Two years after their release of ‘7’ back in 2013, Toxic Smile are back with new album ‘Farewell,’ which has a total of one track, yes you read it right, one track.
From your first glance of the album art, you are drawn in by the expressive and abstract style of brush strokes that give it a very emotive cover. However, to see that there is only one track, surely it must just be an EP? Then there’s how long the track lasts for… an epic 42 minutes. Toxic Smile took on a big task on writing an epic progressive track lasting for 42 minutes, it takes a lot of ingenuity, musicianship and a special amount of madness; they have combined all those traits, especially fantastic musicianship, to produce an epic journey melding styles and themes together.
Back in 2004 the band set to work on the classical project, which they then released in 2006, ‘……. in classic extension’. The opening of ‘Farewell’ straight away dictates the classical experience the band have had as the elegant sound of strings bows in to paint a tranquil scene before electric instruments are brought in and your sense of rhythm unravels.
A sense of pulse is a primary foundation for any piece of music because it provides drive and something you can tap your foot along to. Toxic Smile have realised this but chosen to ignore it at different moments during the progressive song. It’s almost as if there are 3 different time scales occurring as they all fall on different beats to each other, the drums have one beat and the synth sounds and bass guitar have different accented rhythms, it leaves you with an uncertain sense of what beat goes where. Although the sense of a strong rhythm from the audiences point of view is lost, it emphasises the skill the band have, to be able to keep different rhythmic lines occurring at the same time – fundamentally speaking – and then come to a regular rhythm where your foot can become mobile again.
Vocalist Larry B is not constantly relied upon to sing an extremely repetitive and superficial melodic line, which is very refreshing to hear – or not hear as the case may be. Vocal lines enter in stages and you can feel a shift in where the music is leading too. This, therefore, provides the emotive expression, in word form, of what they are trying to convey in the song.
Being such a long track, it would be expected, or at least hoped for, that the melodic material develops and changes, even remotely, in style; this is most definitely the case. Some style choices are surprising and, if written down on paper, could be shot down in flames. For instance, the combination of reggae and heavy rock seems an unlikely choice but Toxic Smile have made this odd idea work well.
The juxtaposition of distorted guitars and heavily pounding drums contrasts greatly with the chill of simple rhythms and melodies, with an off-beat accent for the reggae flavour. Nearer the end of the track the style heads in a completely unexpected direction into Funk town. The bass becomes more alive with energetic riffs and the guitar has distinct swirling sounds as the drums change rhythms, the styles couldn’t slide more seamlessly into each other, despite the initial unlikeliness of melding them.
Overall, this is a great album transporting you seamlessly to different emotions from the variation they have in their one epic track.
In this, his second album, Jack Arthurs follows ‘Only Dreams are True’ with ‘Treasure House’, building on the foundations of a strong debut solo album, growing as a songwriter and showing one man and an acoustic guitar are not something to avoided.
The test I set myself with any review is; ‘Can I listen to this several times in a row and still hear more after each play’. ‘Treasure House’ passes this test with distinction. I cannot comment on the CD packaging as, at the time of writing I haven’t got my copy, but the front cover shows a Turneresque view of BamburghCastle, an iconic vista from the North East coast of England.
The music is entrenched in that region in its influence and spirit. It is full of celebration and with tons of positivity throughout the songs and, yet, Jack portrays the intrinsic sadness that sits at the back of life in the North east at times. The character of the people in this part of the world shines through in songs like Hope and Soaring. There is a stoic character outside but with a quiet poetry in their hearts that is moved by the simplest of things.
The shortest song on the album Spirals, an instrumental, is fascinating in that it has so much space in the track and yet it fills the space well. Jack has obvious skill with the guitar but is not flash or pyrotechnic with it. I am drawn to make an obvious connection with Nick Drake and Roy Harper and this is very valid to some degree with the plaintive voice and the songs that look below the surface of life and examine the world in way only a singer song writer of this tradition can do.
I am not sure if he (Jack) recognises it but I also hear Alan Hull (he of Lindisfarne fame) in his solo guise. I saw Jack recently play some of these songs live and he feels and lives every note of the songs, they come from the heart in the purest form.
Jack is not frightened to let the music alone tell the story and that is a great strength in this case. You can listen to this album on many levels, a glass of wine to hand and the stereo on, and just let the music fill the void and find yourself in a contemplative mood, wishing to watch a sunset while sat on a North sea coast. It’s not background music, it would be almost rude to use it to fill silence, but I can see me putting it on when I get in from a night out to unwind and let the cares of the world drift away.
Bad Elephant Music have made a great signing here. The potential in Jack Arthurs’ writing is yet to be fully realised and I see much to come.
This kind of music is never out of fashion because it never really was in fashion but it crosses boundaries and borders of genres. Everybody, from someone who has heard an Ed Sheeran album to someone with a folk background, can find something to enjoy here.
If I’m being mischievous, I want to hear Jack play with a band and hear him rock out or fill out some of the songs. If he does or doesn’t, it won’t matte,r he can hold his head high, the so called difficult second album is not difficult to these ears.
Released 5th February 2016 via Bad Elephant Music.
“The music industry is a strange combination of having real and intangible assets: pop bands are brand names in themselves, and at a given stage in their careers their name alone can practically guarantee hit records.” – Richard Branson
So, is ‘Old Beardy’ right? To a certain extent, yes he is. You have probably gone out and bought an album, without hearing any of it, just because you know the band and like them. Their name imbues some sort of guarantee of quality, that you are pretty certain to be listening to a really good album. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule (in my case, the execrable ‘Van Halen III’) but this will ring true most times across the board.
Now, how many times have you looked up a band on Youtube, spotify or the like just because you liked the name of an artist you had never heard before? and, to flip it on its head, how many times have you ignored one because you hated their chosen moniker? We can be fickle when it comes to things like this and, because of our dislike of a simple rubric, we can be missing out on some rather excellent music.
