Collaborators' Top Albums of 2015

As is our annual tradition here at ProgArchives, the collaborators that work tirelessly behind the scenes of the site – the admins, special collaborators, collaborators, Prog Reviewers, and VIP members – get together to discuss and exchange the best music of the year. Each collaborator submits a list of his or her favorite albums of the year, and I again had the honor to collate these lists into an exhaustive list of the best music this year had to offer.

The collaborators of this site shock me each and every year at the simply daunting amount of music that they are exposed to each year and the depth that they listen to each album. 2015 proved to be another stunning year for progressive music, and the array and variety of the music that was released shocked me more than any other year. Old favorites, new favorites, and everyone in between offered something new and exciting this year, and you can find just about anything on this list. This year, 61 voters selected a record-smashing 307 albums as their favorites from 2015.

Each year, I am simply shocked by the amount of quality music our collaborators are able to listen to, and 2014 proved no different! Many voters brought albums that sadly they were the only voter for, but it shows just how far our collaborators look for high quality progressive rock. This list, I feel, is an excellent source for anyone who wants to jump into the more obscure field of progressive rock. While of course every album could not have been evaluated by every voter, this provides an excellent snapshot of our site’s taste.

Now, without further ado,

The ProgArchives Collaborators’ Top Albums of 2015

1.   Anekdoten – Until All the Ghosts Are Gone

The masters are back – the Swedish experts in heavy prog haven’t released a studio album since 2007, and it seems that 8 years in between A Time of Day and Until All the Ghosts Are Gone were well spent. The band’s sixth studio effort tops our list this year and shows just how creative a band can be even after years out of the studio. Anekdoten rightly takes the top spot this year, and all we can do is they rush back to the studio to give us another delicious offering.

“Until All The Ghosts Are Gone is the long awaited album from Anekdoten, a wait of eight years since the  excellent A Time Of Day. Fortunately it's been worth the wait as it's as good as and sometimes better than most of their back catalogue. Some achievement when you consider the illustrious company it keeps…The haunting and melancholic melodies, the dynamic rhythm section and of course the ever present Mellotron…As a whole Until All The Ghosts Are Gone is a stunning achievement, an album that can sit proudly alongside anything in the bands past.” – Nightfly, Special Collaborator

Statistics:

·        Genre: Heavy Prog

·        Country: Sweden

·        413 ratings, 4.29 stars

·        Appears on 45% of all lists

·        Number of #1 listings: 5

·        Official Website

·        Spotify Stream

·        Song Sample (Get Out Alive)

2.   Steven Wilson – Hand. Cannot. Erase.

It seems like there isn’t a year where the master himself, Steven Wilson, has a hand in the production of a masterful piece of progressive work. Steven has personally been at the top of our curated list 4 times, and productions that he’s been directly involved in add an additional 2 – it’s clear that Steven knows what he’s doing. Hand. Cannot. Erase. is no different – this exquisite production is a display of Mr. Wilson’s songwriting ability, instrumental ability, and production ability (the album just simply sounds good) and it’s no surprise that it was a hit among our collaborators once again.

“Steven Wilson takes us back on another journey of his progressive rock adventure, and the expectation were high because of the quality of his music… Sometimes we can feel the light atmosphere with the piano and the flute and at others times, the heavy blast of guitars…the music here has this atmospheric feel, almost cinematic with different moods and sounds, from melancholy, to dreamy and to explosive… This album combined the quality of songwriting and musicianship with refine arrangements. It's got an overall sound that is new and old, melancholic and modern. It's a natural evolution of the man's career that his marked by his originality and creativity.” – rdtprog, Special Collaborator

Statistics:

·        Genre: Crossover Prog

·        Country: United Kingdom

·        864 ratings, 4.32 stars

·        Appears on 35% of all lists

·        Number of #1 listings: 4

·        Official Website

·        Song Sample (First Regret/3 Years Older)

3.   Jaga Jazzist – Starfire

Our second non-prolific Scandinavian outfit of the list, Jaga Jazzist is perhaps the ultimate prog fusion band. The eight-piece band never fails to provide a unique sound, and the atmosphere produced in their sixth release, Starfire, is no exception. Starfire is dark, moody, and groove-based – they never miss a beat and always keep on time. They flirt with electronics, brass, strings, and more, and it pays off. The album is a slim five tracks, but the 50-minute adventure holds you in the whole time, and it fell into the third spot on our list.

