Tag Archives: progressive metal

Album review: MIND KEY – Aliens In Wonderland

Posted on July 17, 2019 by GRTR! HQ

Frontiers [Release date 12.07.19] Nearly a decade since Mind Key’s last offering ‘Pulse For A Graveheart’ the Italian prog/power metallers return. For those who like lots of great orchestration (Dario De Cicco), lots of melody and strong vocals throughout (Aurello … Continue reading →

Album review: MIDNIGHT SUN – Dark Tide Rising

Posted on July 3, 2019 by GRTR! HQ

Sonicbond [Release date 28.06.19] New Stroud-based prog rock/metal band Midnight Sun claim to be ‘an original rock band’. Well, for a kick off, the name’s not original, having been ‘pre-owned’ by Danish prog rockers between 1971 and 1974 (whose main … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts | Tagged album, Dark Tide Rising, Midnight Sun, prog, progressive metal, Progressive Rock, review | Leave a comment

Album review: RHAPSODY OF FIRE – The Eighth Mountain

Posted on January 23, 2019 by jason

AFM Records [Release date 22.02.19] Italian power metal band return with their latest album, cementing the new/current line-up. Formed in the mid 90 as Rhapsody, RoF made the genre of symphonic power metal their own. Founder members keyboard player Alex … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged AFM Records, album, Alex Staropoli, metal, power metal, progressive metal, review, RHAPSODY OF FIRE, The Eighth Mountain | Leave a comment

Gig review: VOIVOD – Magasin 4, Brussels, 9 October 2018

Posted on October 24, 2018 by Yiannis

Voivod – Magasin 4, Brussels, 9th October 2018

There was a time in my young adult life where the prospect of attending a Voivod show felt less of a possibility to manning a mission for the purpose of exploring the environs of planet Mars, so it is indeed … Continue reading →

Posted in GIG REVIEWS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Gig reviews | Tagged 9 October 2018, Bio Cancer, gig, Magasin 4 in Brussel, progressive metal, review, thrash metal, Voivod | Leave a comment

Gig review: SONS OF APOLLO – Manchester Academy, 1 October 2018

Posted on October 2, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

It always amazes me how a less than mainstream band (even though heavyweights in their own right) can attract a sizeable crowd on a Monday night. It’s highly unlikely there were many students at this gig, although within rolling out … Continue reading →

Posted in All Posts, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 1 October 2018, Billy Sheehan, Bumblefoot, Derek Sherinian, gig, Jeff Scott Soto, Manchester Academy, progressive metal, review, Ron Thal, Sons Of Apollo | Leave a comment

Album review: HAKEN – L-1ve

Posted on July 10, 2018 by Yiannis

Inside Out [Release date 20.06.18] UK prog metalers Haken have the world at their feet these days. Top ranking album reviews and in depth interviews adorn the pages of some of the most high profile music magazines such as … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, Haken, Inside Out, L-1ve, live album, meldoic, melodic, metal, progressive metal, review | Leave a comment

Gig review: G3 2018 – JOE SATRIANI, JOHN PETRUCCI, ULI JON ROTH – Manchester Apollo, 27 April 2018

Posted on April 28, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

There was a moment in this latest iteration of the global guitar circus that it all fell into place. Two-and-a-half hours in, during a stellar version of ‘Super Funky Badass’ Joe Satriani underlined why we worship our guitar heroes. The … Continue reading →

Posted in All Posts, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 27 April 2018, classic metal, Dream Theater, G3 2018, gig, guitar, guitarist, hard rock, Joe Satriani, John Petrucci, Manchester Apollo, progressive metal, review, Scorpions, Uli Jon Roth | Leave a comment

Album review: BOREALIS – The Offering

Posted on February 23, 2018 by jason

AFM Records [Release date 23.03.18] Borealis started out in 2005 as a female fronted symphonic metal band before guitarist Matt Marinelli took over vocal duties in 2007. They have changed bassists since their last album with Trevor McBride replacing original … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, Borealis, melodic metal, metal, progressive metal, review, the Offering | Leave a comment

Gig review: OPERATION: MINDCRIME (Geoff Tate) – Muni Arts Centre, Pontypridd, 14 January 2018

Posted on January 20, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

OPERATION: MINDCRIME - Muni Arts Centre, Pontypridd, 14 January 2018

I won’t bore you with the details of the acrimonious Queensryche break up and fall out that followed, but in summary after a court case in 2012/14 Geoff Tate is the only person that can perform the classic Operation Mindcrime … Continue reading →

Posted in All Posts, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 14 January 2018, GEOFF TATE, gig, hard rock, Muni Arts Centre, Operation: Mindcrime, Pontypridd, progressive metal, Queensryche, review | Leave a comment

Album review: THRESHOLD – Legends Of The Shires

Posted on September 7, 2017 by jason

Nuclear Blast [Release date 08.09.17] Threshold have been in the metal news a lot recently after vocalist Damian Wilson left the band in March and they announced former vocalist Glynn Morgan was returning to the band – he left them back … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews, The Best of 2017 | Tagged album, Damian Wilson, Glynn Morgan, Karl Groom, Legends Of The Shires, metal, Nuclear Blast, prog metal, progressive metal, review, Richard West, Threshold | Leave a comment

