I Recommend...

The following may be repeating previous posts, but since I see posts saying they are not going to look back due to the amount, then there's no harm in that.

I'll do a recommendation for several genres so there’ll be something for most people.

Prog-Metal:

Please read the band bio here in PA to get a fuller view on the band.

http://www.virginblack.com/

www.myspace.com/virginblackofficial

Prog-Folk/Krautrock:

EMMA MYLDENBERGER this German band has released two albums as far as I know, and while I have both, it’s the second one Tour de Trance  in which they truly shine. The first s/t album is a good but not exceptional folk album in which you can start to hear what will come in the second one (in songs like Opus IV). Tour De Trance has lengthy surreal and atmospheric tracks, psychedelic and melodic. A celestial experience.

Indo-prog/raga-rock/folk:

CLIVAGE, ANDRE FERTIER'S is a band I recently added to PA, it’s a French band lead by Andre Fertier on guitar and keyboards and their style might bring to mind Italian band Aktuala with their mingling of jazz-rock, eastern sounds and a psychedelic aspect that gives the music its special characteristic.

See Hugues’ review on Regina Astris here - http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=120327

Symphonic/Art-Rock:

AVIVA – A newly added band/one man project from Russia lead by Dimitri A. Loukianenko. Here’s an excerpt from HT bio here in PA:

AVIVA is part of the new wave of Eastern European prog bands (particularly Russia). With some help from other musicians, it is the project of pianist / multi-instrumentalist Dimitri A. Loukianenko. On the debut, "Rokus Tonalis," Influences of classic artists such as Yes, Genesis, Mike Oldfield, and especially Keith Emerson can be heard. There is even a bit of Gerard influence. It is a concept album based on Saint John's Apocalypse. However, this is not retro. He has successfully integrated more modern sensibilities. Polyphonic styles, voice effects, and heavy rock are prevalent, along with programmed drums and percussion (which may be a negative to some listeners). It is an interesting mix, and indicative of the direction modern Symphonic Progressive music is heading.
H.T. Riekels (bhikkhu)

Rokus Tonalis was released by Musea this year. Here are 2 reviews:

http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=119857

http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=120051

If you like a heavy emphasis on keyboards (ELP fans would like it) and a slightly out of the ordinary arrangements of songs (so called avant, but not really) then you might like this.

MONTEFELTRO - Il Tempo di Far la Fantasia

If you like Italian symphonic, a-la PFM then this is for you. This band started with a duo (Piergiorgio Ambrosi and Attilio Virgilio) which gathered some musicians around them and delivered in the album mentioned above a soothing, melodic and beautiful album with a great epic at the beginning.

Some reviews:

http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=30591

http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=30592

http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=40974

AGNUS – I have given this band several recommendations and not only in this thread and I mention it again, since it desserves it. Argentinian band from Santa Fe. You can read my review of Pinturas y Expresiones if you wish -             http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=76963 or others:

http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=18464

http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=36662

Have you listened to MALDOROR yet? If you like Ange, then try this as well! (not that they are Ange clones, not at all, they have their very own theatrical style, great story in their album L'Arbre-Cimetière.

http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=33522

http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=78043

http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=33520

http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=33521

MA BANLIEUE FLASQUE - A French quintet playing varied music reminiscent of Zappa’s humoristic style, Moving Geltaine Plates and Komintern and genres such as fusion, Canterbury, with a dash of craziness and fooling around. The mix end result makes this a very enjoyable listen. This is why this will appeal to fans of jazz-rock, RIO, Canterbury and to those who like their music to travel between all those. The lineup consists of Philippe Maugars on guitar and vocals, Marc Ledevedec on guitar, Loic Gautier on bass, Christian "Chypo" Cheype on drumms and vocals, and Philippe Botta on flute and saxophone. The vocals themselves are sometimes sang and sometimes more in a narrative style and always playful or with good mood. They only released one s/t album in 1979 and there were rumors of Musea re-issuing it in 2005, but nothing came out of it, but it is worth to be on the lookout for it for its reissue...

Multi-genre/Avant-prog:

DESERTS OF TRÄUN

Lead by Dave Murray who was the drummer of Estradasphere. This project goes through several styles: “Jazz, Funk, Classical, Black/Death Metal, Rock, Fusion, World, Video Game, and Electronic Music”. If you like Estradasphere, then this should appeal to you as well. If you like the mingling of styles, then it will be your thing as well.

