1000 Prog Albums Over 46 Years: 1966-2011

2009

921

Part the Second
Maudlin Of The Well

A review by AtomicCrimsonRush:

It's all about other-worldly atmosphere.

I was introduced to Maudlin of the Well through this album and the reviews that are lavishing unmitigated praise upon this unusually titled 2009 album. I expected heavy experimental guitar riffs and dark aggression as it was in the same genre as Tool and Devin Townsend. Instead I received something more, so much more. I was stunned at the dexterous creative approach of the music and the ferociously original song structures. The moments of dark and light are juxtaposed as polar caps on every track. The songs begin differently to how they end and in the middle there is a maelstrom of huge raging instrumentals of virtuoso intensity that shoot out of the musical hemisphere. The guitars are tools for light textures playing host to violins and keys, creating calm and mellow melancholic ambience.

‘An Excerpt from 6,000,000,000,000 Miles Before the First, or, the Revisitation of the Blue Ghost’ (10:55) opens very quietly and surprisingly subdued with Greg Massi's acoustic gently played guitars and then a very sombre violin played to perfection by the incomparable talents of Mia Matsumiya. As far as I know, this is Maudlin of the Well's most accessible album, yet this is quite difficult to get into as it is sporadic, jazzy and eclectically out of the box. Check out those astral lyrics that are sung breathily patient by the quiet vocals of Driver; "I asked the fading Dynamo of the serpentine blaze which seemed to hold a life apart from the Trinity, and seemed stronger than their combined force. I wondered aloud at the infernal flames that wrapped like boiling vines about the clouds, and illuminated them with an ethereal glow, and shot down with all the speed of a blinking eye, lost in thought and trying to count seconds. I was answered with the steady pulse, the rhythm of the waves that spun slowly atop the dreamily oozing altar within the sunken structure that had no beginning or cause, save the toil of an immortal imagination." I am not sure we are meant to make sense of these stream-of- conscious words but there is no denying the impact of these with the surreal soundscape. The musical structures are way off base at times and rather disturbing sounding like they come from Planet Mars. The low piano throbbing chords of Olson mixed with a higher range are a prime example. Though there is true beauty mixed with darker levels of intense ethereal paint strokes on the canvas. Sam Gutterman's drums kick in with a steady beat after a duration of piano motifs. There is a genuine post-rock feel to this track and it breaks into a series of sections with many metronomic time shifts. A great start to the experiential journey.

‘Another Excerpt: Keep Light Near You, Even When Dying’ (5:59) is a very ethereal and brilliantly realised master work. It begins with a haunting musical box intro that captures the innocence of childhood with swooping violin jabs that enhance the pastoral texture. A huge instrumental ensues with an off kilter drum pattern from Gutterman that is as unsettling as the psychedelic phased estranged vocal technique from Toby Driver; "Like a stone I fell, and was engulfed in winter darkness, Silence filled each sphere that from my lips escaped, And ceased but for a breath, Before rising to the surface and waves like fireflies." Driver's bass is technically proficient and esoteric, as are the hand claps and Madeleine Craw's arcane cello embellishments. Such an amazing rhythm signature and then the music disappears with a minimalist choral voice to end it; very Avante garde but utterly brilliant stirring progressive music.

‘Rose Quartz Turning to Glass’ (7:30) is a spacey out of this world piece of atmospheric ambience beginning with Matsumiya's sad emotive violins and a lush string quartet. The exploration and experimentation of musical forms is a key feature, leaving vocals as rather a new instrument more than a frontline feature. The massive violin solo is divine, emotional and actually chilling with the alienating vocal noises reminding me of Magma or Can. It is creepy and ethereal but appropriate sound bites of disturbia. Then David Gilmour-like vocals appear from nowhere, and lift the song to a new level, it actually becomes an accessible song discarding the hyper jazz fusion elements that were the foundation; "Fade from the shade that you see, Every morning, every noon, It's the colour of this room, Even with your eye unclear, There's some kind of azure dust on your pillow." Maudlin of the Well rip that foundation down and create new textural nuances, and it is absolutely delightful. "Clouds are painted on in difference, A worn signpost for your dream flight, It's all about atmosphere." The lyrics are an appropriate description of the music. The angular riffing and lead break are wondrous. An absolute masterpiece.

‘Clover Garland Island’ (8:18) has more guitars than the previous tracks with an excellent driving riff and angular guitar chords. The psychedelic vocal harmonies enhance the overall experimentalism and there is an incredible instrumental passage that is utterly mesmirising. The guitars shine brightly as stars amidst the universe of orchestrated string sections. There are dogs heard barking in the distance transporting you to another locale and this reminds me of, well, Pink Floyd’s'Dogs'. The lyrics are as surreal as the others; "I imagined the bottom of the Rainbow, Tunnelling through the roots of the Mountain, I walked Violet to the Equator, Where I dug my own grave then died in it, Beneath the ground I rode the royal hue, All through the Earth for Eternity" An excellent guitar riff locks in for a passage and then the soft violins pierce the fabric of the music as the final verse is sung; "And as the sun became too dim, The frame dissolved and The Greyous blanket fell. It lay upon the grass until the Morning When it was hoisted up again, By a spinning Rainbow over the vale." The astral projection existentialist theme the band hold on to is part of all this strangeness but it is easy to dismiss what they are on about as the music is the real feature and there are intricate structural fractures worthy of the most estranged jazz breakdown.

‘Laboratories of the Invisible World (Rollerskating the Cosmic Palmistric Postborder)’ (11:50) begins with a mellow fragmented guitar free form rhythm, Hackett-like in its spaceyness, and improvisational, Driver's vocals return at the forefront this time, and quite passionately emotive too in a falsetto octave; "We're bound together forever by currents of electricity, I am a memory burnt onto thin air". Work out the meaning for yourself if you can. The riffs that follow are fabulous, heavier on guitar and atonal complex shapes. This is a mini epic that closes the album with a powerful dissonance. There are a myriad of time sig swings from gentle and passive to chaotic with injections of sporadic jazz. The organ sounds are shimmering and solid. The screaming lead solo is excellent virtuoso musicianship. The King Crimsonish rhythms are hypnotic. The twanging deep guitar licks are powerful against the background of choral effects and frenetic keyboard motifs. There is a brief reprise at the end reprising ‘Another Excerpt: Keep Light Near You, Even When Dying’ on piano reminding us of the beauty of that track. Then it fades out and it's time to spin this treasure again.

This is an album full of unsurpassed virtuoso musicianship and serious conviction without a splinter of jocular frivolity, and it has an indelible impact on the listener. 2009 had some lows and highs like any other year but mark this down as a definitive highlight. 5 tracks that are all killer, no filler; an irresistible package. A freebie on the Maudlin of the Well official website, this has to be the download of the year, and you are well advised to visit the site now and get this outstanding showcase of Proto Prog.

922

Chronicles of the Waking Dream
Arcane

A review by UMUR:

"Chronicles Of The Waking Dream" is the 2nd full-length studio album by Australian progressive metal act Arcane. The album was released through Arcane Australia in September 2009.

The band released a promising debut album in 2007 called "Ashes", and the dark and melancholic progressive metal style featured on that album is continued and developed further on "Chronicles Of The Waking Dream". While the debut album featured the 24:15 minutes long title track, which was divided into five parts, "Chronicles Of The Waking Dream" takes that concept a little further as all tracks on the album seque into each other to form a regular concept album. Arcane play a layered and keyboard heavy type of progressive metal with both really heavy moments but also mellower emotional sections too. While the instrumental parts of the music are impressive enough, it´s the vocals by Jim Grey that really set Arcane apart from most other progressive metal acts. He has a very distinct sounding voice and a convincing emotional delivery.

The tracks are structurally challenging, dynamic and it´s hard to pinpoint just one influence. I think I hear influences from both "classic" progressive metal in the vein of Dream Theater, but also influences from the more alternative part of the progressive metal scene. Acts like Riverside and A Perfect Circle probably aren´t strangers to these guys.

"Chronicles Of The Waking Dream" is not an easy listen and it´s taken me quite a few listens to grasp the full 59:15 minutes long album. There´s simply a lot to take in, but in a positive way. So if you enjoy your progressive metal challenging (not necessarily focused on technical playing though) and delivered with great emotional impact, "Chronicles Of The Waking Dream" is definitely a recommended listen. A 4 - 4.5 star (85%) rating is deserved.

A review by AtomicCrimsonRush:

Arcane are an Australian prog metal band that will appeal to those who love Riverside or other bands who merge heavy riffs with clear singing and intricate compositions. They have an endearing sound that is creative and moves in unexpected directions with odd time shifts and innovative musicianship. Tracks such as the mini epic 'Asylum: Acolyte Zero' have stunning complex structures, with killer riffs, complex times sigs and inject blends of grinding guitars with delightful melodic keyboards. The lengthy instrumental break features Michael Gagen's polished guitar work along with Matt Martin's keyboard wizardry. Jim Grey does a fine job on vocals, and the rhythm machine of Brendon Blanchard's bass and Blake Coulson's drums are wonderful. The double kick drumming is machine like and the song tends to build into heavier sections with faster singing pentameter at 9 minutes. It breaks into a soft vox and gentle piano, then builds into a symphonic soundscape, and some atmospheric choral voices. This is one of the highlights and really impressed me. Another awesome song is 'Fading' beginning with soft vocals and light guitar touches. The piano is lovely and it builds gradually with lead guitar flourishes and some symphonic keys. When the music fades out there is an a capella section for a moment and then grinding metal riffs break through.

The songs blend into each other to create a seamless musical experience with a conceptual framework that has mystical overtones. It involves a protagonist who is losing his grip on reality, perhaps even becoming deranged, and he becomes obsessed with the date of May 26th to the point where it haunts him and has some enigmatic meaning, though we van never be certain of what it all means. At times it is an unsettling excursion into a mentally unbalanced mind, but musically it is always a sheer delight.

The opening songs feature uplifting piano mixed with darker metal riffs, and the idiosyncratic vocals of Grey. The intro is a disjointed voice explaining the importance of May 26, then the music floats over, very melancholy and soft. It builds to heavier tones and segues into the next track.

The instrumental break in 'The Seer' is reminiscent of Dream Theater, with guitar and keyboard trade offs. Overall this track showcases the style of the band that moves from beauty to darker textures. 'The Malice' has a dreamy feel, and the piano instrumental to follow is beautiful. The climax is with the epic 'Asylum: Acolyte Zero'and then it settles into the closing track, a gentle piece called 'Whisper'.

The style of the album is like Pain of Salvation or Riverside, with beautiful moments juxtaposed by outbreaks of heavy guitars. It is an excellent album and yet another example of Australian prog metal at its finest.

A review by Bonnek:

Arcane is a progressive metal band from Australia. Arcane drops the metal element more frequently then they use it, in a way similar to recent Porcupine Tree but more proggy.

'Chronicles of the Waking Dream' is an ambitious piece of work, as it offers a full hour of near continuous music, strung together with recurring themes and a brilliant rocking energy that pervades the entire album. Due to the excellent clear vocals and the occasional heavy sound, it sometimes reminds me of Haken's 2011 album “Visions”. But this album is more progressive and complex, it is melodious, but more playful and creative compared to Haken, which brings me to another highly valued recent Heavy Prog album, namely the 2010 “Excavations Of The Mind” from Sky Architect. Bonus points for Arcane for preceding these two references.

If you're a fan of Heavy Prog, and the names Haken and Sky Architect won't make you seek out this album right away, then nothing will. Recommended.

923

Sound Awake
Karnivool

A review by AtomicCrimsonRush:

Aus proggers Karnivool released a dynamic alternative heavy prog album "Sound Awake", reminiscent of Tool, Cardiacs, Live or Soundgarden. Many cite this album as their pinnacle, as it is consistent in quality and innovative approach. It is a lengthy album of almost 80 minutes of powerful melodic and inventive prog rock.

'Simple Boy' drives along on a powerful time sig, confident loud vocals of Ian Kenny, crashing explosive drums, and an infectious chorus. 'Goliath' starts in 7/4 then locks into a weird 6/4 tempo, before the more conventional chorus. The bass tones of Jon Stockman are incredible, with a fuzzy sound and this is complimented by chiming jangly guitar phrases.

'New Day' has a guitar rhythmic intro then some tempo beats come in over the relaxed singing style. It builds to a measured rock vibe, some reverb guitar motifs and a new feel midway through; "hey let's get lost in a crowd, I'll show you much more". The heavier guitars are welcome in the instrumental break and it sounds somewhat like Live, one of my favourite 90s bands, especially their masterpieces "Throwing Copper" and "Secret Samadhi" that they never topped.

'Set Fire To The Hive' is much heavier with caustic phased vocals and some aggressive guitar riffs. This sounds a bit like System of a Down in places. It is the band unleashing a furious attack of raw guitar and pounding drum and bass rhythms, complete with police sirens. 'Umbra' has a nice melodic intro with some complex time sigs to follow. The guitar crashes with high powered drum ferocity, but the vox are soft and gentle in contrast. The light moments are darkened with brutal guitar tones. The lyrics are thought provoking; "Imagine that everything's effected by a cause, well I don't feel so lucky you know" and "set in stone and blood, hold your promise." The ending is wonderful, with low guttural guitar splashes on an urgent drum beat that fade into a spacey tone. 'All I Know' segues seamlessly with an odd quirky riff and nice harmonised singing; "Are you with me, this is more than just infinity, I'm a soul taker, hey is this the end of all I know." The lead guitar break is very pleasant with sustained tones and it breaks into a Tool like rhythm. 'The Medicine Wears Off' is a short piece at 1:49, which is rather melancholy with outstanding singing from Kenny. It leads to 'The Caudal Lure' that veers into odd time sigs from 4/4, 3/4 to 2/4, and the drums of Steve Judd are intricate throughout. It has a rock feel and some blasting guitar riffs.

'Illumine' begins with sonic feedback and very distorted guitars leading to the verse; "don't listen, don't even hear a sound they make, it breaks you, words that haunt you while you're sleeping, you seem afraid, don't be alone." This has a nice melodic line and more commercial in sound then previous songs.

'Deadman' is the longest song at 12 minutes, with cool percussion grooves and rhythmic guitar picking. The vocals are well executed with lyrics such as; "Grab your belongings the exit is near, this can't be happening." The song breaks into a new time sig with faster tempos at the 4 minute mark, this leads to a glorious lead break from Drew Goddard and Mark Hosking. The jerky off sync guitar riff at 9 minutes is a dynamic touch, and then it moves to a low vocal and bells on this excellent highlight. The last section is gentle high register vox, and Pink Floydian guitar sounds. 'Change [Part 2]' is also long (10:47) and another highlight opening with machine grinding crushing guitar blasts. The didgeridoo is killer along with cool vocals and it moves to a section reminding me of Live at 3 and a half minutes in; "what a way to see this thing out, what a way to lay your burden down". The low grinding drone has a Tool sound and the way it blazes into the odd riff sig. The drum solo at the end by Judd is fantastic.

'Roquefort' closes the album with a bright riff and very low end bass, and the vocals are more aggressive. It is more of an FM radio track than others but finishes on a rocker with melody and heavy riffs.

Overall "Sound Awake" is a very dynamic and powerful album that will resonate with fans of Tool yet Karnivool inject their own style with some passion and fire. The riffs are ever changing along with tempo shifts, and the mood throughout is consistent with a dark edge and moody atmospheres. It is an excellent lengthy journey and showcases the best of Australian music at its most alternative and progressive.

924

Vehicle
miRthkon

A review by Mellotron Storm:

MiRthkon are from Oakland, Calfornia and they bring Zappa and Miriodor to mind because of their zany and freakishly good "stop on a dime" style of play.This is quite heavy at times with the dual guitars, bass, drums and horns all bringing it at once in a very intense way. I had the pleasure of listening to this late Saturday afternoon on a trip up north to get my daughter who was camping. It was sunny and my drive was relaxing but if anyone could hear what was blasting away in my vehicle they would be shocked.

The album opens with a funny spoken word piece called "Congratulations!" about the benifits of buying a Mirthkon vehicle. "Flashbulb Of Orgasm" is fantastic with the odd-metered drumming and dissonant horns. "Banana" opens with vocals before the music gets intense, then it settles back as the contrasts continue. Some heavy guitar after 2 minutes and it ends with experimental sounds. "Automation" is such a good tune. Nice bass early as the song seems to take it's time. Some intensity 2 minutes in and 3 1/2 minutes in before a calm ends it. "Zhagunk" has some powerful outbursts throughout; heavy duty after 3 minutes. Cat sounds (yes cat sounds) end it along with a crashing noise. "Kharms Way" has lots of tempo shifts in it. Incredible sound 2 1/2 minutes in then it turns dark before kicking back in. A calm with piano and spoken words 6 minutes in.

"Daddylonglegz" is a catchy tune; check out the bass 1 1/2 minutes in and the horns on this amazing track! Crickets end it and coyote howls as it blends into "Coven Of Coyotes". This is intricate and powerful. Vocals 1 1/2 minutes in, and funny stuff as coyotes are back late followed by experimental sounds. "Johnny Yen" hits the ground running but it's the contrasts that impress me the most. "Bappsciliophauega" is once again an incredible display of talent, powerful with horns which get dissonant after 3 minutes with percussion. Funny spoken words end it.

"Trishna" is intense and powerful. Enough said. Okay there is a calm with flute at one point. "Honey Key Jamboree" is very Zappa-like with vocals. Some killer guitar too that goes on and on. Nice. "The Black Fruit" is kind of dark and eerie as most black fruits tend to be. It kicks into gear before settling again.The spoken words with piano are hilarious. "Camelopardalis" has a nice heavy sound before a minute,horns then lead. The tempo continues to shift and we get some organ in this one too, and love the dissonance late. Just a brilliant album in every way.

