am absolutely delighted about the way he colours the Angel compositions on the first two albums with his wide range of vintage keyboards (from fat Minimoog synthesizer flights to majestic choir-Mellotron eruptions), lots of goose bumps
so I am curious to your opinion about Giuffra's LP's!
Edited by erik neuteboom - February 11 2009 at 13:04 |
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Nightfly
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator Joined: August 01 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 3659 |
Posted: January 28 2009 at 13:07 |
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Erik, I'll have to dig out those 2 Giuffria albums which I have on vinyl and haven't played for years now. I seem to remember the first one was best and while it is more melodic rock than prog as far as I can remember Giuffria's keyboards are well to the fore. |
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erik neuteboom
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659 |
Posted: January 28 2009 at 12:51 |
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Hello Paul.
No, I have never heard of Giuffria's own band but House Of Lords rings a bell because in the past I wrote this review for Background Magazine: HOUSE OF LORDS – THE POWER AND THE MYTH (2004, 43.37, Frontier Records FR CD 179) House Of Lords is rooted in ’88. In 2001 this band reformed in the line up James Christian (lead vocals), Lanny Cordola (guitars), Ken Mary (drums) and Chuck Wright (bass), completed with guest musicians Derek Sherinian, Allan Okuye, Sven Martin and Ricky Philips on keyboards. The info sheet describes the music as ‘melodic hardrock’ but in my opinion it’s more ‘heavy progressive’ because House Of Lords delivers strong and elaborate rocksongs with inventive keyboardplay, great guitarwork (catchy riffs and biting solos), powerful and distinctive vocals and a solid, often thundering rhythm section. The climates alternates from powerballads till heavy and propulsive. House Of Lords makes dynamic rock music but a major part of the songs contain progressive elements like the use of instruments like Spanish guitar, sitar, violin and keyboards (the sound of Hammond organ, strings and some Mellotron). Recommended to the fans of harder-edged progrock, it reminds me of the excitement of early Journey and mid-Led Zeppelin! **** (Erik) Contact/info: Web: www.frontiers.it E-mail: [email protected] Their next album, Silk + Steel, came out two years later, following some lineup changes (Goldy was replaced by guitarist Lanny Cordola, and Wright was replaced by bassist David Sikes). This time however a Top 40 hit was not forthcoming and the album only managed to struggle up to #60 on the Billboard 200. Giuffria was soon dropped by MCA, and quietly disbanded. Gregg Giuffria went on to form another band called the House of Lords. Giuffria has since left the music business and now owns a business in Las Vegas. So interesting Paul, thanks
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Nightfly
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator Joined: August 01 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 3659 |
Posted: January 28 2009 at 12:24 |
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Hi Erik, now there's a blast from the past, Angel. Do you also remember Greg Giuffria's band named after himself Giuffria? And wasn't he in House of Lords too. Not much Prog but decent melodic rock bands.
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erik neuteboom
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659 |
Posted: January 27 2009 at 16:06 |
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Well John, if you like piano you should listen to Brasilian band Loch Ness with their debut album Prologue: moving work on the Grand piano, the interplay with the harder-edged guitar is great, what a tension
Edited by erik neuteboom - February 11 2009 at 13:09 |
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johnobvious
Forum Senior Member
Joined: May 11 2006 Location: Nebraska Status: Offline Points: 1361 |
Posted: January 26 2009 at 15:57 |
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Erik, I am a sucker for well done piano and Kramer has a lot of piano throughout. Happy with my purchase.
