Month: October 2023

OZRIC TENTACLES UNVEIL VISUALISER FOR TITLE TRACK  ‘LOTUS UNFOLDING’ 

ALBUM OUT OCTOBER 20th VIA KSCOPE

Having returned with their announcement of their new album previously, fans at long last can hear the first sample of what to expect on the up-coming Ozric Tentacles release ‘Lotus Unfolding’. 

Today the band have made available a beautiful visualiser that takes us inside the world of ‘Lotus Unfolding’. Created by Matthew Vickerstaff ( Facebook / Instagram ), the video brings the psychedelic album art to life as we’re transported into the wormhole of the magical realm of OzricTentacles sonic creations. 

Musically the track brings signature elements of the band’s sound to the forefront. Opening with the ethereal chimes and flutes as we’re slowly transported into the sonic oasis of Lotus Unfolding, we’re treated to beautiful acoustic passages before electronics open up for a cathartic guitar solo bringing the song to a musical crescendo before slowly returning back to the realms of consciousness as the song dissipates. Put simply, it’s a trip! 

The album was recorded, written and produced in their own Blue Bubble studio in Fife during 2022 – 2023 by Ed Wynne with a little sonic help from Silas. Mastered by Adam Goodlet and illustrated with some nicely detailed ethereal artwork by Steve McKeown and Sally Clark.

Ozric Tentacles’ aural synapses buzz throughout the album to channel the band’s limitless creativity, making Lotus Unfolding the perfect conduit of the spiritual and the physical. It’s an essential addition to the band’s catalogue.   

Lotus Unfolding is another sonically illustrated excursion through the musical realms the band have explored in their latest chapter. Album opener ‘Storm In A Teacup’ kicks the album off in spectacular style traversing the realms of time and space with flair and virtuosic poise. It’s followed by the groove driven ‘Deep Blue Shade’, whose melodies are vividly brought to life by trademark Ed Wynne exquisite guitar playing. This is swiftly accompanied by the serene title track – as close to a musical yoga session at the centre of the hippocampus you’ll ever experience. 

Lotus Unfolding line up consists of Ed Wynne (Guitars, Synth and Bass) and Silas Wynne (Modular Synth and Keyboards) . Alongside Ed and Silas is Brandi Wynne (bass), Saskia Maxwell (Flute), Tim Wallander (Drums) and Paul Hankin (Percussion). 

Lotus Unfolding will be available on CD Digipak, Limited Marble LP with limited die cut sleeve, Blue LP also with limited die cut sleeve, Black LP and available digitally.

Preorder HERE https://ozrictentacles.lnk.to/Lotus_Unfolding

Coming up shortly, Ozric Tentacles will be bringing their signature brand of tripped out instrumental Rock to the masses alongside label mates Gong in November for an extensive UK tour that will pick back up in March of 2024, suitably titled ‘The Last Blast Tour’. 

Pick up tickets here: https://ozrics.com/live-shows/

UK TOUR W/ GONG – NOVEMBER 2023

17th  November – Oxford, O2 Academy2

18th  November – London, O2 Forum with The Crazy World of Arthur Brown

19th  November – Manchester, O2 Ritz

20th  November – Sheffield, O2 Academy2

21st  November – Colchester, Arts Centre

23rd  November – Northampton, Roadmenders

24th  November – Bristol, O2 Academy

25th  November – Gloucester, Guildhall

26th  November – Birmingham, O2 Academy2

28th  November – Brighton, Chalk

29th  November – Norwich, Epic Studios

30th  November – Bournemouth, O2 Academy

1st  December – From, Cheese & Grain

2nd  December – Liverpool, O2 Academy

UK TOUR W/ GONG– MARCH 2024

7th March – Exeter, The Phoenix

8th March – Falmouth, Princess Pavilion

9th March – Lyme Regis, Marine Theatre

10th March – Cardiff, The Globe

11th March – Swansea, Patti Pavilion

13th March – Southampton, The 1865

14th March – Margate, Dreamland

15th March – Hull, The Welly

16th March – Nottingham, Rescue Rooms

17th March – Stockton-on-Tees, Georgian Theatre

18th March – Lincoln, Engine Shed

20th March – Leeds, Brudenell Social Club

21st March – Newcastle, University

22nd March – Glasgow, St. Luke’s

23rd March – Edinburgh, Summerhall

About Ozric Tentacles: 

One of the most influential bands to emerge from the UK’s festival scene, Ozric Tentacles formed during the solstice at Stonehenge Free Fesetival 1983, going on to become psychedelic staples at Glastonbury and other festivals. The creative vision of multi-instrumentalist Ed Wynne, the Ozrics’ uniquely trippy soundscapes connect fans of progressive rock, psychedelia and dance music culture. 

Review – Bruce Soord – Luminescence

Multi-instrumentalist, producer and The Pineapple Thief mastermind Bruce Soord’s new album ‘Luminescence’ was released September 22nd. This new album is his third solo offering. Inspired by the idea of finding inner peace, Soord’s latest solo release explores the difficulty of living in the metropolis of the modern world. Born from days exploring various cities whilst on tour, tracks from the album feature recordings from Soord’s various wanderings captured on his field recorder.

Recorded between January 2021 and June of 2023, the album was cut at Soord Studios with additional strings recorded at RAK Studio 3 in London, featuring arrangements from Andrew Skeet, long time member of The Divine Comedy and musical producer of the orchestration on many films/tv shows from Netflix’s smash hit Black Mirror to David Attenborough’s Green Planet and Dynasties II. 

You could draw parallels between Bruce Soord and Steven Wilson who, after many years building success with Porcupine Tree, segued into an equally successful solo career and has just released his latest solo offering, ‘The Harmony Codex’, to much acclaim. While being a fan of The Pineapple Thief, I do think that Soord’s solo output is every bit as good, if not as extensive, as Mr Wilson’s. However, with ‘Luminescence’, I do feel that Bruce Soord has created something more intimate and warm and one that, with its soul-searchingly sparse soundscapes, really resonates with me.

There’s Soord’s signature melancholy in the dark beauty of opener Dear Life, a poignant track sung from the perspective of an elderly parent, on their death bed, to their child. The elegant swathes of Andrew Skeet’s strings and the wistful guitar blend with Bruce’s heartfelt vocal to deliver something starkly elegant. The brevity of tracks like Lie Flat may appear uncomplicated but there are hidden meanings and nostalgic snapshots throughout. A more simplistic approach of stylish acoustic guitar and gentle electronica imbues a laid back, unhurried feel throughout while that inner peace is sought. One of my personal favourites is the glorious Olomouc where the ethereal strings work against the backdrop of that wonderful acoustic guitar to give a moment of pure clarity and the vocals’ nostalgic timbre just add to the stillness and calm.

There are moments of lucidity and purity brought by the stylish transience of songs like the lush So Simple and the delicate soundscape of Read to Me and a mental pause brought about by the iridescent shimmer of Never Ending Light where Bruce’s vocal is most definitely the focus, aided and abetted by the exquisite strings and classically played guitar. The pared back note of Day of All Days flowers into something altogether more seriousness with the unadorned guitar and more direct vocals and Nestle In explores the concept of the incessant speed of life causing humanity to not appreciate what is wrong in the world. Once again Andrew Skeet’s beautifully emotive strings accompany the minimalist yet emotive electronica bubbling in the foreground.

Instant Flash of Light adds a more urgent feel from the guitar and vocals to its Americana feeling sound, countered by the dazzling strings and sumptuous chorus to create yet another moment of sheer class. Rushing, with its faster pace and nimble electronica leaves you left in the middle of a crowded scene, a bar perhaps or even the concourse of a busy station. A wonderfully wistful and touching piece of music, Stranded Here is a study in thoughtful melancholy and one that left a lump in my throat and the album closes with the touching elegance of Find Peace.

There won’t be many albums created with as much love and affection as ‘Luminescence’. Bruce Soord has laid his soul bare and given us an intimate insight into the world he inhabits and, in exploring the difficulty of living in the metropolis of the modern world, Bruce has delivered an album of extraordinary songs and one that will stand the test of time.

Released 22nd September, 2023.

Order from ‘Luminescence’ here:

LUMINESCENCE – OUT NOW (lnk.to)

ANATHEMA’S DANIEL CARDOSO AND ULVER’S KRISTOFFER RYGG’S HEAD CONTROL SYSTEM ANNOUNCE REISSUE OF 2006 ALBUM ‘MURDER NATURE’

OUT NOVEMBER 17th VIA KSCOPE

Pre-order here: Murder Nature (lnk.to)

DOUBLE-DISC EDITION OF THE 2006 STUDIO DEBUT FROM ANATHEMA’S DANIEL CARDOSO, AND ULVER’S KRISTOFFER RYGG. NOW REMASTERED, INCLUDING EXTRA DISC OF DEMOS AND INSTRUMENTALS, PLUS COMPREHENSIVE INTERVIEW

Recorded between Portugal and Norway in 2005–2006, and produced and mixed by Cardoso himself. Murder Nature was released to great critical acclaim, and has gained the reputation of being a lost classic of sorts over the years, whilst the compositions themselves remained timeless and ageless, and often requested for a proper and extensive reissue.

This newly remastered double-disc edition of Murder Nature, now includes a special bonus disc of unreleased instrumental and demo material from the time period, along with a cover of Seal’s ‘80s hit “Kiss From a Rose”. The release also includes updated art and layout, and contains a booklet featuring a comprehensive interview delving into the beginnings, endings, and inner workings of the whole project, courtesy of writer Jonathan Rosenthal, (Invisible Oranges, Decibel, Brooklyn Vegan) plus additional words from members of other luminaries of the progressive metal scene, such as Periphery and Between the Buried and Me.Murder Nature stands as a pinnacle of forward-thinking metal from the 2000s, for fans of Tool, A Perfect Circle, Queens of the Stone Age, and Faith No More.

