4 debut albums, Pt. 2 of an EP series, a concept album and a live release!

Let’s start this week with the biggest surprise, shall we? Hailing from Portugal, modern prog rock/metal quintet Needle dropped their debut full length album “Fall” on Friday and what can I say, it’s an absolute banger that should spark some well deserved attention internationally. Kicking off with the powerful lead single that’s grooving like hell somewhere between less extreme Jinjer and Mimesis, the full album displays a broad range of diversity of influences, presented in a mature and coherent sound. Everything from songwriting, production to the individual performances of the musicians is top notch and doesn’t need to fear international comparisons. And even though the confident, sometimes engaging, sometimes dreamy vocals of lead singer Soraia Silva is naturally the focal point, it is the complete package that convinces from front to back. Be it lush Opeth-y semi-acoustic grooves like in the first half of the title track complete with tasteful guitar leads or heavier forays into more extreme territory, this album is an absolute joy to listen to. I can’t wait to see Needle take the worldwide prog scene by storm! Dario

Perceived in the triangle Madrid – Edinburgh – Berlin, the sounds the international project healthyliving is presenting us on their debut full length is successfully combining way more than three different directions, subgenre-wise at least. Alternative, trip hop, noise, post, doom… All mashed up into nine “Songs of Abundance, Psalms of Grief”. Still trying to figure out what exactly they have in abundance. I guess it’s something like pain and suffering, but also an irresistible atmosphere that just keeps dragging you in and doesn’t let go so easily. Incredibly dense and heartfelt, this surely is an emotional highlight, even though the emotions are rather on the darker side. But if you’re looking for this kind of thing, healthyliving will deliver aplenty. Dario

After two deeply emotional and most of all vocal centered debut albums, it’s time to have a look at, or rather a listen to another debut album, albeit of the more fun and instrumental variety. It’s been almost 10 years since the Finnish quintet Oceill released their debut single ‘Course Bottom’, but now finally, after years of intermittent activity and some single releases here and there, they have finally managed to complete their first, self-titled full-length. Even though their music is more of the technical and fun sort, that doesn’t mean there’s some beautiful, emotional moments to be found in the melodic parts. Certainly coming from a modern, djenty angle at the base, Oceill’s music is far more varied than your average instrumental djent band’s. Some direct Dream Theater quotes/homages in ‘Stumbler’ for example, an ecstatic Plini-cameo in ‘Malaise’, symphonic/orchestral or electronic bits and pieces all over make “Oceill” a fun, diverse listen. Dario

Continuing this week’s instrumental bit with “Away With Words, Part 2” from New Jersey based guitarist and composer Angel Vivaldi. As the title suggests, it is a continuation of his 2014 EP “Away With Words, Part 1” and, according to the bio on his website, he started composing for both EPs in 2011. So “Away With Words, Part 2” has been a long time coming since then. I don’t know if it was intended like that from the start, or if the songs just developed and changed like that in the last nine years or so, but Part 2 seems a lot less djenty and metal focused compared to Part 1, making lots of room for both some wonderful acoustic/classical guitar parts as well as some full on fiery Latin Jazz Fusion. A 21st century Santana on acid. Or something like that. A lot of fun in any case. Dario

Holding up the flag for some heavy, conceptual melodic prog rock this week is UK project Zio, initiated by drummer Jimmy Pallagrosi (ex-Karnataka). On the first album of the project, “Flower Torania” (2020), the fantastic voices of That Joe Payne and Heather Findlay (ex-Mostly Autumn) were to be heard among others. Now for the second installment, “Truewaves”, the core trio has assembled another fantastic vocal cast including Eric Gillette (The Neal Morse Band), John Mitchell (Frost*, Lonely Robot, Arena etc…) and the returning Hayley Griffiths. Even with the explanatory intro to the album, when the narrator asks at the end “Have you understood what Truewaves are?”, I’ve got to admit, I still haven’t got a clue. The music’s cool though and maybe with repeated listens I’ll finally figure out what “Truewaves” really are. Dario

Another big contrast jumping from highlight to highlight, “Through the Dying Light” by Boston based instrumental post rock/metal outfit Lesotho seems to be the fourth full length debut I’m writing a mini review for today. The trio is deeply rooted in all things post and gaze and they certainly know how to conjure up that specific atmosphere any post-gaze fan is looking for in this kind of music. An atmosphere to lose oneself in, to daydream, to float away in the twilight. Or “Through the Dying Light”. Always interesting to see instrumental bands coming up with some of the most poetic titles. Dario

Rounding off this week’s highlights with a very exciting live release from Italy’s Messa. Just about a month after they had unleashed their masterpiece “Close” in March last year, they appeared at the prestigious Roadburn Festival in the Netherlands with a couple of additional musicians on Oud/Duduk/Saxophone, Mandoline/Acoustic guitar and Synthesizers to bring their unique, mysterious “Scarlet Doom”, as they call it themselves to live. Four of the eight songs performed that night made it onto “Live at Roadburn”, and clocking in at close to 40 minutes, they give a pretty good idea what to expect from a Messa show. They do have a few Festival dates lined up for the rest of the year, but I sure hope they’ll be adding some more, as I’d really love to witness them live for real, after listening to this wonderful glimpse into their live magic. Dario