Reviews (all) - Progarchives.com

CODE 18 Two Places (Neo-Prog, 2026)

Sun, 3 May 2026 09:50:57 EST

Review by tszirmay —
From the province of Qu]]>�Sand, Angine de Poitrine, Jacob Roberge and my band Enigmatic Sound Machines, as well as many others, CODE 18
now releases its second album, after the 2020 debut Human Error, which also sits in my collection. Encouraging
local prog bands has always been of keen interest to me , also venturing into the rest of the country, as I am a big
fan of Ontario residents Rick Miller (whose new album I will be reviewing very soon, so stay tuned) and Ken Baird
(Monarch Trail), both long-standing friends of the Prog Rogue.

Led by the incredible keyboardist Johnny Maz of Huis (check out his numerous YouTube tributes to Triumvirat,
Genesis, Porcupine Tree, Real Life (Send me an Angel), Alan Parsons Project, Rick Wakeman, A-Ha, The Mission
etc..), Ben Plamondon on vocals and JF R]]>�Plante and Bobby St-Louis, all scattered throughout the large province but working well with the wonders of
modern technology. Now "Human Error" was a really tasty effort, foretelling of the current 'conflict' between two
best friends and neighbours (no, not about hockey, but just maybe) but this sucker is a treat that should propel
the band to further recognition, and I fully intend to help in the process with this review. I have always despised the
neo-prog tag (in fact, all labelling is good only for foodstuffs and medication, IMHO) as the musicianship can easily
rival any quality symphonic, fusion, or rock outfit anywhere . 'It's not about the close you wear', sang the Cars! Proof
is often found in the structure, as this nearly 69-minute album kicks off with a nice, longer than usual "Prelude"
(how quaint!) and ends seven pieces later with a dozen minute epic called "Justice?", with the previous track "A New
Soul" clocking in over14 minutes. We are not in syrupy sing-along "Follow you, Follow me" neo mode. We are talking
Code 18! Bon, ca suffit!

The afore mentioned "Prelude" sets off the spark that will shine throughout this release, an ode to insomnia with
Sylvain Descoteaux emoting within an orchestral umbrella , a throttling bass keeping the line and JF R]]>�setting the tone for all the magic to come, a bluesy conquest of the senses. The anesthetic is working, as the deep
dive into "Polyrhythm" is initiated, a chaotic collision between hard times and soft moments, the ideal foil for Ben to
express the turbulence of the world and how it affects our manic life. Edgy, at times serrated like a honed knife,
definitely questioning the validity of just holding on. "There is a nice space, just a few pages over, in fact, I think it's
better than this place", the definition of restful sleep.

Time for a look back at simpler times, when routine was rarely boring as "The Old House" tells the tale of childhood,
where innocence held hands with learning from one's mistakes. Musically, it's a windswept affair, ticking clocks
from Martin Plante, and flickers of liquid guitar, a dreamy soundscape that skillfully navigates the space between
each breath and every reminiscence. The orchestral elevation rises to a heightened crescendo, opening up the gate
for R]]>�
A trio of lengthy instrumentals invades the space, setting the stage for the players to show their considerable. The
quirky and serpentine "Alors Je Cherche" has a French language narration, in a very film noir setting as if recalling a
Phillip Marlowe/ Sam Spade criminal escapade with romantic underpinnings (long-legged temptress) and as such
has all the thrilling trimmings associated with the genre, including well-placed brass exhortations, blaring just above
the Peter Gunn-like bass line. Bloody brilliant, "L'Affaire Dumoutier" revisited.

Candidate (and surely winner) for the best song title of 2026 , "The Lovers, the Incompetent and the Asshole"
travels first into piano land for a stretch with slick guitar shadings (the two lovers, I presume), before a burly
synthesizer flare-up takes the mood into sombre reptile territory, a slithering and bumbling electronic declaration
of frivolousness, bashing a few hard drums in the process, a modern ode to Inspector Clouseau, peut-etre?
Invariably, with incompetence we get incontinence and the bowel movement gradually appears, with growling
stomach spasms, and the inevitability of human stupidity expelling its garbage. The congas and the hammered
piano keys, provide a monumental procession of percussive liberation, letting the savage synthesizer unleash its
venomous waste. Maybe also candidate for finest instrumental of 2026, qui sait?

The shorter but utterly fragrant "Moving in Peach Nightmare" has a psychedelic connotation that is hard to ignore,
swirling patterns of serene sounds, a tick-tock (no, not the app, FFS) somnolence that induces a kind of electro sonic
fantasy, the keyboards reminding me of some of Billie Currie (Ultravox) solo work. Love this tracks as well.
Now, closing off an already thrilling album with not one but TWO epic pieces, is as bold a statement one can make
and Code 18 pull it off with gusto, bravado and presumably a fair amount of espresso.

"A New Soul" owns a running time of over 14 minutes and it's an absolute corker, perhaps candidate for epic of
2026, ben voyons donc! The tempo and atmosphere are instantly attractive in a cinematographic sense, with wide
shots combined with endless detailed inserts, the rhythmic brouhaha exhausting, and the mystery constantly
exposed. When the Plamondon vocals finally kick in, the starkness verges on sinister Armageddon, "where nature is
gone, ripped from the earth", and yet, there is still hope from the celestial watchers above, or so it seems. The
confrontation between edgy chaos and sustained slumber, resurrects the invariable extremes of sleep versus
insomnia, of light and dark, of life and death. Only a new soul can provide any kind of resurrection, the instrumental
section has a wicked (I mean evil) St-Louis bass flutter that shuffles the bruising Hammond organ rage along, Plante
blasting away on his tectonic kit, Maz now adding synthesizers sorties in order to challenge the delirious R]]>�guitar assaults.

"Justice?" you surely mean injustice! Ending an album on the concepts of Waiting and despair, as well as the endless
fight to survive and wondering what in hell (or is it heaven) will be the verdict , is the exact definition of our times.
Well, I choose to be positive by filtering out the endless abysmal poison peddling and judgmental opinion scourge
that weakens our resolve by promising endless blessings that are never fulfilled. How do we resist, you may ask?
Turn off the media tools and turn on the music, that is how! Screw the bad news ,look at the light and set yourself
free. A magnificent closer, showcasing the talented crew's deliverance. A dozen minutes that could be the requiem
of our times, whereby we eschew the focus on the problems and start looking at solutions, something the modern
world seems reluctant to motivate.

A master stroke of bustling progressive rock that will cause a fair amount of excitement in our global community.
Bien jou]]>�
5 dual spaces

CLARK HUTCHINSON Retribution (Indo-Prog/Raga Rock, 1970)

Sun, 3 May 2026 08:32:40 EST

Review by Nickmannion — I have all three C/H albums....this one being a junk/charity shop find for a quid in the early 80's, oh what a time to
be a fledgling collector/crate digger...and the contrarian in me has this as my favourite. How so? Well I guessed
before I looked at the ratings etc that this one would have the proglodytes turn their ears up at...but you know,
narrow musical snobbery is so passe...!
Explain then. For reasons unknown, C/H decided to go all blues/rock for this sophomore effort, not in a 'lets nod in
the general direction' way but more all in although (am assuming this was missed by most other raters) with
tongues firmly cheek planted. The opener 'Free To Be Stoned' comes out of the traps like Bakerloo meets
Stackwaddy at Vanilla Fudges place when the Pink Fairies and Edgar Broughton popped by and makes say Led Zep
sound staid and polite by comparison. You would think a fair few walls were pinned to back in 1970 on the needle
hitting the groove. Marvellous! Then a mid paced piano led blues lope that could come from a Steamhammer or John Dummer( bands various)
album although it is perhaps stretched a few mins too far/long. 'In Another Day' is probably the Deram execs.
insisting 'a hit single might be helpful' but it doesnt have say (thinking of contemporary crossover 'hits') anything of
the All right Now or even Devils Answer about it but a hint of Patto perhaps? 'Best Suit' lyrically is a satire on the
pop boy tries very hard to impress girl but fails spectacularly fare but musically is a bit Mott The Hoople (before
they went 'popish') with a melancholy Rory Gallagher feel without being a guitar fest. Finally 'Death The Lover' is a
possible cheesy Zappaesque/Hampton Grease Band take on more doomy stuff, the cheap organ sound (deliberate)
being the key before it morphs into a smooth pastiche on crooner things to fade...
Ok, I grant you there might be a bit of lets throw all this at the wall and see what sticks about it but it certainly isnt
safe or formulaic hence the contrarian in me is on board. Again, ratings dilemma as it is probably a 3.5 give or take
but am not going 3 to reduce the average but 4 to pull said average nearer to where it maybe should be.

KARCIUS Black Soul Sickness (Jazz Rock/Fusion, 2026)

Sun, 3 May 2026 07:48:38 EST

Review by alainPP — "Wallow" opens with a monumental flourish, featuring Gilmour-esque, Moor-like guitar work, delicate and
interwoven with piano for a solemn, bluesy feel; a warm atmosphere pervades Sylvain's vocals and the
acoustics, reminiscent of Steve Wilson. The organ and the syncopated, metronomic riff, reminiscent of Wilson
and Riverside, are energetic. The raspy vocals flirt with growls; a disciplined bass and pad break allows vocals
and guitar to converse. The track returns to a melancholic ballad with a touch of post-rock guitars, an intense
fusion of melody and cyclothymic evolution over the restrained, screamed vocals. Nearly fifteen minutes in,
S]]>�finale, with hints of Mot]]>�Nothing," featuring Anathema's acoustic guitar, is an unplugged, melancholic ballad built on Thomas's crisp
drumming, guiding the listener down the steep slopes of alternative prog, distilling fiery heavy metal vibes. The
rollercoaster rhythm, sharpened by explosive, trance-like prog metal crescendos, culminates in an ethereal,
evanescent synth outro. "Darkest Heir," with its clock and sampled vocals, delivers a palpable musical tension.
The heavy riff and guttural vocals sound straight out of a dark metal band. The impressive, compulsive, choppy
sound of the keyboard solo is something Jordan Rudess would love to play. The Karcius-esque rogue wave
continues to swell.

"Slow Down Son," in an airy, Floydian synth style, features a radiant acoustic guitar note; the meditative
atmosphere of this world music interlude, somewhere between a ballad and a slow jam, has a touch of Peter
Gabriel. A moment of pure, disconnecting bliss. "Rise," an acoustic, archaic guitar piece by Simon, precedes the
onslaught of heavy progressive metal. The catchy chorus is radio-friendly, and we still believe in this superb
band where the raw guitars perfectly complement Sylvain's off-kilter vocals for a truly exhilarating build-up. The
acoustic outro is heavy, reminiscent of the sublime Pain of Salvation, featuring a frenetic organ-guitar battle.
"Awakening the Spirit" opens with a crystalline sound, ethereal piano, keyboard waves, and a melting vocal,
building to a restrained crescendo reminiscent of Hamasari, with the driving drums over the whispered vocals. A
progressive atmosphere emerges, the saccharine build-up envelops the listener, amplified by Simon's fiery solo.
Accompanied by a swirling organ in the style of Dream Theater, this excellent crescendo culminates in a blazing
guitar solo, organ, guitar, organ?epic. "Dusting My Coat" returns to a restrained, deliberate gentleness; the
metronomic drums lend a palpable heaviness to the initially measured tempo, which then accelerates to an
explosive crescendo. The chorus accentuates the frenetic build-up, creating a sense of longing.

KARCIUS dares to move beyond jazz fusion, and it's a very good thing. A dense album that proves this band is
clearly underrated. An opus that confronts the architecture of the human psyche, both calm and violent. A
powerful, cinematic exploration of this modern rock fusion, alternating between heavy and post-rock. A wave of
dense sonic emotion for this singular album that pushes back against today's progressive rock by injecting it
with melody, sensitivity, and technical skill. A major achievement.

LITURGIA DEL PIOMBO Volume Primo (Jazz Rock/Fusion, 2026)

Sun, 3 May 2026 03:10:31 EST

Review by Fercandio46 — On Liturgia del Piombo's albums, Ludovico Maggi Padovan performs a complete solo work playing all the instruments,
just as on each of his covers the landscapes are solitary places, where except in the factory of the first one, no people
appear, and they are also monochromatic, this new album was titled Volume Primo, and unlike Ustica, where it could
sound more rock, here he makes a fusion more related to the oriental, which reminded me of his compatriots from
Area.

Its tracks are divided like the pages of a book, as vintage as the car in the cover photo. Just as Pagine 1-83 is
dominated by the organ, Pagine 84-168 features the clarinet prominently, and Pagine 169-253 features the guitar in
the style of Scott Henderson of Tribal Tech. In Pages 254-336, we reach the climax of this musical book, with a
theatrical treatment that does not need dialogues or lyrics to be sung, the clarinet whispers, the guitar shouts, the
interaction is there.

On pages 337-419, you can hear Steve Hackett with Djabe, a fusion of Western, Balkan, and Eastern sounds, where
the guitar still seems to want to speak. On the other hand, pages 420-505, despite their almost hard rock power with
touches of funk, have the sophistication of a rainy day under the city cobblestones, paved with the saxophone.

Pages 506-593 strum calmly with the guitar, jumping from balcony to balcony, holding on with the clarinet and its
notes as if they were a rope...until the rope tightens and the rock returns, which will be precisely the balance on which
Liturgia del Piombo will perform acrobatics, whose characteristic is to sound light despite being as heavy as lead at
times.

Pages 594-666 end the book, which sounds like those old cassettes with books read...whose conclusion is as obscure
as, again as Steve Hackett as Spectrum or his last albums, the specters covered by Padovan go there and beyond until
culminating with some guitar notes delicately placed on a wet cobblestone.

STORMY SIX Un Biglietto Del Tram (RIO/Avant-Prog, 1975)

Sat, 2 May 2026 22:19:34 EST

Review by The Progolyte — Stormy Six is well known for their involvement in the original Rock In Opposition movement in the
seventies, especially for being essentially the Italian band to be involved in the genre. After a quick check of
the band's ratings on ProgArchives and Rate Your Music, I came to the conclusion that they had two major
albums in their discography, with this being one of them. Now, Un Biglietto Del Tram was indeed the first
exposure I ever got to the band, and I went into thinking I would get an experimental and highly technical
album (judging by the ratings and descriptions I saw), but I ended up with a generally bland folk album with
various interesting and complex parts mixed in every once and a while. I was disappointed with this record,
and I thought that it could definitely have more energy and life. Especially in the vocals. The vocals this
band has sound bland and overall drove my rating down for this album. When looking at the personnel, it
includes Franco Fabbri and Umberto Fiori on guitar, Carlo De Martini and Tommaso Leddi on violin, Luca
Piscicelli on bass, and Antonio Zanuso on drums, and then all of them (except Antonio) do the vocals and
do various other instrumentation such as mandolin or flute.

The music feels very Eastern, specifically taking influence from classic Russian folk music. The vocals and
overall playing also feel Russian, and that whole vibe is made even more evident when you realize the
opening song is literally called Stalingrado. This is one of (if not the) band's most popular songs, and though
it normally doesn't sound like a normal Italian song (it sounds like a World War II tune), it still manages to
be memorable and enjoyable. Most of the album follows this same path, being stylized in that same fashion
of WWII era war songs and also being folk songs that stick to you, even if there aren't many intricate details
going on. Much of it feels a bit boring, and I wish they had spent their time making more complex and
technical music, as while there are moments on here, it can sometimes get unbearably slow and lifeless.
Moving on, some of my other favorites include Arrivano Gli Americani and the title track, which are each
the longest two compositions on the album at nearly six minutes. They also have some really nice
instrumental passages that allow room for soloing and faster music overall.

In conclusion, I know it's an unpopular opinion to rate this album this low, but I honestly don't see the true
"genius" behind this record. I can definitely see why some people love this one, but I just don't feel the
same. This one is a weak 3.25/5.

