Blut Aus Nord – 777 – The Desanctification

Back in April of this year, I was wowed by the first in a prospective trilogy of releases by the French dark metal act Blut Aus Nord. ‘777 – Sect(s)’ sought the beginning of a three-album project, each bound together as part of one nightmarish journey. To hear that the band was planning on releasing the entire set of albums within the course of a year was exciting, to say the least. Blut Aus Nord has been prone to releasing their unique blend of avant-garde black metal quite quickly, but what has made them exceptional is that they do this at no sacrifice to the quality and depth of the music. Over the course of many listens, I felt my appreciation for ‘777 – Sect(s)’ expand, and I feel the same is true for the second album in this saga.

‘777 – The Desanctification’ quite literally picks up where ‘Sect(s)’ left off. As the songs in the first were labelled ‘Epitome’ I-VI, this follows suit with ‘Epitome’ VII-XIII. Stylistically and conceptually, ‘Desanctification’ gives every impression that it is a continuation of the previous album, not a sequel so much as a direct follow-up to what was released months before. Stylistically, this is very close to what ‘Sect(s)’ offered as well. The music is a constant balancing act between dissonant, jarring black metal, and lighter, deeply atmospheric passages. Blut Aus Nord has claimed that this album takes the listener ‘deeper into the nightmare realm’, and to a certain extent, this is true. Although the music isn’t all too different, there is a somewhat looser approach to the performance and composition this time around, lending itself more to disturbing atmosphere than the head-scratching black metal that dominated parts of the first album. It seems atmosphere is winning the balancing act, if only a bit. Truth be told, Blut Aus Nord’s sound still runs around the map.

While I wouldn’t call Blut Aus Nord the most coherent songwriters in the world, they have a real knack for creating incredible moments in their music, and even better transitions to tie them together. Not every idea in ‘The Desanctification’ works perfectly- sometimes, a part may drag on a few measures too long, or the band will let a section become too chaotic- but they know how to take this palette of ideas and arrange them in such a way that makes everything sound meaningful to an extent. A perfect example of this is the second track ‘Epitome VIII’, in which the first three minutes meander through an incredibly harsh and dissonant soundscape. It is certainly a challenge for the ears, but would have passed me as being aimless if it weren’t for the majestic melodic climax a little after the three minute mark; everything peaks up in unison and intensifies the surreal vibe I get throughout the album.

Performance-wise, there are few bands that use texture and tone so well in the metal world. Guitarist Vindsval has an amazing grasp of some gorgeously dreary guitar tones, and the electronic/industrial aspect of the band never feels weak or gimmicky; it is all mixed together into one darkly ethereal blend. As one might ascertain from a description of the band, the production style is equally as chaotic, throwing multiple layers of ambiance at the listener under the main action. One aspect of the sound that does not always work however are the vocals. They are- for the most part- fairly generic by black metal standards, but the way they echo incessantly makes them more of an ambient garble, neither complimenting nor necessarily hurting the music.

Blut Aus Nord have always been a band that plays on their own terms, and the ‘777′ trilogy has made me more excited about them than ever before. Regarding whether ‘The Desanctification’ is better than ‘Sect(s)’ or not: I’m not quite sure. Perhaps ‘Sect(s) had a better feeling of organization to it, but ‘The Desanctification’ has left more of an impression on me. This is atmosphere made deadly. Even sparing the context of the trilogy, ‘The Desanctification’ is a devastating album, and one of the more disturbing records I’ve heard in a long time.

Tracklist:

1. Epitome VII (7:31)
2. Epitome VIII (6:27)
3. Epitome IX (2:07)
4. Epitome X (7:22)
5. Epitome XI (6:15)
6. Epitome XII (5:57)
7. Epitome XIII (7:08)

Line-up:

* GhÖst – Bass
* W. D. Feld – Drums, Keyboards, Electronics
* Vindsval – Vocals, Guitars

Haken – Visions

Although I tend to listen to alot of new albums and bands, there are admittedly few that really stick with me. There are legions of bands out there that I have some measure of respect for, but only a few that still resonate with me long after I discover them. It is rare that I find more than a few bands each year that I really get excited about, and last year, Haken was the newcomer that really took my attention by storm. With nothing more than a debut to steal my heart, I was eagerly anticipating to see where this band would go, and now consider the debut ‘Aquarius’ to be a modern classic of progressive metal. Now, a band coming out with a sophomore the year right after taking their first big steps is pretty unheard of in the music industry nowadays, but when I heard that Haken were coming out with a 2011 follow-up, I got pretty eager to hear what they were cooking up, expecting nothing less than a second serving of gold. Haken’s second album ‘Visions’ is a very appropriate sophomore after ‘Aquarius’. Their sound is a little more distinct, a tad more mature, and just as impressive as the debut. With ‘Visions’, Haken has proven that they are far from a one-album wonder, and indeed have a very promising future ahead of them.

Musically, little has changed from ‘Aquarius’. The band still plays a style of technically accomplished, stirring blend of Dream Theater-inspired prog metal, with each member achieving technical perfection. What has always set this band apart however is their wonderful draw for melodies and emotion in the music, something that much progressive metal seems to lose in favour of complexity. Like ‘Aquarius’, ‘Visions’ is a complex concept album, a meticulous album that gives the listener every sign that the band is attempting to make a masterpiece. And indeed, one thing that Haken has had down from square one is the craft of album-making. On ‘Visions’, we hear a theatrical spectacle of progressive metal that goes from bombastic technical metal to inspiring passages of heartfelt prog rock. A new emphasis in Haken’s sound are recurring motifs, or ideas throughout the album; dramatic themes to get the feelings in the story across.

The concept of ‘Aquarius’ was revolved around mermaids and wanting to become one with the fish-people, or something. To be honest, I was never attracted much to the concept that tied together Haken’s debut, and that is no different for ‘Visions’. The narrative of Haken’s music has always been its weakest aspect, and although ‘Visions’ does seem to take a more mature step in its storytelling, this is still no ‘Operation: Mindcrime’ or ‘The Human Equation’, conceptually. From what I can tell, this album tells the story of a character who is psychic, and I’m almost certain that people die in it, and I think the dramatic tension here revolves around the character trying to change the future. It’s not a bad story, and it works well for prog rock, but its certainly not a tale of such originality to inspire much in a listener besides glancing through the album booklet a few times.