No such chance with Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate, that is one brilliant band name and made me want to listen to their music immediately. Thankfully, I was not disappointed!
(Photo by Emre Basala)
Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate, a proggy, rocky, funky, defiant and sometimes poignant band from London, UK, is led by Malcolm Galloway, either on his own, or with his colleagues Kathryn Thomas (flute), Mark Gatland (bass), Rudy Burrell (drums) and Ibon Bilboa (guitar). Malcolm is a singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist, and part-time neuropathologist and medical school lecturer.
Their songs so far have been about invisible disabilities, artificial intelligence, and stuff like that. Their first album, ‘Invisible’, was about Malcolm’s experience of invisible disability due to Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. Malcolm is happy to be interviewed about Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome to try to raise awareness of the condition.
“’When the Kill Code Fails’ is a fascinating expression of the angst and wonder of an AI as it learns to live. It’s science fiction rock: sometimes moody, sometimes serene, with a positive message – no AIs taking over the world here. If you ever wondered what music an AI would listen to, this is it.” – Dr Peter Bentley, Fellow and Honorary Reader in Computer Science at UCL.
(Photo by Jazz Dhillon)
Opener and title track When The Kill Code Fails begins in a spaced out fashion with an electronica infused introduction before the vocals begin, all hesitant and low key. This song introduces the AI character, Vic, and how he offers to help defeat a virus that could cripple the whole world. It is edgy with crashy guitars and a funky rhythm section but it is Malcolm’s striking vocals that carry everything along in his role as storyteller. Fast paced, rushing headlong to a potential global disaster, it keeps you on your toes and begins the album in a very dramatic manner. Broken Wave is a stylish instrumental that represents the nascent aspects of our AI character floating in and out of focus. It is like a slumbering giant, the electronica inspired music washing through your consciousness. You can almost touch the tendrils of the recombined DNA that drifts through this musically created world, it is quite eerie and spooky. A sombre guitar and drums open up Layers, a hard rock driven track that deals with the awakening of certain iterations of the AI, specifically Vic, the first one to act as if he believes he is alive. The punkish vocals really give the song impetus and the impressive bass playing gives an ominous feeling, all in an Iggy Pop style. Throw in an uber cool guitar solo and it just drips intelligence and class as it flies along with reckless abandon.
Another instrumental, Connections sees Vic exploring and developing via the internet. Again, it is really sci-fi inspired and quite dramatic and, to be honest, creepy and wouldn’t have been amiss on the soundtrack to Bladerunner, bringing images of a dystopian future. It feels like an awareness that is waiting for something, brooding, not in any hurry as it knows it has Millennia ahead of it. Now onto an in your face and rock orientated track. Head In A Jar, is a metaphorical song about how Vic feels he was brought into the world and his unhappiness. A harsh, staccato riff and siren like keyboards open the track before the irascible, excited vocals begin. This is angst ridden and just drips with a snarly discord. You can really feel the bitterness that is flowing form our character, he’s not very chipper at all. Link is an electronic instrumental, the AI is exploring more of the virtual world. This track has a real 80’s synth feel to it, almost Kraftwerk like in effect with its retro-futuristic note.
Vic is getting fed up with being repeatedly confused about what he is and that feel runs throughout the dark feeling Going Down. A really low down and rumbling riff spurs the whole song on, Malcolm gives his voice a touch of disquiet and disharmony and the real stylish touch is the flute of Kathryn Thomas that adds a tangible sense of dangerous gaiety. I Still Remember You is the longest track on the album and is real brooding, slow burner of a song. Vic gets a bit angsty that the person he thought he’d been married to for many years is actually a false memory created from stock photography images. He can intellectually accept that, but not emotionally. The low key vocal delivery and subtly haunting rhythm create a real melancholy atmosphere which is only slightly lifted by the impressive chorus. There is a real depth of feeling to the song, an underlying hopelessness that grabs at you and won’t let go in a real addictive manner. The balladic aura is only emphasised by the deeply moving guitar solo that comes alive towards the end. The slow fade at the close gives emphasis to Vic’s artificial memory of a person dissolving. We move on to Vic’s acceptance of what he is on My Clockwork Heart and his belief in the substrate independence of consciousness. Jangly guitars and an insistent drum beat open the track before it runs off like a really good rock track. There are real similarities with fellow Brit proggers Traffic Experiment and an overall feel of a pared back singer/songwriter vibe running throughout the song. The rather excellent guitar solo, provided by Iban, adds a final coat of gloss to what is a short but sweet track.
Freerunning is a darkly compelling instrumental, Vic is running free and exploring his abilities. It gives me a feeling of being followed, chased even, by an unseen and unknown force and is quite chilling. Solace, Vic has become aware of the threat to both the virtual and non-virtual world posed by the virus. He decides to do what he can to fight the virus. This song is a reflection on mortality and the lazy, soul filled guitar is a knowing back drop to our protagonist giving up his virtual room, and moving into a more more authentic and dangerous (but still virtual) reality. The vocals drip with a heartfelt emotion and this quite beautiful song leaves you just about drained. Powerfully stirring, it really does move you in many ways. GlassLithium, the final instrumental, Vic has had his virtual chains unlocked, and is out in the wider internet, dividing himself to attack the virus. He subdues the virus, although it can’t be completely destroyed everywhere and takes on the role of a protector, diffusely distributed across networks, watching out for a resurgent virus. This track could have been taken straight off the soundtrack to The Matrix and reminds me of Rob Dougan, sleek, smart and stylish. The undulating keyboards and swirls of sound emanating from the synths light up the way in your own imagination, beguling and mesmerising.
This inventive and intriguing musical release comes to a close with Alive, Vic has saved the real world from the effects of the virtual world being virus-ridden (hooray) and has come to terms with his identity. He is confident that he is both alive, and passionate about experiencing life. A jazzy and retro feeling song with a funky guitar riff and cheerful vocals it really does bring things full circle. The uplifting, fast-paced chorus takes you on an animated jaunt and the tight guitar work on the solo is a joy to behold. There are touches of early Who amid the classically elegant guitar work and it leaves you on quite a high as this charming record comes to a close.
I love it when new music lands on my desk with no fanfare or previous knowledge. Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate may have a brilliant name but they also produce excellent music. Sometimes progressive, sometimes more rock orientated but, overall, it is an enthralling listen.
Read the story behind Vic and The Kill Code at this link and it will add even more layers of enjoyment to your listening pleasure:
One of the many benefits of living within “the era of Steven Wilson” is in addition to his seemingly bottomless pit of musical projects and his excellent remixing work he also has quite a knack for surrounding himself with top-drawer musicians.
The multi-talented Nick Beggs immediately made his presence felt in Steven’s solo band, not just with his bass and stick playing, but his excellent backing vocals. He provides the harmonic anchor in very much the same way that John Wesley did in Porcupine Tree. When I first heard about The Mute Gods project I was intrigued to hear him take on the main vocal duties himself and the results were even better than I anticipated.
To complete the lineup for The Mute Gods he brought along Marco Minneman, his rhythm section partner from Wilson’s band and also keyboardist/producer Roger King (Steve Hackett) as well as additional contributions from session drummers Nick D’Virgilio and Gary O’Toole.
“Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me” isn’t an actual concept album, but it does have a loose thematic element to it. The topics include “hacktivists”, government surveillance, religious extremism, Internet trolls, general apathy and many other wonderful elements of life in the 21st century. But to his credit Beggs mostly wraps these heavy topics in wonderfully accessible, melodic pop/prog confections, allowing the messages to come across without beating you into submission with negativity.
On my first listen to this album I was really surprised by how infectious it was, a very accessible pop/rock sound delivered with the type of sophistication expected from the artists involved. It made me realize that it’s a shame “mainstream rock radio” doesn’t really exist any longer, because I think many of these tracks would sound great while cruising down the highway with the radio blaring.
The title track Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me sets the stage nicely. After an extended keyboard intro (that had me temporarily flashing back to the early 80s) the main driving rhythm kicks in, propelled forward by a muscular bass pulse. In an alternate reality I could see an arena full of people jumping up and down to this groove and singing along with the anthemic chorus. This track stuck in my head like glue from the very first listen. Is is prog? Well, I suppose that’s debatable, but I don’t hear very many “mainstream” rock acts that have the subtlety and musical chops displayed here.
Praying To A Mute God keeps the vibe upbeat with an even more pop-oriented approach but veers off for a little display of instrumental dexterity in the proggy mid-section. This approach is repeated elsewhere on the album, short moments of progressive stretching out used to punctuate otherwise fairly straightforward compositions. The song always remains the focus.
My favorite tracks on the album are a couple of progressive rock gems on the second half; the lovely and ethereal Strange Relationship and the exotic-tinged atmosphere of Swimming Horses. Two of the longer cuts they give the band a chance to stretch out both compositionally and instrumentally. Roger King’s tasteful keyboard choices are worth note on these songs; he uses a nice balance of vintage and modern sounds, always providing just the right tone the composition requires.
For contrast there are a few darker compositions on the album; Feed The Troll, Your Dark Ideas, the instrumental In The Crosshairs and Mavro Capelo. These tracks are a little heavier and a little more menacing, but are scattered throughout the tracklist so the mood never completely dominates. Of these the most successful is the deliciously dark and devious Feed The Troll, it’s menacing but playful at the same time, kind of like a cat toying with a mouse for a while before finishing it off. The only track that doesn’t quite work on the album is Your Dark Ideas; it comes off more silly than intense, but is partially redeemed by the instrumental mid-section and a particularly gonzo guitar solo.
Speaking of playful, there’s a track on here called Nightschool for Idiots (I’m pretty sure I was valedictorian). This song is the very definition of a grower. When I first heard the album I’ll admit it irritated me to no end, I just found it too sweet, too syrupy, too cute…but with each subsequent listen I liked it more and more and now it’s one of my favorites. This song and Father Daughter stand apart from the rest of the album and feel more self-contained. Father Daughter is exactly what it says it is, a duet between Beggs and his daughter Lula Beggs, the lyrics forming a dialogue. It’s a touching and unique track.
All in all The Mute Gods isn’t quite what I was expecting, but it was a very pleasant surprise nonetheless. I’m hoping we get a follow-up.
“Next to the Word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world.” – Martin Luther.
I have oft mentioned how I see myself as a modern day treasure hunter, searching the jewels of musical endeavor that would otherwise lay hidden due to the fickle nature of the modern music industry. However, I don’t do this alone, there are a lot of us Indiana Jones-a-likes out there and it is often thanks to these fellow musical pursuants that I will be introduced to another wonderful piece of music from a previously unheralded artist.
One fine and upstanding gentleman who I trade musical discoveries with is the Prog Guru™ himself David Elliott, founder of Bad Elephant Music and the Amazing Wilf of The European Perspective fame.
David pointed me in the direction of Berlin based progressive band Osta Love and their latest release ‘The Isle of Dogs’ and it was, yet another, excellent recommendation!
A quick visit to their website elicits the following information:
“Osta Love unite Rock with Jazz, Pop with Baroque, catchy hooks with complex rhythms and add just the right dose of melancholic dreamscape to form a unique sound that touches hearts and heads.
The band was founded by Tobias Geberth and Leon Ackermann as a studio project, after they left their hometown Heidelberg for Berlin in 2010. The two had met in school and had been playing music together since 2006. Soon the first songs were written, recorded and also performed with a live band. In 2013 they released their debut album ‘Good Morning Dystopia‘ that earned them some attention and many favourable reviews.