4 CDs! What project did they tackle this time? The 100-year war?  |
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Biggles was in rehab last Saturday
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erik neuteboom
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659 |
Posted: January 26 2009 at 15:36 |
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Well John, about Eloy, check out Eloy Live, it was the Oceans tour
About "blocking out several hours": today I got an e-mail from Progwalhalla Hans that he has a Colossus 4-CD box for me to review
 Good to read that your first listening session with Dutch progrock band Kramer was good!Edited by erik neuteboom - January 27 2009 at 16:06 |
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johnobvious
Forum Senior Member
Joined: May 11 2006 Location: Nebraska Status: Offline Points: 1361 |
Posted: January 26 2009 at 15:18 |
Got lucky. Ordered it Friday and it came today. I didn't even bother checking my mailbox at work until late and there it was. Sometimes the post office surprises you. Plus I was listening to Eloy Oceans on my free Rhapsody account. I get 25 free songs a month because I have an account with Cox and they have quite a bit of prog available. Of course I usually just listen to epics  .Spinning Kramer now. First impression is good. I'll need to block out several hours and screw up my courage to tackle The Odyssey. |
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Biggles was in rehab last Saturday
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erik neuteboom
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659 |
Posted: January 26 2009 at 13:13 |
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Thanks Norbert |
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Norbert
Forum Senior Member
Joined: October 20 2005 Location: Hungary Status: Offline Points: 2506 |
Posted: January 26 2009 at 12:47 |
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This is a suberb thread, hopefully some time i will have time to read it through, although there are some familiar names, that helps.
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erik neuteboom
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659 |
Posted: January 25 2009 at 14:33 |
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Hello Paul, indeed, what a great blend of Heavy Prog and Classic Rock that evening, Don Airey was awesome on the Hammond organ and also the Moog synthesizer, the crowd (mainly 40+ progheads) was very pleased with the covers Black Night, Gimmy Some Lovin' and especially Parisienne Walkways that included a very compelling guitar solo by Rob Harris
5Bridges is a pleasant 24-carat symphonic rock band from Holland and on Progfarm they performed very well, I was carried away by the frequent twin-steel guitar work in the vein of Steve Howe
 News from their website:
Our debut album 'The Thomas Tracks' will officially be launched on Feb 7, 2009. Venue for this memorable event is the Starsound Studio in Utrecht (starsoundstudio.nl).
It's going to be a memorable prog party, with a.o. various acts performing, and a cd market. And, for the first time, we will play the full Thomas Tracks to you, our live audience. So come and join us - it's party time! Venue: Starsound Studio, Ceylonlaan 7, Utrecht (NL) Start: 19 h 30 More info to follow soon. |
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Nightfly
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator Joined: August 01 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 3659 |
Posted: January 25 2009 at 11:19 |
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Erik, sounds like the Don Airey gig was great.....would have liked to have been at that one. I'll keep an eye on 5Bridges, you make them sound very interesting. |
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erik neuteboom
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659 |
Posted: January 25 2009 at 03:50 |
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What a coincidence: I just got an e-mail that promising Dutch progrock formation Kramer will be the support act for new Dutch symphonic rock band 5Bridges on February 7th in Utrecht (Holland) with an 'unplugges' performance
About 5Bridges:
This is a Dutch five piece band from the city Haarlem, they are rooted in 2005 and in 2007 they send me a promo demo CD entitled The Thomas Tracks. It's is a concept album that is based upon the novel The Thomas Tracks by drummer Rob Van Der Linden (the brother of the late Rick Van Der Linden). The music is obviously drenched into the 24-carat symphonic prog tradition of The Seventies, especially 70-77 Genesis because of the Peter Gabriel-like vocals (melancholic undertone), majestic choir-Mellotron eruptions and the use of the volume pedal in the guitarplay. The four compositions on this demo-CD sound pleasant and melodic with tasteful keyboards (from sparkling Grand piano and flashy synthesizer flights to lush organ and Mellotron waves), varied guitarwork (from dreamy twanging and sensitive solos to fiery runs), the rhythm-section plays fluent and powerful and the singer has a decent voice (although during the Progfarm gig he lacked a bit power on stage). In my opinion 5Bridges has presented a wonderful symphonic prog album with lots of good ideas and compelling moments, I am looking forward to their official debut CD presentation on February 7th 2009! Info: |
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erik neuteboom wrote:
