Review – Unitopia – Seven Chambers

“I often think in music, I live my daydreams in music, I see my life in terms of music.”Albert Einstein.

That quote is really how I see music and why I started this website in the first place, I love music and spend the vast majority of my time listening to it. Progressive rock is one style of music that I really resonate with, to me, when it is done well, it is the modern version of classical music or musical theatre, both genres where the music can be so expressive.

Well, without spoiling the conclusion of this review, this new, much anticipated, album from legendary antipodean progressive band Unitopia definitely falls into the ‘done well’ category…

As the follow-up to 2010’s ‘Artificial’ and 2012’s ‘Covered Mirror Vol. 1 – Smooth as Silk‘ (a superb assortment of classic/prog rock reinterpretations), ‘Seven Chambers‘ is Unitopia’s first new outing in over a decade. Founded by vocalist/songwriter Mark “Truey” Trueack (United Progressive Fraternity) and multi-instrumentalist Sean Timms (Southern Empire,DamanekUPF) in 1996, Australian progressive fusion Unitopia have always been among the most renowned and distinctive bands of their ilk and era.

During the interim, each member kept busy with various other projects, and according to Progrock.com‘s Essentials’ Mark Monforti, the method of getting the group going again was endearingly fortuitous:

“A few years ago, Steve Hackett was exploring studios and players for a show in Australia, and he contacted Timms about using the studio that he and Truey still owned. That got Sean and Truey talking about possibly working on new music together. Then, I reached out to them about doing some shows. They went exceedingly well, which sort of solidified the fact that Unitopia needed to come back.”

With Timms and Trueack reunited, the duo decided to expand Unitopia by bringing in fellow UPF maestro Steve Unruh, guitarist Dr. John Greenwood, drummer Chester Thompson (Frank ZappaWeather ReportGenesis) and bassist Alphonso Johnson (Weather ReportSantanaDavid Gilmour).

With the powerhouse duo of Timms and Greenwood on creative duties, aided and abetted by Trueack and Unruh’s songwriting skills, Unitopia have delivered something rather special. It is a truly remarkable and immersive musical experience, wonderful musical theatre at its absolute best. The songs just ebb and flow magically and the musical virtuosity on show is totally mind blowing.

In a world where the darkness seems to be overwhelming the light, it is a salve for the soul to hear an album with as much emotional depth and sheer musical beauty and bombast as this. The music is the light that fights back the darkness and gives us hope and that’s what truly great music can do and why music really can mean more to you on a daily basis.

Mark’s powerful and emotive vocals are wonderfully stirring and effective, especially on songs like Broken Heart where John Greenwood’s magical guitar playing can first be heard. The keyboards dance like little gems of sound in your mind and the ever so cultured rhythm section of Chester Thompson and Alphonso Johnson is a lesson in less is more except, of course, when more is more! The deeply thoughtful Something Invisible opens up into something strident and vibrantly dynamic where the music wends its way around your psyche like it’s almost alive. I honestly don’t think I’ve heard an album as meaningful as this in quite a long time, every note is perfectly placed and the vocals are sinuous and full of heart and soul. One of the things I really love about this album is the use of strings, Steve Unruh’s violin especially is utterly charming and full of intellect and vitality. Bittersweet is just that, the wistful guitar and piano that open the song, along with Truey’s delicate vocal are as sweet as they come, tinkling on your mind. Things get more darker and edgy in the second half of the song, very free form jazz influenced, but almost with a wry smile in the background, you just have to admire the fantastic songwriting again.

Mania is deliciously dark, there’s a sense of foreboding from the primeval opening and the crunching guitar, Mark’s vocal goes up in intensity, he really has such an expressive voice and when he sings a chorus it absolutely soars. Twelve minutes of sombre, brooding music that is brilliantly executed by all, it’s a real powerhouse of a song and an almost exhausting listen as the emotion in the track bleeds directly into you. John’s fervent guitar work is superb and, once again, Chester and Alphonso step up to the mark superbly, a highlight of the album for me. There’s refinement and elegance throughout this exquisite album and that continues with the elegant The Stroke Of Midnight, wistful and contemplative, it’s sheer grace and style are a joy to behold. Mark’s voice is as smooth as they come and the music just flows so elegantly. As a lesson in songwriting, it is nigh on perfect and the violin section will make the hairs on the back of your neck rise, it is utterly mesmerising.

If you have an album that is supposed to be progressive rock, then it needs to have an epic, or in the case of Unitopia, two epics to finish the album! First Helen gives us nineteen minutes of sheer musical brilliance with wide ranging musical styles all asked to turn up and blend in together and, boy do they ever. Symphonic rock, gypsy violin, flamenco guitar chops, heavy rock, they just keep coming. It’s a musical melting pot of sheer wonder and the band just seem to having so much fun playing it. The highlight for me is a marvellous section where Steve Unruh plays a beautiful flute alongside a stylish Elizabethan harpsichord and it just made me smile. The album closes with the widescreen wonderment of The Uncertain, a scintillating musical work that crosses the boundaries of musical theatre, classical music, progressive rock and contemporary music with abandon to deliver eighteen minutes of dazzling, intense brilliance. Mark’s vocals dip into each genre with ease as he shows off his fantastic talent and Steve delivers a violin solo that is utterly riveting and enchanting, this is six musicians working in perfect harmony, almost symbiotic and delivering the performances of their lives.

Unitopia have returned with one of the stand out releases of the year. It may be over a decade since we had any music from this uber-talented collective but, in this reinvigorated from, it would appear that they are back and even better than before. ‘Seven Chambers’ is possibly the ultimate expression of modern progressive rock and one of the highlights of this year, it just doesn’t get much better than this!

Released 25th August, 2023.

Order CD from Burning Shed here:

Search (burningshed.com)

Or download from bandcamp here:

Music | Unitopia (bandcamp.com)

Review – Southern Empire – Another World

Music is the perfect accompaniment to life, when you listen to great music you don’t need to be doing anything else. There are all sorts of different music genres and we don’t like them all but, to me anyway, there’s no such thing as bad music, it’s just music that’s not for me.

Music that definitely is for me is, ‘Another World’, the new album from the brilliant Southern Empire, one of Australia’s greatest exports, music or otherwise! I’ve long been a fan of their bombastic and highly entertaining style of rock tinged progressive music and count the band’s second release, ‘Civilisation’, as one of my favourite all time albums. Well, now this band of antipodean troubadours are back with a new album and, perhaps controversially, a new lead singer!

“The dragon, unaware that Danny is still atop her massive frame, carries him afar to other realms and adventures. He is at peace, knowing that the others are safe and well, indulging in the countless distractions that this other world has to offer.

Then, a new paladin appears, our patriotic protagonist, Shaun of the Hollow Grove. Although familiar with the wind-swept terrain, he’s certain he’s never sojourned this far before… but he sets his sights on the embankment ahead and begins his sesquipedalian odyssey.”

Original lead vocalist and guitarist Danny Lopresto left under good terms (and still provides backing vocals on the album) but his are big shoes that new man Shaun Holton has had to fill. I spoke to Shaun about this and the new album;

“It was a long process! It began around May last year during a pretty challenging time for my family and I but, yeah, I have been a friend of Cam Blokland’s for a number of years and we have wanted to work together for a while (from early Projected Twin days in 2008).

So when Danny left, Cam put me forward quickly! I recorded Face the Dawn first, Sean and Cam loved it, but the other guys wanted to hear me do a bit more, so I sang Goliath’s Moon and Forrest Fire as well. Then it was White Shadows! (this was the song that made me really hope they went with me, I thought that we really had something with that!) Once the band had all heard White Shadows that was kinda it for them too.

So then it was a bit of work tracking the rest which we would have finished around January this year. Danny has heard a bunch and has let me know he thinks it’s really good and fully supported my entry into the band. I thought that was incredibly professional and spoke to his character greatly! It was challenging to replace vocals built for him specifically. Sometimes I had to go my own route. I’m happy with where we got it!”

I’m not going into the challenging time that Shaun references as it’s personal to him but let’s just say it shows what strength and character he has and why he fits the band perfectly.