The line-up was completed when Oliver Nickel joined on bass and Marcel Sollorz on keys and vocals. Over the years Osta Love played live in almost every club in Berlin and played support shows for Boy & Bear and The Pineapple Thief.
Osta Love belief in the album as an artform and like to combine memorable songs with musical ambition and complexity, to form a cohesive listening experience that works on an emotional and on a cerebral level.”
For a progressive album ‘The Isle of Dogs’ is relatively short, coming in, as it does, at 43 minutes but it does have a 16 minute epic on there so that’s definitely heading in the right direction!
Album opener, and title track, The Isle of Dogs opens in a subdued manner before blossoming into a jaunty edged little number. The vocals have a haunting quality to them and the keyboards and drums give a real 70’s psychedelic edge at times. Throw in some rather excellent guitar work and it is a fine bit of nostalgia tinged progressive rock. There is a very finely worked sense of humour running throughout too, especially on the intricate instrumental session that would’nt be amiss on a Caravan album from the 60’s and 70’s. All in all a rather fine opening to the album. Down to the River has a more modern feel to it taking its pointers from Moon Safari, Mew and the like. Upbeat and cheery with cool and classy jazz infused keyboards making an appearance at regular intervals. Marcel’s vocals have a real feel of quality to them with an occasional halting tone and, once again, the guitar work is rather good.
The next track is one of my favourites, a really haunting little ditty that evokes so many different images in your mind. The Sea has an almost portentous opening before opening into a brilliant song that keeps you on edge with the eerie feeling harmony of the vocals and the persistent drumming and melancholy note of the keyboards and piano. A somber and wistful track from beginning to end, it has a bleak beauty deep in its heart, quite superb. Velvety smooth and super cool, Black Beacon Sound wouldn’t be out of place on any modern jazz album. It literally floats along with an air of nonchalance and aloofness and the Martin Taylor-esque guitar solo just oozes class. The vocals are subdued and sultry and the keyboards add another layer of sophistication to this elegantly refined and intelligent track.
A subtly building, haunting introduction heralds the prophetic Green Hills of Home. Marcel’s pensive vocal delivery adds a hushed reverence to the song and the gently undulating piano note gives it a strong gravitas. It grabs you and draws you into its sombre embrace. There is a stark grace that is the core of this humbling track, never more so than on the pleading guitar solo and the austere harmonies. Moonshine at Midnight begins with a low-key introduction before it breaks out into an upbeat track with a note of Franz Ferdinand. Inventive and knowing, it is a clever, complex song with a lively feel running throughout. The vocals are sometimes solemn and restrained and at other times buoyant and optimistic. The gifted keyboard playing is a particular highlight on this track.
Perhaps saving the best until last, the final track is the 16 minute majesty of Translucent Engineering. A delicate acoustic guitar introduces Marcel’s soft and fragile vocal, leaving you hanging on every word. There is a dreamlike feel to this opening part of the track, ethereal and rarefied. Gossamer like, it leaves you in hushed contemplation as it continues to play out before you, a ghostly synthesiser taking up the baton. There is a pause before things get a little more exciting and seriously progressive, a repeated note underlying a wandering guitar and laid back keyboards, quite a spaced out atmosphere in fact. The vocals join in again and lend an aura of 90’s neo-prog to proceedings, it’s all getting very interesting as the captivating guitar transfixes you. Onto the third part of the song and a subtle bass takes over, driving things along with an increased urgency before the guitar, once again, shoulders the burden and takes an uplifting route to your inner soul. Osta Love are extremely skilled in the construction of emotive music and they use every trick in the book on this epic track, the hairs on the back of your neck start to rise as it comes to a powerful conclusion with Marcel’s voice and the incredible guitar playing of Tobias Geberth adding that final layer of polish to a very impressive release.
It is discovering or being introduced to little gems of musical brilliance like this that really makes me smile. Music is one of the greatest treasures that our world possesses and, when it is as good as this, it is a treasure that the whole world should know about and have the chance to enjoy.
“You can either be a victim of the world or an adventurer in search of treasure. It all depends on how you view your life.” – Paolo Cuelho
Well, to quote Mr Cuelho once more, “I’m an adventurer, looking for treasure”, and the treasure I seek is music, not any old music but music that can move you and stir your soul, music that can ask questions and then answer them with amazing clarity.
If I can take some liberty with the original quote, maybe you are a victim of the world if you have to listen to the dirge that is anodyne, bubblegum chart music. This is music that is only ever created for commercial gain and not for passion or just because it can be brought to life and it is anathema to me.
It can take a while to unearth a true gem and, on a recent short hospital stay, I had an interesting conversation that became somewhat an analogy of my musical treasure hunts.
While laid on the hospital bed I struck up a conversation with the gentleman opposite who just happened to be an avid metal detector devotee who would spend hours on a cold and frosty day criss-crossing fields searching for that elusive big find.
While never unearthing anything of large value himself he went on to avail me of the many great finds that his fellow detectorists had come across and, while having the interminable wait of any hospital visit, I came to see how it actually coincided with how I will listen to hundreds of albums to find that one peach of a listen.
Well, my friends, my travails of 2016 haven’t taken long to reveal an early musical gem, Profuna Ocean’s ‘In Vacuum’ and what a jewel it is!
“Profuna Ocean is a contemporary progressive rock band from the Netherlands, founded in 2008. With their sequences of thought out compositions, vivacious melodies and powerful rock sounds their music constantly takes the listener on a musical trip and introduces him of her to the musical world of Profuna Ocean.”
Or so says the PR material that came with the album, the band consists of Fred den Hartog (drums), Raoul Potters (vocals, guitars), Arjan Visser (bass guitar) and René Visser (keyboards) and they self released their first album ‘Watching the Closing Sky’ in 2009. ‘In Vacuum’ was released through Freia Music and sees the band refining and redefining their own unique sound.