“Murder Nature was a pretty bold album, especially if you put it into the context of when it was made, and how. Looking back, I’m still surprised that we pulled it off, but I’m glad we did ’cause it pretty much paved the way to my long-lasting career as a musician and producer.” – says Daniel Cardoso. 

Murder Nature will be available as a double CD and single LP. 

MURDER NATURE Track list: 

1.     Baby Blue [06:34]

2.     Skin Flick [04:23] 

3.     Masterpiece [Of Art] [03:34] 

4.     Blunt Instrumental [03:49]

5.     It Hurts [04:00]

6.     Watergate [03:40]

7.     Seven [04:00]

8.     Kill Me [02:07]

9.     Wonderworld [03;38]

10.   Rapid Eye Movement [04:48] 

11.   Falling On Sleep [04:46]

12.   Kiss From a Rose [04:18] 

DISC 2 (CD ONLY) 

1.     Baby Blue (Instrumental) [05:18]

2.     Skin Flick (instrumental) [04:26]

3.     Masterpiece [Of Art] (instrumental) [03:38]

4.     Watergate (instrumental) [03:43] 

5.     Seven (instrumental) [04:03]

6.     Wonderworld (instrumental) [04:40]

7.     Rapid Eye Movement (instrumental) [04:47] 

8.     eM lliK (Kill Me reverse) [02:07]

9.     Baby Blue (Unreleased Demo) [05:18]

10.   Skin Flick (Unreleased Demo) [04:24]

Masterpiece [Of Art] (Unreleased Demo) [03:38

Head Control System was a venture set out by multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire Daniel Cardoso (Anathema / Sirius), originally under the moniker of SinDRomE, which developed into a dynamic and what could also be considered a somewhat trailblazing style of alternative metallic rock with prog textures. The missing piece of the puzzle was completed when Daniel was joined by Kristoffer Rygg of long-standing Norwegian experimental – and erstwhile black metal – legends Ulver. Together with Kristoffer’s unmistakable vocal delivery and Daniel’s finely-honed instrumentation, an intricately woven opus of seduction and darkness with abstract existential musings was created in Murder Nature, the band’s only studio album to date. It was originally released back in 2006 through Voices Music & Entertainment (EU) and The End Records (US).

Review – Great North Star – II

“When, disturbed, a grouse hiccups into flight
Low through the mists which are thick with light;
When this could be some damp city alley
Where children and drunks meet principally

For love, and to solemnly keep their trysts
For all that the outside world still exists –
Know this, the old walker you overtake
Is yourself, setting a different pace.“

Taken from the poem ‘The North York Moors’ by Christopher Woodall

Music can be a soundtrack for many things and the ambient, chilled out and sparse soundscapes delivered by Great North Star remind me of wild places and, coming from Yorkshire as I do, they don’t get much wilder than the North York Moors so this insightful poem really resonated with me when listening to the insightful duos latest album, imaginatively titled ‘II’…

Great North Star are Dean Thom (guitars) and Phil Considine (production), two seasoned musicians from the UK progressive and alternative music scenes. Each brings to the table a wealth of writing, recording and live experience. Through a deep understanding of each other’s compositional strengths, honed through many hours of performing together, the music they create rewards the listener with a complex tapestry of rich textures and shifting moods.

Hailing from the wild moorlands of Northern England, Great North Star mould intricate guitar and muted electronica into a unique whole: haunting, introspective and expansive. Their sound draws from progressive and post-rock, electronica, krautrock and ambient influences to produce a panoramic and cinematic soundscape, the perfect soundtrack for long, lonely walks over rolling hills under brooding skies. Great North Star invite you to explore the lesser trodden path.

Before we delve a bit more into the album itself, more on that title from Dean himself; “I do tend to have a picture of a time and place or a feeling/emotion in my head when I’m writing music, so I find it’s not too difficult to name individual pieces, but as for naming an album it just seemed odd to us to give a collective name to the eight pieces, so we figured calling it ‘II’ was just fine on the reckoning that it was ok for the mighty Led Zep and Queen.“

‘II’ is a musically concise release coming in at a mere forty two minute running time but Dean and Phil manage to fit a lot into that forty minutes. A wide and expansive soundscape where it’s often what’s between the notes that counts, as much as the notes themselves. Nothing is wasted, there’s no filler, any piece of music is there intentionally, down to the last note and this makes for a wonderfully immersive listening experience. Central to this is Dean’s wistful, delicate and eminently expressive guitar playing. Just sit back and listen to tracks like Towers Will Fall, Beginnings and Seven Stones on Hordron Edge with their deeply meaningful feeling, the guitar is like a nostalgic voice going back in time to regale us with tales once lost in the mists of time. Tales of wistful melancholy and sombre reflection that draw the listener into their welcoming embrace.