Band leader Sean Timms said that;

“Shaun not only has an incredible voice, he’s also a gifted musician and song writer. He has a passion for life and is an incredibly upbeat person with amazing amounts of energy. When he commits to a project… it’s 100% all the way. He’s helping a great deal with the promotion of the new album, adding copious amounts of social media posting and always ready and available for interviews.”

Right, now for the music, ‘Another World’ is all that’s good about progressive rock, taking influences from all over the musical hemisphere, electro, techno, rock, funk and a huge dose of prog rock to deliver a hugely entertaining and theatrical romp. The songwriting and musicianship are absolutely superb and the production levels are off the scale, not surprising with Sean Timms at the helm.

What makes the new album stand out from the steampunk influenced (well, to me at least) ‘Civilisation’ is the harder edge epitomised by Cam Blokland’s superb, fluent and, at times, extremely heavy guitar. Add in to this the addition of not one, but two sax players (Adam Page on tenor and Marek Arnold on soprano), Steve Unruh (violin and flute) and Amanda Timms (flute) and we are treated to a veritable cornucopia of musical delights. The rhythm section of Brody Green (drums, percussion) and Jez Martin (bass) are the definition of stylish solidity and provide a firm (but always funky) foundation on which the music can soar, and soar it bloody well does!

Opening track and first single Reaching Out, inspired by the very prevalent multi-verse stories being told in a lot of films and TV series lately, takes the ‘What if’ scenario and runs with it at breakneck speed. Staccato riffs, swirling keys and a thunderous rhythm section marry up with a superb chorus to deliver a frenetic four minutes of musical fun and games. It’s all about understanding how the choices we make can have a profound affect on our lives… good, bad and indifferent. After that hell for leather introduction to Shaun’s vocal talents (the chorus harmonies are brilliant!), things take a more epic scope with Face The Dawn which was inspired by a documentary that Sean saw about climbing El Capitan in Yosemite (I’ve seen it and I also share his fear of heights!). It’s a twelve minute plus epic about facing ones fears and is an epic that only Southern Empire could do, funky, edgy and melodic in turn, the Leprous style repetitive guitar riff is slick and polished and yet the glorious piano and violin section is as emotive as they come. The song twists and turns, sometimes at a ferocious pace and, at others, laid back and leisurely and Shaun’s vocals are perfectly balanced throughout. It’s a veritable monster of a song and one that leaves you breathless and with a smile on your face.

Written by Cam and with his soulful voice on lead vocal, Hold On To Me is about staying strong for someone else to help them through their pain and is full of passion and soul. Cam lays down a beautiful acoustic guitar and is backed with aplomb by Shaun’s vocals and guitar and Sean’s wistful piano note. It is powerful but a lot more stripped back than the usual Southern Empire fare in most places yet, when it does blossom into something potent and compelling, it does so with sheer elegance and sophistication. Without out a doubt, it is one of the best pieces of music that the band have produced. On When You Return Sean married the subject matter about possible life on other planets with a sort of love song to the creator of the universe. The track features a great narration from the wonderful Lisa Wetton (who also lays down some percussion on the track), the jury is out as far as Sean is concerned regarding life on other planets, but he remains open minded about it as much as he can. I really like the lively, energetic feel of this track, the funky guitar, bass and drums remind me of Extreme and Living Colour in places and the uptempo beat is just a joy to listen to. Monstrous riffing aplenty, Moving Through Tomorrow is, without doubt, the heaviest track on the album, I’m sure Cam’s riff is hewn out of granite and Shaun gives his most dynamic and potent vocal performance yet. It’s a song about defiance, about getting through the obstacles of life, daily challenges, being humble but not broken and surviving. At one point you hear Shaun sing, ‘An angry call to arms…’, and there is a controlled anger in the song, a bravado and boldness that gives it a rebellious edge. There’s some fabulous harmonies and soulful keyboards but, at its core, there’s definitive call to live our lives how we want to and attributing as much meaning to them as we can.

“The birth of an electric sun, The Earth-bed dry, the colours run Left confused, so dazed and lost, With no one left to count the cost…”

As already said, there’s no prog epic quite like a Southern Empire penned epic and in the eighteen minute plus White Shadows, we are treated to one of the best. A legacy to the band from Danny, who had the main inspiration for the track, it’s a bit of a post apocalyptic piece about survival through horrendous conditions and circumstances. Ultimately uplifting and hopeful, it’s about loss and working through that loss to come out the other side… not unscathed, but hopefully wiser, more compassionate and resilient. You go through a whole gamut of emotions in its extended running time, emotions brought about by the impressive mixing of musical styles. There’s a magnificent, cinematic, instrumental opening section that spans horizons and takes you on a widescreen musical adventure, like an Oscar winning movie soundtrack with a classical influence, Sean’s piano playing is particularly impressive. The track then moves into a heavy techno, electronic section before Shaun’s stentorian vocal enters the fray. Brilliantly melodic and aided and abetted by some glorious sax, it’s very jazzy feeling, if jazz got all bolshy and aggressive and, once again, the song has a really catchy chorus.

“White Shadows were all that remained, A pulse and a heart beat were lost in the flame, White shadows were all that I saw, A ghost from the past here no more, here no more…”

There’s some quite violent but addictive riffing and the sax gets to weave its sinuous spell around your mind before the mysterious, enigmatic second part of the song begins. There’s a building of anticipation, all created by the inspired music, Shaun’s vocals and the quite sublime saxophone.

“Like a flash of lightning he fell, Shine on brightly, say farewell, “I will return” he said with rage, “And then I’ll truly come of age”…”

A wistful, ethereal flute then hypnotises as part three begins, laid back and undemanding with another sumptuous vocal combination from Cam and Shaun, Cam’s low voice a perfect accompaniment to Shaun’s more powerful delivery. It’s a hugely impressive part of the song and one of the best parts of the album, full of passion, intensity and fervour.

“This illusion disappears in the light of inspiration… inspiration…”

Jazz fusion then takes over with a brilliant keyboard, bass and drum led section that could have come straight out of the mind of Pat Metheny before we come towards the end of the song and a repeat of the impressive chorus section before Cam’s thundering guitar ends things in primeval style.

“White Shadows have faded away, The pulse and the heart beat are beating again, White shadows dissolve into dust, Descend into darkness, their dreams turn to rust…”

After that pulsating, heart pounding experience, the album closes with Butterfly, another of Cam’s songs, and a bit of a quiet closer and palette cleanser. It’s about letting the ones you love live freely without constraint from ourselves and it soars with a delightful, uplifting energy. Cam’s vocals are dreamy and contemplative and the music has a playful feel to it, especially the dancing flute, it’s a thoughtful and reflective end to an hour of musical wonder and joy.

A Southern Empire record is always just more than an album release, it’s a hugely significant occasion and one that I await with bated breath. Their music has been a soundtrack of my more recent years and is very, very important to me on a musical and emotional level. ‘Another World’ is an absolute masterpiece of musical theatre and, possibly, the band’s Magnum Opus, one of the best albums you will hear this or any other year, and the perfect accompaniment to my life.

Released 4th September, 2023.

Order CD from GEP here:

Another World – Pre Order – GEP

And the vinyl from GEP here:

Another World Orange Marbled Vinyl – Pre Order – GEP

Southern Empire share new single “Hold On To Me” from upcoming new album Another World

Another World is out on September 4th – Pre-order begins today!

Southern Empire recently announced the new album, Another World, due out on September 4th, 2023 on GEP Records. It’s been five years since their last offering ‘Civilisation’ made such a big impression on the music press and fans alike and now the band have again created a masterpiece of musicianship and production.

You can now Pre-Order Another World here:
CD: https://gep.co.uk/products/another-world-pre-order
& Orange Marbled Vinyl: https://gep.co.uk/products/another-world-orange-marbled-vinyl

Today, the band share the second single from the album. Watch the video for “Hold On To me” here:

Sean Timms had this to say about the new single:
“From the very moment Cam Blokland, our exceptional guitarist, strummed the opening chords of ‘Hold On To Me,’ I was filled with the certainty that we had stumbled upon something extraordinary – one of the finest songs we would ever record.