“What an incredible breath of fresh air! I am so glad to be reminded by an album like this of how much I love upbeat, happy-go-lucky groove tunes like these. From the first notes of the opening song, Starfire, I was gushing with a big grin across my face… The entire album plays out like some incredible soundtrack music… This is an awesome album of great mood pieces--all deserving of film soundtrack contracts… it's just a little at the edge of what I consider progressive rock music--which is really a good thing…  Check out the album! You will LOVE it!” – BrufordFreak, Collaborator

Statistics:

·        Genre: Jazz Rock/Fusion

·        Country: Norway

·        25 ratings, 3.89 stars

·        Appears on 32% of all lists

·        Number of #1 listings: 1

·        Official Website

·        Spotify Stream

·        Song Sample (Starfire)

4.   Riverside – Love, Fear, and the Time Machine

Our first metal band on the list, Riverside’s newest offering comes into fourth place this year. Despite the genre placement, however, Riverside has taken much the same route that Opeth took in their past two releases. Like many of the other albums present on this year, Love, Fear, and the Time Machine is a mood-driven album. While there is a heavy riff here and there, Riverside chose to take a step back this time and produce a true work of atmospheric art. The band’s sixth album rests amid a decade-long history of marvelous releases, and it’s very much so home amidst its brothers.

“LFTM represents Riverside at their most mature, both on a musical and an emotional level… this new album is a purposeful exploration of a warmer, lusher, more hopeful side to the band… Riverside gives us a vision of life with hope, happiness, and purpose at the end…Spacier, lovelier, and happier, "Love, Fear and the Time Machine" laps and flows like the waters at, well, a riverside. Instrumental sections sound organic and naturally flow in and around choruses and verses…. I feel that they have completed their emotional journey, and they've taken me along for the ride.” – Second Life Syndrome, Prog Reviewer

Statistics:

·        Genre: Progressive Metal

·        Country: Poland

·        384 ratings, 4.08 stars

·        Appears on 27% of all lists

·        Number of #1 listings: 1

·        Official Website

·        Spotify Stream

·        Official Music Video (Found (The Unexpected Flaw of Searching))

5.   Elephant9 – Silver Mountain

Elephat9, or more accurately, Elephant9 with Reine Fiske, have wowed us before – 2012’s Atlantis was a display of what happens when the avant meets the jazz meets the groove meets the Hammond B12 – and what happened was beautiful. The collaboration returns this year with Silver Mountain, and where Atlantis brought a frantic pace throughout the whole experience, Silver Mountain is a much more deliberate, groovy offering. The screeching Hammonds and Mellotrons are still there, but the album takes much longer to build, and as with many things, with patience, the longer wait pays off, landing Silver Mountain at number 5.

“I was surprised how different this album is when compared to the previous ones… Just the way they jam and the way the organ often seems to boil under the surface. I kept waiting for them all to break out but it rarely happens here. This is a trippy album that is often subdued and comes across as being improvised jams. The thing is we get four lights out musicians who have done something really special here in my opinion… This is a long one, a double vinyl album clocking in at 76 minutes but much like "Bitches Brew" the time flies by… You can't go wrong with any of the four studio albums this band has released but this one and "Dodovoodoo" are my favourites so far.” – Mellotron Storm, Prog Reviewer

Statistics:

·        Genre: Jazz Rock/Fusion

·        Country: Norway

·        27 ratings, 4.11 stars

·        Appears on 21% of all lists

·        Number of #1 listings: 1

·        Official Facebook

·        Spotify Stream

·        Song Sample (Occidentali)

6.   Leprous – The Congregation

Clearly, the Scandinavians, or perhaps specifically, the Norwegians, are doing something right – Leprous, the Norwegian tech prog metal band, have released The Congregation, their fifth effort, to much critical appeal. Leprous is an example of a band with no qualms about what direction their music goes, and it seems that each time they release an album, they explore a new direction or musical opportunity and they never seem to miss.

“Let it be kept no secret: I firmly believe Leprous are the most evocative band operating within progressive metal today… the new album brings a revitalized emotional immediacy to Leprous' music, and in this respect I am more affected than I have been by an album in many a while… Where some of my favourite progressive albums take a few listens to 'get' them, The Congregationhad me hooked from the first listen… With The Congregation, Leprous have once again proven that my recognition of them once as the most promising band in progressive music has been well-founded. Time and again, they've delivered on that promise, and I cannot wait until their next presumably unfolds in 2017.” – Conor Fynes, Prog Reviewer

               Statistics:

·        Genre: Tech/Extreme Prog Metal

·        Country: Norway

·        292 ratings, 4.10 stars

·        Appears on 21% of all lists

·        Number of #1 listings: 2

·        Official Website

·        Spotify Stream

·        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0G9Qd_84YZs&feature=youtu.be">Official Music Video (The Price)

7.   Unreal City – Il Paese Del Tramonto

The first appearance of an incredible number of Italian prog bands on this year’s list, Unreal City represent perhaps one of the bets years in Italian prog seen in many years. Il Paese Del Tramonto is everything that one looks for in a well-crafted, evocative Italian prog record – synth driven, dynamic, and endlessly fun to listen to. While the band holds true to the remarkable tradition of 1970s RPI, the band also forges its own path in modern prog, pulling influence from across the prog spectrum. Il Paese Del Tramonto impressed our collaborators so much to place it at seventh on our list.