The ambient soundscapes created by Phil add the requisite mystery and contemplative yearning, especially on opener A Nightime Storm at Sea with its theramin style opening and staccato percussion before the delightful guitar joins in. The intelligent and insightful songwriting is at the core to everything that you hear and creates an ocean of harmonious serenity which comes to place perfectly on the closing piece Northlands, a brilliantly constructed beacon of calm attunement that left me chilled out and at one with the world.

Great North Star create wide, expansive soundscapes that speak of the wild and carefree, of places that our sensitive souls would rush to in a heartbeat, a musical oasis, so to speak and, with their sophomore effort, they have delivered an antidote to the mundanity and horror of the modern world in which we live.

Released 6th October, 2023.

Order from bandcamp here:

Great North Star II | Great North Star (bandcamp.com)

Review – Galahad – The Long Goodbye

“Music, when soft voices die, vibrates in the memory.” — Percy Bysshe Shelley.

Music is essential and life would not be complete without it, where words fail, music can always express what we are feeling and Galahad have always had that uncanny knack of resonating with me on a sub conscious level. This long revered band have a new album in the offing and I was extremely honoured to have a very early listen and plenty of time to gather my thoughts before writing this review but, first, a short bit of PR…

This latest opus, Galahad’s twelfth studio album, was recorded before, during and after the recent Covid emergency, and, as was the case with the previous album ‘The Last Great Adventurer’, was recorded at several locations over the last couple of years by the various band members and was finally edited, mixed and mastered, as usual, by our engineer/producer supreme Karl Groom.

The album features the same line-up as TLGA of Stu Nicholson (vocals), Dean Baker (keyboards), Spencer Luckman (drums), Lee Abraham (guitars) and Mark Spencer (bass guitar).

As usual, a variety of topics are considered and written about on this album, some very personal, including the title track in which the ageing process and the difficult and tricky subject of early onset dementia is tackled, hopefully with a certain amount of  poignancy.

Those familiar with ‘The Last Great Adventurer’ will feel that album’s vibe immediately on the classy opener Behind The Veil Of A Smile. An elegant intro of Lee’s guitar and Dean’s keys leads you on a willing journey into superb prog infused metal, it’s not dissimilar to Threshold but couldn’t have come from anyone but Galahad as it’s much more intricate and ‘proggy’. The song really takes off when you hear Stu’s distinctive vocals, especially on the ever so cool chorus. There’s a brilliant keyboard solo that put a huge grin on my face and the song ends with a short but extremely satisfying solo from Lee, the band have certainly picked up on where they’d finished on TLGA and their creative abilities are still firing on all cylinders! A techno/electronica hue (I never thought I’d write those words about a Galahad release!) is all over the intro to Everything’s Changed, a more subdued piece of music than the opening song but one that is still full of the band’s signature sincerity, especially on Stu’s elegant vocals. There’s a world weary atmosphere to this nostalgic feeling song, it’s full of a wistful, almost melancholy, sentiment for the ages, mainly imbued by Dean’s contemplative keyboards, and blossoms superbly on another bewitchingly catchy chorus. It’s another stylish piece of music and the almost orchestrated ending is a touch of genius. More echoing, dynamic keys dominate the extended opening to Shadow In The Corner before Lee’s punchy guitar enters the fray and adds some drive to the song. Stu’s slow burning vocals add a touch of mystery and suspense to the track before a flowering chorus adds a cinematic, widescreen effect to proceedings. There’s a lush feel to the keyboards and guitar riffs and Lee gets to shine on a superb, funky solo that really gets under your skin. Once again I have to applaud the musicianship, Galahad certainly brings the best out of Lee Abraham who is on extraordinary form on this album especially but everyone is at the top of their game and Stu’s vocals are as immense as ever.

Now to the elephant in the room, the utterly brilliant, but totally left-field, The Righteous And The Damned. This epic piece of music really shouldn’t work but it does and brilliantly! Imagine System Of A Down crossed with ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ and you won’t be far wrong. It is one of the best tracks I’ve heard this year but does need perseverance as it doesn’t click immediately. Stu said that,

“Oddly the intro melody for ‘Righteous’ came to me whilst we were in the Jewish quarter in Krakow a few years ago listening to the street musicians, it’s an incredibly atmospheric place. It will a marmite track for sure.”

The band have imbued that feel and atmosphere into an incredibly entertaining and engaging song that has touches of brilliance throughout. The violin is mischievous as hell, Lee’s riffs jump all over the place and, yet, it is still demonstratively a Galahad track. Stu sounds like he’s having the time of his life, Mark’s bass is funky and jazzy as you like and Spencer’s drums have never sounded as complex, it is just amazing and the band should be complimented on delivering a piece of music that could alienate some of their fans, although I would be very surprised if it did!