The sheer brilliance of Cam’s lead vocals, complemented by the mesmerizing backing vocals from Shaun Holton, our new front man and rhythm guitarist, left an indelible mark on my mind. As the last note faded away, I knew ‘Hold On To Me’ wasn’t just another track; it was destined to be a hit.

The emotional depth and captivating melodies woven into the song have an undeniable power to linger in the hearts of listeners long after the music stops. ‘Hold On To Me’ is an unforgettable masterpiece that showcases the immense talent and chemistry of our band.”

Tracklisting:
1. Reaching Out (4:17)
2. Face The Dawn (12:45)
3. Hold On To Me (6:31)
4. When You Return (6:20)
5. Moving Through Tomorrow (10:23)
6. White Shadows (19:23)
7. Butterfly (4:25)

Watch the video for the first single “Reaching Out’ here:
https://youtu.be/l-miycsFAHQ

Shaun Holton – Lead and Backing Vocals
Cam Blokland – Electric and Acoustic Guitars, Lead and Backing Vocals
Jez Martin – Fretted and Fretless Bass
Brody Green – Drums, Hand Percussion, Backing Vocals
Sean Timms – Keyboards, Programming, Lap Steel Guitar, Backing Vocals

Progressive fusion ensemble Unitopia announce new studio album Seven Chambers – Pre-Orders start today!

Founded by vocalist/songwriter Mark “Truey” Trueack (United Progressive Fraternity) and multi-instrumentalist Sean Timms (Southern Empire,DamanekUPF) in 1996, Australian progressive fusion Unitopia have always been among the most renowned and distinctive bands of their ilk and era. Now the band is pleased to announce the new studio album Seven Chambers, due out on August 25th, 2023.

Unitopia has undoubtedly reached new creative, emotional, and intellectual heights with their latest opus, Seven Chambers (their first original collection on independent label Progrock.com’s Essentials). Comprised of seven tracks and lasting just over eighty minutes, it’s an incredible journey that finds Unitopiareturning at the peak of their artistic and technical prowess. 

Pre-orders for the digital and physical editions are now available via the following outlets:
Progrock.com‘s Essentials (https://essentials.progrock.com)
Burning Shed (https://burningshed.com/tag/Unitopia)
Just for Kicks Music (https://justforkicks.de/en/)
White Knight Records (https://www.whiteknightshop2.co.uk/)
Unitopia’s Bandcamp page (https://unitopia.bandcamp.com/)

Plus, multiple color variations are available for the physical versions, as well as a special vinyl edition that features a die-cut cover revealing a portion of the sleeve behind it!

Tracklist:
  1. “Broken Heart” (8:30)
  2. “Something Invisible” (6:39)
  3. “Bittersweet” (7:20)
  4. “Mania” (12:29)
  5. “The Stroke of Midnight” (9:38)
  6. “Helen” (19:14)
  7. “The Uncertain” (18:33)

As the follow-up to 2010’s Artificial and 2012’s Covered Mirror Vol. 1 – Smooth as Silk (a superb assortment of classic/prog rock reinterpretations), Seven Chambers is Unitopia’s first new outing in over a decade. During the interim, each member kept busy with various other projects, and according to Progrock.com‘s Essentials’ Mark Monforti, the method of getting the group going again was endearingly fortuitous:

“A few years ago, Steve Hackett was exploring studios and players for a show in Australia, and he contacted Timms about using the studio that he and Truey still owned. That got Sean and Truey talking about possibly working on new music together. Then, I reached out to them about doing some shows. They went exceedingly well, which sort of solidified the fact that Unitopia needed to come back.”

With Timms and Trueack reunited, the duo decided to expand Unitopia by bringing in fellow UPF maestro Steve Unruh, guitarist Dr. John Greenwood, drummer Chester Thompson (Frank ZappaWeather ReportGenesis) and bassist Alphonso Johnson (Weather ReportSantanaDavid Gilmour).

Seven Chambers is a globe-spanning effort that began in 2021, with virtually every member working in their own studio in either America or Australia. Although things got off to a strong start, a few unexpected hiccups somewhat impeded the band’s headway.

“Progress was severely interrupted by Sean’s other commitments, such as moving into a renovated house and being in-demand with other projects and festivals. Then, Truey and Chester faced personal hardships. At more than one stage, it looked like the record might never happen. Luckily, the delays led to a few solo projects blossoming, and suddenly, our schedules began clearing in early 2023 and we began moving at a real pace again,” Steve Unruhexplains.

Thus, Seven Chambers is truly a testament to Unitopia’s chemistry and commitment, not only because it sees them triumphing over those setbacks but because it ended up being roughly twice as long as the original 40-minute plan (without a moment of filler!)

The band already have a few dates lined up which you can see here:

2023 Tour Dates:
3 Sept. – 2Days Prog + 1, Veruno Novara, Italy
5 Sept. – Konzertfabrik Z7, Pratteln, Switzerland
9 Sept. – Neuberinhaus, Reichenbach im Vogtland, Germany
13 Sept. – Colos-Saal, Aschaffenburg, Germany
14 Sept. – Poppodium Boerderij, Zoetermeer, Netherlands
15 Sept. – Chez Paulette Pub Rock, Pagney derrière Barine, France
8 Oct. – ProgStock, Rutherford, New Jersey, USA

Unitopia:
Mark “Truey” Trueack – vocals, songwriting
Sean Timms – songwriting, keyboards, backing vocals, various stringed instruments
Steve Unruh – songwriting, backing vocals, violin, flute, rhythm guitars, mandolin
John Greenwood – songwriting, backing vocals, lead electric guitar, nylon-strung guitar, 6 and 12-string acoustic guitars, mandolin, programmed orchestration
Chester Thompson – drums
Alphonso Johnson – bass
 

Review – John Greenwood – DARK BLUE

Following a life training as a Plastic Surgeon and practicing as a Burn Surgeon and Director of the Adult Burn Centre of the Royal Adelaide Hospital. retirement has finally allowed John Greenwood to pursue some musical dreams.

Just prior to retiring, he met Mark Trueack who had been pointed his way by Jimmy Keegan (not that one), a very long-time friend of John’s and the guitarist in Trueack’s fledgling UPF Acoustic. Following a hand-injury, and unable to play, Keegan suggested that John might be interested. After a few rehearsals with UPF Acoustic, Trueack introduced John to Sean Timms, suggesting a rekindling of Unitopia and a studio album based on ailments suffered by the band’s members. At this stage, Sean helped John establish his own home studio.

John began to record a series of solo tracks (some with themes he composed as a teenager, and some completely new). The songs quickly divided into two camps; those about man’s inhumanity to man, governmental choosing of economy over citizens and even the health of the planet (DARK). The others focussed on sadness due to various forms of loss (physical, experiential, personal – BLUE). He added into that group his cover of what he considers the ultimate song of loss, Tony Banks’ Afterglow.

His ‘Dark Blue’ album features several family members (Wife, Helen, provided the inspiration and lyrics for A Proper Song; Daughter, Emma, sings on Rosco and The Ocean as well as playing the introductory ‘cello on the latter; Son, Sam, plays the Grand piano piece in The Ocean, whilst Sam’s wife Sarah plays violins on Too Late!, Too Late! Reprise and The Ocean whilst her sister Nicola plays flute on the same tracks). John’s brother-in-law, Andrew Fanning, helped with lyrics for Too Late! and The Ocean, whilst the daughter of a work colleague of John’s, Kirstin Damkat, spoke the child’s soliloquy.

A school friend of John’s (Andrew Rowland) provided all the artwork. Sean Timms added additional keyboards and some great sound effects, and a number of drummers were involved (international artist Craig Blundell and local drummers, Ben Todd and Mike Giuffreda). Sean drafted in Nick Sinclair to replace John’s bass on Rosco and Julian Ferraretto to play gypsy violin on Packin’ my Suitcase. Other than that, it’s all John on vocals, all guitars, most of the bass guitars, keyboards and orchestration.