While the lyrics are certainly not the greatest, the singer who delivers them is excellent. Ross Jennings has a very distinctive timbre to his voice, and I think he is a very definitive part of Haken’s sound. Especially when it comes to the more mellow parts of the album (being the latter half of ‘Nocturnal Conspiracy’, or the beautiful track ‘Deathless’) he sings these gorgeous melodic lines that have me going back again and again to it. Instrumentally, Haken is top-notch, always interesting, playing loops around people twice their age. A gripe I would still have with ‘Visions’ is one I had moreso with ‘Aquarius’; although Haken plays their music to absolute perfection, the style feels too derived from the music of Dream Theater, and there are even moments in the technical instrumental sections where I felt as if I could almost pinpoint the Dream Theater song that inspired them to write a riff. With this being their second album though, I do notice aspects of their sound that are uniquely theirs; the vocals being first and foremost, but also a very epic depth to their keyboards. Reaching their peak with the grand title track of this album, Haken proves that even if they haven’t yet established themselves aside from the unfortunate ‘Dream Theater clone’ label, they are still making music that is both astounding in its sense of beauty and intelligence, and for what small flaws that are here, I would not hesitate in saying that Haken have made another killer record with ‘Visions’.

Tracklist:

1. Premonition (4:10)
2. Nocturnal Conspiracy (13:08)
3. Insomnia (6:06)
4. The Mind’s Eye (4:05)
5. Portals (5:27)
6. Shapeshifter (8:08)
7. Deathless (8:04)
8. Visions (22:25)

Line-up:

* Ross Jennings – vocals
* Charles Griffiths – guitars
* Raymond Hearne – drums
* Richard Henshall – keyboard and guitar
* Thomas MacLean – bass
* Diego Tejeida – keyboards

Amphibious Jones – Space Junkie

I’m not going to hide my enthusiasm of discovering this Denver, Colorado progressive rock band with space rock leanings. With plenty of fuzzy moments and great sense of melodiousness, their psychedelic explorations within the progressive rock genre discover new nebulas in remote regions of the universe.

This is not a Bandcamp discovery, but anyway, for a great band/album there will be always a place on the Prog Sphere pages. Full review of Space Junkie follows. Enjoy!

Amphibious Junkie are:

Jimmy Curtis – lead vocals, guitar
Kyle Butman – drums, keyboards, vox
Chad Duvall – guitar
Jesus Francisco – bass

Amphibious Junkie on the web:

http://amphibiousjones.com/
http://www.facebook.com/AmphibiousJones

Millenium – Puzzles

Polish band Millenium has been on the progressive rock scene for several years, in fact, this is their 8th studio album to date, though it is their first conceptual album, and the first one I listen. I got interested in this particular album due to some reviews I had read, and now that I got it I can tell it is a wonderful release, which is based in a story that shows the difficulty of relationships, taking as models the names of Adam and Eve and making some comparisions and metaphores during the whole story. The album is entitled “Puzzles” so each of the songs are indispensable jigsaws that together complete the puzzle.

This is a double CD album with a lenght of 45 minutes each, so once you decide to play it, open your mind and keep track of the music for one hour and a half, because it is worth it. The first CD has the name of “Together”, while the second one of “Separately”; both consist of seven songs each. So the album kicks off with “Eden?” which is a two-minute instrumental and introductory track with keyboards and a guitar riff which will be used later in the album. This song leads to “The Tree of Knowledge”, continues with cool guitar riffs and keyboard tunes that create a symphonic sound. At minute and a half vocals appear and the lyrical concept starts, while the music plays a catchy and lovable sound. The last part is instrumental with higher intensity.

“The First Man on the Earth” starts with guitar and a soft voice, seconds later the man begins to talk and express his feelings, it is like a monologue. The music is progressing little by little, though the structure may not be that complex, it is very well crafted. Here we can also appreciate changes in mood, from intense an sorrowful moments, to calmer and reflexing ones. “Apple & Snake” is one of my favorite tracks, it caught my attention since the very first listen. The first minute is instrumental and introductory, then vocals enter while keyboards make the atmosphere, the bass notes are complementary. Later the rhythm becomes more intense and stronger, though it is just for some seconds, because it slows down a bit. The atmosphere here is chaotic, tense and even dramatic. What I love of this track is that variety of sounds and those changes they managed to create in just six minutes.

With “The Sin” they share a totally different sound, with acoustic guitar that seems far of progressive rock, but that perfectly fits in this album. The vocals are mellow and the rhythm catchy, easy to learn and even to sing. The story is the great thing here, and worth mentioning is that in the booklet we can see some images and sentences that perfectly match with the story and the song in course. Here, they wrote “it is not sure who had the first sin…” and yeah, it isn’t. Later there is a guitar riff that reminds me a bit of Pink Floyd’s The Wall, which is one of the band’s influences, as they described in ther website. The second part of the track is different, with some metal-like hints, spacey keys and a tense atmosphere. “Broken Rule” is an instrumental track that retakes the guitar solo of the first song; it is like the album’s escence. Having this instrumental song allows us to create images in our minds and complement our own story.

The first CD finishes with its longest composition: “Everything About Her”. It softly starts with guitars and keyboard ambience; after a minute and a half drums, bass, piano and vocals appear and continue with the conceptual story. In this track we can once again find a blend of emotions and musical elements that together continue building up the story, complementing that novel, or film, or play, that you are creating on your mind. The neo-prog sound is really evident in this song, more in the sixth minute, when I could really find some reminiscences of older acts such as Marillion, of course. A wonderful point about this album, is that here after 45 minutes I did not feel bored or tired at all, on the other hand, I was excited and eagerly waiting for the second album, so Millenium created a record easy to listen and enjoy.

Now, the second CD begins with “Farewell”  and inthe first moments it shows more intensity, though later it calms down and creates a soft and pastoral sound. But guess what, it only lasts some seconds and later changes over and over, so here we can have soft and calm moments, with hope, sadness and regret. The music of this track reminds me a bit of “Apples & Snake”, and in the instrumental moments, once again of Pink Floyd.. The next song is “The Prose of Life” which has a sympathetic piano sound and a really catchy sound; though it is also a good track, I believe this is my least favorite one, musically speaking, thanks to its first part where the catchy spirit reigns. However, the second part of the song becomes much more interesting, with great guitar riffs, cool keyboard moments and wonderful drums. So I can cut in half this song, choose the second one, and eliminate the first one.