MOONRISE No Rewind (Neo-Prog, 2026)

Sat, 2 May 2026 18:36:11 EST

Review by tszirmay — Kamil Konieczniak just keeps on making his brand of prog, another proudly talented musician who refuses to
conform to expectations or even endlessly dabble in flavor of the year trends. After a lengthy seven year span of
silence since "Travel Within" in 2019, which went by rather unnoticed and surely underappreciated, the crafty multi-instrumentalist who masters the big four of prog, returns to loftier heights with the spectacular "No Rewind" , keeping his long standing vocalist Marcin Staszek but splitting duties now with the fabulous Anna Batko, formerly
of fellow Polish band Albion (a band I wish would rise from the ashes as Jerzy Antczak's music is sorely missed).
Regular guest Marcin Kruczek rejoins Kamil again delivering a blistering guitar solo on the penultimate track , he
has become the leading axe for hire guitar slinger, having played on numerous albums with Nemezis, Framauro,
Millenium, Metus, Gall, the Ryszard Kramarski Project and Mindfields. However, with this album, there has been a
major stylistic change, overtly less neo-prog than before, veering into more symphonic detailing, though the
melodies remain of paramount importance, and the vocal deliveries from both vocalists verging on the spectacular.

As the album titles clearly implies, there is no looking back. The glittering opener "Two Roads" signals where the
artist was, as Batko impacts the piece with seductive efficiency and the following two longer pieces really showcase
the progress into more subtle realms, as both the extended "Shadows in the Dark" and the impressive "Single
Game" hit the proverbial bull's eye, with Staszek in particular blowing the mind with stupendous tone and overt
emotion. The first one sweeps into the conscience with atmospheric intent, solidly expanding on a short yet bold
chorus, then dropping back into crunchy rhythm guitars chopping the percussive block, dense keyboard
orchestrations and decorative guitar licks, but it's the mid-section vocal high notes that create the goose bumps.
The instrumental core is simply divine, a sense of flow that is unescapable, ambient passages where the majestic
piano appears to rule, albeit just for a tender moment (they are Polish after all!). The second is the perfect
companion, maintaining a quality that cannot be overlooked, even by the most casual ear. When Staszek grabs the
microphone, he combines plausibility with uncanny ardour, his upper scales in the Steve Perry realm (without the
corniness), the shimmering guitar effects sweeping the road ahead, steadfast and oozing romance. This is frightfully delightful, modern prog at its finest, inspired and prone to adventure.

Three shorter tracks shift the focus onto more painful matters, altering once again the style as the first one up is
"Cheaters", navigating a more electronic urban reference, where synthesizers ping and drums pong, guitars
screeching and bass shuttling without remorse. The chorus hits the vocal plateaus previously reached apparently
with ease, this Staszek fellow is a revelation (he was always very good, but on this album, he kicks it up quite a
notch). This 5-minute romp remains concrete and stark, yet oozing feeling. Anna Batko enhances the pot with her
honey sweet voice, high up and near the Kate Bush zone, sugarcoating the wounded essence on "When We Played
by Heart", the emotions thrilling and devout, the instrumental backdrop quaintly delicate. Kamil then elevates the
storm with a commanding expanse of sonic detailing, an upward surge that made me skip a few beats. "Silent
Rooms" deflects the attention to an ornate piano chamber, where the solitary ivories resonate with a pressing
hush, a magnificent 3-minute interlude kept deliberately pure, another magical moment on a ride that has no rear-
view mirror.

Our guitar cameo shines on the stimulating "Friends of Blood ", as Kruczek unpacks all his talented craft with his
good pal Kamil keeping the foundation structure secure, Staszek convincingly relating the bond between them that shines through the grooves. The expectant guitar splurge is off the charts brilliant, an explosive flurry of gritty
fingers gliding all over the fretboard, all bending, caressing, touching and feeling the inner most expressions of the
musical soul.

Proof is in the pudding , and the dessert here is "All About You", the 10 minute + epic finale, proving my point about the slight upward direction undertaken during the 7-year itch. Batko sings and hushes with equal aplomb, the lengthy instrumental display from Kamil stamping not just this closing statement but the entire album with a
vigorous 'my best yet', a motion that I can concur with 1000% . With the apparent demise of Riverside and the silent Albion fade away, Polish Prog remains nevertheless still vibrant if one needs to judge by this stunning release. Not a single weak moment on an album I intend to rewind many more times in the near future. Give it a try, you cannot be disappointed.

5 lunar zeniths

ACHWGH� NEY WODEI Achwgh� Ney Wodei (RIO/Avant-Prog, 1986)

Sat, 2 May 2026 18:09:40 EST

Review by siLLy puPPy — While the 80s were dominated by the likes of slick overproduced pop from Michael Jackson, Madonna
and Prince, a whole new underground was well underway. The world of heavy metal had dominated the
harder side of the rock spectrum but lurking in the shadows was a much stranger breed that worked
secretly in their musical laboratories like a mad occultist finding a new alchemical methodology of
summoning strange new sounds into our existence. One such act emerged from Paris, France. The
foursome that consisted of Fran]]>��(bass, percussion, vocals), Eric 'Riton' Sterenfield (guitar, keyboards, percussion, vocals) and
Phillippe 'Wodi' Royer (percussion, trumpet, bass, vocals) rechristened themselves as ACHWGH]]>�WODEI and released two bizarre albums in the late 80s when such experimental music was about as far
from the mainstream consciousness as possible.

A bizarre mishmash of post-punk, avant-prog and freak funk, ACHWGH]]>�titled debut in a manner as unconventional as its music. Appearing in 1986 as a limited-edition
cassette, this album was hidden inside a handmade plaster model of a Citro]]>�traditional piggy bank the curious new owners had to break the plaster to be able to play the
cassette, a true first and only case of such in the entire history of music it seems! If that wasn't
enough once the product was obtained for playing, the musical style was self-described as "Razz!"
which featured highly experimental theatrical stream of overlapping (and oft contrasting) sounds
that mined their influences from various freak-a-zoids like Captain Beefheart, The Residents, Renado
& The Loaf, Neu! and another freaky French act Un D]]>�pulsating rhythms courtesy of Magma as well as the transcendental avant-prog roots traced back to
Univers Zero. The band found its way onto the short-lived V.I.S.A. label which featured Bourbonese
Qualk.

Musically ACHWGH]]>�unpredictable swarms of sounds that found oddly syncopated rhythms commingling with random sounds,
angular melodies, humorous vocal interactions and at times seemingly minimalist only dressed up with
freaked out vocal accompaniments that sometimes even can bring Alvin & The Chipmunks to mind!
Somewhat of an avant-funk and RIO flavored breed of NYC no wave, ACHWGH]]>�of DIY art rock in the 80s taking its influences and throwing them into the blender until they all
came out as a musical style all their own. Vocalwise interjections were mined from French chanson
and unlikely candidates such as Les Fr]]>�19 fitting into a classic playing time of just under 44 minutes. Very much in the tradition of other
Frenchie outsiders including Aksak Maboul and Etron Fou Leloublan only more suitable for Zappa and
Residents hardcores.

Part of the wild display of anarchy on this results from the fact that this band that met at the
Paris Tolbiac University and then joined an artist's community that squatted an out of commission
Parisian hospital where a gaggle of musicians took over and created wild music such as this. The
band was short-lived and only released two albums and until recently has all been but forgotten to
time as some of the most obscure releases ever to emerge from the Paris Underground but with the
renewed interest in all things wild and wacky out of the long sealed vaults, ACHWGH]]>�found a new audience in the modern world with its completely unhinged unorthodox approach to musical
mania and has found new digital releases making it more accessible than ever without resorting to
piles of broken plaster in the process. This is a fun crazy romp through short strange musical
expressions that defy all logic and expectations. One for the most open-minded avant-proggers but a
very satisfying one indeed and oddly as accessible as it is alienating.

DR. SPACE Dr Space�s Wicked Sonic Bulls (Psychedelic/Space Rock, 2026)

Sat, 2 May 2026 17:26:23 EST

Review by kev rowland — On Saturday 10th January 2026 at 10:30, four musicians started playing, and just two hours later they were finished.
Scott Heller then engineered, mixed and mastered the recordings, and here is the result. Scott, in his alter-ego of Dr.
Space (]]>�Synth, and he was joined by guitarist Tom Ashurst (ex-Hawklords, China Bull Shop, Here & Now), bassist Martin
Weaver (]]>�Project).

Given that the album is by Dr. Space one would expect it to be far more synth-based, but in reality, what we have here
is a rhythm section keeping it all together, the synths often providing a backdrop but rarely coming to the fore, with
the guitar being the main lead instrument. The result is something which is obviously heavily influenced more by
Hawkwind than Tangerine Dream, but more of a modern version and less of the Seventies heyday that one might
expect. Given that Ashurst has been heavily involved with the modern incarnation of Hawklords, both touring and on
albums, perhaps that is not too surprising. It certainly feels that the other three musicians are following his lead as
opposed to sharing the improvisational/compositional load, which is not what I would expect from a Dr. Space
release. There is a sense of lightness about this recording, a sense of the guys smiling and enjoying themselves with
little or no pressure and the result is something which is a pleasant workout while never being truly essential.

DR. SPACE Dr. Paradiso meets Dr. Space - Liquid Soundscapes (Psychedelic/Space Rock, 2026)

Sat, 2 May 2026 16:51:35 EST

Review by kev rowland — In March 2025 Scott Heller went to Boston to spend three days with Dr. Joe Paradiso, who over the last 50 years has
built one of the world's largest modular synthesisers. They spent three days recording 14 pieces of music (which they
refer to as Movements), building layers of sound which somehow feels analogue and not digital, dated and certainly
not at all modern. One can imagine lovers of Tangerine Dream getting quite excited about this. What we have here is
Movement 13, "Swampworld", which has been presented in three parts, although it is in reality a single piece of music.

This is a very unusual album to listen to as although it is all keyboards I found myself thinking firstly of bagpipes and
then of a bugle, certainly not instruments one would immediately think of when listening to electronic albums. The
bagpipes are present as there is an underlying bass/baritone electronic drone throughout (which does change pitch
but is always there), while at times the lead melody can be thought of as being like a bugle (at one point I was sure I
could hear a smattering of "Last Post" and then it was gone). At other times they move into Hawkwind-like aggression,
as if the instruments are no longer things of beauty but are intent on destroying all before them as if in a futuristic
science fiction movie. It often feels as if the listener is encompassed by a world of sound, and all that exists is what is
happening between our ears (headphones are essential for the full effect).

It is an incredibly vital and intensely interesting piece of music, and one can only hope that if they recorded 14
different Movements then there is a lot more to come.

PALLAS The Knightmoves (Neo-Prog, 1985)

Sat, 2 May 2026 16:08:21 EST

Review by VianaProghead — Review N]]>�
As we know, the progressive rock was founded in the end of the 60's and primarily developed in the United
Kingdom. It was gradually being exported to many other countries around the world, especially to Europe.
However, the great exponent happened in the UK with many bands that were responsible for solidifying the style.
During several years, prog rock flourished and was responsible for some of the best pages ever written in the style.
But, in 1977, with the advent of the punk rock movement, prog rock went into decline and some of the bigger
names in the style simply disbanded or simplified their music in a more commercial style. So, the genre almost
disappeared during several years.
But as we know too, in the early 80's a sub-genre of the pro
gressive rock developed in the UK and that became known as the neo-progressive rock. The reason for the
emergence of this new genre was to resurrect the progressive rock in its most pure style but with a slight
commercial touch. Several British bands appeared at the time and were able to solidify the style that was
influenced by some of the biggest names of the 70's progressive rock, especially Genesis. Some of the most
important neo-prog bands at the time were Marillion, Pendragon, IQ, Pallas, Galahad, Twelfth Night, Solstice, Abel
Ganz and Quasar. They were responsible for some of the best albums in the genre solidifying the style.

About Pallas, is a Scottish prog rock band that was founded in 1974 in Aberdeen and that started their life as
Rainbow. The band dropped their name after Ritchie Blackmore left Deep Purple and called his new band Rainbow.
In the early 80's they were one of the leading bands at the Marquee Club, a London club that was considered a
temple of the 80's prog rock scene. The band's first release was a self-produced live LP entitled "Arrive Alive" in
1981. Their first studio album "The Sentinel" was released in 1984. In the following year, Pallas released an EP
entitled "The Knightmoves". In 1986, Pallas released their second studio album "The Wedge" and the compilation
album "Knightmoves To Wedge".

So, "The Knightmoves", which is the subject of this my review, is one of the first works of the band. With the release
of "Arrive Alive" and "The Sentinel", the band didn't have a great commercial success with not many sales. So, due to
that and shortly afterwards, their vocalist Euan Lowson left the band. Having recruited a new singer Alan Reed,
formerly of Abel Ganz, Pallas released this EP to present their new singer. "The Knightmoves" has only three tracks,
"Stranger", "Nightmare" and "Sanctuary". With these first recordings with Alan Reed, Pallas performs a rather
mellow progressive rock style with some AOR type moments. It's an interesting release with a curious mix between
the more commercial and the more prog sound. Maybe we can say that the band was trying a kind of a new future
sound for their next album.

So, as I mentioned before, "The Knightmoves" is an EP by Pallas that was released in 1985. The line up on "The
Knightmoves" is Alan Reed (lead and backing vocals), Niall Mathewson (lead electric and acoustic guitars, ebow and
guitar synthesizer), Ronnie Brown (backing vocals, grand piano, keyboards and synthesizers), Graeme Murray
(backing vocals, bass guitar, 12-string guitar and bass pedals) and Derek Forman (drums, bell, timbales and
timpani).

So, "The Knightmoves" has only three tracks. The first track "Stranger" is pretty much a basic AOR pop rock track
with its opening chorale word, which sounds a little bit of the early Asia's sound. It's a high-gear neo-prog/AOR track
with some powerful vocals by Alan Reed and a straightforward musicianship, featuring pounding rhythms and
some tricky keyboard work. For a prog fan it's almost a guilty pleasure to hear. It's a nice track for the 80's, so in
vogue at the time. The second track "Nightmare" is also a good track, building on the creepy side of Pallas. It
features a haunting intro and a more theatrical approach to support the title of the track. Again the sound is clean
and epic with a fantastic guitar solo and some atmospheric synthesizer sounds. The track even features a fabulous
screaming synthesizer solo by the inspired Ronnie Brown in the very known Keith Emerson's unmistakable style.
This is another nice track. The third and last track "Sanctuary" ends this EP in the best way. It's its lengthiest track
and probably the best track too. It's a long, atmospheric, dramatic and epic neo-prog track with some new wave
and few symphonic prog vibes all over and some beautiful electric guitar work by Niall Mathewson next to Ronnie
Brown's spacey synthesizers. This track develops in a more mature set of instrumental arrangements and an
irresistible escalation toward the grand finale. It's actually a fine track to have been hidden away for so long on an
EP. I think we can say that "Sanctuary" is a nice close to this EP.