You can read the interview I did with Dave here - http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=37631

Avant-prog:

Zypressen – I am in the process of adding this Japanese Avant-prog band (with some Zeuhl influences). Though out of print, some cd’s can be found somewhere on the web. Some tracks are melodic chamber music and others come closer to the avant territory with disjointed and contradicting sounds. Well performed and balanced album due to the fact that not all tracks sound alike and the change in pace form track to track.

Shining – Grindstone. Another band I’ll add soon. Brutal and noisy but with several layers of sounds that are only revealed with proper attention to the music and repeated listening. Once you get passed the brutality, aggressiveness and/or noise, and give them a proper listen, you will realize there is a lot that is missed on initial listening. Additional layers of music reveal themselves, and more instruments are heard through all the seeming chaos. You start to appreciate their ability to create levels inside their music that become apparent as you train your ears with their albums. It can be brutal at times, but it is also quite melodic as well if you pay attention. The keyboards that play their own “riff” penetrate your brain with great intensity and set your mind in high gear in a wild ride. The instrumental music in one track can be this aggressive type mentioned or can be a more amorphic and “avantish”  in nature. In others you hear a jazzy influence. All in all, they created their own sound, which has received the name Brutal Prog. The music is complex (shifting a lot throughout the track, many odd time signatures which alternate, use of a variety of sounds to create their style etc), mostly heavy (not in a classic metal kind of way but similar), and will be displeasing (to say the least) for those who want a nice, mellow and generally peaceful attitude in their music.

PANZERPAPPA – one of my favourite bands of the last time. They are more accessible than you might think for an avant band. Inspired by UZ and other greats (maybe SMM?) they have a fresh sound, that to me is irresistible. Read BJ-1’s concert review here - Review: Panzerpappa Live 16/02/07

Fusion:

Les PROJECTIONNISTES I added this Quebecois band recently to JRF. Dynamic and thrilling playing (with a tinge of avantish at times). They have ties to other classic and musical projects and have varied musical background.

http://www.projectionnistes.com/

Also look for past recommendations – NATSUMEN (Japanese craziness and pure energy ride) and PANZERBALLETT (jazz-metal…).

Jazz-rock/Canterbury:

TRAVELLING Suggested this one as well in one of the earlier pages in this thread. “Soft” music and vocals, excellent for relaxing and enjoying beautiful melodies.

Reviews:

http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=73637

http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=78532

Zeuhl/jazz-rock:

POTEMKINE – Zeuhl with emphasis on the jazz-rock aspect. Maybe Eider Stellaire can be somewhat of a reference though they are more “heavy” with their mood.

Here’s the PA bio:

Potemkine managed to blend in a very good way the basis of Zeuhl music with its prominent bass role and a lighthearted spirit of fusion with some 20th century contemporary music. They this deviate from the norm of “mainstream” Zeuhl, but they manage to deliver an original sound, making them unique in this scene. Potemkine was formed by three brothers from Toulouse – Charles (guitars, piano, vocals), Philippe (drums and percussions, piano) and Michel (piano, vocals) Goubin. They had taken other musicians to fill in the positions of bass, violin and some drumming and percussions parts. They released their first album Foetus in 1975. This album was more influenced by Magma, though it contained the fusion leniency. In 1977 Triton was released and it featured a more clear inclination towards a fusion sound, but the Zeuhl characteristics are still there (in the bass part, theatrical piano playing and the occasional chanting vocals) and also the chamber music sound that would later appear in RIO originators bands such as Univers Zero. This approach reached its peak in Nicolas II released in 1978 which also marks their last album. You can get both Triton and Nicolas II on CD from SOLEIL ZEUHL.

All albums recommended and now with the reissues of both Triton and Nicolas II you get as bonus tracks the album Foetus and the EP Mystère.