“Ice Dreams” continues with a soft and catchy sound, but this time it does not harm the music, on the other hand, it helps reaching its goals, and its icy dreams. The chorus will surely make you sing here. After three and a half minutes there is a short passage where keyboards make a calm atmosphere, and I love when lyrics say “close your eyes and see your ice dreams”, because it opens the gates to imagination so while the music sounds, you can create once again images in your head. “Time is the Great Healer” has the mellowest and more melancholic moment of the album, with its piano and voice. The structure is simple, but having put a song like this at this particular moment of the story, was a great choice. The last two minutes are wonderful, with the string instruments and drums on it, creating an emotional ending.

“Puzzled” is the only instrumental track of this second disc. Bass notes over a keyboard backgroud for the first moments. Later guitars and drums join and take us to their journey, with a joyful and hopeful sound that let us know that in spite of adversity, the puzzle can be completed. “We Try Again” is the longest of this second CD, and it retakes the album’s essence but now with piano, not with guitar. Then vocals appear and little by little the song is adding elements and progressing. The first minutes are mellow, but later it changes and becomes a bit heavier, with a faster rhythm that creates a more exciting sound. Here I imagine Adam’s mind and heart having a revolution, making all in his hands to save the relationship, like if his life would go with it. In this particular song one can have a feast of emotional passages, and even a mixture of feelings. This is one of the best moments of the whole album, without a doubt.

And it finishes with “Our Little Eden”, in which for the first time a female voice, representing Eva appears, singing along with Adam, fusioning into one person, and creating their new and own paradise. The music here is easy to dig, and clearly shares that hope and joy the charachters have, with the re-born of their relationship. Though it may be a cliche to have happy endings, I don’t care, and I am too happy with it.

I had a great experience with Millenium’s “Puzzles”, a wonderful concept album that I would like to recommend, mainly to symphonic rock and neo-prog.

Enjoy it!

Tracklist:

CD One

1. Eden?
2. The Tree of Knowledge
3. The First Man on the Earth
4. Apple & Snake
5. The Sin
6. Broken Rule
7. Everything About Her

CD Two

1. Farewell
2. The Prose of Life
3. Ice Dreams
4. Time is the Great Healer
5. Puzzled
6. We Try Again
7. Our Little Eden

Line-up:

* Ryszard Kramarski – keyboards
* Piotr Płonka – guitars
* Tomasz Paśko – drums
* Krzysztof Wyrwa – bass, Warr guitar
* Łukasz Gall – vocals

Guest vocal on “Our Little Eden”

* Sabina Godula-Zajac

Lisa LaRue 2KX – Fast and Blue

This is actually my first experience with a Lisa LaRue project, and I say this because I know she has been involved in the progressive rock scene for several years, with different projects and with a considerable amount of records. Now after some reviews I read, I got interested with her 2KX project and the album entitled “Fast and Blue”, composed by LaRue, along with Steve Adams, Merrill Hale and John Payne.

The album comprises seven compositions, two of them epic tracks. It is an almost instrumental album, full of keyboards, wonderful and well-crafted compositions. It opens with “Mystery of the Rose” which is a one-minute introductory track with a peaceful and hopeful sound. It leads to “Prometheus”, which in the other hand, is the longest composition of the album, with seventeen minutes of true and first-class progressive rock. The first part has some inherent drama, I imagine it as a passage of a movie, with some tension and an unknown fate. Later it slows down, soft guitars and drums, nice bass notes, and great keyboard nuances. The song seems to be divided in several passages, showing the band’s compositional skills. I like the bombastic moments where several elements are added, with great guitar riffs and the always prominent keyboards that creates a symphonic sound.

When drums, a bell and then a gong sounds, the tone changes dramatically and becomes much more bombastic. I am almost sure that in this part Ryo Okumoto enters with his keyboard feast. Along with the keys, the other instruments perfectly complement the music, which now show the quality of the musicians as performers, because each and every of them are well connected and flawlessly playing. This is a long, complex and well arranged symphonic offering that Lisa LaRue’s 2KX share to us, and which can be appreciated and loved by the strictest prog fan.

“Tryptych” starts with a mellower sound, charming acoustic guitar and a cute cello creating a gentle atmosphere. I love how after the storm comes the calm, because this track allows us to take a breath after that vertiginous previous epic. This shorter piece fills our souls with a beautiful sound, that’s it. But it leads to the other long track, which is entitled “Jam Jehan Nima”; this track begins with a more eclectic sound, with elements taken from different parts and genres, here the symphonic touch is not really present, instead, we can appreciate some mid-east hints, along with soft spacey keys, and even some jazzy moments. After four minutes, vocals appear as a choral group and create a dark and church-like sound. A minute later it vanishes and a new structure is being built, now with a more aggressive feeling, creating either a heavy prog, or even a symphonic metal-like sound. In this song, I prefer by miles the second part, honestly, I did not really enjoy the first one.

“Lament of the Cherokee / Ruins of Home” has once again cello and a soft beginning. The atmosphere and background are perfect for a fantasy film. A minute later a narrator appears with a strong voice, while keyboards and the other instruments continue creating that background. As he speaks, we can imagine what he says, even close our eyes and create our own story. The voice vanishes before the third minute and then a new structure is being built up. Here I like a lot the work of the drummer, giving the correct intensity in every passage. The last two minutes are great, once again, adding elements that let us create some images in our minds.

“Fast and Blue” has a clear symphonic prog sound since the first moments, but later it changes when Payne’s vocals appear first, later joined by a female voice. There are some nice bass lines during the whole track, a song that I may label as a prog metal one, though the music is actually far from it.

The album finishes with “Recurring Dream” which has an instrumental beginning with some pastoral passages, but later when vocals join it changes a little bit, both the music and the feelings change as well. Later at minute four there is a wonderful moment with mellotron and beautiful and softly played strings. This is a very good ending track.