The final song on the album proper (we’ll come to the CD bonus tracks in a bit) is the glorious, heartfelt and emotional journey that is The Long Goodbye, It’s a wondrous musical journey that tackles the ageing process and the difficult and tricky subject of early onset dementia with pathos and the poignancy that the band intended and it’s one you never want to end. There’s a serious feel to the song as it breaks out from the thoughtful, almost mournful, introduction, Stu’s vocals delivered with calm gravitas and the music slightly subdued but still delivered with feeling. The softly delivered refrain of “I don’t know who I am, I can’t even remember my name, I don’t know what I’ve ever done, I don’t know where I’ve come from” brings home the seriousness of the subject matter in the most dignified of manners. This beautifully constructed piece of music will, at times, bring a lump to your throat and a tear to your eye but it’s the breathtaking final six minutes that take it to a whole other level as Lee delivers some gorgeous guitar, including a sublime soaring solo, and the stunning orchestration from Dean and Mark begins. Stu says he loves this part of the track and you can see why, it is utterly stunning and finishes the song and the album on the highest of high notes.

If you order the CD version then you will get two bonus tracks, Darker Days which harks back to the style of the first three tracks on the album, that high energy, dynamic sound with edgy guitars, pounding drums, forceful bass and compelling keyboards. Add in Stu’s charismatic vocals and another memorable chorus and it has everything you need. Open Water is another matter entirely, it’s a more sparse, sensitive and somewhat reflective track that has an almost ethereal quality with Stu’s laid back vocals, Lee’s exquisite guitar and the celestial piano and keys. Stu says it is probably the newest piece as it was written during lockdown and, to echo Stu’s sentiments, provides a relatively low key finish on the CD after all the bombast.

I chose ‘The Last Great Adventurer’ as my album of the year for 2022 and, in a fast paced world that never stands still, Galahad haven’t rested on their laurels. They have returned with ‘The Long Goodbye’, another wondrous musical journey that mesmerises and bewitches from beginning to end, and even surprises in places. Could this be another contender at the end of the year, I definitely don’t see why not!

Released 23rd October, 2023.

Pre-order direct from the band here:

Galahad – GALAHAD Merchandise (galahadonline.com)

Review – Head With Wings – Without Intervention

Making noise since 2009, Head with Wings has spent years shaping its sound and sculpting its episodic narrative. After emerging from the New Haven, CT music scene in 2012, the band went on to release ‘Living with the Loss’ (EP) in 2013, ‘From Worry to Shame’ (LP) in 2018 and ‘Comfort in Illusion’ (EP)in 2021. The current lineup consists of guitarists, Brandon Cousino and Sayre Whitford, vocalist, Joshua Corum, drummer, Mike Short and bassist, Joe Elliott, although it was Joshua, Brandon and Mike (with help from Vikram Shankar and Connor Oyster) who recorded the new album.

Head with Wings are storytellers of sound. Textured, ethereal, and blissfully haunting, the U.S. – based quintet creates boundary-pushing rock songs that straddle the aesthetic line between art music and narrative drama. A Head with Wings song is a cinematically evocative listening experience, built on the pillars of alternative rock and forged in the depths of prog. It’s varied, emotionally potent and obsessive by nature. It’s a sound 14 years in the making – one that took its time to get here; to the point of ‘Without Intervention’.  The new album is uncompromising in its vision and is acutely aware of the void that it fills in the modern rock landscape — an arena that is all too derivative.

I’ve been a long time fan and supporter of this band and they produce superlative music that just gets more sophisticated every time but the band never lose the connection with the listener. A sophisticated amalgam of alternative rock and prog but a sound that sits firmly in the latter, on ‘Without Intervention’ Head With Wings have finally integrated keyboards for the first time and it takes their sound to an even higher level.

It’s a hard hitting album, perhaps inevitable after the tough three year gestation period but there are still those moments of reflection and clarity that marked out the band’s earlier works. Joshua Corum has a very distinctive vocal and adds class and sophistication, though with a incisive cutting edge. The twin guitars give the requisite hard rock/metal chops when needed but also add a refined atmosphere where required. Short and Oyster on drums and bass respectively are an uber tight rhythm unit with Short’s drums especially adding layers of dynamism and added punch. To my ears, this band are like Coheed & Cambria in the early days with that hunger and energy that seems to be lacking from that band nowadays.

‘Without Intervention’, coming in at thirty-six minutes long, is short for a modern album but that leaves you wanting more, rather than outstaying its welcome. The songs are concise and yet deliver emotion filled angst in spades. The overwhelming feeling is one of a deep wistfulness, contemplating the world we live in and its anger, darkness and hatred but trying to find a chink of light and hope because, ultimately, life is worth living and , while it is never always sweetness and light, we need to make the most of it.

From the thunderous riffs of Brandon’s guitar and thoughtful vocals of opener The Dream Broker through the elegantly reflective Task of Breathing and upbeat pop-rock sensibilities of Galaxy, this is intelligently thought out and delivered music that entertains but asks deeply pertinent questions at the same time. I love the way the short interludes of Remnant and 26 Bell Chimes leave a bit of breathing space between songs. This works especially well for the latter as it breaks up the elegant cinematic soundscapes of Comfort In Illusion, eight minutes plus of glorious musical enterprise with Joshua’s passionate vocals and the classy cutting edge of Brandon’s guitar, from the powerfully dramatic and in your face brilliance of Three Months, without a doubt the heaviest track on the album, the intro alone will hit you like a hammer and leave you sat on your backside before this superb track then ebbs and flows between the thoughtful and the thunderous, a really clever piece of music where Vikram’s keyboards are used to wonderful effect. The album closes with Absolute Zero and the band finish on a high with his alt-rock gem. Soaring vocals and sweeping guitars, all backed up by Mike’s fantastic drums, deliver a fitting ending to this excellent album.

