November ends with 65 releases and 10 highlights!

Mysterious and enchanting, the forest child Helga (Gabriel) from the Swedish hinterlands of Dalarna, by way of the pubs of the old Vikingtown York, North Yorkshire, where she recruited her band of like minded musicians, presents 10 forest tales “Wrapped in Mist” to us on her debut full length of the same name. Sitting very comfortably in the middle of “In Cauda Venenum”-era Opeth (the Swedish version of course), Oceans of Slumber, Myrkur, Kalandra and Lumsk vibes, while already presenting a wonderfully expansive, diverse yet at all times deeply atmosphere-laden sonic realm that is inherently her own, seamlessly blending Folk, Pop, Prog and (Black) Metal influences to what unsurprisingly becomes a quintessential Season of Mist sound. A true revelation wrapped in all this mist, perfect for these gloomy autumn days. Dario

Staying in gloomy, autumnal darkness, the self-described Celestial Doom the Norwegian quintet Leonov present on their third album “Procession” provides just the right balance of darkness with the bitterly needed spark of light to create that warm, fuzzy feeling around your heart. Just close your eyes and bathe in the surprisingly warm and heartfelt ‘sound of a world collapsing’. Feel its comforting darkness, let it sweep you away slowly. Open your heart to this procession of shadows. And experience the healing powers of sound. Dario

Music exists in many forms: pure entertainment, some to keep you company in routine tasks, and then there are albums that create captivating stories. “The First Tragedy of Klahera”, a new and exciting release by Dreamwalkers Inc, is definitely the latter.

Led by the enchanting vocals of Tom de Wit and Radina Dimcheva, combined with the narration by the talented voice actors, this album invites us into a dark fantasy realm. It tells us a tale of Klahera, a young girl with a mysterious past struggling to find her place in a society resistant to change.

While the theme might not be entirely novel, it’s how you tell the story is important, and storytelling truly shines here. Dreamwalkers masterfully guide us through Klahera’s journey – a tale of resilience, growth and finding one’s true self. Through two main vocalists’ emotional, theatrical performances, each track unfolds a chapter in Klahera’s life, which is full of challenges to overcome .

“The First Tragedy of Klahera” isn’t just an album; it’s an odyssey – a mix of progressive rock and theatrical storytelling (Think Ayreon but with no flute). The instruments serve the narrative well, not getting into unnecessary noodling and masterfully creating the emotional soundscape for the story.

I was one of the lucky ones present at the ProgPower Europe festival, where this album premiered, and it was captivating – the audience was truly invested in this journey thanks to the visuals, melodies, the rich storytelling and characters.

Clocking in at 87 minutes, this musical journey is best enjoyed as a whole so you can fully immerse yourself in the mystical alleys of Oldstead. It’s clear the band was passionate about creating this fantasy world and inviting us in it. So buckle up and enjoy the play! AlexK

After the Swedish/Norwegian gloominess of Helga and Leonov and the dark, symphonic fantasy tales of Dreamwalkers Inc from The Netherlands, the uplifting modern pop prog metal on Press To Enter’s debut “From Mirror To Road” is just the right thing to get into an all smiley mood. The fusion-djenty Plini-esque instrumental parts of Lucas Sczcyrbak on bass and Simon Laulund on guitars (whose last solo album we featured as well as highlight) provides the perfect backdrop for Julie Jules Wiingreen’s soaring vocals. The vocal fun is never taking away from the instrumental fun and vice versa, so “From Mirror To Road” turned out to be a pretty well-balanced listen, and a very enjoyable one at that. Dario

So, if you want to turn your smile into a big wide grin from ear to ear, I’ve just got the right thing for you: “Abracadabrantesque” is, as far as I can tell, the second album of French trio Draw Me A Sheep in 2023 alone. And it’s an exhilarating (instrumental) ride, just as the colorful cover artwork suggests. What? There’s no release from The Aristocrats this year? Well, maybe that leaves a chance for some other musicians in our upcoming The Progspace awards… But seriously: this stuff here is on a similar insane level of instrumental acrobatics. Heavier than the aforementioned Aristocrats, rockier than the distinguished gentlemen of the Liquid Tension Experiment, this couldn’t come higher recommended to any fusion/high energy rock addict. Dario

The Brazilian keyboard wizard Charles Soulz already mesmerized me in 2021 with his solo debut album “Split Mind”, so I was excited to hear his new work, “Trilogy of Mankind“, for which he was able to acquire again a bunch of great singers and skilled musicians. Together, they take us from humanity’s beginning to a dystopian future, reflecting on technological advancement and its consequences, but also on crucial issues such as mental health and social disparities. Musically speaking, “Trilogy of Mankind” is a powerful Progmetal record, a good pinch heavier than its predecessor, and even though one can hear lots of Charles’ wonderful keyboard wizardry, the compositions are a strong, yet diverse unit instead of offering a “keyboard solo album”. The stylistic range extends from hard-hitting, sometimes even kind of Death Metal riffs and blast beats over rather Powermetal inspired, expressive vocals, complex rhythm patterns, and futuristic soundscapes to beautiful, piano centered moments. The mighty Choir of Mankind joins in every now and then, rounding off the listening experience for this well-produced, amazing EP. Enjoy! Katha

Not merely an “Afterthought.”, rather a beautiful little daydream is Ben Challenger.’s new EP. The Sydney based guitarist focuses on melody rather than technicality in his little compositions and I have to say the artistic choice of putting a . (dot) after every song-, EP-, album title as well as his own (artist?) name sits far more well with my eyes compared to the bad habit of stylizing everything in CAPS LOCK SCREAMING AT YOU. Sorry, I digress. Wonderful little EP. Cool little feature from keymaster RO1. Check it out if you’re in the mood for something dreamy. Dario

Psychedelic World Folk from a Belgrade based ten piece musical collective? Don’t mind if I do. With no idea what kinds of instruments are used here, the overall vibe of The Cyclist Conspiracy’s “Mashallah Plan” develops a mesmerizing pull from the very get-go. Sweden’s Goat meet a not so Tame Impala from the Balkan… Or something like that. According to the Wiktionary, the term Mashallah can express a sort of large, cosmic gratitude. That sounds like a very good plan. Dario

How about some Epic Metal from the Mediterranean island of Malta? Weeping Silence’s “Isles of Lore” breathes the spirit of early/mid Orphaned Land, forging their very own version of Melodic Gothic/Doom Metal with some Prog and Death sprinkles here and there. Kobi Farhi’s guest appearance on the opening track ‘The Watcher on the Walls’ is the icing on the cake of a strong fifth album from these long-standing veterans, diving deep into the darkness of Maltese folklore tales. Perfect material for next year’s Hammer of Doom festival in Würzburg!? Dario

Dool’s Psychedelic Prog Doom works best in a live setting if you ask me. So it was only a matter of time until the Dutch five piece would release a live document. And the time is now. “Visions of Summerland (Live at Arminius Church Rotterdam)” is 75 minutes of pure Dool power for all those who wander and feel a little Dool. Even though I’d say you really have to witness Raven Van Dorst’s full, dark timbre and strong stage presence with your own ears and eyes in a live setting to fully understand their power, but this is as close as it will get on a recording, so it will have to do until the next Dool tour. Dario