925

The Underfall Yard
Big Big Train

A review by Mellotron Storm:

Big Big Train's drummer had left making them a trio on “The Underfall Yard”. Nick D'Virgillo who guested on the last one takes care of all the drum duties this time (still a guest though). There's a new singer as well in David Longdon who was suggested by Martin Orford. David sang on Martin's solo record "The Old Road". Once again the words and music are by Greg Spawton (guitar, keys, bass), while Andy Poole (bass, keys) produced and recorded this album. The lyrics focus on the unheralded people who had different roles in England's history. Greg is very interested in the history of his country and draws attention to these unsung heroes. There's been so much hype about this album. I think it's excellent but I  still prefer the previous album "The Difference Machine". I just really like how different and spacious it is. This one's more pastoral but just so beautifully arranged and performed. Speaking of performances, Dave Gregory from XTC plays some real mellotron on "Victorian Brickwork" the rest of the mellotron as with their past albums is sampled. Dave also plays guitar throughout. Gem Godfrey from Frost and Francis Dunnery from It Bites both guest on the title track. There are other guests as well.

"Evening Star" opens with multi-vocal melodies then it turns melancholic when they stop. It kicks in after 2 1/2 minutes with some flute from vocalist Dave Longdon (he also plays dulcimer, mandolin, organ, psaltry and glockenspiel!). Lots of mellotron here too, and it settles with horns. "Master James Of St.George" opens with drums, bass, guitar then vocals. It becomes fuller a minute in, and settles right away and contrasts continue. Nice guitar solo from Dave Gregory 4 1/2 minutes in. Whistling ends it as the waves roll in.

"Victorian Brickwork" opens with reserved vocals and a pastoral soundscape. It kicks in around 2 minutes and some nice bass follows. The tempo and mood continue to change. A calm 8 1/2 minutes in with cello and mellotron, French horn joins in and this is fairly uplifting. It ends with those reserved vocals. I must say that the last three songs are much better than the first three.

So we get cooking with "Last Train" which opens with vocals, guitar, drums and chunky bass. Mellotron joins in then organ. Guitar and a great sound 3 1/2 minutes in. I like the guitar/drum section after 4 minutes that goes on and on. I love the mellotron that rolls in around 6 minutes. "Winchester Diver" sounds heavenly to start out with those deep bass lines and dreamy soundscapes. Cello comes in followed by mellotron, flute and organ. A calm with reserved vocals after 2 1/2 minutes. He sounds like Hogarth after 3 minutes, and a fuller sound follows. I am so into these last two tracks. The final song is the 23 minute title track. Lots of tempo and mood shifts along with more chunky bass, mellotron, flute and cello.The guitar and synths solos are great. We also get tuba, cornet, French horn and trombone, lots of vocals too. A real trip back into history.

Easily 4 stars, and this album does reveal new things with each listen; a real depth and class to this recording.

926

Barbares
Nemo

A review by Mellotron Storm:

I  must admit I  was disappointed with Nemo’s last album "Si Partie II" but after seeing so many positive reviews about their latest "Barbares" I  took the plunge. “Barbares” might be my favourite from these French rockers, surpassing even "Si Partie I". As usual with this band we get a concept album and as usual the lyrics are in French so I  have no idea what it's about, though reviewers point out that it's about current conflicts and wars. What I'm so thankful about with this album is that they've gone back to that heaviness and aggression that I  like and contrasted it with lighter passages to great results. I'm surprised to hear some celtic and jazz flavours at times as well.

"Loi" opens with some atmosphere that borders on haunting as we hear some guitar sounds. It kicks in before a minute and they kick hard. It settles 2 1/2 minutes in where i love the guitar. Vocals after 4 minutes for the first time. I like the percussion 6 1/2 minutes in and the crazy synths that follow. "19:59" is my favourite, with nice drum intro before it kicks in, then it settles with vocals. Great sound and check out the drums and keys; and riffs come and go. Nice. Killer sound 4 minutes in.

"Le Film Di a Vie" opens with guitar and drums as reserved vocals join in. It's all very relaxed then turns sort of jazzy and piano joins in. It settles as bass becomes prominent followed by synths then vocals. It starts to rebuild until we get an incredible sound 4 minutes in. I feel a lot of emotion after 6 minutes for some reason. "L'armee Des Ombres" features some nice crunchy guitar as the drums pound. It settles some when vocals arrive, contrasts continue, then a calm 6 minutes in as piano slowly plays. Drums then guitar join in as the tempo starts to pick up.

"Faux Semblants" opens with a good sound before turning jazzy with light drums, bass, piano and vocals. Nice guitar work before 2 minutes. I like the vocals after 5 minutes and the heaviness that follows. "Barbares" is the 26 minute closer. It opens with this celtic sounding guitar melody that goes on and on as the synths wash in. Fragile vocals 1 1/2 minutes in, then flute comes in a minute later and it too gives off a celtic vibe. The guitar around 3 1/2 minutes sounds fantastic as drums and piano join in, then vocals are back 7 minutes in with a heavy soundscape. An instrumental workout follows, a calm after 12 minutes as acoustic guitar comes in, then flute joins in as well a couple of minutes later as we get a full sound. Vocals are back 16 1/2 minutes in and I like how the guitar and piano play over the heaviness. A calm before 21 minutes then piano comes in followed by tasteful guitar as it builds. Vocal melodies join in. Nice. Then we get a calm to the end; time to reflect.

Wow, this is so close to 5 stars but is a must have album from Nemo.

927

Anno Domini High Definition
Riverside

A review by Bonnek:

After three excellent albums, Riverside finally hit their stride with “Anno Domine High Definition” and exceed the safe and sound approach they had applied before. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely loved the preceding albums but still, I wasn't entirely satisfied. The music was too similar to their peers (Anathema, Pink Floyd, Marillion) and they seemed unwilling or unable to stray far from the tried and true sound and style established on the debut album.

Not so on ADHD. As the title already suggests this album surges with energy and finds Riverside taking a more dynamic and metalized direction. The result is superb, it's been quite a while (since Opeth's “Ghost Reveries” in fact) that I have heard an album so full of focussed inspiration and enthusiasm. Each song is a breathtaking adventure through prog, metal, melody and emotion. All of them perfect in their own right, with a standout track ‘Egoist Hedonist’, which launched itself from out of nowhere right into my top 10. So instead of dissecting this album song by song, let's focus on the musicians for a change.

Mikael Åkerfeldt excluded (as he is in a league of his own), Mariusz Duda must be the best rock singer of this decade. At least I haven't heard anyone recently with his exceptional gift for melody or with a voice that can be both so subtle and warm or loud and harsh. On ADHD he shines in all of these aspects and even adopts a few new tricks like the casual and slightly hoarse timbre on ‘Hyperactive’ and ‘Driven To Destruction’. Whenever he's not too busy singing he puts in some exceptional bass guitar lines like the opening strumming on ‘Driven to Destruction’, and the fat rolling groove that drives the closing track.

Piotr Grudzinski stands out on electric guitars. Some people will probably miss the prevailing clean melodic lines from earlier albums but they shouldn't. The reason is that first of all, the clean melodic solos have not entirely gone, but most of all, he has diversified his playing a lot; adding lots of metal flavours, a bit of funk and also some vary fragile plucking as in the first short solo of ‘Left Out’, almost Reine Fiske from Landberk here.

Piotr Kozieradzki is not the type of fellow you want to meet in a dead end street after dark so evidently we will only praise him! Not only is his drumming as adequate as always, but, due to the excellent production here, it is put much more to the foreground and shines as it never has on a previous Riverside album.

But the man of the album would be Michal Lapaj. Those of you who have stumbled upon one of my reviews of the classic prog era might have noticed that I'm not too big a fan of the way keyboards are usually utilized in prog. Well, on this album they absolutely astound me, both on the prominent Hammond Organ and on the keyboards he continuously adds excellent leads, solos or backgrounds; world class. There's even some theremin at the end!

With this album Riverside have outshone many of their previous tracks. This album will be hard to beat in the 2009 year lists.

PS. I don't know what all the 4-hype is about though. It's their 4th album yes, but it has 5 songs, its length is 44.42 (not 44.44 according to my CD-player) and it has a definite 5 stars, not 4!

A review by AtomicCrimsonRush:

“Anno Domini High Definition” (ADHD) is all killer, no filler, a full blown masterpiece.

I publicly announce my official conversion to Riverside. Although I am new to this band, I am absolutely convinced they are setting the bar high with their last 3 albums. This, their latest, is absolutely stunning music from end to end. The musical virtuosity is excellent, I love that pounding Hammond sound and the guitars are intricate and soar over the music. The vocals are easy to listen to, similar to Steven Wilson's style, and every track rises and soars with lengthy instrumental sections that feature incredible guitar and burning keyboards.

‘Egoist Hedonist’ utilises trumpets by guest stars and it is an effective moment on the track. The ambience of the quieter sections are balanced by all out psych prog freakouts and this is a heavy album with melancholy singing mixed with aggressive growling at times. The guitars are Jon Petrucci like, but there is a signature trademark sound that Riverside captures.

Every track seems to blend seamlessly into one 44 minute track but definitely a real highlight is 'Left Out' and the closer 'Hybrid Times' absolutely kills, featuring Theremin would you believe!

'Hyperactive' is a short (5:45) opening number to get things started beginning soft piano that builds to a fortissimo of keyboards and bass. The killer riff chugs along frenetically and the off kilter drums are outstanding.

'Egoist Hedonist' would be one of the best prog metal tracks I have heard. It delivers with symphonic glacial landscape atmospherics with the warm vocals chiming in. The ambience of serenity is broken with the fractured angular guitars; an all out metal onslaught off the scale.

The absolute icing on the cake is the limited edition DVD that feature the band Live at the Paradiso in Amsterdam, a popular venue for prog metal such as Pain of Salvation on their 'Ending Themes' DVD. The Riverside concert is resplendent with colourful lighting and a tiny display screen but the music is the main star. 'Volte Face' hammers along with shimmering organ and relentless guitar riffing. The band play many tracks from their last 2 albums. 'Volte Face', 'Conceiving You,' 'I turned you Down' and 'Reality Dream III' are from "Second Life Syndrome" and are played to perfection. The Tracks from "Rapid Eye Movement" are 'Beyond the Eyelids', '02 Panic Room' and 'Ultimate Trip'. Though this is not their best album, the tracks are equally good on the live stage.

The crowd absolutely adore them and the band effortlessly perform one track after another with little explanation or introduction whipping them into a frenzy. The DVD runs for 40 minutes only, but it's well worth getting hold of. So this package features some of the best of the band thus far and is a pleasant experience. If you are new to the band you can expect accomplished musicianship with intricate drum patterns, screaming guitar breaks, keyboard flourishes and complex time signature changes.

There is a thread of Dream Theater, a layer of Porcupine Tree, a spattering of Deep Purple, and a teaspoon of Pain of Salvation, but Riverside are carving a niche in prog metal that is their own and deserved of cult status. If they were not mega stars in the prog world after their Reality Dream Trilogy, ADHD seals the deal and launches them to the stratosphere. Poland bands bow down and worship the new masters. They are undisputed brilliant musicians and this CD package is indispensable. A 5 star triumph!

928

Ëmëhntëhtt-Ré
Magma

A review by Ivan_Melgar_M:

The magic never ends.

They say you can't teach new tricks to an old dog, but from my personal experience I can say this well known aphorism is not always truth. For more than three decades I've been a Symphonic Prog hardcore fan, it's true that I also loved some albums from other genres, but always some limits. Normally I loved a Fusion or Avant album from a determined band, but the rest of their discography hardly caught attention, so even when I love several releases from diverse genres, it is very unlikely that I loved almost all the discography of a non Symphonic band.

But things change, and about 5 months ago when I re-discovered Magma through an online video, I bought that album and became an instant fan, and since then I managed to grab all their releases and never found one less than satisfying; "Ëmëhntëhtt-Ré" is not the exception.

Some friends which who I join with very frequently to watch DVD'S and listen to music of Prog artists, don't share my addiction for MAGMA; most of them think the band is too repetitive, but I believe that this variation over the same theme are the central and most impressive achievement of "Ëmëhntëhtt-Réª", the capacity of the band to slowly move from one passage to another through continuous repetitions with subtle deviations. Instead of radical changes, they opted for some form of progressive metamorphosis that can be enjoyed step by step if we try not to lose an instant of the music.

Surely it's not as magnificent as “K.A.” (Well, very few albums are remotely on that level), but Magma’s latest release is not too far from it's predecessor. Again the epic sound that seems a Progressive Rock soundtrack for an epic movie, makes me feel some weird emotion I haven’t felt felt since I heard "The Musical Box" for the first time; simply impressive.

This time Emmanuel Borghi's piano is better than ever, and mixes the strength of keyboard wizards such as Rick Wakeman or Keith Emerson, with the sober classical sound of Par Lindh, a delightful touch of Jazz and a lot of masters like Wagner or Karl Orff.

The choirs are as always impressive from start to end, as usual Stella Vander and Isabelle Feuillebois are impeccable and the fantastic contrast with Aknin is something almost mystical; these singers are among the few that are able to take me from a combative mood to tears of emotion, their skills are beyond any doubt.

Last but not least is Christian Vander, who's frenetic vocals and peculiar drumming are always the center of attention for most of the fans.

I won't even dare to make a song by song review, because it would take me several pages just to describe the six minutes of "Ëmëhntëhtt-Ré", but I must say that if I have to choose one song I would go with the versatile "Ëmëhntëhtt-Ré II", a 22:25 minutes epic where I feel they show the magnitude of their skills and the flexibility of their sound. But in general terms, the whole album is outstanding.

As with “K.A.” I have no problem with my "Ëmëhntëhtt-Ré" 4 star rating, even when I accept it's not as impressive as the previous release; it's almost a masterpiece that deserves a special place in any musical collection, so 4 stars it is.

929

Il Nome Del Vento
Delirium

A review by Finnforest:

Back with their most accomplished sound ever.

A few years ago PFM pulled off an amazing comeback album called "Stati di Imagginazione" which struck me because latter day comebacks of some favorite English bands had always disappointed me. Now Delirium have returned with the remarkable "Il Nome del Vento" proving that the Italians have bested the formula for comebacks. Frankly, I think the difference is that some prog giants see a comeback with dollar signs in their eyes, whereas Delirium are in it for the right reasons, first and foremost the love of music. Many prog writers have proclaimed the 3rd Delirium album to be the best of the '70s lot. While I've not heard their first two albums I can safely say that Delirium 2009 has impressed me much more than the '74 album did. This is a work that feels painstakingly crafted with mature composition and sophisticated, beautiful arrangements. The band is legit without a doubt; back are Ettore Vigo, Pino di Santo, Martin Grice, and Mimmo di Martino. Newer members include guitarist Roberto Solinas and bassist Fabio Chighini. They are joined by a string quartet and guests including the amazing Sophya Baccini among others. No shortage of talent! Lyricist Mauro La Luce was brought in and the perfectly representative cover art was painted by Anna Ferrari.

The album "Il Nome del Vento" (which if my awful translations skills are accurate would be "The Name of the Wind") is a skillfully blended and thoroughly fulfilling combination of sophisticated symphonic progressive rock and jazz-rock excursion. I have heard many attempts by today's decent high-profile bands at capturing something this ambitious, and even when the results are mostly good, there can be some sections that make me wince a bit for reasons of either poor composition or iffy production/performance. You will find none of these kinds of bush league mistakes on “Il Nome del Vento”; this album is flawlessly executed with carefully considered compositions, painstakingly perfect production, and immaculate performance from top to bottom. If there is any negative charge to be leveled at Delirium for this album it will come from those who feel they play it too relaxing, not wild enough for adrenalin loving prog fanatics.

Consider a quote like this from the book Scented Gardens written about 1974's Delirium 3: "All Delirium albums are pleasant enough but sound too common and pedestrian to be really interesting." [Scented Gardens of the Mind]. I have written often enough myself that even the high quality modern Italian prog albums lack the "avant-garde" surprises of the early '70s heyday. While that sentiment is true to some extent one should not write off an album like this because it is far from "pedestrian." True that much of the high-minded weirdness of the old days is gone, but what remains is not "common" but exceptional this time around. Maturity is a word the band might not appreciate, but the composition demands that I use it. These tracks are so beautifully written and perfectly arranged that I've realized sophistication isn't necessarily the harbinger of soft middle age as I might have thought. Like Wyatt's recent "Comicopera", Delirium have infused a degree of elegance that few bands of any age pull off.

In attempting to describe moments of beauty for which words don't do justice, I would say that “Il Nome Del Vento” almost has the classic symphonic influence of "Days of Future Passed," the occasional jazz leanings of a Robert Wyatt album, and the upscale rock of a Zuffanti project. The symphonic moments are my favorite when you have these glorious melodic passages rising from the piano, Hammond, or Mellotron. They are grand and stately, adorned with Baccini's lovely backing vocals, gentle flute and string passages, lovely to the point of intoxication. The title track is the perfect example of this with Sophya's harmonies just heavenly. From these sections they will quite frequently veer into jazz-rock territory with saxophone often taking the lead for some extended workouts. The third component are the rock guitar leads which break through here and there to keep things from getting too laid back, and the bass playing is strong and bubbly throughout. During some of the rock sections with flute the inevitable Jethro Tull comparisons may pop up again, but really this album sounds little like Tull to me. It sounds a lot like Delirium delivering the masterpiece that perhaps eluded them in the 1970s. This is an hour long journey that is going to please many progressive fans of all stripes.