To be fair, I was blown away on first listen as an imposing riff awash with heavy guitar and swirling keyboards introduces Thousand Yard Stare with no unnecessary frippery. This then breaks into a stylish melodic section with nicely harmonised vocals a la Steven Wilson before thundering into a dynamic chorus where the keys and flared out guitar take centre stage again. The music grabs you from the start and Raoul’s dulcet tones are perfectly matched, whether playing the melodious troubadour or hard-edged rocker. Throw in an aggressive, hard rock infused solo and some almost deviantly classy instrumental sub-sections and you are left mightily sated by this excellent album opener. The question is, can the rest of the album keep up the incredibly high standard? I find myself transported back to the grunge days of the early 1990’s with the fuzzy guitar and dynamic drums that open Awakening, a really upbeat and aggressive track where the vocal gives it an edgy feel. The melody is really catchy as it dances across your mind and the staccato riff that underpins the verse has you up on your metaphorical toes. I really enjoyed the nostalgic feel of Nirvana and Pearl Jam that emanates from every note, although this track has more smile and less frown at its core.
Hanging in the Balance has a feel of alternative rock to it, the pensive introduction is all guitars and keyboards before a halting vocal takes over, a touch of early Foo Fighters perhaps? Although the chorus seems to come straight from the 80’s with the harmonised vocal and elegant keyboards. There is an undercurrent of intensity running throughout as the drums drive this energetic track along. Raoul Potters shows he has an incredible variety to his vocal delivery, his voice perfectly matched to the individual feel of every song. There is a polished note to the delivery and the mix, mastering and production without it losing any emotion or feeling. The instrumental interlude in the middle of the track builds in intensity, keeping you on the edge of your seat as you await the next step, a trance-like section that evokes the feelsome progressive rock of bands like Riverside, Votum and Vly. The skill of these accomplished musicians has to be heard to be appreciated as they take you on a sonorous journey through your mind punctuated by perfect chords and notes. This track then seems to segue into yet another direction and style, one inhabited by the giants of progressive and symphonic metal, punctuated by soaring guitar runs and stuttering riffs before coming back full circle to finish on the sharp guitar and keyboard tones of the introduction. Losing Ground is sassy, sharp and smart from beginning to end with a funky guitar riff and polished drums leading the chase. This then opens up into a harder-edge chorus where the vocals, guitars and keyboards swell up and hit you hard before that snappy verse grabs your attention once again. These guys know how to take influences from all sorts of genres and mould them into a cohesive whole, one that is definitively Profuna Ocean and the surprises come thick and fast as they bounce around like a pinball machine. It never gets dull and always feels fresh and innovative, you need more than one listen to pick up every nuance and snippet that is included and you never stop smiling or nodding in acknowledgement at what the band have created and delivered for our delectation. Thunderous guitars, powerful drumming, swathes of elegant keyboards and the ever present bass combine to knock you over with a sonic boom of immense proportions, you just laugh, pick yourself up and return for another helping….
Turn down the intensity a few notches and enjoy the lush tones of Ghost. Earnest vocals and a delicate guitar note pluck at your heartstrings as this delightful track soothes your soul and allows a peaceful interlude from the high energy excitement of what has preceded it. I found myself rapt in attention as each note danced across my aural receptors. This track has a grace and tenderness deep at its heart and leaves you in a state of ethereal calm, quite beautiful. This release has impressed me at every turn but the highlight for me is the next track, the magnificent Beautiful Sunrise. It begins with a seriously compelling and dominant riff that rides roughshod over everything in its path, attention grabbing all the way, underscored by a mysterious feeling keyboard tone. Now you have taken notice it pulls back into an absorbing piece of music that wouldn’t be amiss on any of the classic Porcupine Tree albums. Slightly halting vocals on the verse, accompanied by intricate instrumentation, followed by a captivating chorus with lush harmonies and music, all intelligently produced and delivered. This is musical education, you feel that your whole life and being is enriched by every listen, I must have put this track on repeat for 4 or 5 plays deducing every slight insight and gradation as the brilliant keyboards take centre stage before the track graduates into an sophisticated and inventive instrumental section dominated by a dexterous guitar solo. This is where the band’s creativity really takes flight and leaves you slack jawed. I’m sure that Profuna Ocean will admit readily to their influences, as would most bands, but it’s what you do with them that counts. As the song comes to a close it goes a bit psychedelic on you for a minute before it confidently strides off into the distance, satisfied in a job well done.
The title track In Vacuum is a dramatic, cinematic instrumental that holds your attention as this great release moves into its final phase and track Clean Slate which opens with a seriously addictive toe-tapping riff and confident drums, Raoul’s vocals are precise and determinate though the verse before they deliver a heartfelt and compelling tone to the chorus. Grunge, alternative rock, progressive rock, hard rock, you name it, they are all thrown into the crucible and melted down to deliver Profuna Ocean’s signature sound. The influential guitar break and dreamlike synth section, once again, paint a precise picture in your mind as this innovative band continue to inventively mix their musical metaphors to perfection and with superb results. At times it wanders off into a more relaxed vista but it isn’t long before the hard-riffing guitars come and grab the track by the scruff of the neck and set it back on its obdurate trajectory once again. It’s like having four musical seasons in one song but ones that dovetail perfectly to deliver an experience that leads you to the water to drink time and time again. As the song and album come to a close there is another fantastic piece of guitar work that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up before everything starts to slow down and a plaintive piano note runs things out to the final note.
So we are only in January and I have had a proliferation of great music land at Progradar Towers already. There have been some absolutely dazzling releases but, for this music writer, the best of the lot has been Profuna Ocean. A more hard-edged and aggressive take on Progressive Rock but one with a beautiful fragility hidden below. A brilliant start to the year, this is one release that could possibly have been my album of the year if it had surfaced in 2015, as it is, it will take something rather fantastic to top it now!