Album review: EXIST – So True, So Bound

Posted on June 25, 2017 by GRTR! HQ

Prosthetic Records [Release date 09.06.17] I’ve made it no secret my undying love for all things Chuck Schuldiner (Death, Control Denied…not so much Voodookult) and even the band Cynic formed by former members of Death ranks as some of my … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts | Tagged album, Exist, metal, progressive metal, review, So Bound, So True | Leave a comment

Gig review: DELAIN, Evergrey – O2 Ritz, Manchester, 12 November 2016

Posted on November 13, 2016 by GRTR! HQ

DELAIN - O2 Ritz, Manchester, 12 November 2016

In May 2013, David Randall chatted to Charlotte Wessels at the time of the release of their first mini-album for Napalm Records, ‘Interlude’. Their chat includes references to the early development of the band, the split from the Roadrunner label, … Continue reading →

Posted in All Posts, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 12 November 2016, Delain, Evergrey, gig, goth, interview, Kobra And The Lotus, Manchester, melodic, metal, O2 Ritz, progressive metal, review, symphonic | Leave a comment

Quick plays: REDLINE MESSIAH, OPERATION: MINDCRIME, SEVENTH WONDER

Posted on October 5, 2016 by jason

REDLINE MESSIAH Buzzbomd Records Redline Messiah hail from the Mid-West and are made up from a melting pot of Chicago and California punk and metal veterans. Having formed only last year, the band’s debut album is a punk laced melodic … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts, Quick Plays | Tagged album, Chain Wallet, Frontiers, GEOFF TATE, indie pop, metal, Operation: Mindcrime, Prog Power USA, progressive metal, Queensryche, Redline Messiah, Resurrection, review, rock, Seventh Wonder, sleaze | Leave a comment

Album review: TILT – Hinterland

Posted on September 29, 2016 by jason

Tilt Music Some albums come out of nowhere with no expectations and simply blow you away musically. Tilt’s debut ‘Hinterland’ is one of those albums and I was hooked from the first playing of this album. The album itself has … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts | Tagged album, Camel, Dave Stewart, Fish, Hinterland, It Bites, John Mitchell, metal, Paul Dorley, progressive, progressive metal, review, Robin Boult, rock, Steve Vantis, Tilt | Leave a comment

Album review: KARMAKANIC – Dot

Posted on August 16, 2016 by Yiannis

Inside Out – Out Now. Fans of Progressive Rock music really need not be told who Jonas Reingold is. Most of the bands that this tall and highly talented Swede has been involved in (see Kaipa, The Flower Kings, The … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, Dot, Jonas Reingold, Kaipa, Karmakanic, progressive metal, review, The Flower Kings | Comments Off

Album review: EVERGREY – The Storm Within

Posted on August 6, 2016 by jason

AFM Records [Release date 09.09.16] Evergrey very nearly called it a day a few years back but they regrouped with drummer Jonas Ekdahl and guitarist Henrik Danhage rejoining the band. 2014′s ‘Hymns For The Broken’ was a real return to … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts | Tagged album, Evergrey, Floor Jansen, progressive, progressive metal, review, the Storm Within, Tom S Englund | Leave a comment

Album review: BEHOLDER – Reflections

Posted on April 19, 2016 by Dillon

Razorline [Release date 12.04.16] Since 2003 Beholder have been tearing venues up all around the country. The band from the UK Midlands have been flying the flag for British Heavy Metal and Progressive Metal in the underground scene amassing a … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts, Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, Beholder, Gojira, Mastodon, metal, Progresive, progressive metal, Reflections, review, uk | Leave a comment

Album review: CIRCUS MAXIMUS – Havok

Posted on April 4, 2016 by jason

Frontiers www.frontiers.it [Release date 18.03.16] Circus Maximus have been around since 2000 and this is album number four from them. Previously they have been more into straight ahead prog metal recalling bands like Kamelot and Symphony X, this time though … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts | Tagged album, Circus Maximus, Havok, melodic, metal, prog, progressive metal, review, rock | Leave a comment

Gig review: THRESHOLD – O2 Islington Academy, London, 24 January 2016

Posted on January 30, 2016 by Davoski

This was a progressive/symphonic metal triple-header, but sadly I only caught the dying embers of the Damnation Angels as I ascended the stairs. Pretty good it sounded too, but the Northern Line had effectively robbed me of the set. French … Continue reading →

Posted in All Posts, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 24 January 2016, Damian Wilson, gig, live, London, O2 Islington Academy, prog metal, progressive metal, review, Spheric Universe Experience, symphonic metal, Threshold | Leave a comment

Quick plays: ASHBY, AMELIA WHITE, SHADES OF SORROW

Posted on December 31, 2015 by GRTR! HQ

ASHBY Fragmental [Release date 13.11.15] Ashby are a progressive rock quintet from Germany. Fronted by Sabina Mosel, three thoughts immediately struck me a vocal symmetry with Sam Brown and Doris Brendel, a proggy sound that put the band in a … Continue reading →