“With “Applause of a Distant Crowd”, Vola have proven their inventiveness and further expanded their reputation as songwriting masters and sound magicians. A truly excellent album with some songs bordering on the mind-blowing and mind-expanding.” 4,5/5★
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Iamthemorning created a magical film with Ocean Sounds. Just imagine you mix together enthralling and cinematic music with melancholic and dark lyrics sung by an angelic voice, a violin and a cello, piano, percussion and bass guitar, and as last ingredient: unbelievable beautiful sunsets over the sea like paintings from the impressionists masters. Yes! This sounds perfect and it exists! 5/5★ Van
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“We know who we are and where we belong”: Avant-Garde/prog/doom metallers Madder Mortem from Norway stand their ground with their new album “Marrow”, an uncompromising masterpiece of genres led by the unique vocals of Agnete M. Kirkevaag proving once again that the Norwegians have crafted an incomparable gem.
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“…with “Vector”, Haken brings us a bona fide, genre-defining masterpiece, maybe even a future classic, that is gonna be talked about for a long time to come.” 5/5★
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From the clear mixing of styles, even going into a fusion jazz club sort of vibe, the soaring guitar work, the signature Plini-solos. It has everything. 4★ /Sander
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It is interesting how Yossi Sassi & The Oriental Rock Orchestra mastered the art of composing a different kind of metal, having heart and traditions up front, but without falling too flat into yet another oriental rock album. With “Illusion of Choice” Sassi created an album that could serve as a good masterclass to this metal subgenre, but can be as well regarded as an excellent guitar axe -almost instrumental- showcase of why he has made a name for himself on the metal genre 3.5/5 ★ /Van
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Head with Wings’ – “From Worry To Shame” is brimful of emotions and humanity. The album is raw passion, delicate hope, and all-to-human pain in one graceful package. The music featured, lyrical content and impressive performance may be both challenging maybe and at times uncomfortable for the listener, but at the other end of that journey lies a reward that is more than worth the time you’ll take to familiarize yourself, and open up to these compositions. 5/5★ /Rune
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Few times I listen to an album that I’m sure will be in my top 5 of the year. This is exactly what happens every time with “The Persistence”. Yes it is THAT good. Kingcrow is a band that without much noise in the prog world, have slowly established themselves among the best out there. 5/5 ★ Van
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Riverside is back with an album that will surely end up in most, if not all, top X albums of the year. And in most of them, it’ll be right at the up. Hype? Yes. An empathic wish that these 3 musicians find their way after a tragic loss? Definitely. Lack of objectivity? Most likely. Nevertheless, “Wasteland” represents a new path for the band. One that feels right and relatable. It is an inviting narrative, feeling as if the guys were reaching out to us and letting us peek into their mourning process. And it is definitely an excellent album. 4.5★
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Artists like Benjamin Lechuga deserve just more than some few lines of recognition. He (and his band of very talented musicians) deserve the attention of every prog outlet out there! This is a musician that bursts quality and dedication on every note. A flowing, eclectic but homogeneous mix of progressive elements with jazz and funk grooves that doesn’t really relate to world music: this is progressive metal of a different kind! 4.5 ★ /Van
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It might have taken a while, and a trip to Hannover to see them live, but Arch Echo’s “Arch Echo” definitely delivers on their promise to make complex yet accessible modern music. The work these five guys have put into this debut is admirable and witnessing the songs in a live setting gave us what we felt was missing from the album. A must-listen and, above all, a must-see progressive band.
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The Pineapple Thief’s “Dissolution” is an excellent album that present to us a current and difficult concept, which blends simple melodies with complex song structures in a masterful way. An easy to listen and very enjoyable album that seems to make an useless effort to conceal the prowess each band member show on their instruments. Out 31st Aug 2018 via Kscope. ★4/5 Van
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Not only does the musical prowess of Lux Terminus have to be credited, but their daring concept to place piano at the core of their music is bold, pioneering and absolute genius. “The Courage to Be” will leave you with goosebumps; it is a sensory journey and powerful statement that will challenge you from the start, and a must for any prog fans.
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“With “Nivalis”, the three Icelanders of Árstíðir have created an incredibly beautiful gem of an album, regardless of genre, and a worthy follow up to their 2015 masterpiece “Hvel”. 4,5/5★”
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Mariusz Duda has made it again, by giving us another masterpiece of progressive experimentation at its finest, fully charged by emotions and musicality. Once again he gave us the chance to witness an even darker journey through feelings and emotions, but delivering us into light again and with our chests full of hopes for what’s to come. The future is bright for us and for the polish singer/songwriter and is going to be the best story of his life. 5/5 ★
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“”L-1VE” is the perfect retrospective (at least aurally) on the first four studio albums and ten years of Haken. I am super excited to find out what the future holds for those six incredibly talented and equally lovely blokes. And now the wait is on for HVKEN and the subsequent touring cycle. Luckily, we have “L-1VE” to keep us company.” / 4,5/5★
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Roine Stolt and his troupe created a very different and enjoyable debut record, and we can only hope they stick together for a second one. Everyone brings his own experiences into the mix, and this collaboration pays off.
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Unquestionable musicianship, a good mix of ambient and more heavy sections (that could, from my point of view, use some more variety) and Tim Beimer’s excellent singing are the highlights of a solid debut.
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Ring Van Möbius has delivered one of the more exiting debut albums I’ve had the pleasure of listening too in a long time. It’s rare to hear a band that is this rooted in the classical era of progressive rock be able to create music that is clearly inspired by the grandfathers of the genre, while not becoming derivative or plagiaristic. Ring Van Möbius dances around this with ease, delivering an album that is clearly inspired, but not imitative.
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Personally I would have loved to hear some of the more delicate and discreet parts, that made their early albums stand out, make their way back into the bands music. Still, it’s definitely an album worth owning if you enjoy this kind of theatrical symphonic rock.
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