A strong, well-composed album that will please symphonic rock (mainly) fans, but which can be also loved by the average prog rock follower. Recommendable!

Enjoy it!

Tracklist:

1. Mystery Of The Rose (1:10)
2. Prometheus (17:58)
3. Tryptych (4:54)
4. Jam Jehan Nima (12:51)
5. Lament Of The Cherokee/Ruins Of Home (7:30)
6. Fast And Blue (5:12)
7. Recurring Dream (7:17)

Line-up:

* Lisa LaRue: keyboards
* Steve Adams: guitar, bass
* Merrill Hale: drums
* John Payne: vocals, bass

Guest musicians:

* Ryo Okumoto: keyboards (2)
* Michael Sadler: vocals (7)
* Don Schiff: NS stick (2)
* Mitch Perry: guitar solos (4)
* Maxi Nil: backing vocals (6)
* Mike Alvarez: cello

ProgSphere’s Progstravaganza Compilation of Awesomeness – Part 8

The time has come for the new part in the Progstravaganza compilation series. This is the eighth piece Prog Sphere has released so far and the second compilation in which we’ve highlighted the bands coming from the Prog Sphere Promotions roster.

Choosing December 30th for its “release date“ is not an accident. It was our intention to close this very successful year in a good way, giving you something to make you hopeful for an even better 2012.

This Progstravaganza is comprised of 10 “new“ bands (new since the last time), each presented with two songs and in our opinion there is a great mixture of plenty of genres ranging from experimental sound of Radio for the Daydreamers, psychedelic rock with traditional Eastern motifs performed by Greek Sleepin Pillow up to stoner rock of Ponamero Sundown and many many more in between. We are sure you will enjoy this one.

As for the coming year, we have many plans to become better and progress further, and you will be the first who will know about it. Until then, we wish you  good health and a lot of good music in 2012.

Tracklist:

01. SERIOUS BEAK – Han (taken from Huxwhukw)
02. TRUTHSEEKER – Storm (taken from Weightless at Dawn)
03. X-PANDA – Flight of Fancy (taken from Flight of Fancy)
04. PONAMERO SUNDOWN – Evil Wand (taken from Rodeo Electrica)
05. EFFLORESCE – Birds of Prey (taken from Shades of Fate)
06. HOTEL WRECKING CITY TRADERS – Coventina’s Cascade (taken from Hotel Wrecking City Traders)
07. ØRESUND SPACE COLLECTIVE – Red Earth Calling (taken from Entering Into the Space Country)
08. SLEEPIN PILLOW – Amplifier in My Heart (taken from Apples on an Orange Tree)
09. REASON – Life to a Flame (taken from The Darkest Star)
10. RADIO FOR THE DAYDREAMERS – Neither of Us Will Live On (taken from Praying for the Be(a)st)
11. SERIOUS BEAK – Tui / Tuo (taken from Huxwhukw)
12. TRUTHSEEKER – Through the Waves (taken from Weightless at Dawn)
13. X-PANDA – Crystal Gazing (taken from Flight of Fancy)
14. PONAMERO SUNDOWN – Sinners Breed (taken from Rodeo Electrica)
15. EFFLORESCE – Sunset in the Snowdome (taken from Shades of Fate)
16. HOTEL WRECKING CITY TRADERS – Traverse of the Oxen (taken from Hotel Wrecking City Traders)
17. ØRESUND SPACE COLLECTIVE – Who Tripped on the C(h)ord? (taken from Dead Man in Space)
18. SLEEPIN PILLOW – An Idiot’s Point of View (taken from Superman’s Blues)
19. REASON – The Darkest Star (taken from The Darkest Star)
20. RADIO FOR THE DAYDREAMERS – When You Die (taken from Praying for the Be(a)st)

Tibet – Tibet

According to Prog Sphere’s „reviewing policy“, which is based on reviewing the albums released in last 2-3 years due to our tendency to keep up to date, in past I rejected to take in consideration to review some of the albums published back in 70’s, but been reissued during 90’s or later on. I know, I know – shame on me. Anyway, the exceptions are to be made – thus as I already received the self-titled album of the German progressive rockers Tibet, there was no any hesitation in coming up with this review.

Originally recorded and mixed during three-year period (1976-1978) at Rhein-Ruhr-Film studio and released on LP in 1979 by Bellaphone Records, this album since then could only be found as a rarity in the carefully selected vinyl collections. Then, in 1994 Musea Records re-released the album on CD and finally this year the re-release of 1994’s re-release has been issued and the band announced working on a new album, with the original line-up.

Reading the story of the 15 pages booklet, with all those b&w photos inside made me feel both charm and melancholy for the times characterized often as the blossoming point in the music history. I am wondering sometimes is that „crucial“ statement which says that there is no better time than the present valid. To keep on topic, if someone could tell me what is it about music that is better in present in comparison with the mentioned Summer of Love-post era, I would just cut the *peep* right here and give you just another boring track-by-track review. But I feel half divided, using this album as a shelter to get out from my own shell and fire cannonade on anything and everything. The second half is still agonizing, trying to pull out a deserved polemic discussion about Tibet’s Tibet.

Lost in the shadow of everything greatly manufactured during the 70’s progressive renaissance, Tibet never made it to the tops and there were no any Lee Dorian or Mikael Akerfeldt to pull the strings for them, as the mentioned gentlemen did for Comus few years ago. With an album which apparently caught the last of 70’s trains, the album is likely to be considered as a monument of the progressive rock spring. On Tibet, there is nothing you probably didn’t hear so far, this record doesn’t bring anything epochal what others didn’t establish yet, but this record stands out for its inspiring breathe of the golden era of progressive rock history mixed up with East.

I don’t know how the band will sound in 2012 and it’s not of any significant value, after all. Everyone’s got its own place under the Sun and music is the best expression of a time burdening, but with an album released for more than 32 years ago and the same-number-long hiatus – there are stories to be told.

