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Upcoming Gigs & Albums
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Gig review: EAGLES- British Summer Time, Hyde Park, 26 June 2022
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Gig Review: BEARDED THEORY’S SPRING GATHERING – Catton Park – 26th to 29th May 2022.
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Gig review: QUEEN + ADAM LAMBERT – 02 Arena, London, 20 June 2022
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Gig review: DAUGHTRY – Islington Assembly Hall, London – 13 June 2022
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Gig review: DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL, Donington Park, Leicestershire, 10-12 June 2022
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Tag Archives: progressive metal
Album review: SEVENTH WONDER – The Testament
Frontiers [Release date: 10.06.22] Sixth album from Swedish Prog Metal band Seventh Wonder, for whom life began at the turn of the century. The band is full of virtuoso musicians. Guitarist Johan Liefvendal and bassist, Andreas Blomqvist are the driving … Continue reading
Album review: TERRA ODIUM – Ne Plus Ultra
Frontiers Records [Release date 11.06.21] In its more expansive moments, Norwegian band Terra Odium’s album resonates with the sci-fi dissonance of tech metal. The kind that Brad Fiedel and Wendy Carlos wielded on “The Terminator” and “The Shining” film scores. … Continue reading
Album review: BEN RANDALL – Before The Rain
Thoroughbred Music [Release date: 02.04.21] www.benrandallguitar.com For me, it’s always been about the guitar. Back in the day, from the moment I heard Paul Kossoff’s wailing Les Paul on the early Free albums, I was hooked. Koss, Blackmore, Iommi, … Continue reading
Album review: SECRET SPHERE – Lifeblood
Frontiers Records [Release date 12.03.21] If Italy’s Secret Sphere aren’t the EU’s Power Metal poster boys, then they should be. They are a relatively unsung band who’ve battled through multiple line up changes, and come up smelling of roses every … Continue reading
Album review: TURBULENCE – Frontal
Frontiers Records [Release date 12.03.21] Lebanese Progressive Rock/Metal band, Turbulence, are crossing a few boundaries with their provocatively titled Frontiers debut, Frontal. It is a defiantly bold attempt to incorporate the music of the wider world into their work. Something … Continue reading
Album review: ORDEN OGAN – Final Days
AFM Records [Release date 12.03.21] Orden Ogan might not be the band on everyone’s lips when Progressive or Power Metal is the subject of conversation. But they should be. And if their last album, Gunmen, didn’t put them there, Final … Continue reading
Feature: Albums that time forgot…JAMES LABRIE – Elements Of Persuasion
InsideOut (2005) For many band members, the band becomes all consuming. It means, as a result of the constant cycle of touring, writing and recording, they can’t deliver their own solo album. There are 15 years between John Petrucci’s first … Continue reading
Book review: On track…DREAM THEATER (Every album, every song) – Jordan Blum
Sonicbond Publishing [Publication date 17.07.20] This volume reveals the strengths and weaknesses of the series’ premise. Jordan Blum’s careful expose of all the albums reveals how indebted he is to other writers, websites and magazines. And, let’s be honest, Wikipedia. … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS
Tagged book, Dream Theater, Every Album, Every Song, James LaBrie, John Petrucci, Jordan Rudess, Mike Portnoy, On Track, progressive metal, review
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Album review: HAKEN – Virus
Inside Out [Release date 24.07.20] Following the release of their fifth studio album “Vektor” back in October 2018, the members of the British Progressive Metal sextet Haken have rightfully been in the receiving end of various rewards and accolades. For … Continue reading
Album review: SHINING BLACK
Frontiers Records [Release date 10.07.20] For afficionados, these are instantly recognisable protagonists. Shining Black matches up Mark Boals, a gun for hire vocalist, with the perhaps lesser known Olaf Thorsen, guitarist with Labyrinth and Vision Divine. It plays out along … Continue reading
Feature: Albums that time forgot – DOMINICI – O3 A Trilogy (Part 3)
Inside Out [2008] Charlie Dominici may merit a mere footnote in the history of Dream Theater, the band’s original singer who was in the formative Majesty before making the band’s first album. Then in 2005 he produced the first of … Continue reading
Posted in Albums that time forgot, ALL POSTS, FEATURES
Tagged album, Brian Maillard, Charlie Dominici, Dominici, Dream Theater, interview, O3 A Trilogy, Part 3, progressive metal, review
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Album review: ARCHON ANGEL – Fallen
Frontiers [Release date 14.02.20] Archon Angel is a new project born from a meeting between producer/guitarist Aldo Lonobile (Secret Sphere) and former Savatage and Circle II Circle vocalist Zak Stevens during the making of Timo Tolkki’s Avalon’s Return To Eden … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Archon Angel, Circle II Circle, Fallen, metal, progressive metal, review, Savatage, Zak Stevens
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Album review: BLIND EGO – Preaching To The Choir
Gentle Art Of Music - [Release date: 14.02.20] German progressive rock titans RPWL have been ridiculously busy lately, both collectively and individually. Their ‘Tales From Outer Space’ album from early 2019 was deservedly five starred, as was their double live … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Blind Ego, Kalle Wallner, Preaching To The Choir, progressive metal, review, RPWL
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Quick plays: ATOM WORKS, YES
YES Live At Glastonbury 2003 The Store For Music [Release date 04.10.19] There is not even an inlay for this double album lifted from the soundtrack to the “Director’s Cut” DVD released in 2008. Roger Dean’s iconic logo is the … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged Alan White, album, Atom Works, Chris Squire, classic rock, Finland, Jon Anderson, Live At Glastonbury 2003, prog metal, prog rock, progressive metal, Progressive Rock, review, Rick Wakeman, Steve Howe, The Life Of Spice, Yes
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Album review: MIND KEY – Aliens In Wonderland
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
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Aliens In Wonderland, Italy, Mind Key, power metal, progressive metal, review
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Album review: MIDNIGHT SUN – Dark Tide Rising
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
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Album review: RHAPSODY OF FIRE – The Eighth Mountain
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
Gig review: VOIVOD – Magasin 4, Brussels, 9 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
Gig review: SONS OF APOLLO – Manchester Academy, 1 October 2018
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
Album review: HAKEN – L-1ve
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
Gig review: G3 2018 – JOE SATRIANI, JOHN PETRUCCI, ULI JON ROTH – Manchester Apollo, 27 April 2018
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
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Album review: BOREALIS – The Offering
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
Gig review: OPERATION: MINDCRIME (Geoff Tate) – 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
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Album review: THRESHOLD – Legends Of The Shires
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
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Album review: EXIST – So True, So Bound
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
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