“[Unreal City] seem to have incorporated mountains of hours in reliving the RPI greats of the past and simply learned from their glorious history and forged a new form of RPI… Within the confines of one track, there is an abundance of diversity, feeling, mood swings and technical know-how that will make your head shake/quake in disbelief. Not even a bum second on this piece of plastic, just a sheer pleasure ride… The cover art is drop-dead beautiful, the sound ecstatic and musically, a glaring omission of any kind of occasional blandness or prog-by-the-numbers. The end result is possible the finest RPI album in recent and past memory, full of bravado, courage, balls and delight. A classic prog album.” – tszirmay, Special Collaborator

               Statistics:

·        Genre: Rock Progressivo Italiano

·        Country: Italy

·        255 ratings, 4.04 stars

·        Appears on 24% of all lists

·        Number of #1 listings: 0 (next highest: #2)

·        Official Website

·        Spotify Stream

·        Youtube Stream

8.   La Fabbrica Dell’assoluto – 1984: L’ultimo Uomo d’Europa

The second Italian band in the top 10, La Fabbrica Dell’assoluto is a new face on the scene, releasing their debut 1984: L’ultimo Uomo d’Europa this year. LFDA (as I’ll refer to them as that’s a bit easier to type out!) plays a much darker and more bombastic style than Unreal City and have a good time doing it. It’s clear even from the beginning that LFDA have a good time playing their fast paced, energetic brand of RPI and parts even seem to be influenced by the raw energy of metal in the early 80s alongside the RPI bands.

“Every year in every progressive rock-related style, there are those couple of particular titles that stand out and hugely impress right from the very first play, destined to become a truly special work that makes a massive impression, only growing in stature and reputation as rave reviews and good word-of-mouth spreads… For its entire 55 minute length, you'll be hard pressed to find a more thrilling and satisfying modern Italian symphonic work that stands just as strongly as many of the vintage classics so beloved by generations of Italian progressive music fans. This is not merely some fawning imitation, instead La Fabbruca dell'Assoluto indulge in the sounds of their favourite Italian prog heroes and fuse it with youthful energy, confidence and sheer guts, offering an almighty kick up the backside of the RPI style.” – Aussie-Byrd-Brother, Special Collaborator

Statistics:

·        Genre: Rock Progressivo Italiano

·        Country: Italy

·        49 ratings, 4.32 stars

·        Appears on 16% of all lists

·        Number of #1 listings: 1

·        Official Website

·        Spotify Stream

9.   Ciccada – The Finest of Miracles

Ciccada is a band that is perhaps a bit more surprising than some others – I admit that the first time I had heard them was when I was putting together this list. The Finest of Miracles is this Greek band’s sophomore effort, and even with just one other release under their belt, the band clearly knows how to put together an album. Ciccada is also perhaps our only “traditional” prog album on the list, with the album being very much so in the vein of much of the classic prog we have come to love. This by no means implies the band is ‘by-the-numbers-prog,’ as they have been able to forge their own sound of folk-meets-rock-meets-prog-meets-jazz, and it brought them up to the ninth spot on our list.

“Diversity is something of a central characteristic to be given Ciccada's second album. The foundation of their style is progressive folk rock, but with details and excursions from jazz, traditional folk music and symphonic progressive rock incorporated into the totality, alongside elements that one might describe as chamber rock to boot. A well made album on all levels, and while not as challenging as it may sound from description, the overall production merits that description due to the sheer diversity of the material. As the band cites bands such as Jethro Tull, Gentle Giant and Gryphon as sources of inspiration, those with an affection for those bands appear to be a likely key audience for this CD.” – Windhawk, Special Collaborator

               Statistics:

·        Genre: Eclectic Prog

·        Country: Greece

·        189 ratings, 4.02 stars

·        Appears on 16% of all lists

·        Number of #1 listings: 2

·        Official Facebook

·        Spotify Stream

10.        Guapo – Obscure Knowledge

Guapo is perhaps one of the most well-known bands in the modern avant-garde rock scenes today and has been steadily producing high-quality productions for a number of years. Similar to their last effort, Obscure Knowledge is three lengthy jam-oriented songs full of cranking Rhodes lines, chugging drum lines, and a guitar and bass duo that never seems to relent. Those who enjoy this type of furious jam-oriented avant-prog (I myself am one of them, and I hope you are too) love this stuff, and it’s no wonder that Guapo have once again found themselves a top spot on our list.

“Once again I'm left spellbound by the sheer power of the music from [Guapo]… Sounds pulsate as the atmosphere becomes uncomfortable then it kicks in hard before 2 minutes followed by the guitar lighting it up… Powerful organ runs as well then the guitar rips it up again… Man this can be so experimental but they give me enough melody to balance it out really well. This is an intriguing album that will appeal to Avant fans especially.” – Mellotron Storm, Prog Reviewer

Statistics:

·        Genre: RIO/Avant-Prog

·        Country: United Kingdom

·        40 ratings, 4.17 stars

·        Appears on 19% of all lists

·        Number of #1 listings: 2

·        http://www.guapo.co.uk/">Official Website

·        Spotify Stream