‘Without Intervention’, with its sophisticated widescreen soundscape and immersive listening experience, is Head With Wings most accomplished achievement to date. Intelligent songwriting and refined, polished musicianship are rapidly becoming hallmarks of the band’s releases and, with this latest album, the band are cementing their position at the forefront of the modern rock landscape.

Released 20th October, 2023.

Order from bandcamp here:

Without Intervention | Head with Wings (bandcamp.com)



Danish math-stadium rock group Isbjörg release new single ‘Inure’ on October 26th 2023

‘Inure’ is the fourth single from Isbjörg’s upcoming second full-length album which is expected to be released in the spring of 2024.

Along with the latest singles from 2023, ‘Inure’’ marks a new era for the band who, since the release of their debut album ‘Iridescent’ in 2019, have welcomed Jonathan Kjærulff Skovlund as their new front figure.

With its calm and atmospheric pace, ‘Inure’ showcases a more fragile and mellow side of Isbjörg. The song is a duet between lead singer Jonathan Kjærulff Skovlund and guest vocalist Margrethe Christine Wellejus and portrays a failing relationship that neither of them has thestrength to end. The conflict and the music escalates slowly and finally culminates in an epic climax in true Isbjörg fashion.

‘Inure’ is available on all major streaming services from Thursday the 26th of October 2023.

Presave here: Inure by Isbjörg – DistroKid

Isbjörg is a Danish math-stadium rock band centered around the piano.

The aim of the band has always been to surprise and break musical boundaries without compromising the songwriting. Odd time signatures and polyrhythms combined with catchy hooks and lush melodies captures the listener in an intense and captivating soundscape.

Following the release of two EP’s and singles, Isbjörg released their debut album ‘Iridescent’ in 2019. The album was very acclaimed by both fans and critics for its epic, piano-centered sound and the captivating songwriting.

After the release of ‘Iridescent’ Isbjörg have been touring around Denmark and played everything from small clubs to big festivals such as SmukFest in 2019. The last couple of years Isbjörg have worked intensively on writing their follow-up album. After the departure of singer Niklas Jespersen in early 2022, Isbjörg welcomed Jonathan Kjærulff Jensen (Lara Luna) as their new lead singer and are now standing stronger and more focused than ever with a lot of single releases in 2023 before releasing their second full-length album in early 2024.

Website: http://isbjorg.dk Linktree: https://linktr.ee/Isbjorg

Isbjörg is:
Jonathan Kjærulff Skovlund – Vocals, Mathias Bro Jørgensen – Piano, vocals, Dines Dahl Karlsen – Guitar, Lasse Gitz Thingholm – Guitar, Mathias Schouv Kjeldsen – Bass, Frederik Ølund Uglebjerg – Drums

Review – Karmamoi – Strings From The Edge Of Sound

In 2008, inspired by old and new progressive rock music, drummer and composer Daniele Giovannoni created Karmamoi , giving life to a musical project that was able to express his idea of music, inspired by old and new progressive rock music. Their unique sound and their continued research about musical form make them one of the most interesting bands in the Italian Prog-rock scene. The band members are Daniele (drums, keyboards and backing vocals), Valerio Sgargi (vocals, backing vocals and keyboards), Alex Massari (guitars) and Alessandro Cefalì (bass).

Fast forward to 2023 and the band have released their sixth studio album, ‘Strings From The Edge Of Sound’. This new release contains four brand new songs plus five songs from the previous albums rearranged and revisited for orchestra that giving them a new powerful sound, and a new vision of Karmamoi’s music.

Karmamoi have never really crossed my path before, though I have heard of the band and people I respect have given them very positive reviews, so when I got the opportunity to listen to this new release, I thought it would be in my interest to check it out. Boy, am I glad I did! This album is a pure joy to listen to, chock full of glorious melodic progressive rock with a highly polished sheen and with pure emotion right to the core.

Key to this, in my opinion, are the absolutely sublime vocals of Valerio Sgargi, who has the voice of an angel and gives what are already incredibly immersive and utterly theatrical songs the final polish that makes them even better. I’ve also not heard the original versions of the orchestrated songs on this album but, Daniele Giovannoni please take a bow, to create these songs is a work of genius, they are lush, spacious and simply magnificent. That should not detract from the four new tracks though, they are prime progressive rock at its finest.