My favorites are of course the melodic lushness of the title track and the amazing blend of saxophone, flute, and piano jamming on the 10 minute highlight "Dopo il Vento." Every song is strong and the little details keep popping up with each new play. I am truly grateful that these legends of the Italian scene were able to have the chance to make this music and that I was fortunate enough to hear it. This is one title to embrace in a relaxed manner. It's not a "type-A" personality album you want in rush hour traffic, it's really an album that begs one to pour a drink or two and listen to relaxed and without multi-tasking. Take in the high level of detail and care given to the performances. Listen to how effortlessly the string quartet is woven into the composition, how the performances just excel from everyone. Listen for the vocal debut of the young Valentino Vera who I believe makes his first appearance and does a wonderful job! Feel the optimism in the cycle of life that the band seems to exude throughout every inch of this project. It is music that feels reassuring, somehow wise, not something you feel everyday. This is without question one of the premier releases of the 2000s, a triumphant return for this outstanding progressive band and I imagine they must be thrilled with the results.

Black Widow Records scores another big victory with this Delirium return. They deliver the disc in a tri-fold digipak boasting great artwork, a beautiful 24 page booklet filled with color photos and lyrics, a bonus track, and even a bonus video. I've only spent a short time with this album thus far because I wanted to get a review up and get the word out about its release. I give them 5 stars based on a quick initial impression of about a week, but we'll have to see if that holds up over time. Sometimes they don't but I've a feeling this one just might. Bravo Delirium!

930

Barbaro (Ma non troppo)
Present

A review by Mellotron Storm:

It's been 8 long years since the last Present album ("High Infidelity") so I  was very anxious to get the new one. I received it about a week ago and have been giving it plenty of spins. Interesting that the core six of the lineup from "High Infidelity" are still here. Roger Trigaux and his son Reginald on guitars, Pierre Chevalier on piano and keyboards, Dave Kerman on drums and percussions, Keith Macksoud on bass, and Matthieu Safatly on cello. We also get Pierre Desassis on sax, and our own Udi Koomran is back to make sure this sounds perfect (and it does). This comes with a 3 hour DVD of live material as well. I'm going to focus on the studio album only. One of the first things I  noticed is that this album has no vocals, it's an all-instrumental affair. The length of this cd is just over 44 minutes of music, which for me is really refreshing after all those 70 plus minute cds we seem to get these days. Three tracks including a cover of Univers Zero's "Jack The Ripper" from their "Heresie" album. Maybe it's just me but this new Present album has more in common with their first two records then the ones in between.

"Vertiges" is a good example of this with the collage of sounds that fill the soundscape. It's just a joy to try to pick out all the different sounds that come and go. Some great piano then it settles with cello. Some huge bass comes and goes as well. This is great as the tempo continues to shift in an intense 6 1/2 minutes, then sax 8 minutes in. A haunting calm before 10 minutes then it kicks back in after 11 minutes in this great section. Eerie sounds as it settles before 12 minutes, then lots of cello and abrupt outbursts. The tempo starts to pick back up before 14 minutes, then nice bass lines with guitar, and the piano that follows really impresses.

"A Last Drop" opens with piano then these prominent bass lines join in. So much going on though,and check out Kerman! This builds to an intense climax then an eerie calm follows. A pleasant calm after 7 minutes then it kicks back in, but it's building; this is amazing! It settles once again after 8 1/2 minutes pretty much to the end. "Jack The Ripper" has this dark and haunting intro (surprise) as cello joins the sparse piano. More intense after 2 1/2 minutes as it builds, then settles with guitar and cello 5 minutes in. It kicks back in with slicing cello and some fat bass. A dead calm 7 minutes in then strange sounds come in as it builds. So intense 10 minutes in then we get a calm. It's building again with piano this time and strange guitar sounds. Suspense until 14 1/2 minutes in, then picks back up 15 minutes in to the end.

This has to be in my top three of favourite Present albums along with "Certitudes" and "Le Poison Qui Rend Fou".

931

Frequency
IQ

A review by AtomicCrimsonRush:

"The first atomic bomb was dropped on a military base called Hiroshima...."

"Frequency" begins with a voice over speaking of a nuclear assault. The intro is unbelievable! The impressive music is beautifully executed, Mike Holmes' clean soaring guitars, chugging riffs like Led Zeppelin, ambient sustained mellotron and keyboard pads by Mark Westworth, with expressive, creative drumming from Andy Edwards, the bass by John Jowitt is played virtuoso style as well. The vocals of Peter Nicholls are clean, inviting and uplifting, sounding somewhat like Neal Morse at times. "Frequency" is an incredible followup to 2004's "Dark Matter". This is marginally the better album of the two, though "Dark Matter" was certainly a very good album. There is more innovation and stronger compositions on this conceptual work. Due to the strong melodies throughout this album it is a genuine grower, and you are likely to love each track the more you listen to it, nothing on it is a throwaway or filler, it is all solid prog at its best. I heard it three times in a row and eventually succumbed to the fact that this, as far as I am concerned, is one of the most uplifting prog albums of recent years and I rate it as a masterpiece of neo prog.

‘Frequency’ is one of the best IQ numbers, with solid time signature changes and a positive sound with special effects and melancholy keyboards. Mike Holmes' guitar riffs are dynamic and the lead breaks are emotive and Pink Floydian. Nicholls' warm vocals spell out the main themes of the album: "Before I was undiscovered, When I was invincible, Nobody could kill the silence, And probably no one will again, The future was unrelated, Alternatives all pursued, The lives that got separated, When others were split in two." It is a brilliant composition and unforgettable.

‘Life Support’ begins with beautiful piano and sustained pads and then those warm emotional vocals chime in. This is so uplifting, and reminiscent of Transatlantic. The lyrics are reflecting on life's trials and how to overcome. The mood changes as a thunderous sound is heard and it builds to a crescendo then a lead guitar swoops over as drums keep a steady metrical pattern. Westworth's spacey synth is alienating and futuristic, similar to the type heard in electronic music. It is a lengthy instrumental and as good as it gets. The synths merge with majestic guitar leads. A very melodic motif repeats in various forms and locks into your head. It is absolute bliss when the band are in full flight. The wind effects are airy, ethereal and haunting towards the end. I adored this track the first time I heard it and it gets better with each listen.

‘Stronger than Friction’, an ironic take on Stranger Than Fiction, begins with a melodic guitar riff, and the positive vocals of Nicholls harmonise about ways of living "until our worlds collide". At 3:50 the heavy beat halts and an ambient mellotron soaked pad sizzles along as the vocals become softer and the whole song becomes a"turning tide". I like the fast riff at 6:40 where the time sig changes completely again and the vocals are more aggressive. The sporadic bass and drums are off kilter and there is a lilting keyboard and ascending lead guitar break. One of the true highlights of the album and in fact the first 3 tracks are prime example of Neo Prog at its best.

‘One Fatal Mistake’ is a melancholic ballad, a gentle soothing sound that warms you up. The lyrics are encouraging and lift up the spirits; "Imagine all you could have been, Eventually you would have seen, The wanderlust, And all you dared to dream of, If ever you make one fatal mistake, You broke me, you have no idea, In darkness I see more than hear, Impossible, even I can say, Many would have walked away." There is always a ray of hope injected into the lyrics that talk of how to overcome despair and difficult circumstances. The melody is very pleasant to the ears and musically there is a lot on offer here especially the transfixing guitars and keyboards.

‘Ryker Skies’ features thick buzzsaw synth and flowing acoustics. I first heard this on a Prognosis CD from the Prog magazine and it stood out as much as it does here. Once again the atmosphere is ambient textures of melancholy reflection. The lyrics are emotive; "I'm reeling, fighting for breath, Running on empty, A fortress carved out of steel, Black and surrounding, No other survivors, the walls without end, So where have I come to?" A very strong bass and drum beat with crashing cymbals kicks in. The lead break is replete with bends and pitched picking. The next section of vocals sound like Ayreon's deep robotic effect voices on "Universal Migrator";"Welcome, hero, to Ryker Skies, Where all your hopes are stored, You can leave responsibilities in ruins at the door". The mellotron is ever present as the cleaner vocals of Nicholls take over with high octaves; a very nice sound and killer melody as the song swings in to full gear; "Get it knocked into your thick skull, It's really not that hard, It's a cast iron binding covenant, And this is just the start, There are insults and injuries, You've heaped upon yourself, But you play the victim, While you pile the blame on someone else". This track has some of the most memorable lyrics of IQ and the chorus, once it gets in your head, you will never forget that melody; "So before I state my intention to live or die, I command your total attention In Ryker Skies." I love the way the track merges into a full blown keyboard attack. Once again a throbbing beat ensues like the machinated pulses of Ayreon. The acoustic flourishes are a lovely touch, adding to the very airy atmosphere. I would rate this as a proposed single from the album, as it is more commercial in sound, but this does not detract from the musicianship which is excellent throughout. A wonderful song.

‘The Province’ is a 13 minute IQ romp with textures of light and dark, moments of tension and release are present and infectious melodic verses. The style at times is not dissimilar to the sound of Peter Gabriel's Genesis. There is a heavy guitar riff that overpowers the soundscape after a time. The staccato synthesizer chords are fantastic as tradeoffs with guitar. There is a lot of acoustic work but it is well balanced by the heavier sections. There are many changes in tempo and mood and it progresses into minimalist piano and vocals at the end; "I cannot count the many ways cos' there's nothing real... before the wireless kills."

‘Closer’ is as far removed from the obscene industrial NIN song of the same name as you can get. It is a balladic song with positive vocals that are close to Neal Morse or Spock's Beard; "Slandered and betrayed, A character assassination, Watch the guilty fade, Now the work is done, Ghosts of early days, Gather round the later rivals, All parade upon the earth to which they're bound, Silent in their course, They steal across the icy stations, Words are useless now, They fall upon the ground." The song builds gradually until we get a majestic instrumental break with soaring keyboards and then a beautifully sung verse with powerful lyrics; "Hold on, when I'm dead and gone from you, Remember me as light breaking through, Stay strong, any time you feel you're lost, I will carry you back across". The piano motif becomes hypnotic toward the end repeated as guitars and sporadic drums maintain a melancholy mood, closing the album in style.

Overall, "Frequency" is the best I have heard from IQ, melancholy, with moments of heavy tension, and those soaring powerful vocals; this is neo prog at a virtuoso level and I think it's one of the albums of 2009. Accessible and soaring vocally, atmospheric and ambient musically. A masterful work of high quality musicianship.

932

Tall Poppy Syndrome
Leprous

A review by Conor Fynes:

Although music is not, and never should be confined to narrowly prescribed music genres, most genres have one or two bands that really pave the way for the rest. In the case of progressive metal, the torch was lit by acts like Dream Theater, Pain of Salvation and Opeth, and most of the bands now piled into that label are disciples of one or more of those leading acts. In the case of these bands then, the mark of excellence comes when the band is able to take the existing style and create something equally as powerful with it. Along with other young progressive metal acts like Circus Maximus and Haken, the band Leprous have distinguished themselves here not with an album that breaks any of the rules, but rather that takes the existing conventions of progressive metal and bombasts them to the level of being a legitimately excellent listening experience of its own.

While not well-known at this point by many, Leprous play a familiar style of dark melodic progressive metal, with overtones of classical music clearly heard in the songwriting. As with many similar bands, Leprous' highly impressive technical abilities are among their greatest strengths. Through tight, often melodic writing, the band's skills are still able to show. Leprous are always sure to include an ample dose of beauty and melody to metal, especially through the vocal work, which is quite simply brilliant. Einar Solberg's higher register vocals may remind some listeners of Pain of Salvation's Daniel Gildenlow, and the comparisons to that band probably won't stop there.

Perhaps the best thing that Leprous does here isn't necessarily the songwriting, which is strong albeit derivative, but moreso the brilliant way in which things are arranged. The background vocals are enriched with lush harmonies, and intelligent riffs that play over each other. However, much like other bands like Circus Maximus, the music itself may be great and the band may be as talented as any other in melodic metal, but the lacking of originality is what really holds back the band from reaching a level of mastery they can truly call their own.

As with any excellent album though, the promise and potential shine through clearly, and one is led to wait eagerly to hear what the talented Leprous will conjure up next. Put simply; 'Tall Poppy Syndrome' is one of the best recent melodic progressive metal albums in the style of the older legends.

933

The Whirlwind
Transatlantic

A review by Conor Fynes:

Since the 1980s, much of the so-called progressive rock mainstream has become something of a contradiction. While the meaning of the word 'progressive' inherently means to be moving forward with something, many prog rock bands opt to go for a sound that might sound a little too much like the old giants in Genesis or Yes. In other words; these bands may be able to craft highly intelligent suites of music and play their instruments with often virtuosic skill, though are not holding true to their label and actually moving the sounds of rock music forward into the future. Such is the somewhat discouraging case with prog rock supergroup Transatlantic, a band that features an all-star cast of prog musicians. From well known bands like Spock's Beard, The Flower Kings, Marillion, and Dream Theater, Transatlantic's reputation preceeds them, and their individual talents as musicians and artists cannot be disputed at this point. With their third album together, Transatlantic makes an expansive two-disc set of music with 'The Whirlwind', an album that received great amounts of praise from prog rock circles in 2009. Looking back on it, the talents of each member is shown quite clearly in the music here. It is no small feat to create an hour plus epic suite, and all things considered, Transatlantic pays an immense gratitude to the old greats of progressive rock with this album. However, even factoring the masterful execution of the album into the judgement here, “The Whirlwind” still feels more like an homage to 1970s prog rock, than an individual artistic statement of its own.

From start to finish, “The Whirlwind” dishes out all of the cliches and trademarks of classic prog rock epics into one sprawling piece; orchestral introductions, recurring musical themes, fantasy-based lyrics, and liberal instrumentation. The first disc of this double album is entirely devoted to the title track, a seventy seven minute observation that draws upon each of the band member's talents and in no dearth of musical ideas. Although mostly a Neal Morse and Roine Stolt driven project here, all of the band members put their distinctive sounds into the music. Although having risen to fame as being a metal drummer, Mike Portnoy's distinctive drum sound translates very nicely here into the laid-back prog rock that Transatlantic plays. Moreover, all members sing on this album, although once again, Stolt and Morse take up much of the disc time with their voices.

On top of a spot-on execution in terms of performance and production, the album is also very well composed, although this should not come as a surprise to anyone who has heard the music of any of these musicians' flagship bands before. Although “The Whirlwind” is a bit shallow in emotional dynamic, everything is given a lush arrangement, as is best heard in the complex keyboard and vocal harmonies. However, although the execution of the music here is close to perfection, the formula that Transatlantic is using still feels stale, no matter how much flash they may try to douse it with. As has already been said, “The Whirlwind” offers very little to a listener that they have not already heard before; pleasant and cheerful symphonic progressive rock was already mastered as an art form a good forty years before this album dropped. Moreover, there does not feel as if there is much contrast or dynamic throughout the seventy seven minutes of length. The emotions are kept fairly light, and there are rarely any moments of cutting tension to give the epic a sense of dramatic conflict. Although this constantly mellowed and 'rose-tinted' music may have been exactly what Transatlantic was aiming for, it can feel slightly monotonous even long before the epic wraps up. 'The Whirlwind' in total though is quite an enjoyable piece of music, and although the whole act feels fairly unoriginal and not as inspired as I may have liked a project like this to turn out, the sheer depth of the performance and arrangement to the music is alone worth the experience.

Onto the second disc here; 'The Whirlwind' does feel as if it ends on the first disc, and the second is simply a compilation of bonus material. A compilation of some less successful original material and cover tracks, the same musicianship is carried over here, but especially with the covers; the whole thing feels somewhat unnecessary. Due to the fact that Transatlantic's entire gimmick seems to be around making 1970's progressive rock, the covers don't bring anything new to the songs that would be worth checking out on their own, unless the listener is a big fan of any one of the musicians playing. In any case, while the second half of Transatlantic's project here is much less successful than the main attraction, it does not deter from the power that the band has conjured here. Although I do feel somewhat underwhelmed by the band's derivative style and the band would be a failure were it not for the legendary talents of these men, “The Whirlwind” is still a perfect record for a listener looking for a complex piece of revivalist symphonic prog rock.

934

Tick Tock
Gazpacho

A review by Mellotron Storm:

“Tick Tock” is a concept album based on the book "Wind, Sand And Stars" by Antoine Di Saint-Exupey, which was about his real life long distance flight from Paris to Saigon in 1935 that ended with him crashing in a desert. Listening to this album with this in mind really adds to the music considerably. The title "Tick Tock" is a metaphor for the walking that this man and his co-pilot did through the desert. Check out the lyrics though, as this is brilliantly done. And the music like on the amazing "Night" album is so lush and atmospheric. Just a pleasure to get lost in these soundscapes. I was reminded a lot of latter day Marillion only I'd say Gazpacho do it better.

"Desert Flight" opens with jarring guitars as vocals then drums arrive. Synths and some killer bass before a minute, Mellotron before 2 minutes as it settles and lots of atmosphere before 4 minutes. The tempo starts to pick up 6 minutes in, then it dies (they crash) with violin and piano a minute later as the wind blows. I have to say that for me this album gets better as it plays out which is such a cool thing.

"The Walk" is very Marillion-like early with percussion, reserved vocals and acoustic guitar. Mellotron before 3 minutes, violin a minute later, and an atmospheric calm 5 minutes in. It turns to a Middle Eastern flavour after 6 minutes, and the second part of "The Walk" is similar to the first part but even better with the strummed guitar and mellotron being more prominent. Great lyrics here too as he sings about the struggle to survive in this walk through the desert; "The long haul back in no direction and no one knows we’re ok, And the curve of the horizon a masterpiece, survival on adrenaline it's over soon, Doesn't everyone have their own walk to walk".