So there is a really extensive introduction to John Greenwood’s solo album and, do you know what?, ‘Dark Blue’ has to be one of the most truly progressive albums I’ve heard this year. At times it is like musical theatre, bombastic, orchestral overtures and idiosyncratic, over the top, vocals and, at others, it is just utterly sublime, wistful and beautiful music with ethereal vocals (check out John’s daughter, Emma, on the epic The Ocean) but it never fails to captivate and engross you in it’s lengthy sixty-nine minute running time.

You’ve read about the supporting cast that helped to make this wonderful release, I mean Craig Blundell for god’s sake!, but this is John’s creation, 100% and his sureness of touch and songwriting genius can be felt in every word and note. If you’re a fan of Unitopia and UPF then you can feel the slight influences on the album and that is a good thing, the expansive music and thought provoking subject matter are cleverly integrated into this amazing creation.

The epic A Little Piece of Rosco Vidal is progressive rock at its finest, a build up of musical intensity, intricate melodies, fine vocals and music that is both cerebral and emotive, superb! The trio of Too Late!, Too Late! Reprise and The Ocean stray boldly into the territory of musical theatre where the elegant vocals of both John and Emma could grace any West End stage but it’s blended perfectly with fine progressive sensibilities to almost create its own identity and check out the wondrous violin and flute, just beautiful.

The passionate, powerful duo of Requiem and Heartless add some meat to the bones (John’s vocal on the latter is dynamic and vibrant) and the almost singer/songwriter vibe of Inside is powerfully moving. The whimsical, bluesy humour of Packin’ My Suitcase shows John’s humorous side with the gypsy violin of Julian Ferraretto the archetypal twinkle in the eye and there’s a simple splendour to The Kiss with Nick Magnus’ impressive orchestration.

John’s version of Afterglow, the moving track originally By Tony Banks, is just sublime and won’t leave a dry eye in the house and this sublime album closes with the fantastic A Proper Song, reminiscent of Wish You Were Here. Pared back acoustic guitar and elegant vocals along with Hammond Organ ( you’ve got to have a Hammond!) deliver a consummate listening experience and when the electric guitar solo kicks in, it’s just heaven!

It’s not often we hear a truly progressive release nowadays but, almost from out of nowhere, John Greenwood has entered the fray with one of the finest releases of 2023. The musicianship and songwriting are top notch and, like all the best albums, I find this on almost permanent rotation, it is, to put it simply, utterly superb!

Released 1st July, 2023.

Order from bandcamp here:

DARK BLUE | John Greenwood (bandcamp.com)

Review – Damanek – Making Shore

Damanek are a sort of Prog Rock supergroup formed by fellow
Yorkshireman Guy Manning (lead/backing vocals, keyboards, acoustic guitar & instruments; loops; samples; percussion), Marek Arnold (saxes; seaboard; additional keyboards), and Sean Timms (keyboards; backing vocals; programming backing vocals & additional programming).

The talented trio are joined on ‘Making Shore’ by an impressive cast of musicians including Brody Green, Julie King, Cam Blokland, Kev Currie, Riley Nixon-Burns and Linda Pirie, to name a few!

‘Making Shore’ is the band’s third album and is another genre-defying collection of sophisticated songs that again manage to combine impressive technical proficiency with catchy hooks and vast soundscapes. I was a big fan of the band’s previous release, ‘In Flight’, saying, “A compelling, engaging and stimulating listening experience that leaves you high on music and life. Every absorbing minute of music is a minute that will bring a smile to your face.” So I was really looking forward to the new album and, thankfully, I was in no way disappointed.

‘Making Shore’ is music with morality, an object lesson in how to get your message across (over population, global warming etc.) without shoving it down people’s throats and alienating them. I’ve always felt that Damanek create music with the perfect blend of progressive rock and jazz and then the band introduce wonderful elements of world music into the mix (mandolin, bazouki etc.) and you won’t find a better use of the saxophone in modern prog than on one of their albums and Marek Arnold is on fine form here!

The album is split between seven ‘regular’ tracks and then ‘Oculus’, an epic gothic flight of fantasy that comprises an overture and four suites, when I see that written down it does sound a bit pretentious but it is actually superbly done. The regular tracks all have a socio-political or ecological theme and work really well, I’m especially a fan of opener A Mountain of Sky, a song literally about Everest and how the notion of conquering the mountain is ridiculous, it is, after all, aloof, majestic, beautiful and timeless and this track is a great tribute to one of the giants of nature. Upbeat, fast paced and monumental, the music breezes along and Guy’s elegant vocals just add real soul to the song, the keyboard breaks are properly 70’s prog, the sax is vibrant and dynamic and the guitar playing is, well, epic, just like the mountain. Back2Back is about over-population and how it could be aggravating global warming and pollution. It’s a more laid back piece, one where the keyboards are one of the main characters, supporting Guy’s soulful vocals. There’s an especially fiery break in the middle that adds a more serious overtone and Marek’s sax is always there in the background ready to erupt with class and spirit.

“If we do nothing at all, then we will watch as populations rise and resources decrease in a state of Global inequality…standing by as children die of hunger.” Noon Day Candles has a melancholy, wistful feel, not surprising considering the subject matter but it is quite a beautiful song. The mellowness imbued by the elegant music and Guy’s stirring vocals really hit home as Marek plays a tender sax in the background. It’s a really moving piece of music and shows what sensitive, mature people these musicians are. Americana is about a fictitious farmstead in the US Mid West where a traditional family struggles to keep their heritage farm going against a backdrop of increasing climate changes and poverty and brings to mind ‘So’ era Gabriel to my ears. Adding that signature Damanek soulful groove to an Americana inspired song is a really clever idea and the lyrics are particularly pertinent on this track. The outpouring of emotion on the chorus is particularly touching and, along with the superb piano, adds real gravitas to this impassioned tale.

“I wrote this piece for my youngest who has Aspergers and can find things challenging at times… On a holiday in Greece he decided (off his own bat) to try scuba diving…after the shock of the request settled in we of course said ‘Go for it!’…he went off by himself, signed up, faced his insecurities and did the dive…we were very proud of him and so I wrote this song all about it!”

That’s the story behind In Deep Blue (Sea Songs Pt.1) and the fact that this song is based on Guy’s own personal experiences really touches me, the love he has for his son and the pride he feels as he overcame his disability is there for all to see and it gives the track a whole different aura. A wonderfully flowing piece of music with elegant vocals, it has a real feel good factor running throughout its four minutes and brings a warm glow to my heart. Reflections On Copper is about as laid back a piece of jazz/prog you are going to hear and talks about how dementia affects the everyday lives of those who are afflicted. It treats the subject matter in a very sensitive way and the music has substance at its very core, a very intelligent piece of songwriting. The edgy, animated vitality of Crown of Thorns (Sea Songs Pt.2) has a coruscating beat to it, perhaps replicating the crown-of-thorns starfish about which it talks. In normal numbers on healthy coral reefs, COTs are an important part of the ecosystem, however, when the coral-eating starfish appear in outbreak proportions, the impact on coral reefs can be disastrous. A song with a very serious message but one that is put across with a sparkling vivacity.

Now for the mind warping, time spanning epic world of Oculus, a cautionary tale of a man who finds an alternative reality through a looking glass and how, after many trips back and forth, he nearly ends up trapped in the alternate world before, finally returning to really appreciate what he has at home. Now, let’s be honest, there’s something marvellously overblown and wonderfully pompous about a prog epic and, when they’re done right, I just absolutely love them. Well, Guy and the band perfectly nail it within the thirty one minutes of the gem of a piece of music. From the uplifting power of the overture, almost classical in nature, through Act I – Spot the Difference where there’s a childlike wonder of discovery that opens up into something more profound with an underlying medieval impishness and then Act II – The Corridor which could have come straight out of some 80’s stylish pop/rock album, the keyboard blasts and funky riff almost straying into Level 42 territory, theres a playful subtlety to the songwriting and a knowing nod to those epic multi-piece tracks of the 60’s and 70’s. Guy’s fine baritone is core to everything going on here, he really does have a great voice. Act III – Passive Ghost starts with a simple keyboard and piano overlaid with Guy’s heartfelt vocals. What seems an uncomplicated ballad then builds with layers of sophistication, musical and lyrical nods to The Animals, Joni Mitchell and even The Wizard of Oz, to become something all together more complex and delightful. Act IV – A Welcoming Hand is an inspirational, uplifting end to the saga and opens with some intricate sax play before Guy’s compelling voice takes centre stage. You can feel the hope and optimism throughout, the song really putting you in the right frame of mind and the funky sax and fiery guitar ensure that it’s a suitably joyous end to what has been a tremendously memorable experience.