IF YOU DON’T LIKE YOUR PROG ON THE METAL SIDE, LOOK AWAY NOW.
An endless list: Muse, Queen, Joe Satriani,Pallas, Evergrey, Symphony X, Dream Theater, Anathema, Threshold, and on and on……… I think I have found a new sub-genre, Alloy Prog, as this band combine so many different styles of prog metal and meld it into a melodic whole and it works, it really works, with the emotionally driven lyrics, co-written by Wells and Peachey.
Welcome to ‘Her Halo’, a concept of emotions, recounting the tale of a female trapeze artist embroiled in a love triangle and the fifth album from Australian band Teramaze. I have to say they had not crossed my radar until I heard the title track from this album and what a little belter it is.
I suppose I had best introduce the lads: Dean Wells (prodigious lead/rythm guitar), Dean Kennedy (thundering drums), Luis Eguren (throbbing bass) and Nathan Peachey (soaring vocals).
And so to the album:
Track 1: An Ordinary Dream (Enla Momento) – which I believe translates literally as ‘In the time’.
Ushered in on ethereal winds, with the distant sounds of a carnival, bringing a gentle acoustic guitar and piano intro, leaving us defenceless and unprepared as we are suddenly pinned back in our seats by a barrage of Dean Kennedy’s drum beats peppered with intense guitar fire from Dean Wells and Luis Eguren’s bass battering. It all relents slightly to introduce the melodic vocals of Nathan Peachy before returning to the fray, swooping in and out, this is the longest and most epic of tracks on the album, centred with a heart wrenching guitar solo, licks and hooks abound, leaving you in no doubt what’s to come on the rest of the album. The track ends with a gentle piano run.
Track 2: To Love a Tyrant – Eerie noises and ominous approaching footsteps and it’s into the heavy riffs. This has a sense of foreboding coupled with fear and is more ‘metal’ broken by a short piano interlude. It then returns to the churning guitars and drums, giving you the impression something wicked this way comes, Peachey using his clear, vocal range to a crescendo and good effect. The song ends with an unfinished chord on the piano hanging in the air.
Track 3: Her Halo – Everybody punch the air, here comes the title track. A pleasant string arrangement intro and a gentle verse from Peachy and you can feel the catchy chorus building. You are there by the ringside, as she floats through the air above you, arms raised and bursting your lungs to sing along. Slight editing could see this as a great single.
Track 4: Out of Subconscious – There is no escaping the fact I keep being reminded of Threshold, the drumming and guitar are straight in on this and pick up the pace from the title track. Another catchy chorus and great harmonising before we are allowed a brief respite before being lined up against the wall and shot to pieces by the drums and guitar work again. Peachey’s vocals fly off the scale and we are left to slide to the floor as the frantic guitar riff slides down to the end of the track.
Track 5: For the Innocent – Continuing apace with a great riff/hook, this starts with intent, easing to allow the verses some space, then pounding along again. Dean Kennedy‘s driving rhythms are nothing short of excellent on this album, of which Mr Johanne James himself would be proud, combined with the dynamic bass from Eguren frantically working away as part of the driving powerhouse that pushes the tunes along. This hammers to a sudden end, daring you to catch your breath before the only instrumental on the album begins.
Track 6: Trapeze – The shortest track but it allows the instruments to do the talking and loses nothing for it, Wells shredding with the best of ’em. The sound of something straining and snapping and a fateful scream precede this cinematic, bouncing tune of technical grandeur, showing the fine musicianship of the band members at their best.
Track 7: Broken – The ballad, on which the band come closest to AOR. Guitar work reminiscent of Neal Schon weaves throughout this, the plaintive lyrics from Peachey, once again with seamless harmonies, rising to an uplifting finish. Wells is allowed to shine with fabulous runs at both ends of the fret-board.
Track 8: Delusions of Grandeur – Drum roll to the grand finale and no less than you would expect from such accomplished musicians as they throw everything into this glorious end, including background circus noises. Melodic and compelling it builds breathlessly, bringing everything to a climatic and dramatic close, befitting it’s theme, with the sounds of fire and the sirens of emergency vehicles fading into the distance to nothingness.
The quiet is palpable at this stage and I scan the room to check nothing is burning/melting and there is still glass in the windows. All intact, there are no bullet holes in my clothing, furniture is intact and I have a rather large grin on my face. Thank goodness, time to grab a cup of tea and get some more jobs done. Then again, I could just have another listen, close the room door, who will know.
I don’t really like to have half the review written for me.However, the guys from Malady kindly translated their website information from the Finnish as their English makes my total absence of Finnish look very embarrassing. So for those of you looking at the website, you can now see what some of the words mean and where these guys are coming from..
“Malady was formed in Helsinki in 2010 as a three-piece band (Tony Björkman/Guitar; Juuso Jylhänlehto/Drums and Jonni Tanskanen/Bass) and was initially intended as a one-album project. The album was originally to be released around 2030. The majority of the songs found on the debut album were conceived in the following few years.
Finding the guitar-bass-drums -combination insufficient, Babak Issabeigloo was asked to play the Hammond organ in 2012, which he promptly switched to the guitar and microphone. The role of the organist was filled by Ville Rohiola a few years later. The first album was recorded in summer and fall 2014 and was released by Svart records in late 2015.”
You would not immediately think of Finland as hot bed of talent and prog rock but, thanks to this album being pointed out to me by David Elliot (not of BEM, the other one), I say to you think again if you thought that, and Malady are anything to go by. The sound is retro being Hammond, guitar, bass and drums. The sound the music makes is reminiscent of Floyd (circa Syd up to ‘Meddle’), Camel (‘Rain Dances’/’Snow Goose”) and King Crimson (‘Larks Tongues’ period), with a hefty chunk of Psychedelia thrown in.