Tracklist:

01. Fight Back
02. City By the Sea
03. White Ships and Icebergs
04. Seaside Evening
05. Take What’s Yours
06. Eagles
07. No More Time

Line-up:

* Klaus Werthmann – lead vocals
* Deff Ballin – keyboards, percussion
* Dieter Kumpakischkis – keyboards
* Karl-Heinz Hamann – bass, percussion
* Fred Teske – drums, percussion, guitars, vocals
* Jürgen Krutzsch – guitars, percussion

Flower Eaters – The Spectre Loiters

The first album from this two man London group mixes classic space rock sounds with Klaus Schulze like sequencer led synth extrapolations to produce an open inviting sound.

Stretched phased guitar chords invites us into The Flower Eaters’ universe, languorous phased soloing leading into mid-paced riffage that thankfully stays well outside metal territory, Vitamin BC slightly reminiscent of mid-90s Porcupine Tree. The Schulze influence looms large over Hyperspace Mood,and there is also a feel of Quark period Hawkwind.

Suitably distant and swirly vocals feature briefly on Bend The Rainbow whose muddy caveman riffing recalls the heady days of The Rainbow, Finsbury Park circa 1973. You can almost smell the patchouli, and I’m sure that was Stacia I saw, grooving in the corner to Clearlight Symphony. If Jam 2.0 were played at twice the speed it would have made a good rave tune. As it is, it stays in the chillout zone where it shares a bong with an Ozric or three.

After this we head across Le Manche and end up travelling the autobahn for a few hundred klicks as Euro sequencers take charge, Microdots being well into an early Kraftwerk vibe. The album ends with Hyperreality Doom, which as its title suggests rocks out, but in a fashion much faster than that normally associated with “doom” and is a fitting end to the journey, although the ending seems unnecessarily abrupt, almost as if the tape ran out, but maybe that was deliberate? If so, I don’t think it quite worked.

Of course, it is highly unlikely that a young modern audience would be aware of all the sounds I’ve listed as references, unless their grandads’ were old hippies, and if it leads to a new audience for good ol’ spacerock, then I’m all for it. The sound on my downloaded review copy is not that good, being a bit fuzzy and too muddy in places, but one hopes this is just down to the inferior quality of my low bitrate download over the physical CD. Overall a fine debut effort from this young group of apprentice stoneheads, and it will be interesting to see where the trip takes them next.

Oh, and the guys would like it known that they were never an Avril Lavigne covers band!

Listen to some tracks on myspace.

Buy the CD here.

Tracklist:

1. Vitamin BC
2. Hyperspace Mood
3. Bend the Rainbow
4. Jam 2.0
5. Frozen Technology
6. Microdots
7. Buttercups
8. Hyperreality Doom

Line-up:

* Thomas Perryman – guitars, synthesiser, bass, and vocals
* Leo Pérez – drums

Conor’s Top 30 of 2011

So here it is, the end of 2011. It’s probably been the biggest music year of my life, at least in terms of listening to the work of others is concered. I’ve probably listened to about two or three hundred albums this year, and it was pretty difficult to pick out the best of the best. There was plenty of mediocre stuff I heard, but there are more than enough records that came out of 2011 that I’ll be taking with me well into 2012. For most of these albums, I have included a link to the review I originally wrote for it. I understand that what’s written in the reviews may not align with what I say here, but my opinions are fluid and have evolved over the course of the year. I would recommend listening to at least a few of these albums; even though 2011 is over, this music is well worth checking out. At the bottom, I have included a few ‘extra’ awards. As always, comment, tell me what you think, and perhaps recommend a few albums (based on my taste) for me to check out and listen to. Cheers! Starting at number 30…

***

30) Dead Horse (Charts & Maps) | Post-Rock/Jazz Fusion

This is an album that took me by surprise. Finding it pretty late into the year, I went into it under the impression that it would be ‘another post rock album’, but for once in my life, I was wrong. Here is an album that blends styles so well that I can’t see the seams between them; a wonderful collision between jazz and post-rock. Awesome saxophone work over atmospheric rock soundscapes. Dig it. 29) Exmilitary (Death Grips) | Experimental Hip-Hop

Not only is this the only hip-hop album that is on this year end list, it’s the only hip-hop album that’s ever made it onto a ‘year end’ for me so far, but after this, I’m definitely going to give some more credence to hip-hop. About as far from ‘bitches and money’ rap as My Little Pony is from Nazi war criminals at the Nuremberg Trials, Death Grips is an incredibly forward-thinking record that has got me thinking twice about hip-hop. It is an incredibly abrasive and avant-garde mix of psychedelic samples (from the likes of Link Wray and Pink Floyd) and dark, psychotic subject matter, typically revolving around insanity. The vocals are aggressive and remind me greatly of schizophrenic songster Wesley Willis.

28) Rites At Dawn (Wobbler) | Traditional Progressive Rock

The whole ‘prog’ thing started to wear thin for me this year. I realized that so many bands were not only copying the old prog rock bands, but blatantly so. Norway’s Wobbler is no exception to this, but damn, do they do it well. This album is a tribute to my favourite classic prog band Yes in any respect, from the sense of organic production to the vocals and way the compositions flow. Although I was first turned off by the derivative feel of this album, the lack of originality doesn’t stop this from being a powerful, memorable, and deep release.

27) World In Front Of Me (Mars Hollow) | Art Pop/Prog Crossover

Although prog is typically more about complex composition than more conventional elements of modern music, Mars Hollow is a band that puts strong melodies before anything else, and it works. This is their second album in as many years, and there is good reason for them to be spoken well of. I am looking forward to hearing more of them in the future!

26) Snowtorch (Phideaux) | Modern Progressive Rock

Phideaux is practically a household name for modern prog. I first took notice of them when Phideaux Xavier did a quick vocal cameo on Ayreon’s ‘01011001′ album back in 2008. On this album, Phideaux beautifully combines the old and new to make something fresh and enjoyable. Parts of ‘Snowtorch’ could have been edited out, but its high points have stuck with me throughout the year.

25) For All We Know (For All We Know) | Progressive/Melodic Metal

A supergroup featuring members of Pain of Salvation and Within Temptation, For All We Know has really impressed me with a melodic, yet undeniably memorable and eclectic take on the progressive metal sound. Plenty of vocalists, musicians, and talent to go around here.