Well 2023 has got off to a suitably auspicious start on the music front and this new album from Damanek has just raised the bar considerably. ‘Making Shore’ is a momentous achievement, full of sumptuous music and elegant vocals and yet the cautionary tale at its heart is never lost in the process, bravo gentlemen, bravo!

Released 13th, January, 2023.

Order from GEP here:

Damanek – Making Shore – GEP

Check out the Damanek website here:

DAMANEK – the official website (guymanning.com)

Review – Damanek – Making Shore – by John Wenlock-Smith

‘Making Shore’ will lift your spirits from any post new year blues that you might be troubled with, for this album is simply glorious. Well, it’s been a long time in is its realisation and, finally, the third Damanek album is nearly upon us. It will physically be released on the 13th of January 2023 and I can envisage big success for the band with this fantastic collection of songs, eight in total, in two distinct sections. Part one has seven songs of middling length and with various themes, part two is one thirty minute epic, consisting of five parts, which is an exploration of alternative realities and time travel.

The band consists of a core unit of Guy Manning (lots of keys, lots of acoustic instruments (guitar, mandolin, bouzouki), percussion and vocals), Marek Arnold (saxophone, keyboard) along with Sean Timms (keyboards, vocals, percussion, mixing and production duties). They are aided by a veritable who’s who of modern Neo-Prog. These include half of Southern Empire, that’s Cam Blokland on guitar and Brody Green on drums, also present are Ralf Dietsch of Cyril, Jonathan Barrett (ex The Tangent bass player), Riley Nixon-Burns (trumpet) and Linda Pirie on flute and piccolo.

Together these folks make truly special and spacious music that has a familiar feel alongside new sounds and textures. The music is rich and lush with melody woven strongly throughout. It is an album that will draw you into its orbit and will give you a satisfying musical journey that will take you from Mount Everest through the Great Barrier Reef , an American heartland and finally on a journey into a world of memories, hopes and desires. All are to be discovered within it tracks so buckle up for the ride of the month if not the year, such is the strength and stature of this album.

The albums first track is A Mountain Of Sky, a song about that most famous of summits, Everest. The sound is very clever in that it captures and conveys Tibetan sounds and is very evocative of that area, the song has a driving beat and rhythm to it and is as epic as the mountain itself, with a strong chorus and some strong guitar lines woven within its running time. The soundscape is everything you could want from Damanek making this epic track a superb statement of intent and it bodes very well for the rest of the album. The ethnic feeling percussion, woven with the expressive sax work of Marek Arnold, is a joy to hear and means this song really has a swing and a groove to it, even the cod reggae section works well. There is so much to enjoy before the song ends on a graceful guitar break, simply a brilliant opening to the album, it’s fabulous stuff. Back2Back is about how humanity has pushed the world into a difficult situation regarding the climate of the earth and its repercussions for us. There are very thought provoking lyrics within this song and there is also a further fantastic guitar solo. Noon Day Candles is a plea for a fairer share for all and contrasts our scientific and technological achievements with our unwillingness and inability to feed the worlds children. This is a very fine song and whilst it’s words are earnest and challenging the music is well balanced with the questions and pleas the song asks and raises.

This album is proving to be challenging in its subject matter and lyrics, never a bad thing in my opinion, it is good to have to think about these issues. Americana is a song about a fictitious American farm in the heartlands that is struggling with the demands of the present age, climate Change and poverty. Farming is not easy as anyone who has watched Clarkson’s Farm can attest, the song is short and direct.

There are then two songs of the sea interrupted by a song about dementia, In Deep Blue (Sea Songs Pt.1) is a very personal one for Guy as it about his youngest son who, despite having Asperger’s, decided whilst on holiday in Greece to go scuba diving. This song is Guys musings on his bravery and determination to have a go at it. He managed to accomplish his goal and this made Guy very proud of his son’s achievements. Reflections On Copper is a more sobering song, focusing as it does on the increasing number of people who are being affected by, and living with, dementia. Dementia is a cruel illness and disease that can take many forms, I personally am affected by vascular dementia as the result of a stroke meaning my neural pathways have been damaged by the stroke and whilst that dementia is mild at the present time, it may not stay that way, only time will tell so the sentiments expressed are certainly relevant to my own life. Crown of Thorns (Sea Songs Pt.2) is about how the Great Barrier Reef is being affected and how, again, climate change is affecting the balance with an increase in the Crown Of Thorns starfish who normally eat that faster growing coral which gives slower growing species an opportunity to catch up. Climate change has affected this though as the coral eating starfish have increased in outbreak proportions. This song concludes the first half of the album

The second section is the multi part Oculus, split into an overture and four acts. This is a very interesting and somewhat difficult song to digest but is best heard as a complete track (about thirty minutes in total). The song is about alternate dimensions and realities. This is a most interesting concept and this piece reflects that curiosity in a very well balanced manner. It is also a cautionary tale in that we can hear a warning that we perhaps need to heed and to consider. Of the four acts One is the scene setting, Two is the adventure, Three is the consequences of the action and, finally, Four is the redemption and return to normality. The song is epic and the story is illuminating and yet cautionary at the same time. The music in all acts is subtle and exciting and the piece ends with urgent horns and a dazzling guitar solo that bring it all together in a gracefully and satisfying manner with a well executed door slam to conclude proceedings.

This album has so much to commend it, great subject matter, challenging & thoughtful lyrics and superb & inspired playing. It certainly is a winner to these ears, a sublime, intelligent and articulate work of art, I urge, nae demand, you to pay attention and add it to your listening pleasure.

Released 13th January, 2023.

Order from GEP here:

Damanek – Making Shore – Pre-Sale – GEP

Further information can be found at the band’s website here:

DAMANEK – the official website (guymanning.com)

HRH Prog 7 at Hafan y Môr Holiday Park in Pwllheli – by James R Turner with input from Progradar

This was my first HRH Prog, and I gleefully loaded up my car with the requisite supplies (Bottled water, Bottled Beer) and entertainment for the journey (the new Sheridan Smith album – it’s rather brilliant btw, the new Robyn CD, the latest Gryphon album and Chas n Dave the EMI years) and set off on the long trek from Bristol to North Wales.

I drove through some wonderfully evocative countryside, (which I saw on the way home, as it got dark for the last two hours of my journey) not to mention the frankly terrifying visions of cars honing past me on blind bends and narrow roads. They have no fear those Welsh drivers.

On arrival I was met by Lord Progradar himself, already priming me for the wallet emptying that was coming by raving about Southern Empire. Having seen the stage times and the final rearranged running order, I was pleased to see that Southern Empire and The Strawbs no longer clashed.

It was pretty much drop the bags off, have a beer at the apartment, and then off to see the music, the first night kicking off on Stage 1.

The venue itself was an actual original holiday camp and it’s been over 20 years since I last stayed in a Haven and, I have to say the accommodation was excellent, and a short (if bracing) walk to the main venue. Both the stages are next door to each other, separated by a pleasant plaza with a Burger King, Chippy, Starbucks and an open air bar.

This made ducking between stages for the sets incredibly easy and meant even if there was a slight overlap, then you didn’t miss much of the bands’ set. Of course, there were several clashes so some bands I was unable to see and apologise if I missed you out. Unfortunately, I couldn’t be everywhere at once.