"Tick Tock" is the incredible 22 1/2 minute title track that's divided into three parts. A tick tock-like rhythm as vocals come in, an amazing sound! Lots of atmosphere, and a fuller sound 4 minutes in. A sudden burst of a male choir upon the soundscape before 6 minutes is a nice touch. In part two the drums and bass are heavier. Piano joins in and there’s such an uplifting sound after 2 1/2 minutes. It settles after 5 1/2 minutes but you can still hear the tick tock as it builds. It turns even quieter before 8 minutes, then flute and tons of atmosphere 9 1/2 minutes in. Part three comes in and the song comes to life with the tick tock, drums, bass and piano. The guitar sounds great 1 1/2 minutes in. The tempo and mood continue to shift in an emotional section. Mellotron 3 minutes in. Check out the lyrics in this part: "You silence every love, yet you always starve for more, your'e only waiting time, lucky to be alive, lucky to be alive". "Winter Is Never" is pure emotion for me, the triumphant conclusion; he sounds like Hogarth here. 4.5 stars.

2007

885

Doomsday Afternoon
Phideaux

A review by AtomicCrimsonRush:

A sprawling masterpiece of intense dreamscapes and symphonic ambience.

The much heralded Phideaux eventually came to my ears, after reading a stack of reviews that hails the albums as masterpieces. First impression was a reaction of amazement as I was lulled into a dreamy state, with some of the most beautiful music I have heard. It was when I arrived at ‘Crumble part 1’ that I was convinced that this would be one of the best prog albums of recent years. Some of the lyrics were very strange and did not resonate with me at all, especially the bits that spout on about "satan has come again bringing some of his friends, he has won, his boys are having fun, satan's angels swarms to catch the tide," (though in context it fits the concept of environmentalism and doomsday and government brainwashng and experimentation). It is a very Pink Floyd like album in many respects and that is good enough for me. I was reminded of Porcupine Tree and Anathema among others, with very pleasant listening, darker overtones and multiple instrumentation to virtuoso standard. The icing on the cake is the female vocals. On subsequent listens the music tended to take on a different atmosphere; it can be uplifting or even melancholy depending on how you approach the album with a specific frame of mind. I felt myself drawn into the music, it has a hypnotic effect that lures in the listener and drowns them in the atmospheric soundscapes. The whole thing about the 'deathstar' was a strange odditty for a “Star Wars” fan to listen to, but it was nonetheless enjoyable, nothing to do with “Star Wars” apart from the odd title.

The whole album deserves to be heard a few times before making up one's mind because it is jarringly infectious; the tunes began to haunt me and I was humming them as I walked about days after. The celtic influences are astounding with some pretty female vocals and sweeping synthesizer washes. The rhythms interchange between fast tempo and slow, with a myriad of tension and release passages, including swathes of mellotron, Hammond, flute, violin, piano, acoustics, and clavichord such as on ‘The Doctrine of Eternal Ice part 2’. The multilayered vocals of female and male intertwine to create some ambient textures that soar into the stratosphere, majestic and epic, even bombastic but delightfully progressive.

Each track seems to blend into the next creating a conceptual whole that is in depth and very powerful. The ominous tones of ‘Thank You For The Evil’ are stark and prevalent with a sense of impending doom. It crawls along but has some inspired acoustic flourishes, synth swirls and garish symphonic nuances. The synth sounds Pink Floydish, as do the lyrics, "back down in the safety net, by the television set, remember that you had a choice, opened up your mouth and had a voice, it's been gutting them, it's been gutting them, it's been gutting them." The instrumental break is appropriately downbeat. I really liked this lengthy compelling track and it has a mesmirising impact on the listener.

‘Formaldehyde’ is a masterpiece of prog on its own; permeated by female vocals and some harmonised male vocals with a driving flute and meandering synth rhythm section. It twists and turns in many directions with an odd time signature and very sporadic drumming; simply a wonderful track by any standards.

‘Microdeath Softstar’ ends the album on a glorious epic note. The bright organ truncates along until a chiming synth takes over. It builds to an epic orchestration, with the same uplifting melody. I liked the harmonised vocals here, and the soaring lead guitar break is joined by sweeping violins, Celtic in flavour and indisputably progressive. The female vocals are brightly coloured soprano variations. The multiple violins really get a chance to shine here as a dominant driving voice. The guitars are a bit heavier and the musicians take off into full flight in the mid section. There is a delightful time sig change towards the end, a verse "do not speak" and then swathes of guitar and synth trade offs as a violin fills in the gaps. The spacey guitar is sensational at this point. The lyrics are memorable, "I'd like to say it's over and we will be okay, and that you'll feel the same." The finale is psychedelic more than any other moment on the album, "once upon a time there was a line that we have drawn we wouldn't cross" and even better, "Fear leaves a trace of something stained, a wasteland of memory of how we failed, but all we need is time, all we need is time, but time's too damned unkind."

At the end of the album, I realised what the fuss is all about and why this is hailed as one of the best prog albums of 2007. It simply is a stunning masterpiece, a magnum opus of melodic, powerful, structures, a myriad of emotional textures dark and light, layered with strong vocals and intensely complex orchestration, a work of love and passion where the artists known as Phideaux have poured their spirits into every moment, every instrumental, every vocal. Believe the hype.

886

Sola Scriptura
Neal Morse

A review by SouthSideoftheSky:

Neal Morse is a recent encounter for me and I do not know any of his work with Spock's Beard or Transatlantic, but I have heard his three most popular solo works: this one, “?” and “Testimony”. Of these three albums, I like this one the most, and compared to the other two, “Sola Scriptura” is darker, more aggressive and intense; it rocks harder, at times flirting with Prog Metal sounds, and there are far more instrumental workouts. In that sense at least, I find this more 'progressive'. There are still the sweet Beatles-esque melodies, but they are more finely woven into a much bigger tapestry and the long compositions are more complex in structure.

What's perhaps best of all is the fact that this album comes across as much less 'preachy'. Like on “Testimony” and “?”, the subject matter is still religion, but “Sola Scriptura” is more about religion than in religion (a useful distinction I learned while studying religion at the university for two and a half years); it is more of a historical portrait than a personal 'testimony'. This time the religious praising comes out of the mouths of Martin Luther and the Catholic Church respectively and not, like on “Testimony”, from Morse's own. This helps a lot to make the album's message more acceptable for me as a confirmed atheist and secular humanist. I feel much more sympathy for Martin Luther's very real struggles against the authoritarian Catholic Church in the 1500's than for the 'spiritual struggle' of a Rock musician in LA in the new millennium.

With the presence of piano, synthesisers, electric and acoustic guitars and violin; the sound here often evokes Kansas, and Morse seems to have picked up more than a few tricks from Kansas' main songwriter Kerry Livgren who also happens to be one of my own all time favourite songwriters. Morse is walking in the footsteps of Livgren in more than one way as Livgren is also a born again Christian. They know each other too we may assume as Livgren played guitar on Morse's “Testimony” album. However, this is no Kansas clone or any clone at all for that matter, Morse has found his own style here within the framework of Symphonic Prog. This may not be groundbreaking music, but it is also not derivative in any objectionable way in my opinion.

Overall, I find this album highly enjoyable with strong compositions, great instrumentation and interesting tempo and mood changes. Highly recommended!

A review by AtomicCrimsonRush:

“Sola Scriptura” is one of the finest efforts from Morse; full of progressive elements that would satiate the palate of any proghead (like myself).

It begins with the blistering 29 minute epic ‘The Door’ which is broken into many parts like a multi movement suite in classical music. This is an incredible sophistocated piece of prog that thunders at times with awesome guitar riffs and at other times there is a solitude of acoustic and mellotron beauty. Portnoy on drums is at his best as usual, but it is Morse's vocal performance that gives this a majestic quality outside the realm of the type of material he was doing with Transatlantic, or, for that matter, Spock's Beard. His heart and soul is poured out on this CD in 76 minutes of musical virtuosity par excellence.

‘The Conclusion’ is a mini epic running for about 17 minutes. It is a worthy addition to the Morse catalogue with complicated tempo changes and metrical patterns that range from Adante to Presto time signatures; 4/4 standard to complex couplets or triplets in 9/8 and beyond.

‘Heaven in my Heart’ is a beautiful ballad in true Morse style with emotional depth about his pure faith in God. Listen to that heavenly guitar for a great example of accomplished musicianship.

It ends with the wonderful 16 minute ‘The Conclusion’. What else? The concept of theological church history is strong but never overbearing towards the music as a whole. I appreciate how Morse has not sold out his prog roots even though his music has changed direction from the Spock’s Beard years. In fact the material on this album is some of the heaviest Morse has performed, including crunching guitar riffs and a very dark tone overall. This is definitely an excellent addition to any prog music collection.

887

Ziltoid the Omniscient
Devin Townsend

A review by Conor Fynes:

The mad scientist of metal is at it again with this humorous and satirical delving into what can only be described as a form of comedic Space Operatic prog. Devin Townsend weaves a tale in “Ziltoid The Omniscient” of a self-conceited alien being that seeks coffee to fulfill his time-travelling desires. In taking over earth (with his virtuosic guitar skills) a rebellion is formed, led by Ziltoid's nemesis, Captain Spectacular. While the plot is obviously not meant to be taken seriously, the music (at points) can be extremely beautiful and powerful.

The music is best described as a heavier version of the typical Devin Townsend band work, mixed with a dose of Devin's extreme metal band, Strapping Young Lad. There is some very heavy material on this record. 'Ziltoidia Attaxx!!!' is bone-shattering, to say the least, and Devin's screams have never sounded better in any of his work than on “Ziltoid”.

The ironic thing about this album is despite its considerably high rating, it was recorded in Devin Townsend's living room! There's a real sign of talent when someone doesn't even have to leave the confines of their house to write something so entertaining. However, it is this fact in which the album suffers the most. For the most part, the production quality is fine; while it doesn't match up to the Devin Townsend Band material in terms of sound quality, all things considered, it's very good. The thing that bothers me about this album though is the fact that all of the percussion is played by a drum machine, and not a living, breathing human being. While purely musically, things are fine and the compositions are great, the album would have just that much more power if it used real musicians. Drum machines should be left as a jam tool, not a band member.

One song that really seems to stand out is the laid-back 'Hyperdrive.' Despite it consisting of a pretty simple guitar riff, and garbled vocals, it creates such an amazing atmosphere and feeling of loneliness, as if the listener really is travelling through the coldness of space.

While releases like “Terria” and “Ocean Machine” have more of an immortal quality about them, “Ziltoid The Omniscient” is actually one of my most initially enjoyed albums, and demonstrates that you don't have to write serious music, to be serious about music.

A review by AtomicCrimsonRush:

And now an album review from the mighty Ziltoid.

Greetings humans, I am Ziltoid...the omniscient. I have come from far across the omniverse to present this album review of my latest recording. While I am writing this you shall fetch me your universe's ultimate cup of coffee... Black! You have five Earth minutes.

The first part of this conceptual masterpiece makes one very important observation. That I, Ziltoid am so omniscient that if there were to be two omnisciences's I would be both! Then the music kicks in at break neck speed on 'By Your Command'. A song that is guaranteed to blow your head off.... twice! Prepare yourselves for the subjugation! This track features brilliant time sig changes, progtastic lyrics and ambient levels of scintillating soundwave effects and did I mention the breakneck drum patterns? It is during this mindwarping song that my commander comes before me and I ask him, Have the humans delivered their ultimate cup of coffee? I sip it and my reaction is one of disgust! Fetid! How dare they present this to me! Foul! They hide their finest bean! Prepare the attack! The metalicious riffs ominously pound as if some machine were stalking, searching for prey. And the musical mayhem continues.

But my commander tells me some bad news. The humans are preparing themselves for the attack! But I do not flinch and reply. Excellent! Have you prepared the Planet Smasher? And the Planet Smasher is prepared to crush the puny planet. The human with the funny American War voice states: Now listen here men! We represent the planet Earth! I want no heroes! They are coming over the horizon as we speak! We gotta be ready to take them down! Hold your position men! Do not fire until I tell you to fire! Have you got that? The troops yell as one, Yessir! Captain Spektacular is ready to attack.

'Ziltoidia Attaxx' thrashes from the speakers and absolutely drives headlong with monster guitar riffing and huge wall of sound symphonic blasts. It has to be heard to appreciate its full metal onslaught. You’ll love it, puny Earthlings!

'Solar Winds' slows things down indeed and is a beautiful prog classic. Then 'Hyperdrive' and 'N9' bring things up to speed with massive time signature changes and killer riffs to die for!

But, I, Ziltoid, feel like a good bit of entertainment; time to destroy the planets. Which one shall it be? This one? No.too feeble. This one.yes, perhaps. Yes. This one shall do nicely. Commander. Divert all the power from the main engines to the front guns and take ninety percent of the surplus power and divert it toward the sonar awakening device. We must summon the 6th dimensional planet smasher, I feel like a bit of fun. Summon him!

The Planet Smasher awakes and screeches, “Who dares awaken the planet smasher!” My reply is as strong as it needs to be, “It is I, the 4th dimensional Ziltoid the Omniscient!” 'Planet Smasher' rips out unmercifully. It is an absolute thrash metal frenzy of relentless drumming, a barrage of choppy metal riffs and megablasts of bass and beyond. A metal feast of a beast.

This is followed by other classics such as 'Color Your World' and 'The Greys.' These two amazing songs are beautifully produced, well-sung psychedelic and memorable songs. In fact all the songs are memorable... indeed!

But the bonus disc is a real let down - Dreadful music... phooey and double phooey!

When you first hear my album you may find yourself resisting its quirky humour and Monty Pythonesque absurdity... but it will grow on you... mark my words, humans.... it will grow on you like a fungus from Ziltoidia! And when it does, as your head hits the pillow you will not be able to get these metal riffs and mellow melodies out of your heads. It will haunt you day and night. You will be subjugated indefinitely.

Don't believe me? Foolish humans. I will have my revenge.... You will be subjugated. But suddenly, I feel so…vulnerable. You have not seen the last of me! You have not seen the last of Ziltoid!

888

Fear Of A Blank Planet
Porcupine Tree

A review by Finnforest:

"How can I be sure I'm here."

“Fear Of A Blank Planet” (FOABP) is a compelling and ambitious piece of modern rock music that aims high and really achieves it’s goals. The subject matter is dark and relevant and also cyclical, isn't it? We get the stories of disaffected youth in every generation and I'm reminded here of "Subdivisions." While I think Mr. Wilson lacks the poetic pen of Mr. Peart ("Any escape might help to smooth the unattractive truth, But the suburbs have no charms to soothe the restless dreams of youth") he still does a reasonably good job of explaining the emptiness that this generation of kids is dealing with.

The title track starts things out quite well I think with the ominous guitar riff and catchy crunch. "How can I be sure I'm here?" is a key line of the track and gets those of us one generation on from these kids to think to ourselves: what exactly can we say, what can we do to respond to that need, to that blank despair they have? We know in ourselves that Blank Planet is a mess and yet we couldn't stop ourselves from allowing another generation to fall prey to the same crap. We segue nicely into "My Ashes" which features some gorgeous melody although to be quite honest, Wilson owes Thom Yorke a royalty check for this track. Is this an outtake from "OK Computer" or what? Maybe so, but it is still a pleasing track.

At near 18 minutes, "Anesthetize" qualifies for epic length status, featuring blissful noise guitar and lots of room which is very good. Alex's solo is fitting and quite nice although with 18 minutes to spare they could have easily given him a bit more space to elaborate. We later get into some near metal moments that nicely balances the rather pop sounding chorus in this track. What makes the track is the section from 12 minutes on where things are calmed down before a last perfect guitar lick goes to flatline; nice ending to a truly great track.

"I never wanna be old and I don't want dependents"; What a line to open "Sentimental" with and one that too many of us can relate to. This is an absolutely gorgeous song that again strikes me as pretty Radiohead but much more palatable to me. Where Radiohead will usually bore me before making me care, Porcupine Tree seems to be able to make this work deliciously well.

"Way Out Of Here" is really, really good; lots of variance in texture and pace, a beautiful chorus, Wilson's best solo, and some very inventive drumming in the metalish sections. Listen closely to this track as it might be the best on the album.

"Sleep Together" unfortunately ends the album on a slightly weaker note. The "big" drums joining in at one minute are the first mistake; they should not be there or they should have been far more soft and ambient. The chorus seems pretty contrived to me and the song plods in places. I think "Way Out" would have been a better closer personally.

The material here focuses mainly on youth but I'm sure, given Wilson's age, that he is seeing more than "kid and x-box" when he speaks of the Blank Planet. We are entering a century with problems that seem insurmountable, from the cultural to the environmental, war, disease, poverty, justice, personal responsibility, religious fanaticism, on and on. These things, and many more, are what we all have to deal with, let alone the challenge of having a fulfilling and happy personal life. I'm sure that Wilson feels the kids have the potential to confront these problems, but are we giving them the support they need, and are we listening to their concerns about themselves, or is it easier to give them another gadget to distract them? Can we put aside our demands from our jobs to spend that extra time with them? Have we really gotten to the point where a prescription for anti-depressants is an essential part of growing up? All of the tenets of our prized economic system that hold things together have the downside potential to the human condition and perhaps Wilson will delve further into the broader picture on future albums. Are we better off continuing down this road of success as defined by profit growth potential or will there have to be a scaling back of expectation of material success at some point? While such a shift would hurt us short term economically, would not it shift back the emphasis of life to personal relationships, time to slow down, to perhaps embrace art over yet another "goal", and to leave the electronic Blank landscape for one with a heart, pulse, flesh, earth, water, soul. Smaller community based existences for which family and connections to each other are enough, for which we are not fed this message that to succeed means "you must want it ALL, and then push for MORE." I don't mean to go off the deep end here with personal musings, but these are the thoughts that FOABP brings to my head and maybe some of you have the same thoughts.