24) Deconstruction – (Devin Townsend Project) | Symphonic Metal

Devin Townsend is one of my favourite artists of all time, but to be honest, I was not very enthusiastic about ‘Deconstruction’ when I first heard it. As my review indicates, I thought that despite its high production values, it lacked dynamic to a painful degree, and became difficult to enjoy consistently as a result. ‘Deconstruction’ has grown on me, as an album of that complexity tends to do. Not my favourite of the year, or of Devin’s career, but it’s very interesting and deserves several listens to properly get into it.

23) Todo.s los colores del (Random) | Avant-Garde/Jazz Metal

The debut album of a new-ish Argentinian metal group, Random definitely lives up to their name. On this quirky album, I am hearing groove metal, jazz, The Mars Volta-esque psychedelia, death metal, Tool/Isis-post metal, and it all comes together into one very powerful musical journey. An excellent album that benefits from its diversity, like an Amazon rainforest of metal.

22) The Hunter (Mastodon) | Psychedelic/Sludge Metal

I have not been a big fan of Mastodon in the past. While they have many aspects in their sound that I like and appreciate, it does not come together to make something that I have ever felt that I connect with. Take that and pair it with the news that Mastodon was simplifying their sound, and I had basically already written off Mastodon’s new album before it was released. Although they have focused more on conventional song structures here, Mastodon have not dumbed down their sound as I feared they would. Instead, their psychedelic tinge flourishes with a more concise sound and stronger songwriting. If they combine this passion with their complexity on ‘Crack The Skye’ next time, I think it will make for a total masterpiece.

21) Varjoina Kuljemme Kuolleiden Maassa (Moonsorrow) | Epic Pagan Metal

Moonsorrow were a band I got into this year, and their hard-to-pronounce latest album was the catalyst for me. Although it is not as powerful as some of the epic stuff they have done in the past, Moonsorrow have plenty of ‘epicness’ to pass around the table. The songs are long-winded, but there is plenty of depth in the sound and orchestration to be worth coming back for more.

20) The Destroyers Of All (Ulcerate) | Technical Death Metal

Ulcerate’s latest album is one that’s been seen on plenty of year-end lists, and my list is no different. Taking the best elements of technical death metal and post metal and fusing them together, ‘The Destroyers Of All’ is a volatile onslaught of some of the most chaotic and heavy music I have heard this year. Although I’m prone to be turned off by such an unrelenting pace, the performance of this band is devastating. The drumwork here is some of the best I’ve ever heard in metal.

19) Falling Deeper (Anathema) | Ambient Chamber

I wasn’t sure if I should include this album on the list due to it not being a legitimately ‘new’ release, but I like it enough to overrule that. Anathema used to be a death-doom metal band, but they have since mellowed up their sound, much like Katatonia have. With ‘Falling Deeper’, Anathema looks back on the doom songs they wrote, and gives them a lush do-over, turning them from gritty doom epics into soft, ambient journies. It’s one of the softest albums I’ve heard in the year, and while it doesn not grab my attention all the way through, there is plenty of depth given to these renditions.

18) Agony (Fleshgod Apocalypse) | Symphonic Technical Death Metal

Fleshgod Apocalypse; possibly the best technical death metal band playing out there? Although that sub-genre is filled to the brim with soundalikes, this is a band that distinguishes itself with vast and bombastic symphonic elements, including orchestral arrangements, classical piano, and operatic clean vocals. ‘Agony’ takes their symphonic direction to new heights, to the point now where the technical death metal side of their sound is no longer dwarfing the orchestral sound. It’s basically a tech death symphony.

17) Take Care, Take Care, Take Care (Explosions In The Sky) | Post-Rock

Explosions In The Sky have long been my ‘favourite’ post rock band, or at least one of them. ‘Take Care, Take Care Take Care’ (or ‘TC3′ for those with an aversion to carpal tunnel)  does not deliver much of the unexpected for this band, but they take their existing cinematic sound and do some beautiful things with it ‘Last Known Surroundings’ and ‘Human Qualities’ are two of the most beautiful songs I have heard this year. This is possibly my favourite post rock album of 2011.

16) Passion (Pendragon) | Modern Progressive Rock

Call it ‘neo prog’ or whatever you want, Pendragon’s dark and brooding sound of progressive rock reminds me quite a bit of Porcupine Tree, one of my favourite bands. Taking a Floydian atmosphere and drenching it in a cloud of English rain, Pendragon’s latest LP is an exploration into anger and melancholy, through the lens of some very atmospheric rock music.

15) Tales Of The Sands (Myrath) | Oriental Prog Metal

Myrath are a prog metal band from Tunisia; certainly not a hotspot for metal or any kind of ‘heavy’ music, and that makes Myrath all the more exciting of a band to listen to. 2011 had alot of turbulence in their part of the world, and Myrath’s collision of progressive metal and Middle-Eastern music is a sparkling reflection of the feelings that have been inspired from the conflict. A good comparison to make for these guys would be a combination of Orphaned Land’s oriental folk elements and Kamelot’s melodic metal bombast.

14) Sympathetic Resonance (Arch/Matheos) | Progressive Metal

Back in the 80’s, John Arch sang for the classic prog metal act Fate’s Warning, then left to pursue a career in carpentry. He hasn’t been heard much from since, and that makes his full-length return much more exciting. Arch/Matheos is a collaboration between the old singer and longstanding guitarist of Fate’s Warning, and as one might expect, the resulting sound is much like Fate’s Warning. It’s been many years since Fate’s Warning has put out something this fierce however, and despite being out of the loop for so long, Arch’s vocals sound spectacular, dare I say better than Ray Alder’s (his replacement).

13) Terminal Twilight (White Willow) | Art Pop/Prog Crossover

Norway has given some great bands and albums this year, although not necessarily from the traditional ‘black metal’ style they are known for. Like Wobbler, White Willow are a Scandinavian prog act, although ‘Terminal Twilight’ delivers on the noble originality that Wobbler lacked. White Willow thankfully do not fall into the potholes that so much modern prog tends to suffer from. The music is driven by some gorgeous female vocals, and plenty of lush keyboards. ‘Floor 67′ is one of the most touching tracks I have heard this year.