Conclusion: "The Knightmoves" is one of the less known pieces of Pallas. Fortunately, the three tracks were also
released in 1986 in a compilation called "Knightmoves To Wedge". As the name indicates, "Knightmoves To Wedge"
is the sum of the tracks of "The Knightmoves" and "The Wedge", a kind of an album with the ten tracks by a certain
order. As a conclusion, we can say that Pallas with this EP was here to stay. Despite Pallas making many much
better things in the future that was to come, we can say that "The Knightmoves" is a little known work of a nice and
solid neo-prog.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

PLANTOID Flare (Eclectic Prog, 2026)

Sat, 2 May 2026 15:15:08 EST

Review by BrufordFreak — The Brighton-based band returns with their second album of King Crimson/black midi-like music.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Chloe Spence / vocals
- Tom Coyne / guitar
- Louis Bradshaw / drums
- Nathan Ridley / composition, support musicianship, production

1. "Parasite" (6:27) opening with more than a minute of dynamic guitar-chord ripping rock that sounds like something
from a black midi album, in the middle of the first minute the band backs down to reveal the dulcet underbelly of the
beast (a pattern that I've now come to know and almost expect from plantoid music). The music is gentle yet subtly
hiding its mischevious potential energy despite the lulling into submission of Chloe Coyne's Siren-like voice (all of it
shades of my favorite album of the 2020s. Then, just as she's got your floating off to sleep (around 6:25) the band
comes pounding back with the machine gun blasts of the artillery to finish us off. Genius deception--like the deadly
beauty of the great legends of mythology--most of whom were, of course, women. (9.125/10)

2. "Ultivatum Cultivation" (5:20) more genius in the palette, structure, and delivery of this one--Chloe Coyne is such a
vixen of allure and deceit: the way she can draw one in with her amazing voice despite the ambiguity of her (perhaps)
devious meanings hidden in her lyrics. It's just such a clever sound! (9.125/10)

3. "The Weaver" (4:57) a very simple Math Rock weave over (or is it within? or under?) which Chloe declares her
unwillingness to participate in the destruction and/or escape from the disintegrating planet. I really enjoy this song: it
has a surprising comforting psychedelic-hypnotic effect on me despite its doomer message and having to work really
hard to hear the message. (9.125/10)

4. "Dozer" (6:00) the first song whose setup turns me off a bit (I hate these one-two type of rock drum beats). Chloe
and the guitars do their best to quell my aversion--her lyrics about how to personally act when "the sky starts falling
down" ("golden" sleep). In the fourth minute the band switches their focus to theatric instrumental soundscaping--
which is entertaining in a King Crimson-kind of way--even incorporating quite a long blank space (to imply the silence
after the explosion of the "Big One"?)--but then they return to the abrasive Crimsonian palette for the finish before
another period of silence ensues--which is soon filled with string quartet work (as if we're on the sinking Titanic!)
Conceptually brilliant but not my favorite song. (I do so like a little more charm and marm!) (8.875/10)

5. "Good For You" (6:18) Chloe's delicate, almost child-like breathy soprano opens this as arpeggiated acoustic guitar
chords support her. The main melody in her vocal sounds like a delicate post-apocalyptic version of the previous
song's melody while the multi-layers of meaning in the lyrics seem to express the dream-like memory of romantic
summer evenings with a loved one who . . . is probably not there and may no longer be available. Very interesting. And
intriguing. I love the long, unnecessarily-protracted unchanging guitar outro. (8.875/10)

6. "Worn" (3:46) gorgeous air-vocal over interesting undefinable world music hybrid. The intended meaning of the
lyrics to this one are beyond the capacity of my puny little language-addled brain. (8.875/10)

7. "Splatter" (2:49) the punk rock side of plantoid. This one could be about werewolves, vampires, or other night
creatures but I don't really know. It sounds like something that fits in with the Twilight movies. (8.75/10)

8. "Slow Moving" (4:38) slow rolling music befitting a gentle night on the veranda. This one definitely feels like
relationship stuff: unresolved negative patterns or of dysfunction that keep repeating despite having tried to deal with
them over. The singer is getting tired of the repetition but she appreciates the reset that day time routines afford and,
in the end, admits that she's not dead or "empty"--not yet ready to give up--that she's just "slow," needs time to move.
Beautiful and brilliant--both musically and lyrically. My favorite song on the album. (9.375/10)

9. "Daisy Chains" (7:26) an odd song whose lyrics cause me to get stuck on the imagery from the original Frankestein
film in which Boris Karloff's monster encounters the little flower-picking girl beside the river/lake. Sorry! But that's how
ambiguous the lyrics feel--and how heavy, dark, and noncommittal the music feels. (Moral ambiguity. Just as Mary
Wollstonecraft Shelley would have wanted.) The feelings of sadness and horror are revealed in the instrumental outro.
(13.25/15)

Total Time 47:47

I've been listening to this album since the day it was released (no, not continuously, you silly!) hoping to find distinctive
elements to each and every song but the plantoid formula runs deep, becomes predictable; it's all in the lyrics (to
which I am often obtuse--unless I work really hard to. I get the sense that, like many of the young (Gen X & Gen Z)
(prog) rockers out there, (as well as many of the young hippy-somethings in the 1960s and 1970s), Chloe, Tom, Louis,
and Nathan are quite concerned for the urgent fate of this version of the human race. There is so much in this band's
music that conjures up kindredness between some of my other favorite 21st Century bands, like iNFiNiEN (Chrissy
Loftus), Oiapok (Melanie Gerber), Bent Knee (Courtney Swain), and even A Formal Horse (Hayley McDonnell). It is quite
the concession on my part that I've made this kind of effort to find out what Chloe and Nathan are trying to say with
the messages of their lyrics: I have no truer testament to my love and interest of a band than this effort.

B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of King Crimson-invoking crossover prog that is, in my humble opinion, a bit too
dependent upon the lyrical messages than the music or musicianship--especially when compared to their amazing
debut album. At the same time I do not consider this a case of "sophomore slumping" just directional shift in focus. I
feel strongly that this band has much more wonderful music to give us and they should know that I will always be
coming back for more.

HOOFFOOT Phantom Limb (Jazz Rock/Fusion, 2025)

Sat, 2 May 2026 14:01:01 EST

Review by Nickmannion — Sometimes we are surprised, when our ears are jaded with all things 'modern,' and then something organic and
valve-warm turns up. It also references some of the best influences ....yes subjective....and turns them into
something very 2025 through a 1975 equalizer if you prefer. I also like my jazz/prog/rock/fusion to be about the
whole and not so much a showcase for individual 'look at what I can do/did you just hear that?' These people just
ticked that box too.

Haven't heard the first two efforts so this is my intro to the collective. As I said above, but maybe didn't state clearly
enough, I am old school but always open to 'now' bands taking the best of the past somewhere ....you know,
'progressing'...but also revel in a band who 'get' what came before, both musically and sound wise, and can flex
their muscles within that. Props and all that. So we get 4 long tracks and not a hint of paying out the string to fill the
grooves (old school reference there) or cobbling ideas together to make 'an epic song' . Everything follows, even if
some turns are sudden and oblique, and the complementary balance of the players creates the rich
soundscape...they must have used old gear/recording facilities.....as that sound cannot be digitally or AI created.
I will use one track 'When The Insane Go Marching In' as my example. The touchstones are mid 70's Zappa,
Canterbury (pick and mix whomsoever you wish) Nektar, Focus and, scuse my obscure jazz related references,
even Dave Holland and Abercrombie/Hammer circa 'Timeless,' without going all ECM. It is sublime and subtle yet
serrated and sharp, purposeful without being plagiaristic, organic without being ornate and damn fine and will be a
regular for this years playlist. I haven't had it long enough/heard it enough to rate it higher but it is well about the 4
I shall give it.

GENESIS Wind and Wuthering (Symphonic Prog, 1976)

Sat, 2 May 2026 13:08:29 EST

Review by A Crimson Mellotron — Even after the departure of Peter Gabriel, Genesis continued to be one of the most innovative and
daring progressive rock bands of the UK, and the two albums released by them in 1976 capture the
quartet in a very interesting transitional period. The music of Genesis in the mid-70s is certainly
melancholic, quirky and woefully symphonic, with serpentine guitars and sweeping bass riffs,
accompanied by the fusion-inspired drumming of Phil Collins. The second of these 1976 albums, 'Wind
& Wuthering', was originally released by the end of December, written and recorded soon after its
predecessor 'A Trick of the Tail', a record that carried a lot of similarities to the Gabriel-era of
the band. 'Wind & Wuthering', on the other hand, is a record where texture, feel and introspection
are more prevalent, almost capturing a dreamy and romantic side of Genesis that could eventually be
traced back to the earlier days of the art rock pioneers, and to albums like 'Trespass' or 'Nursery
Cryme'.

The sound on this album is warm and pastoral, the interplay between the electric guitars and the
keyboards is exceptional all the way through, while the song structures are ostensibly more complex
than on 'A Trick of the Tail'. The music is incredibly atmospheric, almost similar to some of the
earlier Camel albums, with Genesis composing these mini symphonic suites that are usually defined by
two or three very characteristic sections - particularly the first two tracks 'Eleventh Earl of Mar'
and 'One for the Vine', which is a moody 10-minute-long exercise in melodic prog. 'All in a Mouse's
Night' is another pretty good song appearing on the album, and the same goes for the two-part suite
'Unquiet Slumbers', which contains some of the most mesmerizing instrumental sections on 'Wind &
Wuthering'. Many listeners enjoy 'Your Own Special Way' as well, but I tend to find this song a
little too sorrowful and somewhat solemn. Nevertheless, this is a very fine Genesis album with tons
of great music on it, and while it is an overall more assiduous listen (compared to the rest of
their catalogue), there is plenty of fabulous symphonic art rock to be explored here. Furthermore,
'Wind & Wuthering' is perhaps where we find the roots of what would later become the neo-prog
movement, which is quite interesting, too, and makes the album a tad bit more special.

THE CLAYPOOL LENNON DELIRIUM The Great Parrot-Ox and The Golden Egg of Empathy (Eclectic Prog, 2026)

Sat, 2 May 2026 12:07:40 EST

Review by arcane-beautiful — The Great Parrot-Ox & The Golden Egg Of Empathy by The Lennon Claypool Delirium is the project's first
concept album that has some interesting results. Taking their interesting blend of prog and psychedelic rock
into experimental territory, it isn't as strong as their first 2 albums, but it is overall an interesting experiment. As
always, Les Claypool's classic bass playing is as creative and impressive as always, while Sean Lennon's
psychedelic crooning and guitar licks oddly accompany Claypool's bass talents pretty well. If you enjoyed
Primus's The Desaturating 7, then you might get a kick out of this, because it is an overall more focused project
than that album. I'd give this a mid 7 out of 10. The track I'd recommend is The Golden Egg Of Empathy.

BRENDAN PERKINS Trading River Songs (Symphonic Prog, 2026)

Sat, 2 May 2026 07:02:55 EST

Review by tszirmay —
Its not easy being objective when having to write a review of an artist whose two previous works I simply fell in love
with and reviewed glowingly with oodles of praise! It's just that this style of British folk-prog has always resonated
with me, and Brendan is the consummate multi-instrumentalist, who can shine from one end of the stage to the
other, handling instruments like a battery of polished silverware, eager for a gourmet repast. Both last year's
"Stories from the Old Church Lane" and the previous 2024 "Favourite Places" were not only well received but also
managed to bowl over quite an army of critics, reviewers and DJs in the process. Understandably, as it is very easy
to answer: incredible melodies, subtle instrumentation, poetic lyrics from Helen Flunder, all within an indelible
atmosphere that takes one away into dreamland and a hefty dose of passion, all combine to make this artist a
current favourite. Though I may be Canadian, I will not apologize (we have this reputation, you see).

The opening port of call is "Rest at the Shoreline", where no time is wasted in setting the musical backdrop, a
delicate foundational set-up with his patented confident guitar strokes and a voice that entrances, as the tale is told
in most convincing tones. The liquid fretboard eruption is a caress one will likely not dismiss, Brendan's vocal tone
soothing and dream-like, 'as the distant gas lamps flicker' and with shuttered eyes, one can direct the movie playing
in one's mind. The underlining piano and keyboard orchestration, the bass equally prominent when prompted, and
one more fluid guitar stream, for good measure. Seduction incarnate.

"Banks of the Fleet" maintains the aquatic feel, lest we forget that the source is an island surrounded by empirical
oceans and seas, a hardy people known to explore the boundaries of time and space. Lochs, lakes, rivers, streams
and rivulets provide endless continuity and tradition, which certainly comes across in the vivid music. The flowing
melodies show no surrender, the floating soloing moments only enhancing the story told. One has to admire how
craftily the variations enter seamlessly, often guided by that up-front bass that , in all honesty, enchanted me from
the first day my ears discovered this artist! Simply beautiful.

The title track leaves the wavering emotion in the piano's delicate fingers, the electric guitar gliding gently above,
restraint incarnate. Melancholy, reflection and introspective expression appear in the pleading voice, asking
desperately for answers, as the sweet sounds embalm the soul. This style of music is not laden with complex time
signature terminologies that will dazzle the diehard technicians out there but a magnificent grasp of passion,
atmosphere and melody that will tempt and seduce the most sensitive ears, every note played having a targeted
purpose in the seduction.

Dripping with overt 'Britishness', the heroic 10 minute + "Binbrook Skyline" , the intro rekindling memories of
Smallcreep's Day, Mike Rutherford's first and surely best solo album, often regarded as one of the hidden jewels in
the prog pantheon. The command expressed here is immensely powerful, with massive mellotron-infused choir
colorations dominating in the first third, as the shape of things to come begins to tell the story. Brendan calls in his
secret weapon once again, as the bustling bass hurtles the pace forward, solidifying both the pace and the direction
of this extended piece, never letting go. The fretboards opt for a jangly chop reboot, recalling the choral grandeur ,
crowned by the delivery of a slippery axe solo that screeches, bellows and cries with heartfelt emotion. Applause
factory.

A well-deserved moment of glory appears on "Angels in a Vacuum", the off the charts brilliant acoustic guitar work
coming unexpectedly as if a messenger from above, sweeping keyboard orchestrations where 'bells begin to chime',
the profoundly impactful lyrics hitting their mark, and that meaty bass elevating the celestial feel. The picking guitar
has a clever twang that can only elicit smiles of appreciation, a faultless insertion that speaks volumes of how
consummate this musician can be. The acoustic work resumes to finish off the thrill.

A gorgeous and resolute finale and the shortest track here clocking in with 6 and a half minutes, "Goddess Earth"
sets the spotlight of the luxuriant voice and elegant piano, recalling an RPWL ballad that once stirred 'my passion,
where there is no pain'. The chorus is gloriously enchanting, crushingly profound and an axe solo drowning in
meaning. You cannot afford to miss this ending, as well as the entire album for that matter, surely a 2026 highlight,
that will consolidate this artist's reputation even further in the community. A must listen.

5 raining tunes

A.S.T.R.A Il Tempo del Tempio (Rock Progressivo Italiano, 1983)

Sat, 2 May 2026 06:37:41 EST

Review by Finnforest — Fun ride without destination?

This is certainly an interesting instrumental rock album from 1983. A.S.T.R.A. was a short-lived,
one-and-done project from Trieste who left one short album in their wake. While placed here in RPI,
the band feels unlike most RPI bands and doesn't really match many of the components we typically
look for. But let's look at what we do have. With two keyboardists and two guitarists, there is
plenty of firepower here for some interesting instrumental forays, and it is the guitarists who grab
the limelight most of the time. Rather than the usual stately, organic, or classical RPI influences
one would mention, "Il Tempo del Tempio" feels like an interesting mix of early neo-prog (in the
rhythm section, particularly) symphonic (keys), and even psych, perhaps (guitars).

Yet, PA genres aside, I suspect they also embrace more popular musical forms like new wave and what
we used to refer to as just plain old art rock. I don't know their background, but I would not be
surprised if members of this band had heard artists like Gary Numan, Asia, Kraftwerk, or Ultravox to
name but a few, though it's certainly a different vibe without vocals. As others have pointed out,
the production is a bit thin, but the bigger problem for me is just a missing depth in the emotional
side of the songwriting. This is a pleasant listen and certainly a fun listen at first, but it isn't
something that digs in and makes me return to it long term. This album runs along pretty well, a
pleasant morning jog, but it never really seems to arrive anywhere particularly memorable. Maybe
that's the difference between a good jam and a good song, though I can appreciate both.

Ah! You know what else this album reminds me of? Parts of this sound quite similar in feel (and
production quality) to the 1978 French prog rarity called Skryvania! I know some of you guys will
remember that one. Since it had a CD release on Musea, it actually gained a lot more traction than
A.S.T.R.A., at least around prog fan sites. I like Skryvania more than A.S.T.R.A., but they're in
the same ballpark, I would say. This one is more of a fun rarity for the prog collector types.
Another 5/10 album, but this one feels like a round-down in PA rating system. Your mileage may vary.

PETER GABRIEL Peter Gabriel 2 [Aka: Scratch] (Crossover Prog, 1978)

Sat, 2 May 2026 02:27:29 EST

Review by Fercandio46 — Right from the cover, we see a much darker Peter Gabriel, and that's how the album begins, with him singing with
that almost punkish edge. In fact, his band sounded spontaneous at times... and at others elaborate, even with
hints of Genesis's The Lamb... and that's because the songwriting style he invented on that double album, a farewell
to his time with the band, combined those two styles: aggressive and operatic. I think it defines Gabriel of that era
well. This second volume is full of subtleties, more so than the first, and D.I.Y. has them, with a modern rhythm, an
inverted guitar, and a spirit of immediacy.