Just one more: I remember being a kid and longing for summer vacation. I remember endless days with no structure, roaming the fields behind our neighborhood with friends and exploring. Playing. Being free. Hanging out in the basements of friends or riding bikes down to the park. I remember dreading the beginning of the next school year. Perhaps those of you who grew up in the 60s and 70s know of the world I speak. Last week I heard a 13-year old exclaim how she is dreading the END of the school year and it's going to be SO boring in summer. How things change. But is that for the better? Is growing up now so about learning conformity and structure that kids today cannot deal with down time? Have they forgotten how to be kids? Does every moment of a child's life have to be filled with structured activity? League sports? Summer school programs? And is the only alternative to that of the Blank Planet? I don't know but my gut tells me that kids today have been cheated out of a certain type of childhood that I can't imagine missing. What I do know is that I'm glad I'm not a kid in today's world. And we need to explain to these kids why summer is NOT boring. Again sorry for the long story but I feel it relates to the music in question. The subject matter of FOABP hopefully will help lead to these discussions in the place that matters most: living rooms.

An undeniable modern rock classic.

A review by Conor Fynes:

Although it will arguably never reach the same level of success and achievement as it did in the 1970's, progressive rock is not dead. In fact, some of the decade's best music was crafted by progressively-inclined acts. Porcupine Tree is the defacto leader of modern prog rock these days, with a string of masterpieces under their belts that more than justifies the attention they have received. Throughout the late '80s and '90s, musical mastermind Steven Wilson developed Porcupine Tree from what was originally a tongue-in-cheek psychedelic experiment into something more serious. Though a bit older than some of the other bands on this list, Porcupine Tree never really hit their stride until the 00's, opening the new millennium with such now-classic albums as 'Lightbulb Sun' and 'In Absentia'. Virtually perfecting their atmospheric blend of art rock by 2005's 'Deadwing', Porcupine Tree then set their sights on something different. Emphasizing their existing feelings of melancholy and exchanging their psychedelic tinge in favour of metal, 'Fear Of A Blank Planet' saw a much darker side of the band's music than ever before.

The album is a six piece concept revolving around the tribulations of modern life, through the eyes of a teenager. Porcupine Tree expose and reflect upon the sort of ambivalence and apathy that plagues the middle-class lifestyle today, with Wilson's brooding lyrics touching upon everything from prescription drugs, hypocrisy and media to the emotional results of this environment; isolation, helplessness, and thoughts of suicide. Make no mistake; Wilson tackles these topics with a poetic soundness that keeps 'Fear Of A Blank Planet' from ever becoming a weepy mess. Most of the loose narrative here is told through the eyes of your everyday pill-popping, disillusioned youth, and Wilson manages to adopt this persona in his lyrics without getting preachy or didactic, much like a prog rock J.D Salinger. As one might guess, the music isn't too far off the lyrics in terms of its moodiness. There is plenty of dynamic here, ranging from soft electronic ambiance to moments of extreme metal aggression, possibly a reflection of our protagonist's bipolar disorder? All of the chaos within the mind of this teenage everyman is channeled through Wilson's brilliant-as-ever production.

'Fear Of A Blank Planet' rests in a perfect balance between a sense of cohesive flow and distinction between songs. The title track gives us a dense blast of dark art rock and introduces the subject matter. 'My Ashes' and the spacey piano-driven 'Sentimental' are a more relaxed slice of Porcupine Tree, toning down the energy and heaviness without losing any of the feel. 'Anesthetize' is the album's seventeen-minute cornerstone, an absolute monster of a track that summarizes everything the album is about, featuring both the album's most mellow, and most aggressive moments all within one composition.

'Way Out Of Here' is possibly the most immediately appealing track, with the melancholy now amped up to 11. Finally, 'Sleep Together' ends the journey on an ambiguous note, with exotic string sections blazing and dark electronics filling up the sound. The album ends with Wilson singing about relieving the pressure, and burning his possessions. Has he found enlightenment or is broken through his apathy, or killed himself? These things are left up to the mind of the listener, and makes 'Fear Of A Blank Planet' the greatest statement from one of today's most impressive rock groups.

A review by AtomicCrimsonRush:

"I dream of escape, but a song comes onto my i-Pod..."

This concept album has certainly made an impact in the prog community, hailed as one of Porcupine Tree's finest and for good reason. There is so much on offer on this excellent project. The actual concept of the album was heavily influenced by Bret Easton Ellis' novel "Lunar Park", a story told from the perspective of a father, and the difference here is the album tells the story from the perspective of the 11 year old son, Robby. The lyrics are often taken directly from the novel, focussing on the themes of two typical neurobehavioural developmental disorders that affect modern teenagers, namely bipolar disorder and attention deficit disorder. As I work with some kids with these disorders the album definitely touched a few chords with me. A member of my family has suffered in one of these mental illnesses and I know how hard it is to cope with this even from a third party perspective. The lyrics also deal with the youthful aspirations of attempting to escape by turning to drugs, or X box games, I-pods and technology that cause social alienation. The mass media gets a real serve on this album as the cause or part of the cause of this disassociation, and I think the album has some potent remarks on the harm that is being done with the mass appeal of technology based infomedia.

The album begins with the killer title track that pounds along at a brisk pace and has some absolutely wonderful melodies. The song is unforgettable and is the best on the album. I always liked how the lyrics mention X Box as a symbol of techno addiction.

'My Ashes' sounds like 'No Quarter' by Led Zeppelin at some point, perhaps noticeably the keyboard sound encapsulates the psychedelic atmosphere. It is a song filed with pathos and pain but with dark beauty. The lyrics are quite downbeat as is most of the content of the album. There is a melancholy feel throughout, and it really punches a hole into the consciousness as one listens to the album. It seems to get darker and more intense in mood from track to track. 'My Ashes' is a homage to the last chapter of the novel where the ashes of Bret's father are scattered effectively burying the memories of his life.

'Anesthetize' is the multi movement suite masterpiece that drew me to the album in the first place; a 17 minute epic with incredible guitar interplay and powerful synth lines. The melody is brilliant and the lengthy instrumental section is prog bliss; a track to be heard over and over. 'Sentimental' is a very gentle sad song with sweet melody lines, similar to the chords used in 'Trains'.

'Way out of here' is another of the masterpiece songs that deal with some very tough issues. The lyrics are full of mystery and intrigue; "Out at the train tracks, I dream of escape, But a song comes onto my i-Pod, And I realize it's getting late, I can't take the staring, And the sympathy And I don't like the questions: "How do you feel? How's it going in school? Do you wanna talk about it...” These sentiments seem to capture the teenage angst experienced in adolescence when one does not feel understood and loses track of communication with others. Steven Wilson explained partially some of the content of the album in "Revolver" music magazine when he stated, that the protagonist of the tale was a "terminally bored kid, anywhere between 10 and 15 years old, who spends all his daylight hours in his bedroom with the curtains closed, playing on his PlayStation, listening to his i- Pod, texting his friends on his cell phone, looking at hardcore pornography on the Internet, downloading music, films, news, violence." This is why the lyrical content mentions these technological mediums, though it does not attack them as much as one may expect, at least not as much as Wilson who has infamously smashed i-Pods and MP3s on many occasions.

'Sleep Together' is a popular live track and although I look upon it as one of the weaker tracks here it still works as a good way to close the album, putting the protagonist to rest as he searches for love in an interminably cold faceless world.

My final thoughts are that this is an album that gets better over the years like a fine wine. On first listen I was impressed with about 3 tracks but the rest kind of washed over. On returning to the album after a long break, I began to appreciate the material as a whole concept which is hauntingly melancholy and bleak, and yet imbued with an uplifting ray of hope entrenched within. It certainly is one of the best albums of 2007, even winning Collaborator's album of the year on progarchives.com, and it is a thought provoking master work from a brilliant band.

889

The Machinations of Dimentia
Blotted Science

A review by UMUR:

Blotted Science is the new project from guitarist Ron Jarzombek (Watchtower, Spastic Ink) and Bassist Alex Webster (Cannibal Corpse). Charlie Zeleny (Behold...the Arctapus) plays drums. This is tech metal of the highest standard, but it differs a little from the usual tech metal madness. First of all there are no vocals on the album, and secondly allthough this is very technical music, it´s still listenable. I think much credit for this should go to Alex Webster who probably have pulled the project in a more "simple" direction. Actually the album is pretty heavy, so don´t expect this to sound like fairy haired prog metal. It´s more in the vein of heavier Spastic Ink.

I enjoy this album very much, but it is not a masterpiece for two reasons. First of all, I think vocals would have done the trick to some of these songs. They would have been complete. Don´t misunderstand me though, they work perfectly fine without the vocals, it´s just me who likes vocals. The other thing I will complain about is the length of the album. With demanding music like this I think it´s a bit much with 16 songs even though some of them are short. I know this is an eternal discussion, but I generally don´t think albums should last more than 45 minutes with a few exceptions.

This is a 4 star album though. It´s one of the best I have heard in this genre. Ron never seems to disappoint.

A review by AtomicCrimsonRush:

The metal shredding on "The Machinations of Dimentia" is akin to having your head lobotomised with a surgical drill. The intensity of the sound is mind numbing, and you will love every minute of it if you are a technical metal addict. Every track is technically precise and full of surprising twists and turns. The bass is jack hammer pounding at times as distorted riffs grind powerfully through the brain. It is little wonder the music is this brutal coming from the hands of extreme bands such as Cannibal Corpse, Watchtower, Spastic Ink, Obscura and Hate Eternal.

Tracks such as 'Synaptic Plasticity', 'EEG Tracings', 'Activation Synthesis Theory' and 'The Insomniac' absolutely annihilate with power shredding and some of the most incredible lead guitar work on the planet. Every track has astonishing dextrous guitars, drum blast beats and hammer smashed basslines. The furious attack of stop start riffs may be too extreme for some but what really draws me to this Meshuggah like band is the fact that they are devoid of any vocals. There are none so there is no interference with the mind blowing metal. Too often great bands are ruined in my opinion by screamo or gravel gargling vocals and when these are removed the band is simply brilliant.

There are moments that allow the music to breathe such as the dreamy guitar picking on 'Adenosine Breakdown' and even jazz nuances abound on this track, before it revs into high gear and spirals wildly out of control. The screeches of guitar distortion are joined by delirious off beat signatures and polymeters. The axe man is a master of rhythmic precision and very complex patterns, none other than guitarist extraordinaire Ron Jarzombek, and he is joined by Alex Webster on bass and Charlie Zeleny on drums. Together they are a glorious force of killer metal.

'Amnesia' begins with incredible bass that is as good as I have heard, and then manic frenetic lead screams over a breakneck speed riff. This is intense wall to wall shredding and blast beats. Everything is going at warp speed and it makes the heart race quicker as the grinding pounds. 'Laser Lobotomy'features Slayer-esque lead work and riffing throughout, as fast as you would need, and yet maintains some Steve Vai type lead breaks and absolutely flawless technical rhythms.

This is one album to get hold of for shred heads and is definitely some of the most technical metal I have ever heard. Skull crushing metal from beginning to end with relentless brutality, but there is a market for this and without vocals it is all the better. Not for the faint hearted but an important album for the development of extreme metal.

A review by Conor Fynes:

To put it simply, this is the most accomplished technical metal release ever created.

While the genre of technical progressive metal has a bad name in the eyes of some for it's typically overindulgent and mindless showboating and lack of substantial depth, there will always be bands, or albums, that really excel and break through the barriers of convention to deliver something that really blows the doors away. While the metal world is full of greatly talented, skilled and even genius musicians, I will admit that there have been only a handful of albums that have impressed me so much on a musical level in instrumental metal, and arguably none that have blown me away as much on a technical level as Blotted Science does however. While this is not going to be the order of the day for everyone, 'The Machinations Of Dementia' is easily one of the greatest instrumental albums ever made.

Essentially the brainchild of virtuoso guitarist Ron Jarzombek (of Watchtower/Spastic Ink fame), Blotted Science was created out of the urge to make a progressive metal supergroup of some of the most talented and skilled musicians in the scene. What might come as a bit of a shock to the progressive side of the prog metal scene, is that the bassist chosen to be part of this project is Alex Webster, of Cannibal Corpse. While Cannibal Corpse isn't exactly known for their penchant of thought-provoking themes and music, they are indeed talented musicians and Alex Webster's frantic bass work steals the show here. With a presence much greater here than on most other albums, the technical bass display adds a dimension to the music that really compliments Jarzombek's left-of-center guitar playing. Add in some near-obsessive mathematical drumming from Charlie Zeleny (of Behold... The Arctopus) and Blotted Science comes together to produce something that is nearly unparelleled in terms of it's complexity and chaos.

Although the music is entirely instrumental, the concept of mental illness and psychology flows throughout the album, as is conveyed through the song titles. As with all great concept pieces, the music reflects the nature of the subject matter; frenetic work, crushing heaviness and mathematically impossible polyrhythms give 'Machinations' a very unsettling and disturbing feel to it. While there are a few tracks that stand out on their own as individual songs ('Laser Lobotomy,' 'Night Terror') the album generally flows together as a long piece. While such complexity and technicality can be overwhelming over the course of fifty-odd minutes, the high level of compositional quality and experimentation lies throughout.

Possibly best described as an 'instrumental technical death metal' album, Blotted Science gets very heavy amongst the technicality. 'The Machinations Of Dementia' is an insanely complex and immersive listen. Any fans of progressive metal should find something to love here, but make no mistake; you'll be exhausted by the end of it.

890

A Time Of Day
Anekdoten

A review by AtomicCrimsonRush:

A Mellotron-soaked maelstrom of ambience.

Anekdoten's 2007 album "A Time of Day" is a strong melancholic atmospheric work with very slow paced easy listening material, mixed with bursts of dynamic creativity. Each track tends to blend into one piece so it is difficult to define any highlights for me. Having said that, '30 Pieces' is my favourite track as the time sigs and vocal style are memorable among all the instrumental sections that the album capitalises on. This track also has a killer riff in the instrumental break and some wonderful flute. There are moments of sheer tranquil bliss in the same vein as King Crimson, Transatlantic or Porcupine Tree. There are passages of deep mellotron mixed with spacey guitar embellishments, and the cymbals crash in like waves on a beach. The music transports you to an imaginary location; I can picture a forest with sun bursting through the clouds with the golden rays blessing the treetops. The soundscape is a beautiful transfixing serene texture with shades of light and dark.

The vocals are quiet and reflective such as on the acoustically driven 'A Sky About To Rain'; "How did it ever come to this, I can't pretend that nothing changed any longer... Ignore the space between the lines, don't act so surprised when you knew it all along each and every lie bursts a hole into my soul." Powerful stuff.

There is not a lot of heavy rock on this which may alienate some of the fans of earlier heavier Anekdoten. The fantastic up tempo 'In For a Ride' is as heavy as they get and even this is layered with pleasant sounding keboard motifs. The vocal style on this is similar to Gentle Giant as are the rhythm breaks. However, as in the case with Opeth's "Damnation" that did not have a shred of metal on it, this is a nice departure for the Swedish band. It takes them in a new direction with waves of gentle keyboards, focusing on duel mellotron layers, and a few detours with some heavy drum beats and solid guitar breaks. The riff on the instrumental passage of 'A Sky About to Rain' is notable as a memorable killer riff, but for the most part the mellotron orchestration dominates.

Overall Anekdoten have a real winner here and it may pleasantly surprise you as it did me. It will grow on you with its infectious melodies and solid virtuoso instrumentation. I have to award this musicianship and consistent high level of innovation 4 stars at least.

A review by Bonnek:

If you want to know how much I marvel at Anekdoten's music, I will simply refer you to my “Gravity” review. “A Time of Day” continues in the same vein as “Gravity”, with some extra proggy things thrown in for good measure, such as vintage prog instruments like moogs and flutes and some unexpected interludes and alterations in some of the songs.

Even so it took me months to appreciate it, I could tell a similar story to that of other reviewers. I liked it at first but it didn't really gel until I gave it another spin in the spring of 2009. I've played it an uncountable number of times since and it still continues to blossom more intensely. That is how slow and simultaneously addictive this music works on you. So be warned and go out and buy this now. Just like a good wine this needs a few years to season.

I initially gave this 4 stars because I like the bleak beauty of “Gravity” even more, but since this sits definitely in the top 5% echelon of my discography, 5 stars it must be. There's few contemporary bands that crawl under my skin like this.

A review by Sean Trane:

Few groups take as much time between albums while still managing to release them at regular intervals. Only Tool seems to be able to be more parsimonious. While Anekdoten's last two studio albums had not raised that much enthusiasm from fans, the first being vacuous and thin, the second foraying in the wrong direction, this was in my opinion Anekdoten's fifth breath of fresh air. With an artwork (in a digipack) hinting at Vemod's paganism and mystery, the return of Anna-Sofi's cello, a wider array of keyboards and even some occasional flute (by guest Bergsten), indeed giving the whole album an impetus that was absent since the late 90's. I must say that for me, this was their last chance before I gave up if another poor album was released.

After an enthralling lead-off track ‘Great Unknown’ (the usual Anekdoten realm track plus a great flute), comes one of the most unusual but extremely successful tracks ‘30 Pieces’. It starts out like an 80's pop track (Nordin's drumming will keep this characteristic for much of the 7-min+ track) and slowly evolves to become a wild four minutes instrumental interplay passage, where the superb flute takes the lion's share of the spotlight; Very refreshing and a great start to this album!

‘King Of Oblivion’ (with its shared verses between Jan and Niklas) and ‘A Sky About To Rain’ (with a slower and ambient ending that's overstaying slightly its welcome) fail to maintain the superb level of the first two, but both would've been highlights on the previous “Gravity”. The short instrumental ‘Every Step I Take’ (with a post rock feeling, especially the guitar part), ‘Stardust And Sand’ (a very acoustic ballad that reminds me of ‘War Is Over’ from the previous album, but better), the gloomy and furious ‘In For A Ride’ (with its great inter-verse lunacy bits) and ‘Prince Of The Ocean’ (slow, lengthy and haunting) end the album on the same level as it started.