12) Visions (Haken) | Progressive Metal

Last year, Haken made my top 10 list with their fantastic debut ‘Aquarius’, an album that I still return to and love. Although rightfully receiving accusations of being something of a Dream Theater clone, Haken’s potential and talent were readily evident from the start. ‘Visions’ does what any good sophomore does, and corrects manyo f the issues that the first dealt with. Most notably, Haken has achieved a more distinct sound, no longer sounding like Dream Theater or Symphony X, but now sounding like themselves. It’s not quite as impressive an album as ‘Aquarius’ was, but it is a more mature effort, and has not failed to impress.

11) VII: Fodd Folorare (Shining) | ‘Suicidal’ Black Metal

Best known for their incredibly dark subject matter and the black metal shenadigans of their frontman, Niklas ‘Kvarforth’ Ollsson. Although they might be perceived as a gimmick band when you hear of some of the crap that Kvarforth does and says, they deliver some incredible music, both dark and forward-thinking. ‘VII: Fodd Folorare’ is not my favourite Shining album, and for what it lacks in terms of album flow, it makes up for it in amazing songwriting and incendiary performance. Opeth (as they once were) may be a good comparison.

10) A Dramatic Turn Of Events (Dream Theater) | Progressive Metal

Dream Theater was probably my most anticipated album of the year, and after their drummer of 25 years leaving, I was not sure if it would turn out as a hit or mss. Dream Theater are one of my favourite bands, but they are not as consistent as I would like them to be, but ‘A Dramatic Turn Of Events’ is the best album they have done in quite some time. With (some of) the ego in the band gone, Dream Theater have re-traced their steps and come out with a collection of excellent progressive metal epics. ‘Breaking All Illusions’ is one of the greatest songs the band has done. ‘Build Me Up, Break Me Down’ still doesn’t sit right with me, but it’s a small bump in an otherwise brilliant trip.

09) The Inside Room (40 Watt Sun) | Traditional Doom Metal

Best known for his prior band Warning, Patrick Walker is a modern legend of doom metal. Although I first knew doom as a gothic mixture of down tempo riffs and death growls, the traditional sounds of doom were actually quite melodic, and Walker continues to bring this older sound to listeners with 40 Watt Sun. Recorded over the course of three nights in a library, 40 Watt Sun’s ‘The Inside Room’ is an intensely personal journey, with massive layers of fuzzy guitars and martial drums poudning underneath Walker’s nasal, but passionate and distinctive voice and lyrics.

08) 777 – The Desanctification (Blut Aus Nord) | Post/Black Metal

French industrial/avant black metal project Blut Aus Nord released two albums this year, the first of which being ‘777 – Sect(s)’. That record blew me away when I first heard it, but ‘The Desanctification’ takes BLut Aus Nord’s sound even further down the proverbial rabbit hole. The second of a prospected trilogy, ‘Desanctification’ emphasizes Blut Aus Nord’s roots in industrial music, fusing that together with blackened post metal in a terrifying way.

07) Torn Beyond Reason (Woods Of Desolation) | Depressive Black Metal

Woods Of Desolation is the continuation of the depressive black metal band Austere. ‘Torn Beyond Reason’ was recommended to me as one of the greatest depressive black metal albums to come out in ages, and I tend to agree. Much like Austere, there are many riffs of beauty here, and the focus of the music is not to be grim and frostbitten, but rather beautiful, in a classical way. The sound is vast and epic, and to touch things off, there are recurring themes throughout the album to give it a grand feeling of togetherness.

06) Mammal (Altar Of Plagues) | Post/Black Metal

Ireland’s response to Wolves In The Throne Room, Altar of Plagues is a ferocious black metal act with a more post-metal oriented sound than the vast majority of black metal acts I have heard. ‘White Tomb’ was a debut that turned heads, and I think ‘Mammal’ virtually perfects their formula. Although they pursue a similar musical style to that of Wolves In The Throne Room, their sound is anything but wimpy; incorporating some intense sludge heaviness into the black metal souffle. ‘Neptune Is Dead’ is one of the most intense black metal epics I have ever heard.

05) Fables Of The Sleepless Empire (uneXpect) | Avant-Garde Metal

When this album came out, I was in absolute love with it, and made no secret of that fact. uneXpect are masters of the avant-garde metal school, and as chaotic and mind boggling as they were on previous efforts, they have upped their game this time around. Much like Mastodon’s ‘The Hunter’, they have made their music a little more concise, and has it ever benefited from it; ‘Fables Of The Sleepless Empire’ is not quite as perfect as I thought it was at first, but it’s a work of quirk and genius.

04) A Scarcity Of Miracles (King Crimson) | Modern Progressive Rock/Jazz Fusion

First, I know this is technically called a work of Jakszyk, Fripp, and Collins, but really, anything with Robert Fripp at the helm can count as a King Crimson album, right? King Crimson has been going for decades now, and Fripp has been the only constant member, but that fact aside, ‘A Scarcity Of Miracles’ is probably not what King Crimson fans were looking for. It is an incredibly mellow album, a huge departure from the last Crimson in 2003, which sported some intense experimental metal. Like many people, I was not a big fan of ‘A Scarcity Of Miracles’ at first; I found the laid back textures and incessant saxophone playing to resemble a progressive Kenny G. There is obviously much more to this album though; it is a rich and dark tapestry detailing what an apocalypse must feel like. With saxophones.

03) Epoch (Fen) | Post/Black Metal

Much like the better-known band Agalloch, Fen take the sounds of atmospheric black metal and inject a liberal dose of post-rock and modern prog into it, creating a sound that I find very attractive. ‘Epoch’ is possibly the best post-black metal album I have ever heard; a sprawling work of purposeful songwriting, dreamy production and plenty of amosphere to feed my ears. It came out airly early in the year, but it has stuck with me, and it still takes me to a different world every time I listen to it.