Mother of Violence is another unconventional ballad, with many classical elements carried forward by the piano
and something country in the background which gives it a unique texture that makes it timeless. Once again, Robert
Fripp on guitars... Larry Fast on synthesizers, Tony Levin on bass, Jerry Marotta on drums, along with others forming
a tight-knit band, A Wonderful Day in a One-Way World flirts with reggae and country, but beneath that lies a classic
foundation that ultimately makes it epic and doesn't feel out of place. This second volume is much more
homogeneous without losing that playful, fresh feel that characterized the earlier volumes, where there was no
need to differentiate them with a name... because the music alone did the talking.

White Shadow has always struck me as the song most indebted to Genesis over the years... its long keyboard intro
and Eastern influences, Gabriel's epic vocals soaring from high to low... plus Marotta's Zeppelin-esque drumming.
And yet... a touch of country guitar here and there leaves a hint of it floating in the air, as it does throughout the
album, and even though I'm not a particular fan of that genre, it doesn't bother me. One of those great tracks, with
a significant solo by Fripp that alone justifies the album. Indigo begins immediately, with solo piano, and it strikes
me as a testament to an artist unafraid of different nuances, and that touch he had in his youth of compositional
audacity, of boldness, of mixing genres and moods like a collage of tempera paintings, that's how Indigo and all of
Scratch, as the second volume was also called, unfold.

Alternatively, I prefer volume two...others volume three, always singing in this era with feeling, giving the
impression that those albums were alive, and that they become alive again every time they are played. Animal
Magic, without betraying the essence of the band's music, which already had its own personality even in such a
broad mix, plays with more accessible rhythms, almost pop within soul, and with Gabriel singing with the same
energy, that synergy suits it well; the textures keep passing, like a funk guitar joining two bridges, ending in a
complex result where truly complex compositions can be heard as something simple, fresh and fluid.

Exposure is another of Fripp and Gabriel's great collaborations, which would appear on this album and on the
guitarist's self-titled album. I prefer the ones that appeared on Fripp's album, which are more raw, but this one is
equally fabulous, modern...funk, electronica, krautrock. Tony Levin's bass does not disappoint and invents sounds,
as much as Gabriel's guitar and voice.

Flotsam and Jetsam and an irresistible ballad with that country feel again, but sophisticated, with a voice with a
glam echo and halfway through it changes...and remains suspended until Perspective begins where the repetitive
chorus gives it a lot of vibe, plus the energetic singing and the saxophone plus those rhythm changes that
characterize Home Sweet Home, the final track, and all those four volumes so similar and so different at the same
time...like children of the same father.

METAMORFOSI E Fu Il Sesto Giorno (Rock Progressivo Italiano, 1972)

Fri, 1 May 2026 23:20:36 EST

Review by The Progolyte — This record is the debut album of the semi-famous Rock Progressivo Italiano act Metamorfosi, and while I
think it pales in comparison to their sophomore record, Inferno, this is still an alright album. It still carries
that symphonic prog sound that would be found on Inferno, however it's a lot less original and complex.
While it isn't that original, the band still gets creative in how they go about playing these songs, and it
sometimes also approaches a form of hard rock but is still restrained. Also, much of the music is
dominated by vocals instead of being more instrumental, which, while I do sometimes enjoy music with
vocals, for the most part, I think it holds the band back a little. The personnel of the band at the time
consists of Jimmy Spitaleri on vocals and flute, Luciano Tamburro on guitars, Enrico Olivieri on keyboards
and some flute and vocals, Roberto Turbitosi on bass and various vocal sections, and Mario Natali playing
the drums.

The music here, while still good, can be quite lacking at parts. You obviously tell what direction the band
was heading towards and that they would make a better effort (that better effort being their masterpiece,
Inferno), but here the music still feels restrained and simpler. Most of the tracks are pretty short, being only
a few minutes long, but there is one nine-minute-long piece called Crepuscolo, which was really good and
had a handful of complex arrangements that sound like they belong in Inferno. Overall this is definitely the
best composition on the album, and it is possibly one of Metamorfosi's best tracks. The other songs aren't
really interesting. Sure, they are still good, but no more than ok tracks with some interesting music going
on in the core of the numbers. Before I move on to the end, I quickly want to add my opinion on the
album's cover. It's honestly pretty bad, and it's one of the main reasons I avoided the album for so long. You
can hardly tell what's actually going on, and it doesn't make any real impact on me, and even if they were
going for a mysterious vibe, it fails to invoke any actual mood in me.

In conclusion, Metamorfosi will always be remembered for Inferno, and though this album will be
overshadowed by it, there is still some stuff in here. This is probably the weakest album by Metamorfosi, as
their comeback records were actually quite good. My final rating is a mid 3/5.

THE SOFT MACHINE Thirteen (Canterbury Scene, 2026)

Fri, 1 May 2026 19:52:25 EST

Review by Progfan1958 — A legendary band, and even though there are no original members left, Soft Machine are still creating highly evocative
and interesting music. John Etheridge is a long-timer though, now at 50+ years with the band, and his guitar playing is
still at a very high level. Theo Travis covering wind instruments and keyboards is over 10 years into his tenure as well.
This new album shows that they still have plenty of musical exploring to do, and I expect in one form or another a
group calling itself Soft Machine will continue to do so for many years yet to come.

DEVOID OF THOUGHT Devoid of Thought (Tech/Extreme Prog Metal, 2026)

Fri, 1 May 2026 18:21:26 EST

Review by siLLy puPPy — Astro-death metal cosmonauts DEVOID OF THOUGHT return five years later for a second jagged journey
into the extremities of the metal universe where they forge their unique blend of progressive
caustically designed dissonant death metal with touches of doom and atmospheric elegance. Featuring
the exact same lineup of LG [Lorenzo Gagliardi] (guitar), AC [Andrea Collaro] (guitar, vocals), MS
[Marek Sollami] (bass) and DB [Davide Botturi] (drums), these Italian adventurists deliver an encore
presentation of the same style of exquisitely designed disso-death decked out with all the
caverncore charisma that fans have come to expect.

Pretty much adopting a similar approach that the debut album delivered in abundance, this self-
titled sophomore unit finds the band blending its intoxicating blend of Ad Nauseam styled
atmospheric disso-death with the more refined excursions into psychedelia a la Blood Incantation.
Powerful and pummeling like never before, DEVOID OF THOUGHT unleashes five punishing performances
that wend and wind in blitzkrieg mode touched by the grace of those wild nods to Timeghoul replete
with all the unexpected twists and turns that find a run the gamut of tyrannical schizoid tirades to
ethereal escapism that finds the band intricately blending all those fantastic flavors that range
from the likes of Incantation, Voivod, Ulcerate and others.

Highlights include the opening 9 1/2 metal marathon 'Panspermic Bio-Dome' which establishes the band
as a major contender for top dog in the crowded modern world of tech deathies vying to be heard with
razor-sharp guitar riffs raging into angsty angularity while contrapuntal bass and drum fire firing
on all pistons and crafting a turbulent trail of molten metal madness that remains rooted enough
within the death metal traditions without totally spiraling out of orbit. While firmly in control of
its eerie fusion effects of atmospheric cosmic death metal and the more claustrophobic sounds of the
monstrous cavernous deathened drama in play, DEVOID OF THOUGHT finds the four musicians delivering
unison destruction while also finding chaotic respites as found in 'Chronos' which offers a bit of
free improvisation playtime.

The album culminates in the 10-minute 'Entheogenic Ritual' which covers the entire spectrum of
brutal existential death metal run amok and the more dirging doom metal effects of molasses metal
while finding the proper astral ambience to terrorize the soul while the barrage of din pummels the
physical senses. It's a natural continuation of 'Outer World Graves' and although the tracks may not
be as instantly easy to connect with, DEVOID OF THOUGHT still find the right ingredients in play to
deliver the proper dose of demented disso-death that lives up to the high bar set in the mid-2020s.
Perhaps this second release sounds a tad more generic than the debut but it's all performed so
exquisitely well that i can't really fault it in any way shape or form. Whatever the case, fans of
demented deathly chaos meets divinely directed order will find lots to love with this one.

NINE DAYS' WONDER Nine Days' Wonder (Crossover Prog, 1971)

Fri, 1 May 2026 13:11:15 EST

Review by ThisGarbage1147 — Even if I wrote two full pages about this album, I could not talk about every section across these four songs.
Furthermore, I fear less that I can't talk about this album in its entirety, but that's just because there's so much going
on. To quote Sean Trane, "I always felt that it was rather impossible to describe the music succinctly without omitting a
facet (or two, even three) of it," and I agree with him wholeheartedly. Just to show how many influences present
themselves on this album, I'll put all the bands/musicians referenced by other reviewers here in one place:
Captain Beefheart, Frank Zappa (a lot), King Crimson, Soft Machine, Deep Purple, Traffic, Jethro Tull, Tony Iommi,
Beardfish, Gentle Giant, Led Zeppelin, Monty Python, Peter Hammill, Van der Graaf Generator, Kraan, Family, the
Allman Brothers Band, and Moving Gelatine Plates.

This is an album you need to hear to believe.

The four songs are "Fermillon: Puppet Dance / Square/Hope? / Morning Spirit / Fermillon Himself," "Moss Had Come,"
"Apple Tree," and "Drag Dilemma: Monotony 1 / Stomach's Choice / Monotomy 2 / Interlude / Dilemma."
Fermillon is the opener and the epic, sprawling over 15 and a half minutes, it's an incredibly dense through-composed
work with lots of rock and jazz sections. The part that will stick with you the most, however, is Morning Spirit, a spoken
word passage underscored by strange guitar warbling where the phrase "Morning spirits of the morning after all" is
said repeatedly in all sorts of different voices, not to mention the line before: "At first he was allowed to touch my
bottom / Then I led him to understand that the time for me was unnecessary."

Moss Had Come is the shortest song at 3 minutes, and is the closest to being a normal song, with only two distinct
styles. The song starts and ends with a rock section, with a folk, Jethro Tull-like section in between. The rock fades out
into the folk, and the rock fades back in after the folk with a scream, fully bringing us back to the rock till a trash can
ending.

Apple Tree starts the second side and has the most beautiful moments on the whole album. The first theme has a
good rock feel before going straight into a sax solo that is my favorite moment in all music ever. As the solo climaxes,
it goes into a jazzy section with the one use of keyboards on the whole record, as the guitar is switched out for piano.
After less than a minute, it breaks down to a stripped-down rhythmic interlude before breaking into a rock section,
with the piano floating chords in the background. Then the piano drops out for one of the few moments of real
improvisation with an extended guitar solo. As the solo ends, a loud, growling riff comes in to go behind vocals, before
a final rock section and a refrain of the very first theme ends the song.

Drag Dilemma is the other epic track on the record, reaching up to nearly 13 minutes in length. The main
Dilemma/monotony theme is a great rock section with flute, sax, and vocal theatrics. Stomach's Choice is like the
spoken word sections of Fermillon, but with the full band behind the singer. Monotony 2 is like the beginning, but with
different lyrics and the introduction of the line "What a drag it must be to be a king." The interlude is truly a break in
the action, starting with flute and guitar interplay before the band joins in, then falls away again for more flute and
guitar play. Then, bongos introduce the next half of the interlude that has lyrics and a soft rock feel, for the most part.
The Interlude really takes up most of the song, with many themes coming and going. Eventually, the song wraps back
around to the Dilemma/Monotony theme to end with the "what a drag?" line, ending the song in a climax.

There truly are no words that can explain how much I love this album. So what are you waiting for! Listen to this true
masterpiece of progressive rock!!

TELEGRAPH Topography of Mind (Psychedelic/Space Rock, 2026)

Fri, 1 May 2026 12:16:04 EST

Review by BrufordFreak — Some excellent Israeli Retro/Neo Prog. The nostalgic music feels as if it came from early 1970s Pink Floyd and Camel.

1. "Topography of Mind" (11:07) great lush flute-led 12-string guitar NeoProg in the vein of ANTHONY PHILLIPS, CAMEL
and IVORY with just a little Klaus Schulze and Jan Akkerman "Tommy"-like fare thrown in there in the second half for
good measure--not to mention the KING CRIMSON "I Talk to the Wind" motif explored in the eighth minute before
turning back into Camel. The most independent and original concoction on the album--and the one that shows the
instrumental skills of the band members the best. (18.5/20)

2. "Field of Fade Memory" (11:48) who would have ever thought that anyone would ever want to recreate the weird
vocals of Camel's Moonmadness (which are, in my opinion, the weakest element of that otherwise wonderful album)?
But here they are! In the fifth minute the band moves into a 1-2-3-rest pulsing Tony Banks/GENESIS motif which moves
along at a bit of a faster pace until finishing in a guitar solo and synth-and-organ chord at the end of the tenth minute
before the bass and finger-picked delay-echoed electric guitar and Richard Mason electric piano space chords take us
into some inverted realm of Pink Floyd. Nicely done! (22.375/25)

3. "Valley of Delirium" (11:35) the dulcet almost-medi]]>�acoustic guitar open this one with the flute(s) performing in two different octaves as Mellotron-like synth warbles in
tremolo-like support. At the very end of the second minute the first movement closes and an arpeggiated electric
guitar chord emerges to be joined and supported by bass, drums, and electric piano in a JIMMY WEBB-like motif.
Lovely (if simplistic)! At 3:13 a JAN AKKERMAN-like "Love Remembers" solo electric guitar jumps into the lead position
as mutliple tracks/layers of an organ become a little more prominent in support. In the sixth minute the vocals
reappear and suddenly we're back in King Crimson's "I Talk to the Wind" mixed with The Eagles' Timonty B. Schmit's
1979 hit "I Can't Tell You Why." Then, at 7:45, the organ and rolling bass falls into a PINK FLOYD "Dogs"-like motif which
is then made more BOSTON- (and NEKTAR-) like with organ and guitar power chords. This is so ELOY! It's a great send
up but lacks any true originality except for the way they have melded all of these disparately-sourced riffs and motifs
together. (17.75/20)

4. "Somewhere Along These Lines" (10:51) a gentle, spacious full-on PINK FLOYD motif opens this one, filling our Atom
Hearts with the Dark Side of the Moon and Wishing You Were Here for a good six minutes before segueing into some
Tales of the Mystery of ALAN PARSONS's Imagination for a couple of minutes before ending in some Animals territory.
What a great homage! (18/20)

Total Time 45:21

I like the justification that the band uses for so much cut-and-paste borrowing of classic/iconic riffs and motifs from
the Masters of the 1970s: "Topography Of Mind reflects on memory - tracing both the inner terrain and physical places
that echo within it." At the same time, I do have to admit to liking the memories these "tribute" songs evoke within me.

A-/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of retro prog ear candy that, though cleverly-crafted and performed to perfection, I
feel compelled to down-grade a bit for its borrowing of so many (virtually all of its) melody and sound palette ideas. If
you like your prog to sound like the past masters, you will LOVE this!

MAGENTA Tarot (Neo-Prog, 2026)

Fri, 1 May 2026 11:50:42 EST

Review by VTr Storm — After a considerable amount of time since "Masters of Illusion", Magenta finally reappears with "Tarot". A
strong return built around a concept that clearly shows the desire to create something beyond just a handful
of loose songs. As the name suggests, the album is inspired by the archetypes of tarot cards, unfolding almost
like a journey that is part symbolic and part introspective, where each track works as a chapter of something
bigger, not exactly the kind of album that reveals itself right away.

Musically, as usual, you can feel a stronger leaning toward the symphonic side. The arrangements come across
as broader, more open and at times almost cinematic. There is a clear care in how the atmosphere is built,
with those details that sometimes go unnoticed in a distracted listen, but make all the difference when you
really let yourself get carried away. Even so, it is clear the band does not let go of what has always been its
strong point, that is, clear and well resolved melodies that are also memorable.