KULTIVATOR Here’s their PA bio:

KULTIVATOR is a Swedish band as unique as unclassifiable. This was formed in 1978 by the nucleus of TUNNELBANAN (Stefan Carlsson, Johan Svärd and Johan Hedrén), symphonic prog rock band highly influenced by YES and GENESIS, the guitarist Jonas Linge whose playing is reminiscent of Phil Miller and the soprano Ingemo Rylander. The band split just after the release of their first and unique album, due to the apparition of Punk-Rock and New-wave that appealed more to people at that time. The LP named "Barndomens Stigar" recorded in 1981 was reedited on CD by the APM label in 1992. On that occasion, the band reformed in order to release two bonus tracks. Today, the members of KULTIVATOR follow various artistic solo careers (music, theater and teaching).
KULTIVATOR's music : a vast field of investigations ! It seems impossible in a first approximation to classify them in a musical category rather than in another. Indeed, the facets of their music are so numerous, and one can notice the same about their influences, and their originality taken from their folkloric Swedish roots. The band itself recognized the following influences : MAGMA, KING CRIMSON, HATFIELD & THE NORTH, HENRY COW, ART BEARS, GENTLE GIANT, ART ZOYD and UNIVERS ZERO. A true hybrid to sum up that blends influences from Zeuhl, Art Rock, Canterbury, RIO and symphonic prog rock.
Some famous "journalistic shortcuts" place them halfway between Zeuhl and Canterbury ('Halfway between heaven and earth' sang Richard Sinclair...). Reality, in the light of their music and their influences, is much more complex and it needs a better definition of what Zeuhl is; much more than what commonly defines it on the base of powerful, hypnotic and repetitive themes, achieved by the rhythm section and the piano or on the base of incantatory chants with melodies at times dissonant but above all simple in terms of harmony.

Barndomens Stigar is said to be reissued this year.

Reviews:

http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=29016

http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=29017

http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=116839

http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=79304

http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=35446

http://gnosis2000.net/reviews/kultivator.htm

Space/Psych:

KINSKI – though in Space rock, this can appeal to post-rock lovers as well as metal fans. Their PA bio:

Kinski are a instrumental band influenced by different genres and bands most notably Minimalism, Krautrock, Stoner, Post-Rock and Metal bands and artists. Chris Martins, Lucy Atkinson and Dave Weeks spontaneously met in a Seattle pub. The band then started to play live and released their 1999 debut, "Space Launch for Frenchie" as a trio. They later kept playing in a live setting, but with the addition of the fourth member, Matthew Reid Schwartz, the band started experimenting with new sounds and ideas. Their first release as a quartet was in 2001 with their sophomore album, "Be Gentle With the Warm Turtle". Two years later they released their third album, "Airs Above your Station". In 2003 the band also recorded a split EP with Acid Mothers Temple and opened up a new fan base. In 2004 Kinski took whole different direction with their sound with the album "Don't Climb on and Take the Holy Water". Their sound is calmer, less guitar oriented and more drug influenced than their previous and later releases and assured their position as "Seattle's foremost psych rock explorers". After the calm came the storm and in 2005 they released "Alpine Static", their heaviest, rawest and energetic album Kinski released. The distorted guitars are on front on this album creating a wall of sound and improvisations.
Recommended for fans of modern Psych Rock, Space Rock, Krautrock and Post-rock. There's a Kinski album for every genre mentioned, without being derivative of course.

A review of Airs Above Your Station:

http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=121227

A review of Don't Climb on and Take The Holy Water:

http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=113342

http://www.kinski.net/

Post-Rock (well in this case not exactly, but still…):

SAMUEL JACKSON FIVE – Discovered this thanks to Jimbo (Toni).

PA bio:

The Samuel Jackson Five (also known as SJ5) was formed in Oslo, Norway in 2003. They originally started out as a drum’n’bass-project, but after some radical changes in vision, line-up and instruments, they ended up following a different path. Their massively wide range of influences (anything from prog heroes such as King Crimson and Yes to John Coltrane, Stravinsky, Nick Drake and Do Make Say Think among others) is actually a fairly good indicator of what to expect -- they often blend various genres in a single track without even breaking a sweat. They might start with an amazingly hypnotic and catchy riff, only to end up in a frantic jazz freak-out some four minutes later. Unlike some post-rock masters, they do not bother to dwell in despair, SJ5's style is surprisingly vivid and positive, and they're not afraid to inject some humour into their music either. Their closest musical comparisons would probably be Tortoise and Do Make Say Think, although the krautrock influence is possibly less evident here. Both their albums have been well received, especially 2005's "Easily Misunderstood" was praised as one of the best instrumental albums of the year. Fairly accessible, and yet strangely challenging music from Norway, a country which seems to be a real hotbed nowadays for interesting instrumental groups.

http://www.sj5.no/

That’s it for this time.

Enjoy the music!