Joined by fellow prog scribe Leo Trimming and other friendly faces, the relaxed atmosphere (and probably the beer) made for a relaxed and friendly ambience. Of course, there was David and Nicola Robinson and Andy Faulkner offering to relieve us of the burden of heavy cash in our wallets in exchange for shiny discs of happiness (hell, it’s a prog festival – you will go home laden with CD’s. It’s as inevitable as death so don’t fight it).

It was a pretty packed schedule which we were launched into, I won’t say gently as they were anything but, by Maschine who ticked the event off on Thursday night on Stage 1.

My biggest gripe with the festival was that the areas in front of both the stages were seated, which really took away some of the ambience and energy of the audience. Whilst there was plenty of dancing and movement going on further back in the venue, it must have been disconcerting for the bands in full rock mode to look down to a sea of faces all sat down like they were at the theatre.

The audiences were very enthusiastic, and it was a good crowd, but as a punter I do like to stand as close to the stage as I can get for at least a couple of songs, and this vital aspect of a live gig was sadly denied to me in stage 1.

A highly acclaimed act to start the festival, Maschine are full of energy and presence. Formed by Luke Machin (who must be one of the hottest young guitar players on the scene currently) and Dan Mash (Damanek) on Bass.

This young band have really grown into their sound, with the second album ‘Naturalis’ really building on the sound of their debut ‘Rubidium’. This band environment allows Luke the space to stretch himself on stage, however the occasional shredding in the middle of what was a fantastically complex song is one that jars a little bit.

There is no denying that the band is chock full of talent, Elliott Fuller more than holds his own with Luke on guitar, Marie-Eve De Gaultier on keyboards and vocals, centre stage as if she’s keeping the boys under control, and James Stewart anchors the sound with his drumming.

Bringing the material from their two albums to life on stage, Maschine set the bar high for all the other bands that followed and with their energy and power opened HRH in style.

This festival is nothing if not eclectic and Stage 1 did gain the nickname the retro stage, due to the number of classic bands performing there, and there was none more classic than the current incarnation of The Crazy World of Arthur Brown.

Fronted by one of the most distinctive front-men in rock and roll, the band did not disappoint. Arthur, in his full on God of Hell Fire face paint, and celebrating 50 years since the band’s debut album. To commemorate this fact, they played the first half of the record before launching into some newer material.

Arthur, as ever, is the consummate showman and the bands blend of blues and psych was performed by the latest incarnation, including a fantastic female guitar and keyboard pairing. These younger musicians, overseen by musical director Jeavon Beaumont, really put some spark into the music.

It even takes you back to old school psych festivals when, during some of the longer spacier moments, the band building a real groove, a female dancer comes on. The only thing that looks a tad uncomfortable is Arthur (about my Dad’s age) dancing and gyrating around the younger female guitarists, looking like a creepy Uncle in a nightclub.

Other than that, his voice still has all the power that it ever had and with their psych lightshow and deep groove (and a taut band), they put on a great show.

(Picture by Gareth Cole)

Headline act for the night, and band of the night for me was The Martin Barre Band, putting on a barnstorming performance, mixing new material and classic Tull tracks, the band put on brilliant performance. Vocalist Dan Crisp bringing the early style of Ian Anderson to mind, without this being a tribute act style.

Progradar I have to echo Jame’s thoughts on The Martin Barre band, it was a powerful and consummate performance. The tracks from latest release ‘Roads Less Travelled’ were blended perfectly with the classic Tull material and others. Martin’s guitar playing was incredible and Dan Crisp’s vocals perfectly matched.

(Picture by Gareth Cole)

For me, the highlights were the title track from the new album and (This Is) My Driving Song, both fiery, blues infused and powerful tracks. There was an electric energy running throughout the set and it made for a great end to the first day.

Heading back to the apartment for beer and a wind down after a long journey, this was a perfect opening to this three day bender Festival.

Day 2 started at the civilised time of 13:20 over in Stage 1, so there was plenty of time for me to go for a nice walk along the cliff tops, admire the Northern Wales coastline scenery and meander along the beach, before rendezvousing with Martin, who had been for a run.

A full English (or should that be Welsh?) in Porthmadog with Leo, set us up nicely for an afternoon and evening of entertainment. As locations go, a Prog festival in picturesque North Wales is certainly one I would recommend if they ever come back here again, as they are moving to London for next year’s festival.

On Friday I spent a lot of my time over in Stage 1 but before that the first full set of Friday was kicked off by I Am The Manic Whale in Stage 2.

I know Martin is going to go into their set in more detail, but I had spent the whole morning defending my position as a Doctor Who but not a Whovian, and then what did I Am The Manic Whale play? A song about Doctor Who complete with a fully progged out version of the iconic theme tune which brought a smile to my face.

Their set was a great way to start the Friday with and I will be looking forward to seeing them again.

Progradar The first band on a Friday lunchtime have a real task to energise the audience but I Am The Manic Whale soon had a fairly sizeable crowd rocking along to their high tempo, feel good style of progressive rock. With a set list comprising tracks from both of their releases, ‘Everything Beautiful In Time’ and ‘Gathering The Waters’, this unassuming band garnered many new fans with their excellent performance.

Over in Stage 1, Haze, currently celebrating their 40th year in existence put a great show on.

Led by the McMahon brothers, Chris (on bass/keys/vocals) and Paul on guitar and vocals, it was a romp through old and new material covering the bands existence. It’s been 20 years since I saw them and, since then, they released their album ‘The Last Battle’ back in 2013which mixed their sound up. Joined by Paul’s son Danny on drums and Ceri Ashton on vocals and flutes, they put on a fantastic show. Chris has lost none of his energy and stage presence and Paul’s vocals and guitar work was as great as I remember it from the ‘World Turtle’ days.

Danny on the drums adds some real power to the band, and it’s great to see the band carrying on as a family affair. They put on a fantastic set and were one of the bands I’d wanted to reacquaint myself with this weekend, and I am glad I did.

Following Haze were Tir na nOg, one of the legendary Irish folk duos, comprising Sonny Condell and Leo O’Kelly who, after a long hiatus, are now back out there playing a mixture of classic tracks and more contemporary material. Considering they are just an acoustic duo, they managed to hold the audiences attention and, while there were occasional drifts into folk singer cliché, they utilised looping and percussive beats on other tracks to put on a fantastic set that kept the audience entertained.

Progradar Following I Am The Manic Whale on Stage 2 were The Amber Herd, a band I’d never heard of before but one who produced a rather flawless set of folk rock/prog with intelligence and humour. As James has already stated, it’s difficult to catch every band at a festival like this but I’m glad I caught this trio as they were on of my surprise highlights of day 2.

Over on Stage 2 I was able to catch some of Mother Black Caps’ set, they had their ‘team’ out in force the night before passing out fliers and drumming up support, and while I didn’t manage to stay very long, I found I enjoyed their blend of rock and would have liked to have seen a bit more. Unfortunately, with festivals like this, you do find there are clashes.

Back over to the Stage 1 arena I was in time to catch the whole set from Birmingham instrumental trio Axiom, who were last minute replacements, hot footing it down to North Wales from the Midlands, complete with their drummers’ dogs.

This instrumental power trio of Zaid Crowe on guitar, Josh Ainsworth on drums and Stuart Drinkwater on bass were a revelation and one of the star acts of the Friday. Pulling together an impressive musical arsenal, they blend riffs with beats and they sit very nicely in the same area as bands like The Fierce and the Dead and Zombie Picnic.

Clever, progressive instrumental rock that is very easy to get into and enjoy, they also proved they have a sense of humour and don’t take themselves too seriously by playing a track that included some of their favourite riffs, mixing Michael Jackson’s Beat It with some Thin Lizzy and then the Death Star March tune from Star Wars got a great reception, it was fantastic to see a new exciting band like these guys really bringing it to life on Stage 1. I rather suspect that we will be hearing a lot more from this talented trio in the future.

A quick nip back over to Stage 2 enjoy the rest of Final Conflict’s set, a band who I’ve not seen, like Haze in about 20 years, and it was good to see that they are as strong as ever, with their own brand of Floydian-esque rock they know how to put on a show, and the audience seemed attentive.