"Tarot" is an album where the idea is to approach everything as a sequence of main chapters connected by
small interludes that help give flow to the experience. The fact is it is not just a collection of tracks, it is also a
path designed with a well defined beginning, middle and end, making it an extremely well written album with
ideas that unfold calmly within an execution that follows this precision.

The production also deserves attention, as it is clean, detailed and full of layers that gradually reveal
themselves as if there were always something new to notice with each listen. In addition, the themes explored
here have an appeal that goes beyond the immediate, after all, there is something compelling in this
conceptual construction and in the way symbols are turned into music that keeps the interest alive from
beginning to end. In the end, "Tarot" not only reaffirms Magenta's identity, but also reinforces the strong name
it carries within the contemporary rock scene

XAVI REIJA Xavi Reija Electric Quintet: Nu Breed (Jazz Rock/Fusion, 2026)

Fri, 1 May 2026 11:41:51 EST

Review by VTr Storm — "Nu Breed", the most recent work by Spanish drummer Xavi Reija, arrives with that sense of a turning point,
but not like someone abandoning the past, rather like someone choosing to stretch their own limits even
further. Here Xavi fully dives into a bolder approach by embracing a forward-looking language that balances
with impressive naturalness the almost surgical rhythmic precision with the loose and unpredictable freedom
of electric jazz with a progressive edge.

Alongside his newest Electric Quintet, he seems to play with more traditional structures, only to soon
dismantle everything and rebuild it in his own way. It is as if he uses the familiar as a starting point for
something rawer, pulsating and alive. The electricity here is not just an aesthetic detail, it also takes the lead,
as well as guiding and creating tension, while illuminating each space very well. The sound vibrates and always
feels like it is gaining body, constantly leaving in the air that good feeling that there is still a lot about to be
revealed as its pieces move forward.

This is one of those records that grows precisely in the way everything fits together through a very tight
interaction among the five musicians. It is impressive how the ideas meet along the way, crossing paths and
one completing the other, almost like a very fluid conversation where you do not even notice time passing. The
execution is of a high level, full of detail and precision, but it never sounds like showmanship, far from it,
making it clear at all times that the priority here is to serve the music and let it lead.

And even though it is a work led by Xavi, there is no rigid hierarchy. Of course he points directions, but he truly
opens space for everyone to breathe and propose something so they can shine in their own way. Each
instrument has its moment, its voice and its weight within the whole, and it is precisely this balance that makes
the record pulse with so much life. In the end, it is less about who appears more and more about how
everything happens together, and that is exactly the point where the record finds its strength.

SINGLELITO In Absence of Velocity (Eclectic Prog, 2026)

Fri, 1 May 2026 08:47:58 EST

Review by BrufordFreak — The haphazard and "low-fi" sound of Columbia's Fountain of Youth is back with (what?!!) his seventh full length studio
album--and he's only just 20 years old (last month)!

1. "Low-Level Depictions of Uncensored Kinetic Works" (9:30) the fearlessness is still there, the quirky reckless
abandon, the singing of lyrics that often feel like stream of consciousness over musical vamps that it feels like he's
created for just for extemporaneous improvisation. Straight out of the gate--on the album's very first song--Juan lays it
all on the line, jumping into his shtick, his risk zone. And yet the song comes across as a medley, a suite of (dis-?)
connected songs, lyrics, stories, and moods. But, it works! How can someone do this with so much flippancy, so much
ease and chill, and get away with it?! I don't get it! Can a faceless musician have this much charisma? I mean, I'd vote
for him! I'd rip off and throw my panties to him (and I don't even wear underwear much less panties!) It's like Juan
heard Canterbury and then asked, "Why'd they stop so short? Why were they being so conservative, so [%*!#]ing
reserved and cowardly with their music?!" And if this is just the hormonal, under-developed cerebral cortex na]]>��a 20-21-year old, then please, PLEASE: let 20-21-year olds rule the world! (19.5/20)

2. "Handprints of a Wealthy Settler" (8:45) the Ben Coniguliaro-like opening minute is a bit challenging to engage with
but then Juan moves into an excellent, even beautiful, section that serves as a bridge to the song's real meat: to a
highway speed motif that supports some nice guitar and wordless vocal work while showing off Juan's bass, drum, and
compositional sophistication skills. The song has the feel of something by Ben Coniguliaro, Ambrosia, Robert Wyatt,
The Soft Machine, and even XTC, The Who, and even Steely Dan. Great bass, drum, Hammond organ, and Canterbury
saw-organ work--and Juan's stream-of-consciousness English vocals are fun and so confidently delivered (even moreso
than his Spanish ones). I would rate this very high for musicianship, high for compositional prowess, entertaining for
lyrical content, and excellent for its service as a message delivery system. (18.333/20)

3. "Old People Sit Outside" (5:46) the second song in a row in which Juan's keyboard work is really trying to carry on
the Canterbury work founded by Mike Ratledge, David Sinclair, and Dave Stewart--but this one is filled out into several
dimensions that give it an even more Soft Machine orientation. Definitely an album favorite. Great, great song! (9.5/10)

4. "Lovesong - Letter - Poem - Anything for Ale" (6:57) Juan with guest setter Esteban Aparicio on trumpet expressing
his youthfulness in the same way that Geordie Greep/black midi and, to a lesser degree, Ben Coniguliaro are doing.
Over all this is one of Juan's best displays of his achievements as a master if his instruments. (13.5/15)

5. "Fuente" (6:02) for this dynamic song Juan has gathered into the studio some very talented to record this song that
was composed by Juan and bassist Louis Eusse and guitarist Ricardo. Everybody gives great performances. It's
especially nice to hear Juan getting some help with background and alternate vocals. (Nice job, Angie Bula!) (8.875/10)

Total time: 37:00

This is one artist that will keep me engaged in modern day progressive rock so long as he retains his youthful esprit de
vie.

A/five stars; a delightful masterpiece of quirky Canterbury- and youth-infused creativity. HIGHLY recommended to any
and all lovers of the high-spirited na]]>��

DEVOID OF THOUGHT Outer World Graves (Tech/Extreme Prog Metal, 2021)

Fri, 1 May 2026 07:09:32 EST

Review by siLLy puPPy — Joining the ranks of what is currently referred to as cosmic death metal or even astral death metal,
the Italian quartet DEVOID OF THOUGHT showcased a firm command of one of metal's most demanding star
systems of its vast universe with its 2021 debut OUTER WORLD GRAVES. Tackling the by now commonality
of highly dissonant cavernous spelunking through swarms of caustic riffing and manic tempos, this
band employs a rather unique atmospheric presence that adds as much to the overall effect as the
incessant chug-a-thon that finds one foot in the darkened dungeons and another in the outer limits
of the cosmos.

When pointing to predecessors from which inspirations were mined, the obvious candidate of demo
underground cult favoritesTImeghoul immediately slaps you in the face however that secret is out now
that once obscure demo only acts have been outed as some of the most influential in the modern arena
where there are more death metal bands than there are patrons with the surname Smith in an English
phone directory. While TImeghoul's atmospheric death metal serves as an anchoring flavor, the
bombastic riffing and jitteriness that launches this band into the realms of truly progressive
expansiveness finds DEVOID OF THOUGHT a much more adventurous band than merely adding some creepy
ambience to the mix.

Of course Blood Incantation comparisons are inevitable with sprawling psychedelic backdrops that
morph from speed of light riffing to eerie ethereal astral terror antics. The band has mastered the
art of spicing things up with a never-ending series of hairpin turns that make more jumps into
hyperspace than the Star Trek Enterprise. Another key element that evokes classic death metal
majesty from the likes of Incantation or Immolation, DEVOID OF THOUGHT effortlessly weaves in
moments of techy death doom passages into its otherwise blazing blitzkrieg delivery system of
distinct displays of effortless crafting a sum of the parts from the brilliant musicians who take
their craft to the highest art form expressionism.

OUTER WORLD GRAVES is a truly majestic excursion into the wild world of space death metal as it
achieves all goals on multiple fronts. Firstly none of the technical aspects of death metal are
sacrificed to achieve a highly psychedelic and cosmic performance with powerful death metal might
crafting the most demanding tricks of the trade yet while the triumvirate guitar / bass / drum
unifying forces drop their sonic bombs like a bad day in WWII, the atmospheric excesses sort of
oscillate around the jaggedly crafted compositions that wend and wind through a strange electrifying
turbulence that gives this album a sound all its own. The album is perfectly paced as the torrential
opening "Perennial Dream" kicks things off and the highly cosmic escapist's tattering of "Stargrave"
launches into the unknown. A triumphant release this one.

LAZULI �tre Et Ne Plus �tre (Eclectic Prog, 2026)

Fri, 1 May 2026 06:46:35 EST

Review by BrufordFreak — These Frenchmen are proving themselves to me to be the absolute best progressive rock band to ever "crossover"
into the business of creating masterfully-crafted and eminently-enjoyable pop songs (even if they are in French). All of
these songs

1. "]]>��lines, and vocal performance. The band is really firing on all cylinders! (9.333/10)

2. "Chaque jour que soleil fait" (3:53) a decent if a little overly-saccharine song. (8.875/10)

3. "Sourire" (3:30) a little too pop-Beatles-like for me. Nice lead guitar work. (8.75/10)

4. "Mati]]>��
5. "L'eau qui dort" (7:05) the 12-string guitar presence is nice, and the song just keeps getting better, richer, more
nostalgic the further it goes. Masterful keyboard work, Romain! (13.875/15)

6. "Une chanson Cherokee" (3:54) a delightful little motif is set up by guitarist Arnaud Beyney's senstively-picked and
strummed acoustic guitar work while Dominique and the rest of the band blend in with their support with such
professional perfection. Such a seasoned team! (9.125/10)

7. "Quel dommage" (5:41) a little more bombastic and theatric than the previous fare, but such great performances
from an obviously-fully-invested entourage--especially Dominique! Brilliant! I think Romain had fun with this one:
playing like that on a grand piano! The vocal-cum-"orchestra" section in the fourth and fifth minutes is awesome--
followed by Arnaud's searing guitar solo. Impressive! Way to take the blues and make it sound fresh! (9/10)

8. "L'instinct" (3:58) sensitive finger-picked acoustic guitar and vocal (possibly all done by Dominique). Not for the first
time, Dom's immense talent reminds me of Supertramp's Roger Hodgson. Gorgeous. (9/10)

9. "L'homme s]]>�work. (13.25/15)

10. "Mon body se meurt" (4:30) another song that feels a little too simple and laid back--taking quite a long time to
ramp up into more interesting fare (most of which comes from Claude's odd L]]>�
11. "Les 4 Raisons" (3:50) a cool acoustic instrument-dominated palette that is coupled with 1970s-like Elton John
orchestra sound plus some cool synth sound choices from Romain. Unfortunately, the song doesn't do enough to
wow me. (8.875/10)

12. "Au Bord Du Pr]]>�previous album, "Le pleureur sous la pluie," but it builds into something very thick, very NeoProggie, with some great
lead guitar (L]]>�
Total Time 60:32

As with their last album, 2023's excellent 11, the Leonetti's have created an album on which every single song has
radio-friendly hit potential: every song is so well crafted, each containing multiple hooks and melodies to charm the
apple from the girl. Simply put, these guys, after almost 30 years of making music together, are putting out the finest
crafted prog-paletted and prog-informed pop music on the planet.

A-/4.5 stars; a collection of easily-accessed song compositions rendered by a well-seasoned ensemble who seem to be
pouring their proggy sensibilities into more reflective, radio-friendly, and listener-accessible commodities.

PETER GABRIEL Peter Gabriel 1 [Aka: Car] (Crossover Prog, 1977)

Fri, 1 May 2026 05:28:25 EST

Review by Fercandio46 — One could say that Peter Gabriel's first solo album is eclecticism taken to its ultimate conclusion...and that also aptly
describes his style!

On the one hand...as one might expect, there are echoes of his last compositional style, the groundbreaking The
Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, such as Moribund the Burgermeister or Slowburn, which showcases that vocal
style, that production, and that fragmented, layered composition...like various operatic arias. Solsbury Hill is an
acoustic, folk gem, quintessentially British, which perhaps wouldn't have found such a place within Genesis's overall
sound, and yet it still resonates with that old anger, becoming an anthem that would always accompany them.
Modern Love already establishes a distance from the past, aided by Steve Hunter's band on guitar, Larry Fast on
synthesizers, Tony Levin on bass (whose recognizable style can already be heard), and despite other guests, it's with
this core group that it sounds most modern, a catchy, rock-disco sound, somewhere between glam and new wave,
though always complex and full of subtleties, as one would expect.

The surprises continue with Excuse Me, a ragtime track that begins with an a cappella vocal harmony, where he
feels very comfortable, and as the song progresses it gains its own personality, knowing that it is 100% Gabriel. Just
as there is room for the past, there is room for the present and also for the future...because in Humdrum we can
see glimpses of the compositional style that would later gain its other period starting with Us.
Waiting for the Big One is a jazzed-up blues, a way to inaugurate his solo career with new sounds, since Yes, King
Crimson and Jethro Tull were known for their jazz...and Genesis had Phil Collins (a big jazz fan) but they weren't
particularly fond of the genre either in the studio or live. Anyway, it then gets epic and classic, alternating in a very
fun and fresh way, because he didn't do too badly at all!

Down the Dolce Vita has an orchestra...and then explodes into more disco-rock-funk, to continue with the
heterogeneity, and for that he made a solo career, as well as a solo debut, to exorcise demons, to look for the
way...to try, to make mistakes in that search, as in life itself, that's why it's valid, both in successes and in mistakes,
and because it is honest, fresh and spontaneous.

Here Comes the Flood...is the other gem of the album, a track composed with Robert Fripp, which appears on the
record, and where Gabriel sings like never before...emotionally and intimately. The song would also appear on
Fripp's album Exposure in a more stripped-down version, and it was the ideal closing track to an album full of
promise, energy, and makeup.

THE OSCILLATION Monographic (Psychedelic/Space Rock, 2016)

Fri, 1 May 2026 02:05:54 EST

Review by Chaoticreason — 5 stars.

A highly original, experimental, spaced out, fuzzed up, psychedelic take on krautrock, with some great defiant
vocals.

Of all The Oscillations albums, this is the most masterful. It is certainly the most musically diverse of all their
albums, with its superb I couldn't give a f... vocal style, and drenched in reverb guitar, it is vaguely reminiscent of
Spacemen 3, but far more complex and trippy. This is almost a Demian Castellanos solo record, and given his skills
as both a multi-instrumentalist & his background in production and sound engineering, it is no surprise that he is
more than capable of solo work of this quality. There is not a bad track on here, but for me, the highlight has to be
Alignment Zone, an experimental psychedelic work out, that definitely has a touch of A Saucerful of Secrets about it.

This is a must-hear for all neo psych fans, and a modern masterpiece of the genre.

DEVIN TOWNSEND Ziltoid The Omniscient (Experimental/Post Metal, 2007)

Fri, 1 May 2026 00:41:01 EST

Review by Alexander6061 — I went to this album thinking itll just be a good fun time with a unique concept and while I did get that the sheer QUALITY of this album from the comedic writting, to the vocals that go from harsher growlier to magestic and to the incredible instrumentals which are mind blowing specially in songs like Hyperdrive and the percussion in solar winds just made this album a incredible exciting,fun,whimsy yet complex experience to me a must listen and one of my favorite metal albums of all time. If you enjoy concept albums and cartoony villans you will love this album to death

PANDORA Dramma Di Un Poeta Ubriaco (Rock Progressivo Italiano, 2008)

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 21:33:01 EST

Review by The Progolyte — Pandora is on the more obscure and niche side of the modern Rock Progressivo Italiano bands I'm
reviewing. And though not as many people know about them, they should still be remembered and talked
about for the very strong sound. Sure, it may not be the most original style out there, but the music found
on their debut album, Dramma Di Un Poeta Ubriaco, has a ton of amazing moments full of intricate
arrangements and emotionally driving passages. Personally, I really liked the heavier edge on this album
and its great guitar work while still retaining a central and uplifting symphonic prog feel. The lineup for this
record is quite interesting, with both Corrado Grappegia and Beppe Colombo playing keyboards, with
Corrado also on vocals, Christian Dimasi on guitars, and Claudio Colombo on drums and bass (he also does
some synths and acoustic guitar). All of the musicians, except for Corrado, who is on lead vocals, help out
with the backing vocals. I know I already mentioned that I really liked the guitar material on this album, but
apart from that, I also liked the dual keyboards.