While not quite of the level of their now-mythic debut or its violent follow-up, this album is indeed a return to form, forgetting the emptiness of “From Within” and easily outdoing “Gravity”. Having maybe found a start to their new direction without losing their souls, Anekdoten is one of the better bands from that second 90's prog wave

891

A Gentleman's Hurricane
Mind's Eye

A review by Gatot:

Mind's Eye was initially a progressive band where the main characteristic of the music was melodic and heavy. Some have termed them as marrying heavy metal and progressive rock, taking influences from bands like Rush, Yes, Queensrÿche, E.L.O, Winger, Toto and Genesis. The embryo of the band started in 1992 when Johan Niemann (bass) and Daniel Flores (drums & keyboards) met Fredrik Grünberger (guitar). They first called themselves Afterglow, recorded and made a self-produced, self-financed promotion CD named “Afterglow”. In 1997 they finally got a deal with a record company and recorded their first CD “Into the Unknown” for the American label. The album was well received in both American and German press. This "A Gentleman's Hurricane is my first introduction to the band. Based on this album I can say that the music of Mind's Eye is similar to Royal Hunt, but with more energy in most of its compositions. Put it in a more suitable category, the music of Mind's Eye (especially this album) is a heavy progressive AOR with song-orientated compositions characterized by a catchy melody.

If you like Royal Hunt, you might love this one...

The opening track "Praying for Confession" is a grandiose composition where the musical arrangement is quite complex and challenging with a great string section plus nice textures. I was so impressed with this opening track and I expected what follows would be something similar. As a matter of fact, I did not expect the grandiose opening to happen in the next tracks. I really enjoy the second track "Seven Days" which characterizes the melodic and heavy style of the music. Yes, you might find similar riffs as Dream Theater, but it's obvious that the music of Mind's Eye is nothing similar to Dream Theater. If anything, it's probably a very small portion of the music that fits with Dream Theater’s style.

"Assassination" sounds like Asia performed in a heavy mood. The next track "Chaos Unleashed" confirms the similarity of Mind's Eye with Royal Hunt, especially during the intro part.

"Hell's Invitation" is a provocative title and it has excellent composition with a riff-based rhythm section. The next song "Feed My Revolver" moves in a similar vein with its predecessor followed by "Ashes to Ashes (In Land Lullaby)" which has a good combination between mellow and heavy parts. The guitar solo is stunning. Almost all songs share similar styles that sometimes make me a bit bored with the rhythm section. I know that as far as individual tracks are concerned, you cannot deny that the individual song stands out firmly as excellent tracks. But when it's combined into one cohesive whole, I find there are limited diversities from one passage to another or one song to another. I know that the composition of each track is excellent and you might find that "Pandora's Musical Box" is an excellent example of their tight composition. The problem is there are minimum tides between high and low parts.

Overall, I would recommend this album for those who like AOR in heavier composition. The individual song is strong in melody and tight composition. It's an enjoyable album even though I feel "bored" after three-quarters of the album due to not enough diversity as an album. Those who like Royal Hunt, Styx, Coheed and Cambria and Kansas would love this album, I believe. 3.75 stars overall rating.

892

Viides Luku - Hävitetty
Moonsorrow

A review by Mellotron Storm:

Whether you are a fan of the music or not, it is difficult to argue that Moonsorrow are not masters of epic metal. Through a notably consistent and accomplished career, the band has crafted immense pieces of music that, more often than not, transcend the barriers of metal and go to lengths that few folk metal bands ever do. 'V: Hävitetty' is the fifth full-length album of Moonsorrow, and I could argue that it is their best. Throughout the course of an hour, Moonsorrow makes it clear that they are in an entirely different league than any of their Finnish compatriots, and one of the best at what they do. With only two tracks here to make up the hour of music that 'V: Hävitetty' offers, the catchy drinking tunes usually associated with folk metal are non-existent here, instead giving way to two compositions of metal that are epic in the truest sense of the word. 'V: Hävitetty' is a masterpiece of metal, to put it simply, and although long-winded at times, I would love to see a detractor of the genre still arguing their common points that it is merely a style of 'noise' or 'screaming' after hearing this.

'V: Hävitetty' takes the form of two epic-length tracks, 'Jäästä syntynyt/Varjojen virta' and 'Tuleen ajettu maa'. Contrary to the majority of the bands that reach some level of international acclaim and fame, Moonsorrow choose to remain singing in their mother tongue of Finnish, and while it would often be difficult to make out what the singer was saying through all of the dense instrumentation and raspy cries that make up most of the vocal work here, it is still a testament to the band's unwillingness to compromise. Anyone who has heard something from Moonsorrow before will have some idea of what to expect right from the start; grand orchestrations from both metal and folk instruments, complex arrangements, drawn out compositions and a triumphant tone to everything they do. Here though, there is certainly a little more of a black metal feel when compared to music they had released in the past, although there are no profound stylistic changes to really mention.

Instead of changing up what they have grown up doing as a band, Moonsorrow instead chooses to refine and intensify their existing sound. Simplicity is rare, and even possibly non-existent in the vocabulary of 'V: Hävitetty'; quite commonly, multiple instruments of many different timbres will be playing at once, giving the semblance of a folk metal orchestra. As one might expect, all of the details within the music are impossible to all pick up from the first listen onwards, and it is this sense of exploration and engrossing nature of the album that makes it so good. Although the album is never too quick to develop or change its pace throughout each song's monstrous length, it is difficult to leave 'V: Hävitetty' on merely in the background, due to the fact that there is too much going on to go unnoticed. The production of the album can sound a little weak at times, but this is almost certainly due to the fact that Moonsorrow jammed so much sound into the mix that the competition between instruments makes things a little cloudy.

For an album that is so instantly enjoyable and emotive, 'V: Hävitetty' is surprisingly challenging. A masterpiece of the genre, and contrary to what some might argue, this is the way folk metal was meant to be done.

893

Frames
Oceansize

A review by Bonnek:

Unlike the albums that preceded it, Frames sounded slightly disappointing at first. I heard flashes of good songwriting, but somehow Oceansize seemed to have lost some of the appeal, diversity and emotionality of the predecessors. As it turned out, this is their first album that has grown on me instead of gradually losing my interest, and that is always a good indication that there are proggy things abound. While I would not really add my voice to the legion of fans who call this their best album to date, it's certainly not less than the preceding ones, only different.

Commemorative T-Shirt starts as an homage to Oldfield's Tubular Bells. It grows into a captivating epic rock song with beautiful vocals, brilliant drumming and 3 thick layers of guitars. It's one of the first Oceansize songs that doesn't remind me immediately of some other band. Oh yes, they have grown up.

Unfamiliar continues the thick guitar tapestries and varies them with catchy and intricate riffing. Again it's remarkable how much they have matured. The verses still have a regular indie vocal line, but the music below it explores more sophisticated areas and time signatures. Quite ironically, even though it's the shortest track here it's a tad too long.

Trail of Fire is another big composition. I sure hear some Porcupine Tree influences here, more so than on their previous albums. If Oceansize didn't want to be tagged prog before, then they sure fully embrace it here. 

Savant is a welcome rest-point, it's a slowly progressing post-rock study with plenty of spacey guitars and vocal effects, which might be another indication of the Porcupine Tree influence. Only Twin gradually picks up a higher speed again. It's not the easiest track to get into, a lot of gloomy atmosphere is built up during the first half, but the melodic development in the second half could have been better.

An Old Friend is one of the most chilling moments here: brooding minor chords, ghostly whispers and a slowly pounding drum beat. Almost hesitantly, beautiful guitar picking is added on this funeral march. Halfway in, heavier guitars lift up the mood. Not for long, the ending progressively decomposes the sonic texture again, till only the bass note remains.

A bit of creepy feedback builds up and launches into the heavy Sleeping Dogs, featuring complex time signature riffing that is similar to how Porcupine Tree incorporated math rock influences on In Absentia. It has potential but the wilder section with the distorted screams should better have been handled by a guest vocalist with a real death throat. Now it lacks that stroke of real aggression to make it work.

The Frame ends my version of the album. (Even though the package says 'bonus Live DVD', they didn't deem it necessary to add the superior bonus Voorhees!). The Frame hasn't yet convinced me of its qualities, the vocal lines aren't really remarkable. As far as I'm concerned, Voorhees should have been the preferred pick to end the album. It's an 11 minute epic with rich textures, dramatic crescendo's and passionate playing.

This band never sounded much like space-rock to me, more like post-rock or experimental/post metal. This trivial notion is still relevant when it comes to rating the album. It's a 3.5 stars that I would have to round down when comparing it to Floyd masterpieces. However, when compared to similar bands like Tool, Maudlin of the Well and Anathema, 4 stars are deserved.

2006

872

Si Partie 1
Nemo

A review by Mellotron Storm:

Very interesting release from France with these experts of contrasting the mellow and heavy passages, and besides they also use mellotron. Enough said? Not quite.The vocals are in French and add a nice flavour to their sound as he can be quite theatrical at times. I've really grown to love this record and I'm going to seek out their back catalogue now.

"Douce Mort" features so many tempo and mood shifts, but at almost 17 minutes in length you'd hope it would, right? It opens with different sounds coming and going including piano, drums, mellotron and guitar with no real melody until after 2 minutes; it's a good one, with a nice heavy sound. It settles right down after 3 minutes and whispered vocals arrive later that build in strength as mellotron waves wash in. This is all so good. The tempo picks right up as a full sound comes in and vocals follow. We get some heaviness for 2 minutes. A calm returns with lots of piano, then more heaviness, and it sounds amazing! It's very catchy 14 minutes in as vocals, guitar, synths and bass lead the way to the end of the song. The bass is quite heavy.

"Ici, Maintenant" opens with piano as reserved vocals come in. Heavy drums and guitar 1 1/2 minutes in as passionate vocals arrive. Great passage! A calm after 3 minutes is broken 4 minutes in as it gets heavy with organ added this time. Ripping guitar follows and vocals after 5 minutes are back. The final minute of the song is mellow with strummed guitar and vocal melodies.

"Miroirs" opens with riffs as the organ screams. It settles when vocals come in. Lots of synths 3 minutes in and a heavy sound 4 1/2 minutes in. The vocals are almost spoken at this point although they become strong to end the song. "Si" is so fragile for the first 2 1/2 minutes as vocals tremble and keys and bass lightly play. Drums start to change and after 4 minutes it gets heavier. Guitar solo 5 minutes in with some strong vocals a minute later with organ runs.

"Apprentis Sorciers" is the 20 minute closer that opens with some fine bass as piano, guitar and drums create a jazzy flavoured sound. Synths open the way for a terrific guitar solo. This leads to a full sound 4 1/2 minutes in as organ arrives, and it sounds great. It calms down quickly before building to a powerful sound. A catchy section follows that is again sort of jazzy before a guitar solo 9 minutes in. The song pretty much becomes silent before vocals and then piano come back. Some bluesy guitar after 12 minutes and it builds again in power until 14 1/2 minutes in we're there. Nice. It settles right down again to a beautiful section with piano, guitar, light drums and then vocals 16 1/2 minutes in. It's slowly building until an incredible sound 18 minutes in including vocal melodies. The final minute is brighter with some great drumming, piano and guitar.

This was such a pleasure to listen to at the end of this long winter we've had. Prog helps when spring seems so far away. Lots of snow still just like on the album cover.

873

Om
Negura Bunget

A review by Conor Fynes:

Widely considered to be the holy grail of Romanian black metal, Negura Bunget's 'Om' has a reputation that precedes it. Although widely unknown to those outside of black metal circles, the band's brand of 'spiritual metal' leaves an impression, and I would go on record saying that this is the best album the band ever made. Although somewhat more challenging to appreciate than much of the atmospheric black metal out there, Negura Bunget's 'Om' does reveal its grandeur over time, and while still not amounting to the genre's crowning achievements, 'Om' delivers on all counts.

The band is sure to face some debate as to what particular style of music they play here is, but it can be held to reason that Negura Bunget do not ever stray far from the sound of black metal. As one might tend to expect then, the heavier aspect of this music is dominated by higher register growls, atmospheric guitar riffs, and the abrasive drum techniques that define the genre. Negura does this style with some great skill, always sounding professional and letting the dynamic ebb and flow naturally. What makes 'Om' an excellent album though is the fact that there is a wealth of changes in the sound here; there is more than black metal at work here. A listener would be hard-pressed to find a segment of heavy riffing and metallic darkness that lasts more than a few minutes without the more mellow and introspective side of the band coming into play. It is in fact the mellow, ambient side of Negura Bunget that I prefer, as they seem to paint a vaster sound with it.

Long sections of ambience and mellow interlude tend to drag on for a while, but they do sound incredibly beautiful. Every now and then, some pleasant folk instrumentation will pop up, giving a more authentic feel, but much of the 'pretty' side of Negura Bunget is left up to a keyboard, which is commonly heard as well during the heavy moments of the album. The band plays their compositions very well, and are clever to make added nuances over the abrasive guitar textures. Whether it’s the quiet sound of a bell harmonizing with the melody or changing keyboard chord, Negura Bunget has left plenty of easter eggs to hunt for on this dark, spiritual journey.

Negura Bunget have found an excellent album here with 'Om', although it does feel a little longer than it should have been. Nonetheless, a wholeheartedly recommended album for the more atmospheric and introspective side of black metal.

874

In a Flesh Aquarium
Unexpect

A review by UMUR:

Expect the Unexpected is the title of a song from the sole Control Denied (Death main-man Chuck Shuldiner´s side project) album The Fragile Art Of Existence (1998) and that title fits Unexpect´s second full-length studio album In a Flesh Aquarium like a glove.

This second album by Unexpect is female led avant garde extreme metal with lots of twist and turns, tempo and time signature changes and an integrated use of violin in the music as well as quite a few electronic elements too. While the female vocals are the most dominant vocal style on the album there are also quite a variety of growling and aggressive male vocals on the album; a nice schizophrenic mix that works wonders. The songs are very complex in structure and just when you think you got a hold of where a song is going, it unexpectedly changes. The music is very extreme, dissonant and at times almost eerie and unpleasant. A feeling of uncontrollable chaos (the same feeling I get when I listen to 666 International (1999) and Supervillain Outcast (2007) by Dødheimsgard orDHG if you will). In this case this should be understood as something positive. There´s a kind of freak show/ carnival atmosphere to the music that I find very charming and the classical chamber music elements also gives the music much of it´s identity. There are plenty of heavy and fast guitar riffing and intense drumming on the album too, so even though this is a very progressive and rather avant garde metal album it´s first and foremost an extreme metal album (there are elements from both black, death and thrash metal in the music).

The album is sort of divided into two parts. The first four songs are intense and challenging progressive/ avant garde extreme metal songs but the fifth song Silence_011010701 is an electronic/ symphonic track that serves as a variation and a breather before the second part of the album begins with the sixth track Megalomaniac Trees, and then into the three part suite The Shiver. The album ends with the 11:10 minute long Psychic Jugglers. There´s not a weak moment on the album. It´s overall a very strong album.

The musicianship is excellent. Unexpect is a seven piece band and the interplay between them is outstanding. The vocals are a real highlight among many. Leïlindel is a powerful female vocalist who masters both the angelic and the semi- operatic style to perfection. The male vocals are also really enjoyable. Very aggressive and intense.

The production is really good, but I found that the album didn´t sound too good on my car stereo where the drums kind of drowned. It sounds much better on my home stereo equipment though.

In a Flesh Aquarium is a very challenging listen and some people will probably never find the charm in an album like this. Don´t expect the music to be accessible. It´s taken me many listens to fully appreciate this music. I must admit that I started out being rather skeptical about the whole thing but In a Flesh Aquarium has really grown on me to the point where I´ve begun to view it as one of the most important progressive extreme metal albums in recent years. I had the intention of giving the album a 4 star rating but as I listened to In a Flesh Aquarium a couple of extra times in a row before writing this review it really dawned on me how unique this album is and I think I´m gonna have to give out a deserved 5 star rating here. This is mandatory listening for fans of progressive extreme metal if you ask me. A really essential and highly recommendable album.

A review by Conor Fynes:

Among all of my musical travels, I have not quite come across either a band quite like uneXpect (sic) or an album quite like their sophomore 'In A Flesh Aquarium'. They have a weird, nightmarish sound that has since become my quickest association whenever I hear the term 'avant-garde metal' being passed about. One part technical, one part dramatic, and ten to twenty parts weird, uneXpect creates a record with 'In A Flesh Aquarium' that is incredibly fun, yet also one of the most challenging records I have ever heard. A lasting contradiction in virtually every way, the fact alone that uneXpect leaves this reviewer at a loss for words should be testament enough to its quality. A sheer masterpiece in originality and exploration of chaos, 'In A Flesh Aquarium' is an unforgettable experience, for better or worse.

When attempting to describe the music here, labels truly elude. Is it thrash metal? Death metal, symphonic metal, even industrial metal in parts? Even the somewhat pedestrian term 'clown metal' seeks to explain the strange, yet utterly distinctive style that uneXpect plays, but I think the best way to discuss the music of this enigmatic ensemble would be to simply call their music 'avant-garde metal', in every sense of the word. There is not a track or minute that goes by that won't raise the eyebrow of even an adventurous listener on his first time through. Jazzy, pummeling bass licks and gypsy-tinged violins make up the highlight of this band's sound, but for the most part, the music is driven by an eclectic range of metal guitar styles, going from the rapid pacing of thrash chugging, to atonal jazz leads to higher register riffs and even some black metal sounds. The vocals are even more diverse, with both male and female clean singing through and harmonizing, and a host of different 'unclean' growlers rasping their way through some incredibly surreal and nonsensical lyrics.