Following them was a band who were new to me, an act called GU-RU, another musical trio who, with Lee Spreadbury on keys and vocals, Malcolm D’Sa on drums and Naomi Perera on flute and vocals, created quite a unique sound.

The mixture of the drums, the flute and the keys created a fantastically eclectic musical mix going from old school prog to real psych sounds and heading into full on dance music, while Perera’s flute soared throughout. Spreadbury is a bona fide old school prog keyboard player, full of charm and stage presence and plenty of musical chops.

In fact, GU-RU had magnificent stage presence and a sense of how to entertain the audience, and I managed to catch nearly all their set. They were really entertaining with a unique and different sound to some of the other guitar heavy bands. That really captured my attention as I love artists who will mix things up and go down a different road to everyone else.

GU-RU are one of those bands and they really played a fantastic set.

(Editor – We have this strange image because, despite James saying Wishbone Ash are one of his favourite bands, he didn’t manage to provide a picture!)

It was back over to Stage 1 for the founder member of one of my favourite bands. I was chatting to someone about the mammoth Wishbone Ash box that came out earlier in the year, it really is a thing of beauty. I know it was expensive, but I have loved Wishbone Ash for over 20 years and it was a perfect opportunity to get everything all in one place for me, and that’s why I was really looking forward to Martin Turner’s set.

I have seen Martin Turner’s band before, and the Andy Powell version of Wishbone Ash and while I like the fact that these bands are still out there and playing the music, Martin’s band just edges it for me. The reason why is that he plays a lot of the deeper cuts and back catalogue stuff that Andy Powell doesn’t, throwing in a blinding version of Front Page News for instance, Persephone also got an airing as did the title track to the latest studio album, Written in the Stars.

Obviously sets like this are truncated so the band, which is currently touring the Wishbone Ash debut album in its entirety, cut that back and played a few numbers from there and rounded the set off with a blinding trio from ‘Argus’, Warrior, Throw Down the Sword and Blowin’ Free.

Martin was on top form with his between song banter and his bass work is asnifty as ever, the twin guitar work of Danny Wilson and Misha Nikolic replicates the sound of the original band but, as both men are incredibly talented guitarists, they aren’t merely copying. They put their own stamp on the sound and are clearly having fun playing together, while drummer Tim Brown anchors the sound.

This is clearly Martin Turner’s musical vision and he takes both the audience and the band with him as he plays the music he created. It’s no nostalgia fest either as he and his talented band make their own mark on these songs and breathe new life into them.

Headliners on Stage 1 on Friday were Neo-Prog legends Pendragon, celebrating their first 40 years with the tour of the same name.

Nick Barrett’s distinctive guitar and vocal work is, as ever, front and centre, while the core line up of Peter Gee on bass, Clive Nolan on keys and Jan-Vincent Valazco on drums were augmented by Verity White and Zoe Devenish, who help to flesh out the already mighty sound of Pendragon.

These guys have been touring and performing for a very long time, and Nick and Clive are both masters of their respective instruments. Though I have seen Pendragon live more times than I care to remember, this is the first time I’ve seen them with the additional female vocals, and this new dimension to the bands sound really makes a difference.

The auditorium was packed, and it was heartening to see several younger punters here (and by that, I mean people younger than me – at 41, according to Martin I brought the average age down!)

Performing a set covering all the classic Pendragon eras, after all 40 years is a hell of a lot of music to cover, Nick and the gang managed to mix the set up and include tracks like Green and Pleasant Land (with its slightly dubious lyrical content, I am not sure how tongue in cheek it is with some of the sentiments expressed) among others, which kept the crowd entertained.

Having enjoyed another full day of music and discovering new bands to go with my appreciation of some of the more vintage acts, HRH put on a good mix.

Progradar -I had, early evening, shot off to meet up with Sean Timms, Danny Lopresto and Brody Green of Southern Empire:

It was an impromptu interview which, unfortunately, I didn’t record (the official interview will be aired soon) but we talked about all things Empyrean and the music in general over (quite) a few beers. I did manage to get back in time to catch part of a wonderful set from Luna Rossa, their ethereal sound and waif like grace ever ceases to calm my heart rate and Anne-Marie Helder was on top form this night. 

Saturday, we had a lovely trip out to Criccieth Castle with those TPA boys Leo Trimming and David Glaves (there is no competition between the prog review websites, we’re a friendly bunch of guys), just up the coast from Pwllheli, before the music started. The view was stunning and, as the castle is part of the ring of castles in North Wales, it would be rude to not visit whilst we were up there. We then found a pleasant café where we enjoyed our full Welsh breakfast to set us up for the days progging.

Martin was busy doing interviewing things (Ed: it’s called ‘work’ James), so I spent plenty of time at the bar, drinking with Gareth Cole flitting between the two different arenas to see as many sets as I could.

I spoke to Al Winter, frontman for This Winter Machine, this time last year when their debut album, ‘The Man Who Never Was’, had just been released and was getting great reviews. Since then, the band has recorded their second album, and been making waves with their well-received live shows.

This was the first time I had seen them and, having really enjoyed their debut, I was looking forward to their set.

They did not disappoint, Al was on fine form, his vocals really superb, and he worked that stage (& the audience) like he owned it, the new material from the forthcoming album fitted in perfectly with the songs from ‘The Man Who Never Was’, a perfect evolution of the bands sound and approach, and when they finished their hour long set (4 or 5 songs I think, but hey this is Prog) they got a standing ovation (the first opening band, I Am The Manic Whale, also got one on Friday).

The band made a fare few new fans and friends, and I am sure that they sold plenty of CD’s (Al knowing how to push his product by reminding the audience exactly where the merch was). Sometimes opening a festival can be a thankless task, it’s not known as the graveyard slot for nothing, but, like I Am The Manic Whale  before them, This Winter Machine took full opportunity of this to get the day started in style. It followed the tone of the weekend, while the bigger names were on Stage 1, some of the more eclectic and exciting acts were on Stage 2.

There is a delicious irony in me typing that as bar Southern Empire and Gandalf’s Fist, I spent pretty much all Saturday in Stage 1 (& part of it enjoying the company of Gareth Cole, Chris Bembridge & Richard Thresh – splendid chaps, all of them).

I saw some of Goldray’s set, the new band from former Reef guitarist Kenwyn House, with vocals from Leah Rasmussen. This weekend certainly had an interesting mix of classic rock sounds and psych sounds and Goldray were certainly out there.

From their glittery stage presence, to the light show, and the hypnotic musical sound they are at the forefront of the psych revival and about as far from Reefs sound as is possible to get. Leah has a magnetic stage presence, and plenty of star quality whilst the guitar work of Kenwyn was sublime. A complete glittery contrast to the next band on Stage 1, Jump.

Now out of all the bands that play for the CRS and that I have seen, I reckon I have seen Jump nigh on 30 times and they have never played the same set twice.

Fronted by Celtic bard John Dexter Jones, still looking as lithe and nimble as when I first saw him, he is the reminder of the fact that the protest song is still as relevant as it ever was and why musicians must talk about politics and life.

I read a lot of guff online about people saying that musicians shouldn’t talk about politics in their music and they should keep their art separate. Why? Is always my stock answer, they are making their art and it is not up to us to dictate what anyone should sing about. I remember the Jump song Tower of Babel, inspired by someone telling John he shouldn’t swear so much. Politics is everywhere, it dictates house prices, it permeates out every being, everything that happens to us and society is dictated to by politics, so musicians should reflect that in what they do if they are being true to themselves and their art.

He is a passionate, articulate and intelligent frontman who comes from proud Welsh stock and his history is as important as our future. This was evident in this truly impassioned and powerful set, featuring as it did, several songs that still resonate and sadly, despite being written a while ago, are still as relevant as they ever were.

The scathing Moscow Circus (taken from my favourite Jump album ‘Matthew’) and the new poem to music The Station Parade segueing into The Sniper from ‘The Beachcomber’ album, were two personally poignant insights about the First World War in the 100th year since it finished and telling of the folly of war and the story of one of John’s Great Uncles.