Opener Black Hole Era is one of the new songs and gets things of to a mighty fine start with Alex Massari’s delicate guitar the foil to Valerio’s earnest vocal. It’s a gentle and low key start as the string like keyboards give an ethereal feel to the music. The energy builds as the music and vocals take on a more enlivened tone and Daniele’s stylish drums drive things along. This is intelligent songwriting and excellent musicianship woking perfectly together to give the songs life and you’d have to have a heart of stone not to be moved by it. As we come towards the end of the track everything ramps up a couple of levels and we are treated to a superb guitar solo from Alex, full of emotion and passion, what a way to start an album! Nashira is the first of the reimagined, orchestrated versions and comes from the band’s third album, ‘Silence Between Sounds’, released in 2016. It is almost ballad-like in its opening, a gentle piano note leads in to the elegant, wistful strings to give a warm nostalgic feel to the song, Valerio, once again, delivers a superb vocal before the song takes on a disturbing edge and things get all mysterious with the drums and Alessandro Cefalì’s dynamic bass giving an ominous feel. The track ebbs and flows between the gentle and the agitated and shows its true progressive nature, very clever and hypnotic in delivery. Take Me Home is from 2018’s ‘The Day Is Done’ and lends itself to the orchestrations perfectly. It’s a slow burning piece of music with cinematic qualities that has you holding your breath in anticipation. The vocals are more laid back and give the music room to move and envelop the listener. It’s like the soundtrack to one of those mysterious independent films in which you have no clue what is going on but they’re really enjoyable in a cool and enigmatic kind of way.

Tell Me is the second new song on the album and opens with an earnest vocal from Valerio over Alex’s chiming guitar, it’s all very contemplative and wishful in feeling and brings a lightness and a feeling of calm to your soul. The music is reflective and dreamlike as it washes over you and the little stabs of guitar are ingenious among the expansive soundscape and when Alex breaks into his soaring solo, it is just majestic. Adding the orchestration to Room 101, taken from 2021’s album of the same name, takes the word enigmatic to new heights, to put it simply, it is melodic progressive rock at it’s absolute finest and shows this impressive band are truly masters of their art. It rises and falls with an impish step and has an almost art-rock feel to it. Intelligence and perception abound in every word and every note and the musicianship is just amazing, the juxtaposition between the pomp and circumstance of the band and the elegance of the orchestra is totally inspired. I Will Come takes progressive rock to a dimly lit lounge where a singer/songwriter and his band are delivering a performance with decades of belief behind it. The vocals bleed emotion and made the hair on the back of my neck stand up and the piano is just heavenly and exalted. You may shed a tear and there’s nothing embarrassing in that, it’s just how the music makes you feel and they’ll be tears of joy.

Your Name also come’s from 2018’s ‘The Day Is Done’ and has a really dynamic feel as it dances into your imagination, the orchestra this time adding to the complex and compelling feel. There’s almost a prog-pop sensibility to the music and I could really see this a theme from a Bond movie, it has that dynamism and feeling of exhilaration. Upbeat and fast paced, it’s a real highlight and one where everyone seems to be having fun. The last of the orchestrated versions is of Zealous Man, also from 2021’s ‘Room 101’, and this song has that glorious feel of musical theatre, I think it’s the wonderful vocals added to the brilliant orchestrations that make it like that. I find these versions all to be uplifting and ever so elegant in their composure and delivery and, perhaps, this song is the best of the lot. The track exudes power, nobility and a rock solid sensibility and the musical intricacies on show are just extraordinary, the violin solo is worth the price of entry on its own! The album closes with the short title track Strings From The Edge Of Sound, just under two minutes of music that seems to live right inside your head. The persistent tone and vocals almost hypnotic as this mesmeric piece of music captivates and tantalises leaving you in a state of complete calm. 

With ‘Strings From The Edge Of Sound‘ Karmamoi deliver music that feels like it has a life of its own and music that will live with you for a very long time. It is an utterly captivating musical journey and experience that will hold you in its thrall for all of its wonderful sixty-eight minute running time. One of the releases of 2023 and one I advise you to listen to as soon as you can.

Released 1st September, 2023.

Order from bandcamp here:

STRINGS FROM THE EDGE OF SOUND | Karmamoi (bandcamp.com)


Proud Peasant to Release New Album ‘Communion’ on 20th October, 2023

Cinematic progressive rock band Proud Peasant (Austin, TX, USA) will release their new album Communion on Basement Avatar Records on October 20, 2023. The album is the follow-up to their debut album, Flight, and the second part of the It Does Not Cease trilogy.

Proud Peasant have forged a reputation for combining classic and modern sounds together, drawing comparisons to Mike Oldfield, Gryphon, Wobbler, and King Crimson, while also incorporating elements of movie and video game soundtracks, metal, thrash, chamber music, avant-garde, Chinese classical music, and ragtime jazz to create a cinematic mix of sounds.

Proud Peasant’s debut album ‘Flight’ was called an “aptly titled escape into musical fancy that masterfully knots together British folk, cinematic symphonic rock, Elizabethan prog, Gentle Giant-ish vocal fugues and even videogame-score-like whimsy.” (Progression Magazine) The album achieved significant acclaim, ending 2014on several best-of lists, reaching #1 on Amazon’s Progressive Rock charts, and spending 11 weeks on the Gagliarchives Top 20 Progressive Rock Albums of the Week.