The tone of the album is very dark throughout, but it is done in a playful way. In this sense, 'In A Flesh Aquarium' is much like a cult classic comedy; suited only for very specific tastes, but the tastes it does adhere to will be certain to blow some minds. Each track here maintains the same playfully malefic vibe to it, but different things are employed in each. 'Feasting Fools' is a highly thrash oriented tune, whereas the most memorable and unsettling piece 'Desert Urbania' is a piece of dark metal with roots placed in dramatic theater and gypsy music. Lastly, the epic 'Psychic Jugglers' could easily be seen as an orchestral piece set to some twisted theatrical work for stage, making little narrative sense through the poetic yet somewhat overindulgent lyrics, but piecing dramatic effect together through the musical intensity. One issue that robs 'In A Flesh Aquarium' of its seeming inhuman perfection though is the general lack of inconsistency throughout some of the tracks here. Especially during the three part suite 'The Shiver', the music feels as if it loses some of the same majesty it first had with the first three pieces that opened up this album. Despite not being entirely mind blowing and brilliant throughout though, the sheer brilliance and unbelievable quality of the album's majority make it an undeniable masterpiece in my eye.

Make no mistake, 'In A Flesh Aquarium' is not an album for everyone, and many will find themselves turned off by the wickedly bombastic and strange direction of this crazy band. Dare to explore somewhat far into this mad realm however, and one might find some beautiful insanity waiting for them.

875

Erotic Cakes
Guthrie Govan

A review by Conor Fynes:

Even half a decade after this has been released, there has still been some buzz over this virtuoso guitarist's work amongst friends and acquaintances. Being a guitarist myself, I can always appreciate the talent and skill, not to mention the time and effort, that it takes to become a truly great guitarist, but with all too many instrumental rock guitarists, I find myself frankly bored by much of their one-sided, overindulgent music. Enter Guthrie Govan, an English fusion guitarist who, much like Tosin Abasi of Animals As Leaders, seems to be revitalizing the scene of instrumental rock guitar. A rare masterpiece of this sort of music, Guthrie Govan's incredible skill at playing and tasteful tact of songwriting makes his debut, 'Erotic Cakes' essential listening for its style.

As the label of 'instrumental rock guitar' would imply, the center of this music is Govan's axe work, which shows him dabbling in a number of styles, including hard rock, blues, but most notably, hard-edged jazz. Throughout all of these, Guthrie Govan manages to harness his tone and give a clear, fitting sound to all of these different avenues, all the while drawing in seductive melodies and themes into his lead playing. Guthrie could be the phenomenal guitarist that he is, and still end up making a boring album if it weren't for his clever use of melodies and atmosphere in the songwriting. While there are plenty of less structured 'solo' sections where he effortlessly impresses with his beautifully flowing improvisations, each song gives the definite feeling that it is going somewhere, and that the listener isn't merely sitting by idly while Guthrie gives his virtuoso musician's equivalent of a child calling out and saying "hey, look what I can do!" 'Erotic Cakes' shows a satisfying balance of necessary showboating and quality composition. On a less positive note, these songs don't necessarily compliment each other on an albumwide scale, but each song is consistent, despite the fact that he is drawing from a number of different styles.

Making 'Erotic Cakes' an even better listen is that this is not merely a 'guitar' album; believe it or not, there are actually other musicians at work here as well, and talented ones at that. Bassist Seth Govan (Guthrie's brother, I will assume) makes some great slap bass fills here that fill out the sound beautifully, ensuring that there is always something else out there for a listener to focus on, if they want a change from the guitars. The drummer here is best suited for jazz, but manages to fluctuate based on whatever style Guthrie is leading the band into. A really excellent performance here from each member of the band.

I would really love to see Guthrie Govan churn out a second album, because without a doubt, 'Erotic Cakes' is one of the best, if not the best, instrumental rock guitar album I have ever heard. I went into it not knowing what to expect, and came out of it dazzled. A masterpiece album from a style I do not normally enjoy much, 'Erotic Cakes' has me turned on.

876

Posthumous Silence 
Sylvan

A review by Gatot:

I noticed this band underwent dramatic change in their music style when they released 'Artificial Paradise' in 2002. It's totally different from their 'Encounters' album (2000) which I liked very much and represents my first introduction to the band. I fell in love with the opening track 'No Way Out' which showcases one of the best neo-prog songs with killer riffs and powerful melody.

I consider that the concept album 'Posthumous Silence' would satisfy fans of Pink Floyd, Marillion and Radiohead. It opens with a great vibe in a moody and atmospheric 'Eternity Ends' (2:54) which reminds me of the opening of Pink Floyd's 'Pulse' through 'Shine on You Crazy Diamond'. But instead of using bluesy guitar, this song uses atmospheric female choirs. It's really great and it sets the overall tone of the concert. The piano intro of 'Bequest of Tears' (3:05) and vocal work of Marco Gl'hmann reminds me of the opening concert of Peter Gabriel with his 'Here Comes The Flood' using his piano. It's a great opening, really! The basslines resembles the entrance of 'In Chains' (8:55) where the music flows in upbeat mode with nice and soft guitar riffs. This is an excellent track! The album represents a great flow of music with excellent combination of keyboard and guitar work accompanying great vocal lines.

Tracks like 'Pane of Truth' (9:14) are really worth enjoying especially with their emotive style, great accentuation in vocals and tight basslines. The interlude sections of the music are also excellent. You can enjoy wonderful keyboard and guitar work in 'Questions' (6:58) for example. I find this album is enjoyable from start to finish with the closing track 'Posthumous Silence' (5:38).

A review by Mellotron Storm:

This is Sylvan's first concept album and it's about a man who gets to know his daughter through reading her diary. The problem is his daughter is gone, for she has commited suicide. Obviously this is an emotional record lyrically as well as musically. Actually I  have always found Sylvan's music emotional mainly because of Marco's amazing vocals, but also because of the soaring guitar and powerful melodies.

"Eternity End" is a short 2 minute intro track. It opens with synths, the sounds of birds singing and a choir before we hear an explosion (she died). Sampled words and a choir end it. "Bequest Of Tears" features fragile vocals and piano. Cello comes in and the sound of a submarine (symbolic of being drowned in tears). The following melody re-creates the absolute pain he is feeling.

"In Chains" is heavy with riffs and great vocals, especially during the chorus. We get a mellower passage with keys 4 minutes in followed by a nice long soaring guitar melody, then the heaviness comes back. "Bitter Symphony" has a nice little guitar line with almost mono-toned vocals. "Pane Of Truth" is a great sounding song with cello and some beautiful guitar 5 1/2 minutes in. It gets emotional after 7 minutes, then cello and piano follow. "No Earthly Reason" is intense with piano and vocals. "Forgotten Virtue" is a heavy tune. Vocals build to a dramatic and theatrical climax three different times.

"The Colors Changed" is a beautiful song with gentle vocals, piano and cello. The song gets emotional before 2 minutes when the vocals and sound grow louder. The guitar is heavenly 5 1/2 minutes in. "A Sad Symphony" is ok, while "Questions" is much better. The vocals are fantastic and the tone of the guitar is perfect 5 minutes in. We get some riffs as the guitar solos over top. The vocals are the highlight on "Answer To Life". "Message From The Past" has cello, piano and melancholic vocals. "The Last Embrace" is bombastic with screaming vocals. I like it. "A Kind Of Eden" opens with water flowing and birds singing as gentle piano and vocals come in, then the sound does get louder. "Posthumous Silence" has gentle vocals, piano, strings and soaring guitar 2 minutes in. The last words in the song and album say "We failed to notice, to show her we tried.To keep her from falling, to save this sole child..."

This record and Sylvan’s previous two releases are all so well done. It would be hard for me to say which is the better of the three as they are all excellent. Most would choose this one and I can appreciate why. I can only suggest you get all three, and I don't think you will be disappointed.

877

Somewhere Along the Highway
Cult of Luna

A review by Bonnek:

Finally! They got it nailed!

This album is highly regarded amongst post-rock/post-metal lovers and has generally received raving press reviews. And for the first time in Col's career I will join the enthused clapping. While Col is still highly indebted to Isis and Neurosis, SATH is certainly not dwarfed by the music of their heroes, but can stand proudly next to it.

My change in appreciation doesn't come from a change in Col's approach, but it's simply due to the flash of inspiration that has caught them here. Every second sounds tight, tense and focused. The riffs are spiralling round your head like charmed snakes and the quiet parts overwhelm you with atmosphere. The pieces aren't melodic in any traditional sense but there's more attention to harmony then on earlier albums. The quiet song And With Her Came The Birds is a good example.

Even the vocalist is in fine shape. His one-trick hard-core vocals rarely used to charm me, but as it goes with these type of vocals, if they are driven forward by an inspired and crushingly powerful wall of sound, they do the work. There are some subdued soft vocals as well, not outstanding but effective where applied.

The album is varied enough and not too long, though with 65 minutes I tend to either skip Thirtyfour or to stop after the album highlight Dim. An excellent album and sure amongst the best in its scene.

A review by Conor Fynes:

Before purchasing 'Somewhere Along The Highway,' I had no idea who Cult Of Luna were, besides the fact that they were a post-metal band and that this particular album came in high regard. To that effect, when I saw it lying in a used record store, I didn't think twice before picking it up. To my delight, what I was blessed with was one of the most atmospheric and emotionally charged albums I have ever heard.

While most people think of Isis or Kayo Dot when it comes to post-metal, Cult Of Luna really have some solid chops, and give a fine definition of the genre with this album. A concept piece revolving around male loneliness and sole travel, these feelings are transmitted perfectly, as the album is a vessel for emotion.

While a lot of the songs are extended in their length, there's a great deal of repetition used and edgy build-ups traditional of post-music. While the guitars are heavily distorted and extreme screams are used a lot here, there is a feeling that the music itself is not heavy, but instead a very distorted form of mellow. The guitar sludge is used in no short supply, but all the way throughout it feels like everything is under control. It is this sense of control that makes it all the more dramatic when things do get out of control during the most intense segments.

While it's hard to hear the lyrics through the growls and yelling, what little I can decipher fits the music perfectly and really compliments the overlying theme of the album. Things really take an even mellower turn with softer sections such as 'And With Her Came The Birds.' During this particular song, while it's not my favourite musically, it best encapsulates the feeling of driving along a rain swept highway and night better than any other song I've listened to, I believe.

Speaking of musical highlights, they include the opening track 'Marching To The Heartbeats,' the first fleshed out composition (and my favourite of the album) 'Finland,' a very powerful track that doesn't forget to have it's tender and sweet moments and 'Dim,' another mostly instrumental track in the typical post-metal vein. Overall, this album fits together perfectly, and each track compliments each other. Dare I call this one of my favourite metal albums of all time, but that wouldn't be very far from the truth at all. A really inspirational work in the realm of metal, and the perfect introduction to this Scandanavian band.

878

Stati Di Immaginazione
Premiata Forneria Marconi

A review by Warthur:

PFM's Stati di Immaginazione is an all-instrumental album from a lean three-man PFM lineup with guest keyboardists. Musically speaking, it doesn't so much remind me of their 1970s heyday so much as it makes me think of Steve Hackett's late 70s/early 80s solo work, or perhaps The Lens' sole album "A Word In Your Eye". Although there are some fast-paced bursts of energy, overall the mood of the album is calm and reflective, the performers playing for the joy of playing rather than to make any particular point.

There's an almost neo-prog vibe to it, which isn't so bad to my mind. It's nice to know PFM have kept an eye on the prog scene rather than stayed mired in their past, but it may put off purists who were hoping for something resembling their first three albums. It's great, but not essential; perfect if you're in the right mood, but there a number of equally good or better albums that cater to that exact mood too.

A review by Mellotron Storm:

This album is absolutely stunning! I was very surprised at the darker and more aggressive passages (which suit my tastes perfectly) that are on this album  but PFM have still kept that beautiful symphonic music that they're famous for. A nice blend, and the sound quality couldn't be better.

"La Terra Dell'Acqua" opens with some excellent atmosphere before the drums and synths start to dominate. Bass follows, then mellotron and violin; such a gorgeous sound here. The tempo picks up 3 minutes in and check out the bass, drums and guitar! It then settles with piano before 5 minutes before the guitar and drums start to lead the way again as the sound gets much fuller. Nice. A top three track.

"il Mondo In Testa" opens with piano as violin joins in. The sound kicks in around a minute. It settles again as the tempo continues to shift, then violin is back followed by vibes. "La Conquista" is another one of the top three for me. It opens with guitar before heavy drums and bass arrive, then violin and vibes. A beautiful calm 2 1/2 minutes in, building just like my emotions.The guitar then starts to solo. "Il Sogno Di Leonardo" opens with gentle guitar as flute then synths join in, so uplifting. Piano then what sounds like orchestra sounds after 3 1/2 minutes. A bass solo comes in then themes are repeated.

"Cyber Alpha" is the other top three song. This features dark guitar melodies as synths then drums join in. The guitar starts to solo; just pure emotion here. The tempo picks up late as the bass joins in. "Agua Azul" again opens with dark sounding guitar and perhaps mellotron. Violin and drums after 1 1/2 minutes. The tempo picks up before 3 minutes and it's brighter as well. "Nederland 1903" features acoustic guitar, violin and piano early. A fuller sound follows with floating organ in the background.

"Visioni Di Archimede" is the almost 9 minute closer. The guitar to open reminds me of Gilmour. It's building as drums come in. A calm before 3 minutes then it starts to build again with bass, violin and drums. It settles before 5 1/2 minutes, with nice bass, and it kicks back in one more time.

The band has to be so proud of this recording.

879

Act I: The Lake South, The River North
The Dear Hunter

A review by UMUR:

I know this is considered an EP but don´t be fooled by that tack as Act I: The Lake South, The River North by The Dear Hunter is 38:36 minutes long which in my eyes qualify as album length. Act I: The Lake South, The River North is the debut release from The Dear Hunter and it´s a very good release that is worth checking out indeed. The Dear Hunter is really a one man band that consists of Casey Crescenzo. Casey sings and plays all instruments except the drums who are played by Nick Crescenzo. Judy and Phil Crescenzo also guests here with backing vocals and organ respectively. Tom Neeson plays trumpet and there are is also Dan Nigro who sings some additional vocals.

The music is modern symphonic prog rock, but there are also other influences present. The music evolves around Casey Crescenzo´s melody lines and the mood is generally pretty dark. The music is very dynamic and has both quiet beautiful moments and more powerful moments too. Casey Crescenzo is a very diverse and skilled singer and he masters lots of different moods and styles. I generally like his vocals very much but sometimes they get a bit too emo for my ears and I can´t help being reminded of bands like My Chemical Romance and Panic at the Disco which are not the best bands to be compared to. Don´t get scared by this remark though as the vocals are generally very beautiful. There are some great rhythms here to accompany the music and I am intrigued time and again by something that happens in the songs. The structure is not radio friendly pop structures.

The musicianship on the album is a real treat and I believe Casey will be one of the new stars in modern prog without a doubt. The production is very good and it has a special emphasis on the vocals that I really enjoy. It´s not often that I pick up something I had never heard of before and get this impressed. I will rate this 4 stars because I really think it´s excellent prog rock. This is highly recommendable to people who would like to hear some new prog rock that doesn´t sound like it´s made in the seventies.

880

Enter
Russian Circles

A review by Mellotron Storm:

I'm always amazed at how poweful a trio can be. I've said that about Rush for years, but there are many bands now that fit this description. Russian Circles are from Chicago and at times recall another Chicago band named Pelican. I was actually quite surprised to find out how heavy parts of this record really are. The drumming was another pleasant surprise. This guy can lay down some crazy intricate patterns when he wants to, or just flat out pound away.

"Carpe" is the first song and the heaviness arrives 1 1/2 minutes in and it comes and goes. A catchy melody follows with some excellent drumming before I  am wowed by the guitar work in between the riffs. The song settles to a calm 6 minutes in before a galloping rhythm signals a return to the original soundscape. "Micah" opens with a guitar/drum melody that starts slowly and gradually accellerates. There is a great melody with crazy drumming 2 1/2 minutes in. The sound is full 3 minutes in before a calm a minute later settles in. The tempo continues to change like shifting sands.

"Death Rides A Horse" is my favourite track on the record. This one hits the ground running with steller Iron Maiden-like guitar melodies. Nice. The amazing guitar continues as the song then becomes very fast paced after 3 minutes. The drum work is tremendous before 5 minutes.

"Enter", the title track, opens with a cool drum pattern and it's hard not to tap your foot to this one. Heaviness arrives after 3 minutes as we are hit hard! The spotlight is on the drummer again 4 minutes in and screaming guitar follows. "You Already Did" starts off a little slow until 2 1/2 minutes in as drums and guitar fight to be heard over each other. This sounds incredible! The song becomes quiet until it starts up again, giving us 3 minutes of an absolutely amazing sound. "New Macabre" is an uptempo tune with some prominent bass work, not heavy though. Some scorching guitar 2 1/2 minutes in, and now it's heavy!

There are no weak songs, and there is some complexity and variety. I am a huge fan of the way they combine different styles on this album. Is this Post-Rock or Post-Metal or Prog-Metal? Yes it's all of these, and it's all done so incredibly well.

881

Milliontown
Frost*

A review by UMUR:

Frost sounds like a black metal band name to me but this is as far from the truth as possible. Milliontown is Frost´s debut album but don´t let that fool you as this band is full of experienced musicians. Jem Godfrey who sings and plays the omnipresent keyboards on the album is also the main composer of the music. He has produced and written pop music for many years but has with this project decided to return to his prog roots. The other musicians are members of various neo prog bands like Arena and IQ. Personally, I don´t think this sounds much like neither Arena nor IQ. Frost has a much more modern approach and sound and thank God for that. The influences ranges from Dream Theater (Images & Words and Awake), to some neo prog influences and commercial pop music.