02) Grace For Drowning (Steven Wilson) | Eclectic Modern Prog Rock/Jazz Fusion/Art-Pop

Before I go into talking about the last two, know that it was an incredibly tight race. In a million parallel universes, this made the number #1. Steven Wilson’s  ’Grace For Drowning’ is an extension of one of my favourite bands, the legendary Porcupine Tree. Anyone who is familiar with him however knows that with his solo work, he likes to throw some of the material that wouldn’t be so suitable for the much narrower PT project. Suffice to say, if Wilson had tried to pass a twenty-plus jazz fusion freakout into the work of his flagship band, it might not be suitable, but with ‘Grace For Drowning’, that’s just a taste of the sort of brilliance that he does here. ‘Grace For Drowning’ is a sprawling double album that will likely be the album people think about years from now when they are thinking of 2011 in progressive music. With plenty of guest appearances and orchestrations up the wazoo, there is every indication that Steven Wilson’s entire musical career has been leading up to this, and it pays off. Porcupine Tree does not necessarily pale in comparison to this, but the vast sense of ambition and creative freedom that Wilson enjoys here has me more excited for another solo album than his band’s work.

01) Bilateral (Leprous) (Progressive/Art Metal)

Here we are, number #1, and to be honest, I am very surprised that this beat out ‘Grace For Drowning’. It was only until recently that Norwegian progressive metallers Leprous beat out Mr. Wilson with their hird album ‘Bilateral’ in my books. Perhaps best known as he backing band for Ihsahn’s (of Emperor fame) live backing band for his solo material, Leprous have developed from what I would only describe as a promising, yet lackluster prog metal clone, to what they have evolved into now. The first two albums of Leprous were fairly easy to digest, with plenty of Dream Theater cliches to lean on. Their second album ‘Tall Poppy Syndrome’ even managed to do a fairly impressive job of pulling it off. Even so, I was not entirely sold on what Leprous was doing with their music, and that’s a great reason why I was so damned shocked by ‘Bilateral’. Although it’s not as ‘out there’ as Wilson’s ‘Grace For Drowning’, it has been years since I have heard a progressive metal album (or even metal album) that sounds so coherent and powerful. Despite their youth, these guys have incredible musical chops, but they manage to channel their musical skills through brilliant songwriting. They have finally crossed the threshold from being a mere prog metal band, into an incredibly inventive and surprising act. A vocal cameo from Ihsahn and trumpet solo only add to my opinion that this is the greatest album of 2011.

Honorable Mention(s)

Fly From Here (Yes)
Summereve (Hostsonaten)
Deep Politics (Grails)
Parasignosis (Mitochondrion)
A Rose For The Apocalypse (Katatonia)
Nine Paths (Knight Area)
A Grounding In Numbers (Van Der Graaf Generator)

Albums I still need to (re)listen to:

Outer Isolation (Vektor)
Hisingen Blues (Graveyard)
Mare (Kampfar)
Paragon Of Dissonance (Esoteric)
La Roi Du Monde (Runaway Totem)

Best EP(s) of 2011

Cynic’s ‘Carbon-Based Anatomy’ or Blotted Science’s ‘The Animation Of Entomology’. I interviewed both acts this year, both are amazing, and both continue to impress me each time I listen to them. I don’t think I can choose one over the other.

Most Disappointing Albums Of 2011

Albums that may or may not have been bad, but left me wanting more? There were plenty of them this year.

First and foremost: Opeth’s ‘Heritage‘. I appreciate them going in a new direction, but the amount of cliches they pull out of the bag with this one gives me the impression that this a joke album, or- in the parlance of the typical mongoloid internet user- a ‘troll’. I know plenty of people love the album, but I do not.

Besides that… The Decemberists’ ‘The King Is Dead’ Pain of Salvation’s ‘Road Salt II‘ Morbid Angel’s ‘Ilud Divinum Insanum’ (although I’ll mention that I’ve had plenty of fun with this album, regardless of its quality.) Worst Album Of 2011? Aube’s ‘Variable Ambit’. I don’t wanna talk about it. What do you think? Like, comment, discuss.

ProgSphere’s AwesomeCast: Episode 12 – 2011 Year in Review: xCeptional

The final podcast in ProgSphere’s December series of AwesomeCasts has arrived and by this we round the story of the best 100 albums released in 2011. This episode is called xCeptional, meaning that this podcast doesn’t cover any particular genre subcategory. I covered everything from metal to psychedelic rock to progressive to fusion jazz and electronic, making this AwesomeCast being the most eclectic.

The complete tracklist is below and I won’t spend the words and waste your time who did what, the choice has been made and all you have to do is to enjoy or complain about it. Concerning Prog Sphere, the only thing that remains is the 8th edition of Progstravaganza series of compilation, which comes tomorrow and that would be all from us (me in particular) in more than successful 2011.

I will keep on doing AwesomeCasts in 2012 as well, and what I have planned for the first podcast in the year of the apocalypse is selecting 60’s/70’s obscure various rock/pop bands, ripping some of the vinyls from my home collection. Hope you like the idea.

Thanks to everybody out there who listened our podcasts, downloaded our compilations, read our interviews or reviews or specials, or even stubled upon our website from any reasons in 2011 – we wish you very happy new year and many yet to come.

See you in 2012!

Tracklist:

01. Bob Wayne – Road Bound (taken from Outlaw Carnie)
02. Jeremy Irons & Ratgang Malibus – Bloom (taken from Bloom)
03. Serious Beak – Han (taken from Huxwhukw)
04. Hexvessel - The Death Knell Tolls (taken from Dawnbearer)
05. Marbin - Burning Match (taken from Breaking the Cycle)
06. Hammers of Misfortune – 17th Street (taken from 17th Street)
07. Six Organs of Admittance – Above a Desert I’ve Ever Seen (taken from Asleep on the Floodplain)
08. Devin Townsend Project – Heart Baby (taken from Ghost)
09. Russian Circles – 309 (taken from Empros)
10. DeWolff - Everything Everywhere (taken from Orchards/Lupine)
11. Demonic Death Judge – The Descent (taken from The Descent)
12. Graveyard - Hisingen Blues (taken from Hisingen Blues)
13. Pater Nembrot – H.A.A.R.P. (taken from Sequoia Seeds)
14. Pain of Salvation – The Deeper Cut (taken from Road Salt 2)
15. Mastodon - Dry Bone Valley (taken from The Hunter)
16. Textures - Singularity (taken from Dualism)
17. The Sade – Deaf Love (taken from Damned Love)
18. Zombi - Shrunken Heads (taken from Escape Velocity)
19. Von Hertzen Brothers – Voices in our Heads (taken from Stars Aligned)
20. Pain - Crawling Thru Bitterness (taken from You Only Live Twice)

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