This an immensely chilled album, late night candles, you get the idea. Its atmosphere is very unique and conveys the message of the lyrics very well. The band delves into their own culture for some of the inspiration and at global issues for others. Musically these guys know what they are doing and can write very well and never override the music with their skill. The song here is the key and the work they have done shines through every chord sequence and solo. Do not let the language be a barrier here, you do not need to speak Finnish to love this music. The words are minimal and never a problem. I’ve played this album over 10 times and not got bored once, how can you get bored with the huge Hammond and bass combo and the understated but driven rhythm section.
There is nothing new about this album, it’s not earth shattering or ground breaking in its intent but, it is a great vehicle for these guys as writers and musicians.
High points for me are Unessakävelijä and Aarnivalkea, these alone are worth hearing for the money, however, the others are not fillers.
Unessakävelijä is very Floyd and has a sinister under current driving through it that maintains the interest to the very last note. Aarnivalkea – Camel fans take heed at this, they produce a fine 10 minute plus epic of variety that Messrs Latimer and Co. would be justly proud of on any of their albums. If any festival in the UK in 2016 is looking for Scandinavian talent look no further for a bit of coup.
Now, I don’t normally list the tracks of the albums but in this case I think it is needed.
Here is a brief explanation of the songs and titles, translated, with much thanks to Jonni:
Kantaa taakan maa – The Earth carries the burden – A pessimistic view about the impending devastation of nature and man’s impact on the environment. Mankind’s greed as a destructive force on planet earth and generations losing their faith in the future. Ultimately, as the title says outright, it’s the Earth that carries the burden.
Loittoneva varjoni – My receding shadow (instrumental)
Pieniin saariin – To small islands – A rather personal lyric by our guitarist. To this day I’m not entirely sure what it’s about. Something about one’s thoughts escaping to small islands, building worlds out of what you hold inside you. It’s pretty cryptic, to be honest.
Unessakävelijä – Sleep walker – A dreamscape of a man walking in a city in the night during Autumn completely alone, with everything around him silent. The lyrics for this one were never sung but they’re still in the liner notes.
Aarnivalkea – Will-o-the-wisp – Will-o-wisps have several explanations in numerous folklore, whether it be guiding people to safety or toward water for baptism. In Finnish folklore, The Aarnivalkea leads one to faerie gold…. or in this case, allegorically to one’s loved one.
Kakarlampi – Name of a pond in Finland. Instrumental song. Kakar can mean either a child or a red-throated diver (a bird).
fusion (noun) – a merging of diverse, distinct, or separate elements into a unified whole.
When venturing into conversations about experimental or hard-to-define musical styles I often find it beneficial to go back to the original literal definition of the genre name.
Fusion (the musical style) conjures a particular sound and a particular era, mostly the early 70s and bands like Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report, Tony Williams’ Lifetime, Miles Davis’ electric bands, etc. A briefly exciting marriage of rock rhythms and jazz vocabulary that eventually got watered down through the corporate machine until it came out Smooth Jazz on the other end. Thousands of waiting rooms in dentist’s offices beckoned. But the sound of early 70s fusion is very much defined now, so I believe we’ve lost the focus on the diverse elements that went into creating that sound in the first place.
That 70s fusion sound can be heard on both of these albums, but it’s now just one ingredient among many again, it has returned to being an element of a larger whole.
Panzerballett and Special Providence have tackled a similar range of variables; combine various jazz styles and arrangements with highly technical, complex progressive metal. However, they’ve chosen their own individual approaches to attaining that merger.
(Picture by Uzziel van Baalson)
Panzerballett from Munich formed in 2004 and instantly made an impression with their insanely complex and often humorous cover versions of famous jazz and rock standards. Songs as diverse as Smoke On The Water, Giant Steps and Birdland (Weather Report) were dissected and reassembled in all kinds of imaginatively quirky ways. Classically trained bandleader Jan Zehrfeld (guitar) assembled a lineup of similarly schooled musicians including a full-time sax player and set out to play “jazz metal”. ‘Breaking Brain’ is their fourth full-length album and while the humorous elements still come into play, as a whole this is a more focused affair and features primarily original compositions.
Yes, their music is insanely complex and the music nerds have plenty to dissect and study here. But, they are so much fun at the same time, such an infectious spirit permeates these instrumental pieces that even non-musicians should find plenty to enjoy on ‘Breaking Brain’.
My attention is constantly drawn to the saxophone in their arrangements, an instrument that is still a rarity in the prog metal arena. The coloration offered by paring the saxophone with the tightly controlled prog metal arrangements really gives Panzerballett a unique sonic signature. Saxophonist Alexander von Hagke (who has toured with Asia) is an excellent player in the post-bop mold; I hear a lot of Joe Henderson and Michael Brecker influence in his playing. In fact, the music of the Brecker Brothers looms large in Panzerballet’s fusion bag; ‘Heavy Metal Bebop’ for the 21st century.
Highlights include the ferociously complex opener Euroblast, the excellent saxophone feature Der Saxdiktator and the “funk turned inside out and backwards” opus Smoochy Borg Funk.
The comical tendencies come through in the infectious Typewriter II where the rhythm of the piece is stated by the clicking and carriage returns of a manual typewriter. The album also feature a couple interesting cover choices; Mahna Mahna from the late 70s TV series The Muppet Show and an insane reading of Henry Mancini’s Pink Panther theme.
As a whole ‘Breaking Brain’ is the most exhilarating and entertaining instrumental album I’ve heard in 2015 and I highly recommend it to the more adventurous leaning progressive rock and jazz fans.
Special Providence from Hungary released their first album ‘Space Café’ in 2007 and it was primarily a jazz fusion album with elements of funk and rock mixed in. It was on their follow-up record ‘Labyrinth’ from 2008 where they really started integrating progressive rock, instrumental rock, electronics and progressive metal elements into their arrangements.