The songs on the album are quite long, with some of them being up to eleven or thirteen minutes long. I
also liked the touch of most of the music being instrumental and taken up by extended rhythms and solos,
showcasing some of the band's creativity and power when they have the space to do so. Moving on, some
of my favorite pieces off of the album include Il Giudizio Universale, a song actually titled Pandora, and
Salto nel Buio. These ones are the most complex and have the most interesting moods and polarizing
emotions. Sometimes it's dark and insane, other times it's happy and soothing. These ones are also some
of the longest on the album and are mostly instrumental, so that's a bonus to all of this. I also thought the
album cover was pretty neat. Overall, this album only has good parts, and while it may not be as good as
the 4.10 rating it currently stands at, there is still a ton of interesting material full of complexity and depth. I
will admit, the music could've used more classical instrumentation (flute, saxophone, violin, etc.), as some
of these instruments never appear once throughout the whole thing, and I think it would've added some
really nice textures.

In conclusion, it's a solid effort and, in my personal opinion, Pandora's best record. Yes, they have one that
appears to be more well known judging by how it has more ratings, but this one is the strongest and most
progressive of all of their albums. This is a solid 4/5 for me.

NAPOLI CENTRALE Napoli Centrale (Jazz Rock/Fusion, 1975)

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 21:29:59 EST

Review by The Progolyte — I honestly never knew that Napoli Centrale was apparently quite a popular band and that they had some
pretty well-known songs off of their debut album, their self-titled release. It's longer than the average Italian
album at the time (most albums were around thirty-five minutes, while this one was a little over forty-five
minutes), but it still does a good job at showcasing the band's brilliant talent at making catchy and
memorable music even when it's really complex. Their unique style of jazz rock and Rock Progressivo
Italiano isn't like any other sound of any other band at the time, and though you can still hear the
influences they had, it's a very original and creative fusion of vocal-dominated rock and powerful jazz
music. The band at the time consisted of four members, those musicians being James Senese playing
saxophone, flute, and vocals, Mark Harris on keyboards, Franco Del Prete on drums, and Toni Walmsley on
bass. Though it is generally a small lineup, the band still has some great moments of great musicianship
and collaboration.

The album has a couple of multi-part songs on it, with the opening track of Campagna being the first of
these ones. The track is also easily the most well-known and popular composition by the band, with some
uploads of the song having hundreds of thousands of views. The song is very catchy and exciting while still
being technical and full of interesting details, and in the end this is probably my favorite composition off of
the album. Much of the rest of the album consists of fun yet intricate jazz fusion combined with elements
of funk and catchy rhythms, all while remaining true to a Rock Progressivo Italiano sound. However, I will
admit, one of my problems with this record was how the songs felt too short, and they could've had more
improvisation and solos combined with fewer vocal sections to allow space for a more interesting sound.
Other than that, there are no truly weak moments on the whole record, and it probably rests in my top ten
Italian jazz albums.

In conclusion, this is definitely (in my opinion) the best work of Napoli Centrale, and even though they
would go on to make some really good material after this, their self-titled album will always be my favorite
work of theirs. This one is a strong and solid 4/5.

SINGLELITO Pahntark (Eclectic Prog, 2023)

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 17:33:51 EST

Review by BrufordFreak — Recorded by Juan during his first year in university, he had been working on his own version of a made-up Kobaian-like language to express his admiration and understanding of the Avant-Garde/Zeuhl world that he was infatuated with at the time (as a 17/18-year old) and then published on the Mexican Cjantal label in 2023.

Line-up / Musicians:
Juan Jos]]>��
1. "Tahlk]]>��
2. "Ro Ind]]>�
3. "Pehrta" (6:46) pure Canterbury--with the keyboard prowess and sensibility of a young Dave Stewart with some very Robert Wyatt "dada"-like vocals over the top. The guitar work in the fifth and sixth minutes is a little louder and more up-front than anything Phil Miller ever did--the spirit captured here is actually a little more like something by Homunculus Res' Dario D'Alessandro (or even Robert Fripp or Allan Holdsworth). (13.875/15)

4. "K]]>��
5. "Del]]>�
6. "E'l Kamin ]]>��
7. "Und K]]>��
Total Time 32:44

A brilliant and bold foray into such a complex and idiosyncratic world ("worlds" as Juan is often brilliantly melding several different sub-genres into on song--usually Canterbury with Zeuhl).

A-/five stars; rated down slightly for the relative brevity of the album's length but definitely a bold and beautiful exploration of two of Progressive Rock's most unique and idiosyncratic sub-genres.

ANGINE DE POITRINE Vol. II (Post Rock/Math rock, 2026)

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 15:51:40 EST

Review by BrufordFreak — From my beloved Breton borough of Rennes, these two adventurists are grabbing hold of the live-looping and Math
Rock world in a way that approaches avant-garde and Zeuhl! Ooo la la! Vive la France!

1. "Fabienk" (6:31) opening with a chromatic sequence of oddly-effected microtonal guitar "notes," drummer Klek de
Poitrine soon joins in with his sharp, syncopated staccato beats while the two take a minute to fit into each other's
world. When the do, the settle into a near-funky, near-Maserati groove that also feels a bit like "My Sharona" meets
The Cardiacs. The groove winds and wends away in a kind of polyrhythmic mobius strip with little injections of noise
and riff flourishes but mostly staying mathematically-disciplined until the wordless vocal chord ending the song.
(8.875/10)

2. "Mata Zyklek" (6:10) microtonal Surfer Rock! Something that also feels familiar from some of the sillier Japanese
Zeuhl and King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard forays into microtonalism as well as the klezmer-type of music recorded
by Mr. Bunghole, Humble Grumble, Estradasphere, and Farmers Market. The sporadic group lyrics interspersed rather
randomly in the background feel very Japanese, humorous, and Rock-in-Oppositional. (8.875/10)

3. "Sarniezz" (4:36) slow, heavy, plodding bass notes open this while Klek responds accordingly. Then after about 15
seconds the duo pick up the pace and establish a catchy little motif that grooves and rocks until a second guitar track
enters playing some crazy mid-range arpeggios on repeat. Stop and starts and changes in the rhythm section pacing
give off the illusion that the song is changing but the guitar parts are actually staying on rather constant rotation until
3:20 when they take a break for a funny little Japanese-like injection of quirky command foreign language vocals. The
music intensifies a bit as more layers are looped in until the duo brings it to a close. (8.875/10)

4. "Utzp" (6:51) back to a motif that feels totally inspired by quirky klezmer-informed artists (like the ones mentioned
above). Again, the weave gets a little more interesting as the layers are added, thickening nicely (at times reminding
me of the guitar entwinement of The Outlaws' "Green Grass and High Tides"), but, in the end it's just the same rhythm
loop they started the song with (speeded up at the halfway point). (13.25/15)

5. "Yor Zarad" (6:30) this one has a bit more spice to offer: changing melody lines, changing instrument palettes,
changes in rhythmic configurations and speeds, and not quite as much microtonal expression--what little there is
sounds more like the work of a sitar or some other un-fretted, suspended high-tension string. I wish there weren't
elements that remind me of Kenny Loggins' guitar riffs on the song "Footloose." The hard-driving Zeuhlish final minute
is my favorite part. (9/10)

6. "Angor" (6:17) with a title like that one can't help but think that this band is aware of if not inspired by the (Japanese
Zeuhl) band Koyenjihyakki. But the music is a bit more rudimentary: yes, it's exploring some complex polyrhythms
expressed through a minimalist mathematical weave, and, yes, there's an obvious effort to conjure up some Classic
Rock dual guitar weaves (think Thin Lizzy or Lynyrd Skynyrd), and, yes, there's almost a primal Native American beat to
its overall pattern, and overall it does feel more like an homage to American Classic or Southern Rock. (8.875/10)

Total Time 36:55

I definitely liked this music the first time I listened to it way more than I have in the successive listens. Probably
because it was so fresh and refreshing. But over time the simplicity of the song constructs begins to become obvious.
The weirdness of it all must have been masking this fact. In the end I feel strongly that this could easily become great
music: with more collaborators, more tracks, less linearity and more winding and development. Their odd sound
makes them feel sophisticated and virtuosic but they may in fact be fairly new to music, to their instruments, to their
craft. They have a shtick (which you will see should you seek out their live performance videos) and ideas; I'd just like
to see more dimensions added to both.

B+/four stars; an excellent collection of somewhat retro, somewhat futuristic/RIO Math Rock tunes that many will find
quite entertaining, perhaps even enchanting.

PINK FLOYD Live from the Los Angeles Sports Arena, April 26th, 1975 (Psychedelic/Space Rock, 2026)

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 15:00:08 EST

Review by Progfan1958 — I first witnessed Pink Floyd live in concert on this same tour, just 65 days later on June 29th here in Canada at the
Montreal Autostade. The setlists were identical, so hearing this performance now really brings back some great
memories. Yes, it is an audience recording, but the audio fidelity captured by this recordists is exceptional, and it
sounds like he was fairly close to the stage with the microphones high enough above the crowd so that there's very
little audience chatter, and the hall ambience seems just about right. Gilmour's voice comes through very clearly, with
little or no distortion. The instrumental balance is very good as well, with probably the only significant fault being that
Mason's tom-tom's get lost a bit in the mix from time to time, but that's really just a minor complaint. It genuinely
sounds like you're there, and the band are playing a fine show. Oh, to have a time machine and relive that day. I
must give a big thank you to Floyd's record company for taking the time to fine - tune these tapes and finally giving
them an official release.

AYREON The Source (Progressive Metal, 2017)

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 12:55:22 EST

Review by A Crimson Mellotron — An album I have known and have been listening to for years now, Ayreon's 'The Source' is one of the
most eclectic and convincing collections by the Dutch progressive power metal project in the last
decade or so. This is the ninth studio release from the Arjen Lucassen-masterminded band, and as yet
another masterfully written double album, 'The Source' features arguably the best cast of guest
vocalists and guest musicians of all Ayreon records up to this point, whereas the names of James
LaBrie (Dream Theater), Tommy Rogers (BTBAM), Russell Allen (Symphony X), Floor Jansen (Nightwish),
Tommy Karevik (Kamelot), Tobias Sammet (Avantasia), Mark Kelly, Paul Gilbert, Guthrie Govan and Ed
Warby, among others, all make the cut. The album itself features the familiar riff-heavy progressive
metal sound of Ayreon, with the strong power metal leanings and occasional folk and rock opera
elements, here used sparingly but rather intelligently.

The complex sci-fi storyline is tied to the rest of the fiction in the Ayreon universe, with the
album being split into four Chronicles, with two on each disc. And while I am personally not as
invested in the story, preferring to focus more on the music and the songs, I have to say that there
are parts of this album where the lyrics are actually quite interesting to follow along, and the
manner in which the vocalists portray their characters is quite astounding, giving the record
significant depth and animation. With this in mind, side one, which explores Chronicles 1 & 2, is a
near-flawless prog metal endeavor by any stretch of the imagination. Songs like the epic opening
track, 'Sea of Machines', 'Everybody Dies', 'Star of Sirrah', and 'Run! Apocalypse! Run!' have
everything that makes Ayreon special - muscular riffs, excellent songwriting, stunning vocal
performances, complex arrangements and an outright eclecticism that is just brilliant. Side two of
the album, on the other hand, feels a little loose in comparison to side one, with the ending of
'The Source' being particularly boring and repetitive. Still, the classic rock/power metal feel on
this part of the album is delightful (especially with the multiple Rainbow references), with great
songs like 'Aquatic Race', 'Into the Ocean', and 'Planet Y is Alive!'. The fantastic writing and the
terrific performances make 'The Source' one of the most enjoyable and characteristic Ayreon albums
ever.

EINAR SOLBERG Vox Occulta (Crossover Prog, 2026)

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 10:05:44 EST

Review by arcane-beautiful — Vox Occulta by Einar Solberg is a fantastic display of talent, not just from Solberg's impressive voice and
songwriting, but from the guest musicians found throughout. Very epic arrangements, with contributions from
the Norwegian Radio Orchestra, it sees him verve away from what he usually does with Leprous, but also not
too overly foreign to what the band is known for. Mixing complex rhythms and harmonies throughout, it shows
off all range of vocals he is able to perform, from beautiful multilayered cleans to harsh emotional screams. But
the albums real highlights come in the songs Serenitas & Anima Lucis, where with a softer pallet it really shows
off the absolute beauty of Solberg's songwriting. The guitar solos throughout are fantastic, with Ben Levin's
melodic shredding being a great contrast to Solberg's vocals throughout. I'd give this a mid to high 8 out of 10.

BEND SINISTER Mostly Great Things (Crossover Prog, 2024)

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 07:54:55 EST

Review by BBKron — This Canadian Indie rock/progressive rock band from Vancouver, British Columbia, was first formed in
2001, and this is their 5th full-length album. Although their earlier albums featured a variety of
styles with more of a progressive leaning, in their last couple albums they have found their niche
with a more vibrant and dynamic rockin' power pop style. And this latest album is their best yet, a
really great album of tight, bright, uptempo, catchy power pop and melodic rock songs, with just a
slight touch of prog. Although they show many influences, from 70's pop-rock and classic rock to
modern prog, they have their own unique style and sound. They have a fresh sound, but also somewhat
familiar in a classic rock sense. Such great fun and a real feel-good album. Sure, it's not that
proggy, but twelve tracks of superb good-time music and great summertime fun sure to delight any
rock fan. Best Tracks: Pay the Price, What It Takes, Gotta Get Ready Now, Renegade, Leave the Lights
On, Where You Gonna Run? Rating: 4.5

THE SAMURAI OF PROG Marco Bernard: Moby Dick (Crossover Prog, 2025)