Their next release was with ‘Peasantsongs’, a collection of rare and unreleased tracks, including covers of classic tracks by Eloy and Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, which were featured on Stuart Maconie’s Freak Zone on BBC Radio.

The band returns with ‘Communion’, the follow-up to ‘Flight’, and the second part of the ‘It Does Not Cease’ trilogy. Engineered by Chico Jones and mastered by Sarah Register, ‘Communion’ continues the sonic and stylistic shifts from previous albums, but brings a heavier, more modern sensibility, and adds vocals to the mix. Featuring an eclectic mix of six songs, the album culminates in the final track, The Fall, a 19-minute epic exploration of genre, mood, and sound.

Communion will be released on CD, digital download, and all major streaming services on October 20, 2023.

Pre-orders open at bandcamp now:

Communion | Proud Peasant (bandcamp.com)

Review – Massimo Pieretti – A New Beginning – by John Wenlock-Smith

I was contacted on social media and invited to hear this album, released completely independently by Massimo himself as an outlet for his own music, but also seemingly as a kind of therapy for feelings and issues in his own past. This makes this rather gentle album all the more profound really as a journey into new adventures, ‘A New Beginning’ an apt title in that respect. Massimo is a music lecturer and teacher in Rome and he has played in various progressive groups in Italy, his own music is actually rather sensitive and beguiling, it certainly has excellent keyboards (unsurprisingly enough).

This short album is best heard in one continuous setting as it will take you on Massimo’s journey to contentment and completeness. It also makes political comments about Italian society along the way, in addition, it seems a lot of the songs are reflections on relationship issues that Massimo has experienced over the years. The music ranges in style from short vignettes to more pop based structures. Throughput the album there are some good keyboard tones and sounds employed to good effect. Out Of This World uses a sample taken from Charlie Chaplin’s 1940 film The Great Dictator to good effect to address the need for democracy in Italy after the era of Ille Duce (Mussolini)

In the information sheet that comes with the album Massimo gives some information that is pertinent to the album. He states “It is a largely autobiographical concept album, through which I tried to express my point of view on today’s society by taking a cue from my own personal problems and life experiences. Of the songs, the most autobiographical ones are Oh Father, Growing Old, Things To Live And To Die For and Family and Business. Other tracks like In November, Is That Girl Right? and Out of this World reflect my passion for cinema and film music. Finally the tracks A New Beginning parts A and B and I Hope You Will Always Be Here With Me are representative of my background in progressive music and my respect for others and environmental concerns. There is also an effort to present circularity in order to merge genres, my important academic studies and previous plays.”

Whether or not this succeeds on that score is possibly up to you, the listener, to decide but, in any respect, Massimo has crafted a deeply personal album with definite progressive elements and some fine keyboards in a very lush sounding recording. He has also started work on a second album that will utilise the talents of John Hackett, Nick Fletcher and Laura Piazzai, to name but three and I eagerly await that one too.

The album opens or commences with the brief but exciting synthesisers of Intro that gently swirl and create an atmosphere of warmth. Oh Father is a recollection of memories of Massimo’s father and the lessons he taught and showed about life and love. It seems the relationship was a difficult one, fraught with conflict but now, looking back with hindsight, Massimo understands his father’s interest was in shaping him. In November is a gentle song, although it has a good guitar line played throughout which sounds exquisite really, as does the the intro and opening section of Growing Old which reflects on ageing, the track is aided by a gorgeous fretless bass which definitely adds to the atmosphere created. Next is the song Is That Girl Right? which reflects on a relationship Massimo experienced, one that seemingly didn’t work out the way it was hoped or expected to.

Out Of This World is a political diatribe against inequality and division. This is followed by a jazzy Interlude with sax, piano and fretless bass that is short and segues into the next track, Things To Live And Die For, which sounds a little like an 80’s song but by whom eludes me at the moment. Family and Business has a harder edge provided by the excellent riff and Bowie-like vocal, it’s a proper rocker and one I really enjoyed. A New Beginning Parts A & B seems to be a call to treat each other with kindness, decency and dignity and also to care for our environment. I Hope You Will Always Be Here With Me is a plea for companionship on life’s journey, its better together than alone. The album proper ends with Intro Reprise which is, you guessed it, a reprise of the elegant opening tot he album and works really well to bring things to a close. The bonus tracks on this album are reworked, stripped down versions of the album tracks In November and Things To Live And Die For with a more spartan approach, This allows the beauty of the songs to shine through more clearly, although some might prefer the original, more layered, versions.

To be honest and fair whilst I have enjoyed this album, I don’t feel that it is one that I will reach for often, rather more one to listen to quietly later in the evening. For now though, there is plenty of thoughtfully considered musical performances on offer on this album. Massimo Pieretti I applaud this fine effort.

Released 1st September, 2022.

Order from bandcamp here:

A new beginning | Massimo Pieretti (bandcamp.com)