‘Essence Of Change’ is their most streamlined release to date with a more defined approach to the overall sound. The whiplash-inducing shifts from rock to jazz on their prior album ‘Soul Alert’ were undeniably thrilling but it was probably a hindrance for the non-jazz initiated to warm up to. The jazz elements and compositional complexity are still definitely in place on ‘Essence of Change’, but they’ve now been more subtly integrated, which could be partially attributed to the addition of new keyboardist Zsolt Kaltenecker.
The album flows beautifully through a variety of moods and styles, every piece melodically engaging while also revealing further complexity on repeated listens. The tracks work individually but I think the album is best experienced as a whole.
Guitarist Márton Kertész has to be mentioned here, because his assured playing permeates all these songs. A very tasteful player who possesses the chops for shredding and the restraint to only use them when absolutely necessary (which is a rarity in my experience). That description also really works for the band itself; they never allow their obvious technical skills to take precedence over their compositions.
The highlights are many, with Kiss From A Glacier and first single Northern Lights being the standouts on the first half and the song cycle of Atlas Of You, I.R.P. and the lovely Darkness on the second half.
As a jazz fan for many years I tip my hat to both Panzerballett and Special Providence for showing that fusion is alive and well in the 21st century. It warms my heart to hear young musicians still exploring that vocabulary and finding new and interesting way to apply it to modern progressive music.
‘Breaking Brain’ was released on 30th October 2015 and can be purchased from:
WHAT’S UP PROG-NATION?!?! It’s your boy, Terry DeLien, sometimes guest-host of PROG-WATCH and I am out to strain the shows relationship with Progradar even further by expecting Martin to publish my half-baked reviews!!!!
Marquette (Markus Roth and Achim Wierschem) have just blown my mind! An unwritten axiom of prog rock is that instrumentals are either the exception or the rule. When a prog group does a lot of quality instrumentals then their vocal pieces are almost always lower quality. (Anglagard, Tangerine Dream, lyrical Focus… etc.) A lot of times an otherwise vocal band will start off instrumental for the first track and then do nothing but vocal tracks afterwards (I am looking at you Ciccada and Druckfarben, et. Al.)
So ‘Human Reparation’ came as a bit of a surprise. It looks like it’s going to follow a fairly standard prog formula when it begins, starting off with the rocking instrumental, Mystery Train, and then moving into a strong vocal track, Awakenin a New World, with good lyrics and vocals by Roth. It then takes a turn for the unique by giving us THREE MORE exceptional instrumental tracks before Markus sings again. Track 3 is Adam und Eva, a slow, solo, piano piece,followed by The Mirror, a mostly up tempo suite that clocks in over 9 minutes and is one of my favorite bits on the album. Next we get a piece that, down to its name, says “Hi, we are from Germany and we like Tangerine Dream!!!” Syncope of Obscure Nature is a title that could have fallen off of almost ANY of Dreams “Pink Year’s” albums, indeed, most of their 70’s albums. The music on ‘Syncope’ tends to represent bits of TD style from the 80’s on into the 2000’s distilled into a cohesive 4 minute piece.
Hold up, It’s time to rock’n’roll again with another vocal piece called Mass Hysteria. Don’t misunderstand, though! Marquette expertly set the stage between the slow, mellow and the hard rocking pieces to keep the mood throughout the album, and they PROG HARD with the tempo and time signature changes. Cancer, another well-put-together instrumental suite, follows before we head into the slightly more ‘vocal heavy’ last half.
My Green Garden is not a bad track, there are none on the album, but it is my least favorite. It’s the one I would probably not play outside the context of the album. Sandwiched between Cancer and the amazing The Last Kiss, however, it fits perfectly. One last instrumental La Grande Vallee where Achim rocks out on the guitar to mellow keyboard support, and then it’s on to (BRING ON THE EPIC!!!) the epic of the album.
Here is the part where I would like to talk about the “five listens” rule. It is a belief of mine that music of any artistic merit cannot be judged on the strength of one hearing. I think you need at least five listens to a piece or album to judge and I have seen many opinions, including my own, revised over the course of five listens. (Sometimes, for the worse… I favorably reviewed one band’s 2015 prog effort after listening twice only to have it fail in my own personal playlist.)
That said, I think sometimes epics and concept albums require more than that. As I listen to Lost At Sea, the 18-minute penultimate track from ‘Human Reparation’, I can hear that it has everything a great prog concept piece needs in the music and the lyrics, but I am not at the point yet where it is making the same kind of connections in the brain as All of the Above or Echoes… Of course, neither did those, at first. I feel like, in this case, it will get there! Finally, we mellow out with a shorter vocal piece called Grandmother’s Music Box…The spell complete, Marquette fades out the magical trance and returns us to the real world.
This is my favorite prog album of this year, so far! Beautifully written, performed, produced and with no way to pigeonhole their sound. You can hear hints of influences (Porcupine Tree for example on Awaken in a New World) but the music is overwhelmingly original. Marquette have made an original, modern prog album, and that is so important because there are just too many bands with debut albums that are a total pastiche (RPWL, The Watch and I.Q. et. Al, not that they haven’t moved on to wonderful things). ‘Human Reparation’ also features a lot of good energy and can keep your attention for the full 78 minutes, which is also rare.
‘Human Reparation’ has been out since July of 2015 and currently holds the top spot on my list of 2015 new releases. (Sorry, ‘Skyline’… I love you, too but there it is!)
Nice job Markus and Achim… can’t wait to see what you do with Marquette #2!!!!!
CD is available as an import from the usual suspects!
Terry DeLien
Terry DeLien is the sometimes co-host of Prog-Watch on Progzilla.com. Terry has been an aficionado of Progressive rock since he bought his first Prog Album, RUSH-“Exit Stage Left” in 1981. From Pennsylvania, USA, Terry has been a dj, karaoke show host and taxi driver. Currently he manages a restaurant.