I must say I was really surprised when I listened to Milliontown for the first time because I was expecting some rather mediocre neo prog, but this sounds much more powerful and fresh.

The music is very melodic and there is a good mood in the songs. Not since I heard Dream Theater´s Images & Words have I heard an album with this kind of sound. Milliontown is not a heavy metal album though, but there are traces. The melodic and complex instrumental opener Hyperventilate is a really excellent song with lots of Dream Theater tendencies. I also hear some Steve Vai Firegarden influences in this song. Jem Godfrey´s piano playing is otherworldly in this song. I promise you this is fantastic and very melodic.

No Me No You is the first test of Jem Godfrey´s frontman qualities and he passes with splendour. He has a really strong voice and even though the chorus of the song could have been in a pop song, it suits the music so well. This is one of those rare bands that sounds like pop, but is much more complicated than that. It never gets cheesy though and that´s good.

Snowman is a song with another style than the two previous ones. Very keyboard dominated and mellow, this reminds me a bit like Chroma Key with a pop rock singer. Again the melody is very strong and the keyboards play some really melodic themes.

The Other Me is the weakest song here. This is really eighties like in the melody department, but of course it is professionally done and that saves this otherwise weak song.

Black Light Machine is the most neo prog song here. It´s kind of a mini epic with it´s 10 minute running time, but it isn´t the kind of song that builds. There are lots of solos and instrumental parts in this one; nothing fancy though.

Milliontown is the real epic of the album. 26+ minutes is a long time for one song, but I am entertained throughout the whole playing time. The vocal lines and the singing style in this song sometimes reminds me of Neal Morse from Spock´s Beard. This is a great ending to a great album, and with the many different parts in this song, Frost proves that they are more than just another neo prog band.

The musicians are outstanding on this album and with the wonderful production this is emphazised even more. This has to be one of the most polished productions I have ever heard on a prog rock album, and even though this sometimes offends me, I enjoy it greatly here. These songs were born to be produced like this.

This is one of the best modern prog rock albums I have heard in years and a sure 4-5 star album. It´s very rarely I hear something that I feel deserves 5 stars, but this is very special, even though it has it´s flaws and I can therefore only give it 4 stars. I can´t wait to hear more though. This is highly recommendable, you just have to try this one out if you´re into melodic symphonic prog rock.

882

Synchestra (The Devin Townsend Band)
Devin Townsend

A review by AtomicCrimsonRush:

Branching out into new territory a great sign for things to come.

“Synchestra” is Devin Townsend's 7th studio album and it is no surprise that once again Heavy Devy is branching out into some unreserved new territory as he does on all his albums. This is no “Ziltoid”, which is a couple of albums away, and it certainly aint no “Terria”. In fact it is a rock opera with a vampiric theme underpinning it. My overall reaction was that “Synchestra” has the catchy tunes of “Terria” though nowhere near as technical, and has hints of the dark humour of “Ziltoid” in places. There are some outstanding songs on this that really stay in the cranium well after the CD has ended, ‘Vampira’, and there are throwaway tracks, ‘Babysong’, that are as forgettable as some of the material on “Accelerated Evolution”. However, the really great moments are mind-blowingly brilliant which tends to make up for some of the solemn melancholy moments that are like smoke in the air and disappear.

The whole album seems to flow lucidly from track to track and indeed the album as a whole is masterfully produced and realised, at least on a conceptual level. Musically, it is as flawless as Devvy gets and that has become an unexpected factor on his albums. The Hammond sounds great and the lead guitar breaks are killer, and there are some incredible wall of sound moments where the crescendo rises and Devvy really goes into full flight on vocals, belting out massive growls and literally shouting his voice raw. These moments are juxtaposed by subtle gentle vocals and a minimalist acoustic arrangement such as the opening track. Devin tries to get spiritual with nature on ‘Gaia’, but this is a mismatch for me, not cohesively linking to the overall concept.

The highlight for me begins at the polka, which is as quirky as anything I have heard, almost sounding like the polkas on Weird Al Yankovic's albums. The satirical nature of ‘Vampolka’ is enhanced by the speed of the melody that simply rips past in minutes, and this prepares us for the real deal, which is the showstopper of the album, the brilliant ‘Vampira’. I had heard this on a live clip of a Vampire Rock show starring some great rock stars, and of course it is a melodic standout and perhaps one of Devin's best compositions. The guitars on this are crunching and the heavy power riffing is accompanied by caustic gravel vocals that are dark and menacing throughout, reminding me of the style Devin does with “Ziltoid”, ala ‘Planet Smasher’. The moments where Devin sings in his clear vocal to heavy metal riffs are also wonderful, and this is where he tends to shine. The standout track ‘Notes From Africa’ is well structured and memorable to close the album before a weird ghost track. I have to mention ‘Triumph’ too with a lead break from the mindbending Steve Vai as a track you should hear for certain. Devin has a great band to back him up as usual, the other lead guitarist is so good I had to research him to see what else he had done. Well I was delighted to discover Brian Waddell was also on the “Devlab” album, as part of the Devin Townsend band of course, and he appears on “Accelerated Evolution” and the more recent “Addicted” album, playing bass and doing gang vocals if you don't mind.

Devin decided to go solo with “Hummer” after “Synchestra”, a pity really as the band sounds so good here. The best thing about this split is that Devin was really able to branch out into some incredible experimental territory and he produced “Ziltoid The Omniscient”, the masterpiece of dark metal humour. “Synchestra” is sandwiched between two of Devin's worst albums so it really looks like a standout in his repertoire, although having heard most of his albums it is fair to say that it isn't up to the masterpeice standard of some of his other works. In any case “Synchestra” is a great album and worth listening to whether you are into metal or not. It is entertaining and one of Devin's great achievements as the unsurpassed 'Mad Scientist of Metal'.

883

10,000 Days
Tool

A review by Bonnek:

10.000 Days is only the 4th Tool album in 15 years. It makes them even less prolific then Anekdoten who managed to churn out at least one more album over a similar period of time. But Tool make up for it by releasing a really long album again, and for the first time in their career they have me on board; and how!

Tool hasn't changed all that much compared to the previous album, but somehow they finally achieved to capture their live energy on a studio recording. The opening Vicarious sounds like someone set the band on fire. It's dark, urgent and poignant, even Maynard fully convinces me now. He has just a tad more melody in his rhythmic recitative. The band also perfected their compositional skills. While very similar to Lateralus, it's strikingly more varied. The songs ebb and flow nicely through various motions.

Maybe it's just due to an extra sparkle of inspiration and bite, but Tool sound ablaze on this album. ‘Jambi’ continues to deliver on the genius that I had heard in Tool 15 years earlier during one of their early live concerts. They sweep me off my feet here, a few outbursts aside, and Wings for Marie is the first quiet moment on the album. Tool manages the dynamics between soft and loud very adequately now. 10.000 Days gradually builds up out of brooding guitar chords. The Pot continues with a catchy funk vibe; not unlike Rage Against The Machine this one. Lipan Conjuring is a pagan chant that I'm sure I've heard somewhere before.

We're 40 minutes in by now and when Lost Keys begins, it's like the intro of a second album is starting, and I actually tend to play both halves in separate sittings. The first half if I want rock, the second if I want to dream away with the music; Rosetta Stoned is one of those Tool tracks where I can just sit and listen to the drums and the bass; great playing abound. Intension is more brooding and post-rock oriented. Right In Two has a powerful emotional drive; again Maynard puzzles me, did he take singing lessons or a course in writing memorable vocal melodies? What an improvement over the preceding albums. Everything ends with the nihilistic white noise of Virginti Tres. It's the type of track added at the end to make sure you don't shuffle the intended running order.

Seems like Tool continues to sound better with every album. If they continue at this pace (an album every 5 years) they will eventually release the most astounding rock album ever; probably by the time they retire. Until that happens, this sure is a 4.5 star album for me.

A review by AtomicCrimsonRush:

A psycho-drama of technical riffing and atmospheric gloom.

Tool blaze a trail of glory on "10, 000 Days" with raucous metal riffing precision and powerful song structures. The riffs are like machines in factories churning out iconic metal prog, check out the machine gun attacks on 'Jambi' for example.

It begins with a blast of riffing elegance on 'Vicarious' with the Tool signature sound, razor edge riffs and emotive raspy vocals that echo more anger than the average screamer. The attitude of the band has always been to attack at the jugular vein of society and reveal the uglier side of humanity. The lead breaks are as well executed as the distorted riffs, such as the wah-wah vocoder effects of Adam Jones' lead guitar on 'Jambi'. Tool have a relentless rhythmic pace that is familiar to all Toolaholics, from previous albums "Aenima" and "Lateralus." The angular guitar phrases and odd time signatures are a key feature and the dark lyrics sung with so much passion by Maynard James Keenan.

On 'Wings for Marie (Pt 1)' the droning ambience of layered guitars and extended vocal intonations are ethereal and atmospheric. Justin Chancellor's bass drones menacingly and then the percussion explosion of Danny Carey augments the chilling soundscape.

'10,000 Days (Wings Pt 2)' is where the complex musicianship really comes into effect and all in 11 glorious minutes. This is a masterful track beginning with stormy distant thunder and a guitar picking phrase. The clean low key vocals speak of a river, the tales of a saviour, trials and tribulations, "a congregation gather round spewing sympathy, spare me", and "blinded by choices" you are "safely on your way". It builds with looming menace as the thunder gets closer and some violining guitar swirls, sounding like Pink Floyd's 'Empty Spaces'. Eventually loud thunder crashes lead to a fast hypnotic motif and some more forced vocals. It kind of sits on the one note musically but is very effective with its brooding atmosphere. It breaks into a loud instrumental break powered by phased guitar and a vibrant bassline. The lead break has sustained feedback and some wonderful string bends with soaring elegance. It gets heavier at the end until the whispered portentous vocals "never lived a life, never took a life", capping off a masterful track.

'The Pot' is next, beginning with a capella vocals "who are you to wave your finger you must have been out of your head". The tribal percussion and strange guitar effect is soon joined by a chugging riff, as heavy as distortion can get. The melody on this is more accessible than previous track and has the repeated phrase "you must have been high". I like the pulsing riff that locks in at the end as a snarling guitar blasts over; it is an enduring track. Keenan's guitar is interminably locked into a D minor pentatonic scale but it is recognizable as trademark Tool, and the sound really haunts well after the album is over.

'Lipan Conjuring' is one of the short Tool tracks with tribal vocal intonations and a mystical percussion feel with some guitar. It is a transition into 'Lost Keys (Blame Hofmann)', a track that really made me sit up and take notice when I first heard this album years ago. It is dominated with sustained lead notes feeling very dark and downbeat. A nurse's voice converses with a doctor about a situation of concern. They have a patient who is experiencing some kind of catatonic state. We hear his breathing and then the band launch into 'Rosetta Stoned'.

This is an 11 minute prog metal blaster, with chunky riffs and speed rapping. A very weird vocal is soon heard, overlayed growls and phased vocals enhance the ominous atmosphere. It builds eventually to the zinging guitar effects done by slashing a pick over the strings, and an excellent time sig change moves the track into a new direction. The polyrhythmic riffs are mesmirising and inspiring, and the bassline solo on this is incredible. One of the best tracks on the album without a doubt.

The last three tracks are linked well making the album culminate in some intricate riffs and time sigs. 'Intension' follows on with a weird intro of shifting glass and leaves with a stoned atmosphere of loneliness, and the air is intense with whispered rage. The bass emanates nicely and there are harmonised vocals, so effectively layered over. It is one of the quietest moments on the album, but threatens to break out any moment. When the rhythms stop a lone guitar echoes in the night, before a bass joins and then percussion. It builds to more power until the melodic vocals return. The guitar is beautiful on this song, understated and melodic.

'Right In Two' has a similar rhythm, slow and patient with soft vocals. I like Tool when they are in their melancholic mood but at times I long for a blast of distortion to keep things interesting. This one has some psychedelic textures but is overall replete with chilling lyrics such as the "2001: A Space Odyssey" inspired verse; "Monkey killing monkey killing monkey over pieces of the ground, Silly monkeys give them thumbs, they make a club, and beat their brother down, How they survive so misguided is a mystery, Repugnant is a Creature who would squander the ability, To lift an eye to heaven, conscious of his fleeting time here." It builds to a heavier section, with the repeated "cut and divide it right in two."

Tool finish albums with disturbing material, such as the Area 51 rant on "Lateralus", and here is no exception with the esoteric 'Viginti Tres', Latin for 23. After a cosmic pulse sounding like a planetary signal, a deep voice is heard uttering a mystical phrase, and then it emanates into oblivion. As scary as Tool like to get and one that has been interpreted over the years as leaving the body into some state of transcendental realm. The uttered phrase "asisco" apparently means to "take-in" or "accept", spoken in the angelic language known as Enochian. It makes more sense understanding that the album was dedicated to Maynard James Keenan's mother, who died prior to its recording, and the voice may be taken as a means of God inducting his mother into Heaven. The pulse then may be the life machine she was plugged into prior to passing over. Interestingly enough if one syncs this track up to 'Wings For Marie (part 1)' it makes even more sense, as many have discovered. This form of syncing two tracks also has significant meaning along with the stereographic album artwork with the use of the special stereogram binoculars. The track has developed a cult following for all these reasons.

Tool again have produced an intriguing album with masterclass musicianship, driven by angular guitar riffs and powerful vocals. It has some of the most innovative album design art ever, complete with those unique glasses making everything jump out in real 3D. The psycho-drama concept is heavy and hard to grasp as always but it is the music that really makes Tool such an endearing act. "10, 000 Days" is as good as "Lateralus", forever my favourite of theirs, and this is well worth a visit now and then; a wonderful example of the band as inventive metal geniuses.

884

Blood Mountain
Mastodon

A review by AtomicCrimsonRush:

Climbing Blood Mountain to Crack The Skye.

Mastodon's "Blood Mountain" is the album preceding the masterful "Crack the Skye" that put them on the progressive metal map. The earlier work seems to be heavier and less prog but "Blood Mountain" is a progressive album culminating in a psych prog conclusion.

The album begins with 'The Wolf Is Loose' that utilises trademark power metal riffs that change time signature. The vocals consist of caustic growls and screams. This is one of their heaviest tracks and starts the album on a high note. There are assaults of brutal riffs, duel guitar breaks, and complex effective drumming. A short blast that is technical, fast and progressive.

'Crystal Skull' begins with tympanic African drumbeats from Dailor then an excellent Slayeresque riff chugs along. "Into the black hole, searching for crystal... making the veins bleed," the vocals growl. The incessant riffing are intricate with many time changes. Blazing guitar solos from Hinds and Kelliher and emphatic vocals create a seriously brutal tone and killer speed. 'Sleeping Giant' has even more depth and complexity beginning with a doomy slow guitar motif. There is some harmonic work and a great lead break. It changes pace when the vocals kick in. The track is a definite highlight, very catchy tune and at 4:20 there is a brilliant riff to latch onto and a scorching guitar break. The drums are frenetic at times, a low vocal is used in places and it ends with a jagged guitar and it rings from left to right speaker.

'Capillarian Crest' features more inspired dynamic guitar power riffs to introduce it and then it shifts to a speed metal pace, then changes pace later to launch into a lead break. It slows again when the vocals resume and feels like a different song. The intricate technical playing is astounding. Guitar squeals break the pace and then it shifts again into a cool chugging riff with screeching vocals and pulsating bass.

A weird effect ends the track and transitions it to 'Circle of Cysquatch', which is a crashing energetic rocker; more of the fast technical thrash. There is a robotic voice on this and a really brutal power riff, bass heavy and dark composition.

'Bladecatcher' features guitar picking and builds to a chaotic mid section with nonsensical vocalisations, like a metal chipmunk. A crunching onslaught of Hinds and Kelliher's duel guitar riffing chugs along and then a strange effect like a vinyl album played back n’ forth leading back to the main riff.

'Colony of Birchmen' is a metal track strung along by riffs and time changes but there is more harmony in the vocals. At 3:20 the time sig is very strange with a well executed lead break. A weird effect transitions this to 'Hunters of the Sky' and this has great vocals and heavy pounding guitars. The verses are repeated over very speedy riffs. It slows at 3:05 into a nice melodic riff that fades into the next track.

'Hand of Stone' is a moderate speed riff heavy track with high register vocals that are virtually screamed. I am reminded of Testament on this track. There are many twin guitar lead breaks and at 3:10 it gets very heavy and fast and then ends without warning.

'This Mortal Soil' begins with phased guitar and acoustic picking. There is a slower mellow pace with melodic vocals. The pace changes swiftly and suddenly. Mastodon are masters of time sig changes, so tight and innovative moving from 7/8 to 6/4 and 8/6 effortlessly. At 3:30 the pace is very fast with Black Sabbath riffing. The dark, ferocious riffs absolutely blaze at 4:10. The drummer somehow keeps pace and drives the track back to the main riff at 4:36.

The next bizarre effect segues into 'Siberian Divide', which is a more aggressive attack with shifts in pace and then a proggy guitar riff locks in at 4:15; ferociously original metal. 'Pendulous Skin' is a weird experimental psych prog track with some inspirational passages of instrumental virtuosity. It begins with acoustic picking over an estranged spacey effect. A sublime guitar follows and very weird vocals. Spacey, psychedelic atmosphere makes this track a real stand out and there is even a Hammond sound that shimmers and grinds like the 70s prog days of ELP or Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso. The surrealism stops at 5:13 and there is dead silence and we await a ghost track. But there is none forth coming except at the end of about 22 minutes a voice speaks about downloading, "Keep it real". How weird is that?

In conclusion, this is a definite prog metal album to get hold of. Innovative, experimental, technical, original, strange, heavenly riffs and power metal technical virtuosity. 4 shining stars.