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 06:35:16 EST

Review by Rysiek P. — Just looking at the cover art for "Moby Dick," created by bassist Marco Bernard, known from The Samurai of
Prog, is a pleasure in itself. The artwork by Ed Unitsky is captivating with its fairytale-like quality and professional
execution. The meticulous attention to detail, combined with the inventiveness of the images, hints at what awaits
the listener once they sit down to listen to this album. The novel itself, which underlies this musical interpretation of
the fates of Captain Ahab, Ishmael, Queequeg, and the other crew members of the Pequod, is likely well-known to
everyone. The maddened commander makes his expedition's sole purpose a vengeance on the whale that maimed
him, the legendary white sperm whale, Moby Dick. The frantic pursuit of the sperm whale becomes an opportunity
to show the whaling craft, to present all the knowledge about whales at that time and to describe the struggle
between feelings and reason, between human will and fate. An opportunity to portray fear, human behavior in the
face of danger, and simple human helplessness. This blend of styles, threads, and narrative methods makes "Moby-
Dick" more than a simple tale of hunting, madness, and human fate. It's not just an adventure novel or some
psychological treatise on humanity, and at the same time, it raises a question that isn't literary at all, but entirely
musical: how to convey all this through sounds, chords, riffs, and vocal lines? How to make the listener grasp the
horror of the events, the drama of helplessness, and simultaneously feel the power of the experiences associated
with sailing under endless skies, hunting, and life at sea.
It's worth noting right away that this isn't the first time the album's author has taken on the task of creating
a musical story on a "given theme." In 2020, he made Gulliver the subject of his musical tale. A year later, Robinson
Crusoe. Peter Pan became the subject of the 2023 album. That same year, another release inspired by literature
appeared, this time "The Man in the Iron Mask." It's no surprise, then, that this is another attempt to musically
present a literary story in the form of musical impressions.
And in each of these subsequent attempts, the band manages to create the atmosphere of a symphonic
narrative based on the flawless interplay of all the instruments, reminiscent of well-known classics. Each of the
tracks'there are only six on this album (including the bonus track)'is a self-contained musical chapter, taking the
form of a suite. Of course, there's no shortage of the powerful organ passages typical of symphonic-progressive
rock, solo guitar performances, and skillfully interwoven violin, cello, and flute arrangements. We receive six suites
with an almost classical sound structure, whose defining characteristic, I believe, is a delicacy and melodic quality
that creates an almost cinematic atmosphere. The listener feels as if they are watching not so much a theatrical
performance as a film, in which subsequent images are presented in the form of short sound snapshots. This
statement is reinforced by the way the booklet is prepared. In addition to the texts, photos, and technical
information, it also contains "director's notes" that help the listener-viewer understand which moment in the story
a given piece of music refers to. This "director-de-esque" introduction, for example, in the case of the first
composition, "Loomings," looks like this: "(...) In the first chapter of 'Moby Dick,' entitled 'Loomings,' we meet
Ishmael, a sailor thirsting for adventure, who decides to join a whaling expedition aboard the Pequod, commanded
by the mysterious Captain Ahab. This chapter vividly depicts Nantucket, a thriving center of the whaling industry,
and Ishmael's narrative reveals the strict hierarchy and difficult conditions aboard the ship. This introduction
suggests the dangerous and unpredictable journey that awaits the crew once they set sail." The subsequent parts
of this album, subsequent compositions, are preceded by similar "hints."
From there, there's only music and lyrics. Then there's a compelling musical tale of heroism and cowardice, of
great deeds and equally great omissions. We enter the world of whalers, the world of human madness, human fear,
the world of maritime adventure and the enchanted microcosm of a crew struggling with the daily grind of life on a
raging ocean. And we enter this world in a special way... with the sounds of a piano, which, like modern Morse code,
announces that something extraordinary is coming, that the next parts of the story will take us beyond this
everyday, visible world, that a time for adventure is coming. Just listen to the almost classical orchestral
arrangement in the second minute. Then there's only the sea, the journey, the adventure, underscored by the
organ, drawing us into the depths of the ocean. We enter the realm of obsession. "Loomings" also provides a good
musical example of what to expect from subsequent tracks. Symphonic arrangements based on well-known
progressive solutions blending wonderful keyboard playing with the rhythm section. A light jazzy feel and a soaring
melody make this track incredibly light and, thanks to the piano, somehow mysterious.
"The Quarter Deck" ' the second composition ' is a tale of obsession. A tale of the search for a white whale.
Besides the whale's "voice," the interestingly resolved vocal line is noteworthy. The duet is clearly audible, although
the liner notes only list one vocalist. Moreover, this composition "belongs" to the organ and violin. They create its
nervous system, its dynamics, and it is they who captivate the listener with their playing.
Improvisation at the very beginning. Strong symphonic sounds immediately follow. And finally, vintage
keyboards in the second minute, along with a ballad-like vocal line ' this is how the third track, "Fastfish, Loosefish,"
begins. Then we enter the wonderful territory of a lyrical tale about the habits of whalers, in a 1970s style. A
wonderful radio single track.
"The Quadrant" is a nervous anticipation of an encounter with the white monster, also reflected in the musical
line. Bold organ improvisations, a flute solo, and a powerful guitar. It's also an over ten-minute composition divided
into three parts: "The Sea Mark," "Crossing the Equator," and "The Thrill of the Chase." It's a musical description of
fear, nervousness, and a sense of danger, yet also a certain sense of pride stemming from participating in such a
dangerous undertaking. And so the song is "mixed," dividing individual phrases into delicate and sharp,
improvisational and atmospheric ballad-like. These are also moments where solemn sounds attempt to convey the
pathos of the situation.
The penultimate composition on this album is a musical description of a battle. A description of a tragedy born
of obsession. A description of the confrontation between man and nature, fate and destiny. "The Chase" is a sailor's
song about the hunt for a white monster. It combines melodeclamation, short sung cries, and instrumental
sections. The sense of musical chaos symbolizes the moments of fighting the whale, the moments of madness
revealing itself, and the loss of reason in favor of the will to defeat the invincible monster. Eleven minutes of
musical playfulness intended to convey the emotions of the hunt.
It's a bit odd that the final track, "Epilogue," is described as a bonus track. The "director's note" suggests it's a
summary of the main themes of the novel "Moby Dick"'obsession, revenge, and the complexities of human
nature. Musically, it's an instrumental piece for piano and bass guitar, accompanied by the sounds of crashing
waves in the background. Time to reflect? Time to reflect on what we've heard? Time to reflect on humanity? You
have almost three minutes to respond...
I'll be a bit dismissive of the extras that come with the physical copy of "Moby Dick." Disc number 2, as I'll call
it here, is a set of covers titled "Undercover Deux." The album contains seven tracks plus one. This division is my
personal preference. More on that later. I won't describe what's happening on this disc. Words simply can't describe
the album's original "remakes" of songs like "Anthem" by Rush, "Good Time Bad Times" by Led Zeppelin, "Uncle
Remus" by Frank Zappa, "Foreplay/Long Time" by Boston, and finally, "In the Dead of Night" by UK. And that's not
all. There's also a stunning version of Al Di Meola's "Race With the Devil on a Spanish Highway" and a cover of
"Impressioni Di Septembre" by the masters of Italian progressive rock, PFM.
A special place, I dare say, belongs to the composition "Stories of the Sea," which is based on a bass line played
by M. Manring, a master of fretless bass guitar. However, in my opinion, Marco Grieco made a significant
contribution to the sound of this piece, for which he deserves special recognition.
Over twenty musicians participated in the preparation of these two albums, and to avoid omitting any of them,
I will not mention them here.
How does this latest attempt at juxtaposing music with literature fare? Without a doubt, Marco Barnard's
albums draw much inspiration from classic rock, classic progressive rock, its Italian subgenre, and' classical music
(at least structurally). When listening to them, it's important to remember this, so that you can more consciously
allow yourself to flow with the sounds. These aren't releases for scatterbrained freeloaders, but rather for
connoisseurs of individual sounds and emerging harmonies. However, I don't mean to imply that this is music for
the select few. These are simply sounds for the discerning listener with some musical experience and' a penchant
for seeking out unconventional arrangements and soundscapes.
see MLWZ.pl

THE PARADOX TWIN A Romance of Many Dimensions (Crossover Prog, 2026)

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 00:52:07 EST

Review by Rysiek P. — The stories told on this album revolve around topics we casually call "heavy" and "sensitive." They revolve
around the lyrics from the sixth track, "If Else": "Its getting close to midnight / No reason to exist." They revolve
around the lyrics from track number seven, "Inheritance": "Wishing for another day / Hoping for another way
with you." They revolve around the lyrics from track number three, "Null The System": "Program me into
obscurity / And rewrite my lines / When I am in total disrepair / I can reload my mind." They revolve around issues
of loneliness, addiction, and isolation. They revolve around the rhythm of connecting to the "network," the rhythm
of being a character in a digital landscape, the protagonist of another game whose only friend is another computer
character. Login - logout, life - digital death. This album is about our addiction to technology, machines, computer
toys and gadgets, about the meaninglessness of existence in the real world, the next world, the everyday world.
This is the third album by the English band The Paradox Twin, recorded with the collaboration and artistic
guidance of John Mitchell, known from bands like Arena, Frost*, and In Bites. Their debut album, "The Importance
of Mr. Bedlam," from 2018, was already a hit, and the first single from it, "Planeta," was nominated for a Progressive
Music Award before the album even saw the light of day. Their second album, "Silence From Signals," released in
2021, solidified this recognition, and this year saw the release of their third album, "A Romance of Many
Dimensions." And although romance in the classic sense isn't mentioned here, the longing for romance, closeness,
a sense of belonging, and love is undoubtedly the driving force behind the music of subsequent compositions. The
protagonist of all the musical stories on this album is missing "something," missing the relationships typically
established between people, between two people in love... so what's left for him... THE NETWORK! Login - logout. A
generated world of all possibilities - the everyday real world.
Perhaps that's why, musically, everything on this album is a profound lament and a display of powerlessness.
The arrangements are delicate, yet also melancholic and depressing. Beneath the guise of delicacy and melody lies
a whole emotional diversity describing the fate of modern man. Powerlessness, anxiety, isolation, detachment, and
sadness intertwine with an unfulfilled longing for "the other," for simple friendship with someone real. The opening
track, "Linter," quietly and delicately begins its synthesizer intro, and the story seamlessly connects with the next,
"Operator." The beginning is a disquieting drumbeat against a backdrop of delicate electronics reminiscent of the
flow of informational beats. Add to that the magnificent anathem vocals. These two compositions, like the others,
are built somewhat according to the tried-and-true anathem recipe: the increasing power of the vocal line and the
accompanying instrumentation. From delicate silence to rumbling guitar expression. But there's no denying it's a
good recipe, a good team and... it works perfectly here.
"Null the System" and "My Main Function," the next two compositions, are the musical result of a situation well-
known in the world of computers. What happens when we see the famous blue screen on a monitor? Delicacy
vanishes, composure vanishes, anger begins to boil in every cell of the body, the nervous system sends enormous
impulses to every muscle, commanding fists to pound the table, eyes narrow in surprise at the unexpected
situation. And that's what these songs are like. They blend delicacy with brutal metal ferocity. The power of metal
riffs blends with magnificent vocal duets, which are the strongest point of these compositions. Please don't be
discouraged by the fluid musical anger pouring out of "Null the System," because the following "My Main Function,"
also constructed according to an anathema recipe, brings a bit of respite with its opening. This time, we're dealing
with a single vocalist performed by Danny Sorrell, whose timbre perfectly imbues the song with a narrative
character, while also allowing for the gentle entrance of a second, female vocalist, wonderfully interpreted by Sarah
Bayley, who attempts to soften the subsequent metal sounds. And while the entire track has its own unique
character, I can't help but say that the final, metal-tinged section could have been a bit shorter. Besides that, the
vocal duet? the arrangement? the sound? everything is somewhat reminiscent of Anathema, starting with the
"Weather Systems" album.
The fifth track, "UI," sounds a bit different. It's dreamier, more mellow, calmer, slightly rock-like, and
mysterious. Listen to the drawn-out, drawn-out guitar sounds and the orchestration, in the form of violin. This is a
musical breakthrough on this album. After a successful beginning and the highly expressive subsequent tracks, this
one sounds like a ballad of a lost soul. It's downright astonishing, and the words, repeated like a mantra: "(...) Falling
away," sound like a great resignation from everything.
The following tracks are merely further explorations of narrative emptiness and isolation. "If Else"?the album's
best?sets a depressing rhythm with percussion, the only addition being equally sad synthesizers. "Inheritance"?
the album's most delicate?entices with its opening acoustic guitar and delicate vocal line. It's a magnificent four-
minute ballad with a remarkably interesting arrangement. "Pixel Shader" breaks the depressing-sad mood created
by the previous two tracks with a powerful guitar. The half-instrumental-half vocal pulsates with electronics, against
which the guitar begins its low-pitched riff dance. This is the phase the album's narrative protagonist dreams of?
the erasure of what was, while simultaneously anxiously awaiting what will happen next.
This album must end with an acoustic ballad that sounds like hope emerging, like a ray of sunshine breaking
through the clouds. "Nested Scratch"?its lightness brings hope and beautifully concludes this very, very interesting
release. If anyone would like to start listening to this album with a bright song, full of hope, faith, and love, "Nested
Scratch" is the perfect choice. It's also a good track to add to your personal "must-play" list.
What's the power of this album? The vocal duets. They're a magnet for listening. The slightly anathema-esque
arrangements work well. The three tracks mentioned above from the second half of this album sound perfect. The
rest are equally impressive. Will this be enough to convince anyone to listen? I don't know, but it's definitely worth a
try. The trio of Danny Sorrell (vocals, synths, guitars, keyboards, programming), Sarah Bayley (vocals), and Graham
Brown (drums) have recorded a very good album under the watchful eye of John Mitchell. A very successful one
indeed.
see also MLWZ.pl

BANCO DEL MUTUO SOCCORSO Urgentissimo (Rock Progressivo Italiano, 1980)

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 21:20:40 EST

Review by Finnforest — Banco Hits the 80s

After a stunning and acclaimed decade of albums, the 1980s arrived for Banco just as they did for
every progressive rock band. What to do? One can almost feel the collective anxiety of bands looking
at the landscape out there versus the expectations of their most fervent fans. Not only was the
landscape of taste and radio changing, but no doubt record companies were not interested much in the
musician's sense of personal integrity. Money, money, money. Banco would handle their next move not
unlike PFM did with "Come ti va in riva alla citta." They would not handle things as well as Yes or
Genesis, for "Urgentissimo" is no "Drama," nor is it even "Duke."

That said, this is not crap in my book. As someone who enjoys pop music, I have no problem with the
radical shift in general. They deliver well-crafted and immaculately performed little gems, each one
as catchy as the last. Some tracks have a disco vibe, but all are just plain pleasant. What they
don't really have are those lovely nods to prog and vibes of continuity that "Drama" provides in
abundance, even though that album was transitional and made under pressure as well. "Urgentissimo"
drops all pretense to the band's storied history save perhaps the chops of tasteful jamming
throughout. No need to say more. If you want to hear a legendary RPI band embrace art pop music,
albeit sophisticated and enjoyable, this is the place to start.

While most ProgArchives reviewers will probably give this two stars, I personally like it a bit
better than that. I'd be at a 5/10 on this album and willing to round it up. A nice little cocktail
album that should please fans of Little River Band or Michael McDonald-era Doobies or maybe even the
poppier tracks from "Abacab." I do acknowledge that I have moderated my judgements on material like
this. Twenty years ago I may have went scorched earth on an album like this, but I've learned to
relax and enjoy the waning days and music that purists (like my past self) may consider superficial
or banal.

MOTORPSYCHO Roadwork Vol. 5 - Field Notes - The Fantastic Expedition Of J�rmyr, Ryan, S�ther and Lo - Live In Europe 2017 (Eclectic Prog, 2018)

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 20:23:09 EST

Review by Dapper~Blueberries — It is surprising that Motorpsycho doesn't have a lot of live records. You'd expect a band as jammy
as they are, we'd be on Roadwork Vol. 99 by now. But it seems like they prefer studio life more,
which I cannot knock them against. Their studio records are often amazing.

And I cannot knock them too hard on the live front, as the Roadwork series of live records have been
pretty mixed at best. Some good ones like Roadwork Vol. 1 and Roadwork Vol. 3, an alright one with
Roadwork Vol. 4, and a really bad one with Roadwork Vol. 2.

But now we're on the fifth volume of this series of live efforts, and?my god they did it. They
managed to make a live record that can honestly be put side by side with their studio output, both
musically, and quality wise!

This was recorded during the start of their second strongest era, which was around the time The
Tower was released. As a massive fan of that record, hearing a live rendition of Ship of Fools
immediately made me know I was in for a treat. But after Ship of Fools, they really hammered in all
the stops by being a celebration of their music that came before they were even on the prog radar,
but also showing their progressive tenacities by making these songs effectively progressive rock
epics.

They have two songs off of Here Be Monsters, a song from Blissard, a track that never appeared on
any album named K]]>�Angels and Daemons at Play.

Again, THIRTY MINUTES. Un chien d'espace was quite long as is, being around 13 minutes, but I have
to stress this enough that Motorpsycho turned an already great track from their post-grunge but pre-
psych eras, and turned it into this atmospheric odyssey that is an absolute treat to just listen to.

In fact, all the songs benefit from their longer jam sessions. Manmower, from Blissard and the
Manmower EP, was a good but kinda unremarkable track. But now, it is a 12 minute package of pure
rockish energy that I always loved about Motorpsycho. Remember Taifun, the 7 minute track off of
Trust Us? That was a pretty good track, I think. Well now it's even better, being a 16 minute long
jam session!

Usually, length is a pretty non-factor when it comes to music for me. Sure I love a good prog epic
here and there, but length doesn't really matter to me. But here, it is now a genuine feature. How
long the band plays, and how effortlessly they play, makes this one of their most crowning
achievements. They didn't just pick their best, most popular songs for this set. They dug deep, and
chose tracks that would absolutely benefit from their newest sound. It's genuinely a masterpiece of
sound and prowess.

Roadworks Vol. 5 is the peak of the band's live material. A series of massive, weaving epics that
truly captures the heart of the band in full. I knew they had an amazing live record in them!

Best tracks: Ship of Fools, Manmower, Un chien d'espace, Taifun

FAUST Faust (Krautrock, 1971)

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 11:29:05 EST

Review by A Crimson Mellotron — Faust's self-titled debut album is to this day one of the most avant-garde albums in the history of
Krautrock, a movement that is a partial reaction to the US experimental rock scene, as represented
by Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, Captain Beefheart, and the Velvet Underground.
Alongside bands like Can, Tangerine Dream, Amon D]]>��European phenomenon was taking place, with bands utilizing the experimental approach to rock music
and decomposing the style in various ways - for example, through the introduction of electronic
elements, psychedelic bits, field recordings as well as free improvisation, developing what would
later become proto-punk. Within such a context the ominous and rather abstract debut studio album by
Faust was born. A surreal and provocative anti-rock recording featuring three complex compositions
that are heavily influenced by the sound collage genre (think of 'Lumpy Gravy'), the trippy
repetitiveness of the earliest Can recordings, and the overall desire to bring chaos and dissonance
to the fore, eliminating any resemblance to the marketable pop and rock music of the time.

With this in mind, it has to be said that 'Faust' is hardly an enjoyable record; it is so abstract
and patchy that it is rarely even musical. What is important here is the historical background and
the experimental nature of this album as well as its direct links to the Krautrock movement and its
significance for the development of progressive rock in continental Europe (which is at its core
quite different from the UK branch of the genre). With just three tracks in rotation, this record
features lengthy pieces of music, put together by "stitching" various parts of other recordings
together. Gloomy opener 'Why Don't You Eat Carrots' features a dissonant semi-orchestral grandeur
and noisy field recordings, with the overall effect being really hypnotic. Such a composition could
undoubtedly be suitable for the soundtrack of a weird mid-70s art movie. 'Meadow Meal' features an
oozy psych-folk sound with dense and cryptic soundscapes building up a rather uninviting atmosphere.
Finally, there is the gargantuan sonic patchwork that is 'Miss Fortune', a 17-minute-long piece
occupying the entirety of side two. While it continues the core sound collage principle of the
record and features some quirky psych-laden guitars, there are sections on this large piece that
will be seen as too demanding and austere even for the most patient of music enthusiasts.

And for all of these reasons, listeners should approach this record with caution - it is a weird,
challenging and dissonant adventure that will hardly ever reward you with its cryptic material and
flamboyantly experimental edge, but it is a delightfully relentless piece of music that deserves
your full attention.

JOHN ZORN Sing Me Now Asleep (RIO/Avant-Prog, 2026)

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 10:11:03 EST

Review by Fercandio46 — I first encountered harpist Carol Emanuel through her 1995 album, Tops of Trees, but within this context...where John
Zorn composes and arranges, but Bill Frisell and Kenny Wollesen play the vibraphone, and Ikue Mori provides
electronic effects, it opens up a new dimension for everyone...including the listeners.
Just as great directors, painters, or writers have several periods, divided by their aesthetic or thematic affiliation...John
Zorn is a complete artist who, within the world of composition, is now in a position to blend several of these styles, a
path begun with Naked City's Absinthe, and then continued with The Gnostic Trio, all of which led to Sing Me Now
Asleep.

The delicate arrangements of Such Sweet Sorrow rival the individual moments of each musician: the vibraphone, the
guitar... with a restrained Frisell contributing something different, but with feeling as always, and of course Carol
Emanuel, for me one of the stars of the album.
In Nature's Soft Nurse, Carol and her harp play with effects by Ikue Mori...and when Bill Frisell enters, the picture is
complete; they truly create images, there are psychedelic echoes when you least expect them, and the dreamlike
scene is almost complete, because the fusion of genres, far from being exhausted, continues to yield new results, new
horizons.

Sing Me Now Asleep is a beautiful title, with a beautiful painting as its cover...and perhaps it suggests that what enters
unconsciously stays longer and better...there is something of that in Soft You Now whose inherent sweetness never
lets us fall into the void...not entirely, thanks to Carol's harp.
He That Thy Knowest Thine seems to be his version of a somewhat groundbreaking, distorted country sound, one that
fades away only to return. Like in dreams, he reaches out and seems to arrive at his destination... here, the
destination is a melody played with Frisell's precise and smooth fingerwork, almost a lullaby. Kenny Wollesen, who on
other albums has made drums explode and created incredible rhythms, dons the cloak of invisibility and subtlety with
his vibraphone.

In Spirits From the Vasty Deep, Ikue Mori creates a spacey atmosphere, which Carol Emanuel's harp frames and
expands with the help of Bill Frisell. Together with the vibraphone, they almost evoke Gentle Giant at times, but only
when they accelerate... because then the vastness of space takes over, with a very unsettling ending, because it's
unclear whether it's waking from a dream or entering another. The only certainty is that this quartet becomes a
quintet with their composer Zorn, and that they bring light and magic to 2026.

JOHN ZORN News for Lulu (with George Lewis / Bill Frisell) (RIO/Avant-Prog, 1988)

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 10:10:02 EST

Review by Fercandio46 — The concept of expressionism is not new to John Zorn; he has extended it to his music as well, and the cover of
News for Lulu is that of the German film Pandora's Box (Die B]]>�Brooks. The notion of uninhibitedness and how that audacity leads to the downfall of those who embrace it... he
carries it into his jazz. He would do the same with the album Naked City a year later, and as before... here he was
accompanied by Bill Frisell on guitar and George Lewis on trombone. A very particular trio, yet it is jazz to be
enjoyed, with a fairly linear listening experience compared to what they would do later, though not without
breaking genres and conventions, as in Funk In Deep Freeze. Frisell's guitar already possesses that characteristic
phrasing and dialogues wonderfully with the alto saxophone that Zorn was playing at this time.

In Melanie, you can hear the trombone playing the bass before it actually becomes the trombone, and the trio... is a
different kind of trio. We feel transported to another era at all times, but the decade keeps changing, the 18th
century, and the 1920s and 30s at other times, suddenly atonality takes over, or cabaret, or ragtime, nothing that
they wouldn't later develop further in their solo careers, but here it has the charm of inhabiting a mansion from a
Scott Fitzgerald novel.

It's curious to listen to Lotus Blossom in retrospect...because you can hear that there's something new there, and at
the same time you hear their trademarks before they were trademarked. The winds are very present and
play...alternating the lead of the melody, and subverting it as well.
Blues Blues Blues is the first of the highlights, those smoky melodies, like something out of a seedy film noir bar,
which he would later develop much further. You can even follow him in his soliloquies! Sonny Clark's Blue Minor is
so well performed even in its modifications... and it's no wonder, because back in 1986, John Zorn, along with
Wayne Horvitz on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Bobby Previte on drums, had already done the tribute
Voodoo (Sonny Clark Memorial Quartet).

News For Lulu is another highlight, showcasing John Zorn's development as a performer and adapter of pianist
Sonny Clark's composition. He and Frisell carve out the space, they stir it...like beating eggs for a cake, not without
help from George Lewis, and the things this trio accomplishes!
Ole already had Hasidic elements from which he would later create his own genre. Sonny's Crib is the reinvention of
the blues...the last tracks are live, although without many significant variations.

That virus that would take jazz and rock by surprise and awaken them from their slumber, creating multiple worlds
branching out with its musicians and bands, just as Miles Davis did, hadn't emerged from nothing...it drew from the
40s, 50s, as well as the 60s and 70s...and here is proof of its growth and future germination. It's curious that he
chose the metaphor of silent film...because silent film was a completely different art form from what sound film
would later become, so much so that they can't even be compared. That gap would be what separated this embryo
from what would become the universe that lay ahead.

MAN Do You Like It Here Now, Are You Settling In? (Psychedelic/Space Rock, 1971)

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 10:07:23 EST

Review by Fercandio46 — Although Man recorded Do You Like It Here Now, Are You Settling In? in his native Wales, he had just finished the All
Good Clean Fun tour in Switzerland and Germany, in addition to appearing on TV with Badfinger. It would be the
last album with keyboardist Clive John. Man always divided his efforts between country rock and the more
experimental side of krautrock, and this album is no exception; with psychedelia behind him, here he would make
that mix his signature style.

After Angel Easy, which is enjoyable with those two guitars, All Good Clean Fun begins to unleash the complexity
that ran in their veins. Everyone sang differently, the piano breaks the mood, and the guitar goes out of tune,
creating a jazzy and classic waltz that the piano cuts again as they sing in chorus a melody as fast as it is strange.
Micky Jones and Deke Leonard are the heart and soul of Man, and the complexities they suddenly achieved, playing
several pieces simultaneously, piano on one hand, guitars and bass on the other, while Terry Williams on drums
accompanied them all, made this a unique band not to be missed. Another one that can also be said to be
completely different live.

We're Only Children begins with an extended, very relaxed instrumental passage, which simultaneously evokes
things like a bus trip along the highway and looking out the window... the guitar takes on a funky feel, followed by a
brief jazzy interlude, until a guitar crescendo transports us to the Pink Floyd of the 60s. It's also important to note
how they were a cohesive group in every sense: vocals, instruments, composition, and vocals all integrated,
knowing when one element should give way to another. There was a mystery about them, never fully revealed...
sustained, and therein lay the interest during the instrumental development, the anticipation of what would come
next... at an indecipherable point.

All of this was supported by a band that knew when to get intimate, to dim the lights, metaphorically, and to go
acoustic and, with clapping and unison vocals, create a live atmosphere even while in the studio. Many Are Called
But Few Get Up would become a live classic for the band, as well as an example of their unique sound, which begins
calmly...and gradually announces the journey to another dimension, guitar notes accompanied by drums and bass,
which cloud a pure blue sky until they form a rich collage to see and hear. It accelerates, and as rarely happens, its
title and lyrics perfectly match the rhythm of the music and its ebb and flow. It contains passages with metrics that
combine to create something with as much personality as King Crimson could do in Larks Tongues in Aspic years
later.

Manillo covers another aspect, more rustic, in the style of Improved Sound Limited, together with the electric guitar
combined with the acoustic, they create a tune suitable for both pubs and also mystical for the desert. In fact, the
German pronunciation is noticeable within the English. Love Your Life continues and deepens those journeys that
Man built together, with all its members, with a powerful guitar riff and passionate vocals, because if there's one
thing they weren't, it was a cold band. And then, suddenly, strange guitar counterpoints with rhythmic breaks draw
you into that other world offered in such a way... that it seems to have no end.
The organ, the sharp vocals in the chorus, and surprising new instrumental parts do the rest, making us feel like
we're in many places while still being in one.

OMNIPOTENT YOUTH SOCIETY Omnipotent Youth Society (Eclectic Prog, 2010)

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 10:05:10 EST

Review by Dapper~Blueberries — Been quite a bit since I last gave my attention to the Chinese prog group of Omnipotent Youth
Society, but I have always been itching to review them again ever since I made my review on Inside
the Cable Temple back in 2023. So, after nearly 3 years, I decided it was time I went back to them
for another round, this time starting with their titular debut record.

万能青年旅店 (Omnipotent Youth Society) is well before the band would really hit the progressive
rock scene like a nuke, and so this record is squarely rooted within more art rock, and indie rock
cultures as the band was inspired by groups like Blind Melon. This is shown through the use of more
blues rock motifs and chord progressions, rather than the more folk-ladened structures of Inside the
Cable Temple. But I don't mind that, because I think even if this might not be their most overtly
prog record yet, the music is still really solid that I cannot help but to enjoy it all the same. I
think the music here is very accessible, yet still carries the same weight that you may expect from
the modern prog rock scene of today. It goes to show you don't need to be overly complex to be
progressive.

In fact, someone described their music to be "Chinese Pink Floyd" and while I do think that
comparison is a tiny bit of a stretch, it can be rather apt with how both bands have a more
rebellious side hidden beneath the pretty music. Where Pink Floyd were quite anti-war, and against
capitalistic malpractice, so too is Omnipotent Youth Society against China's history of massacres,
and the industrial complex that is slowly killing itself. While it may not have the big swelling
epics, or the exact sound of it, I say this record is comparable to that of Animals with how each
song feels like a massive protest against a harmful world.

Perhaps it may not be as strong as Inside The Cable Temple, as I do think the themes of this album
are a bit less constructed to perfection like how it is on their second record, but even if so the
music itself is still really stellar. I mean, when you have such good tracks like 不万能的喜剧 (B]]>�w]]>��special album worth listening to.

I am gonna say it, I love Omnipotent Youth Society. Their discography may be small, but the two
albums they made so far certainly packs a mean punch. Their debut's rebellious and bluesy nature,
paired with Inside The Cable Temple's progressive rock and folk driven beauty, makes their line-up
of albums a one two punch of pure Chinese goodness. Definitely a high recommendation from me.

Best tracks: 不万能的喜剧, 大石碎胸口, 秦皇岛, 杀死那个石家庄人

RIVERSIDE Shrine of New Generation Slaves (Progressive Metal, 2013)

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 01:42:03 EST

Review by sgtpepper — With their fifth offering (and the last one in my collection), the band evolved over the last 4 years. Incorporating
calmer approach overall = more modern Opeth (a la 2011/2012 period) and Pink Floyd, the record is simplified, more
vocal oriented and reflective yet less dark than in the 00's.
The first half of the album can rock hard, on the first and third track, whereas things get sunnier on the flip side. I like
singing better than before because of increased maturity, yet I miss complex instrumental interplays from the golden
days.
Luckily, the band still manages to unleash the appetite for prog on the its longest contribution "Escalator Shrine"
which before an acoustic coda.

SUFJAN STEVENS Michigan (Crossover Prog, 2003)

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 23:22:39 EST

Review by kenethlevine — It made sense that SUFJAN STEVENS would inaugurate his eventually abandoned 50-state arc of projects with his
place of origin. "Michigan" is also a worthy introduction to his cerebral indie-folk meets pop rock with classical and
jazz trellises, and a few other eclectic interests I may have missed.

Apart from more direct messages even in the titles themselves than he would eventually be known for, some of his
most enduring melodies remain here, beginning with the poignant "Flint", and followed soon after by the elegant
banjo-led "For the Widows in Paradise...", and then by the blues-shaded organ ballad "The Upper Peninsula". This
would almost be enough but the vivacious "All Good Naysayers", the ENO-like atmospheric interludes
"Tahquamenon Falls" and "Sleeping Bear...", and the earnest "Romulus" (yes there is such a city in MI) all vie for
the high bar B-list. I can't not mention the centerpiece "Detroit", one of the longest numbers here with a
minimalist hypnotic quality at times and the exuberance that suffused "llinois" to an even greater extent 2 years
later.

Regretfully, Sufjan's inspiration wanes in the latter half. I realize he probably had twice as many ideas as there are
towns but, like towns and animals, not all are created equal, and I've got 73 minutes that sort of proves my point.
Even the esteemed "Vito's Ordination Song" cannot arise from the funk, and I don't mean that as a musical style,
induced by the previous 18 minutes, and "Marching Band" and "Pickerel Lake" just follow on from there. Nothing
overtly bad here, just relatively soporific and an affront to the almost unbroken exceptionalism in the first 9 tracks.

This is still one half of a work of wonder, and curated so you can easily skip over the more pedestrian back 40,
which, though far from mishigas(a little more of that might have actually helped!), leaves me in a less glowing frame of mind. Just above 3.5 stars.

RIVERSIDE Rapid Eye Movement (Progressive Metal, 2007)

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 23:04:10 EST

Review by sgtpepper — The third Riverside album is more varied than the first one and more captivating than the second one.
I appreciate various playing styles, metal, some retro 70's moods with Hammond, some of their catchiest songs ("02
Panic Room"), oriental influence on the rhythmically highly developed "Schizophrenic Prayer".

Some shorter tracks on this album like "Embryonc" and " Through the other side" are strikingly more accessible and
streamlined than ever before but the band maintains the level of complexity on the longer epic.
"Beyond the eyelids" is a captivating dynamic and heavy representative of the typical and well executed Riverside
style. Of note is the peaceful digital piano motive contrasting with storming guitar riffs.
Another intriguing Riverside album recommended to dig in.