However, the highlight and most powerful song of their set, nay the weekend, was their new number Breaking Point, the title taken from ‘that’ EU referendum poster. It is Johns most brutal and impassioned takedown of this whole Brexit clusterfuck and rise of the right, I doubt there was anyone in there who wasn’t moved and understood the message behind the song.

Jump as a band are peerless live and they just get so much better with age, like a fine wine, with the twin guitar sounds of Steve Hayes and Ronnie Rundle trading licks and rolling riffs from one side to the other, whilst Mo on keys adds a lot of texture to the sounds. Andy Barker on drums keeps the beat going while newest member, Mark Pittam on bass, fits in perfectly with the band ethos.

JDJ made a humorous comment from a previous review about him hectoring and haranguing an audience, and you know what, for the quality of the performance and the songs I would happily be hectored and harangued for another few hours thank you very much.

I saw very little of Stage 2 during this period, which upsets me slightly as I had the misfortune to see some of the band that followed Jumps set.

Davy O’List’s The Attack, now Davy has an impressive prog pedigree, and an interesting back story, however I watched about 10 minutes of The Attack, of which at least two were the band stood in silence on the stage after finishing one song and none of them quite knowing what was happening next. At one point it looked like the band were all playing different songs, very little audience interaction and not much entertainment.

Sorry chaps, it wasn’t for me and I think a bit more rehearsal could have gone into this!

Progradar: I got back from interviewing duties just in time to catch German progressive metallers Deafening Opera on Stage 2 and I’m glad I did, their blend of powerful prog metal along with great melodies went down a real storm with the growing crowd. These young musicians were not only technically excellent but played with a lot of verve and a lot of soul. The 80 minute set was a great success and set everybody up for the next act…

I have been a big fan of Aussie melodic proggers Southern Empire for a while. Their first, self-titled, album crept under the radar a bit but the sophomore release of ‘Civilisation’ has seen them rapidly come to a lot of people’s attention.

With the charismatic Danny Lopresto on vocals and guitar, Cam Blokland on lead guitar, Brody Green on drums, Jez Martin on bass and Sean Timms as erstwhile bandleader and keyboardist, the band delivered a flawless set of dynamic, powerful and downright soulful music. Saxophonist James Capatch added a layer of impressive sophistication and Southern Empire proceeded to literally blow the audience away with their incredible storytelling and joyous music.

Opening with Forest Fire from the debut album and then following up with two lengthy tracks, Cries For The Lonely and Crossroads, from ‘Civilisation’, these marvelous entertainers from Adelaide had everybody lost in the moment and in the palm of their hands. Cam and Danny’s guitar interplay was brilliant and added a real fun feel to what was the utter highlight of the weekend for me.

 A live performance that was one of the best I have ever seen and one which I later called a musical epiphany, if you ever get the chance to see these guys live then do not miss it for the world!

Back to James for his take on Southern Empire

Making their HRH debut meanwhile over on Stage 2 was Southern Empire, formed by Aussie keyboard player Sean Timms, recently recovering from a heart attack, the timings were adjusted so they didn’t clash with The Strawbsand boy was I glad about that.Wwith livewire frontman and guitarist Danny Lopresto in fine form, and the formidable musical attack by the rest of the guys, Southern Empire were the band of the weekend for me.

Every festival I have ever been to always has the ‘why the fuck haven’t I heard this before?’ moment, and for me this moment was watching Southern Empire.

They filled the Stage 2 arena, put on an hour and 15 minutes of blinding music and left having won the hearts and minds of the arena. Those people saying ‘You must see Southern Empire’ were right, and much as I loathe to admit it (as it’ll give him a big head) Lord Progradar himself was bang on the money by saying these guys would be band of the weekend.

To think, if they hadn’t adjusted the timings due to pressure from fans wanting to see both Southern Empire and The Strawbs, I’d have missed this show, and I would have been completely gutted.

(Yes, I did leave having bought both Southern Empire albums, and they made excellent companions on the 4 and half hour journey home).

Progradar: Next up on Stage 2 were the wonderful ‘progressive piano trio’ Exploring Birdsong. I’d interviewed this young trio earlier and they came across as very wise heads on young shoulders and their set proved this to be very true. Drummer Matt Harrison, bassist Jonny Knight and pianist/vocalist Lynsey Ward delivered music that was a powerful combination of pop sensibilities and progressive compositions, all topped off by Lynsey’s soulful vocals.

Their recently released track, The Dowpour, is a cut glass piece of songwriting that belies their relatively tender years and was delivered superbly to the rapt audience. These three have a bright future ahead of them if this performance is anything to go by.

Back to my spiritual home for the day, Stage 1, for a set celebrating 50 years of The Strawbs. David Cousins had been unwell recently and so to see him on stage, surrounded by mainstays Dave Lambert on guitar, Chas Cronk on bass, Tony Fernandez on drums and, relative new boy, Dave Bainbridge on keys, they really went to town and played an explosive set.

Having jumped across many genres and styles, The Strawbs complex and intelligent music weaves between folk, rock and softer sounds and , for HRH, they pulled out all the big guns and gave us an eclectic electric set.

Mixing material from new album ‘The Ferryman’s Curse’ (tracks like The Nails from the Hands of Christ fitted the setlist like it had always been there) with an astonishing version of Ghosts, an emotive and powerful New World and a truncated quartet from their ‘Hero and Heroine’ set (Autumn, Hero and Heroine, Out in the Cold and Lay a Little Light on Me), they rounded off a powerfully strong set with the ‘Bursting at the Seams’ favourites The River and Down By The Sea.

This was an intense show of power by The Strawbs and shows how much energy and power the band have, it also shows that, with the newer material and the addition of Dave Bainbridge on keys, even after 50 years, Dave Cousins and the band are relevant, important and still have so much more to say musically.

I am glad the concert was rejigged so these guys and Southern Empire didn’t clash, as both their sets were important parts of this festival jigsaw and I am so glad I got to see an all-electric full band The Strawbs set in their anniversary year.

Following on from The Strawbs, and in one of the contradictory and different pairings that HRH seems to relish was another classic band celebrating their 50th anniversary. The original psychedelic warlords and musical anarchists Hawkwind.

Astonishingly, despite having loved this band since I discovered ‘Warrior On The Edge Of Time’ back at Uni in 1995. This is the first time I have ever seen Hawkwind live and, again, like The Strawbs, Jump, Gandalf’s Fist and Martin Turner, was one of my ‘must see’ bands of the weekend.

My favourite Hawkwind album is Warrior and so it was with great delight that they opened the set with Assault and Battery and The Golden Void, Dave Brock on fine form with guitar and vocals, while the line-up, currently down to a four piece of long serving drummer Richard Chadwick whose been with the band for 20 years (and who my chiropractor used to rent a room from, randomly!), Niall Hone on bass and vocals and newest member Magnus Martin, were, in suitably psychedelic fashion,just mesmerising.

The set included an incredibly extended version of the classic Damnation Alley where the riffs and extended improvisations contained more ideas than some bands have on an album, an arresting and brain melting Sonic Attack and a metronomical version of Born To Go.

We did duck out before the end due to the closing band on Stage 2 getting ready to start, but Hawkwind demonstrated why they are the original, and best, psych band still treading the board, and it’s full testament to the vision and skill of Dave Brock to keep this band on the road, playing these amazing tracks to an audience who clearly idolised everything they did.

(Picture by Gareth Cole)

One of the bands I have wanted to see for aeons, ever since I reviewed the album ‘A Forest of Fey’ back in 2013 for the DPRP, was Gandalf’s Fist, their drummer Stefan Hepe is a fellow naughty pachyderm. The way the band has expanded organically is brilliant, and then they blew everyone else out of the water in 2016 with their triple disc epic ‘The Clockwork Fable’.

Founder members multi-instrumentalist Dean Marsh and lyricist and vocalist Luke Severn have created a band around them with Stefan on drums, Ben Bell (Patchwork Cacophony – whose albums you need in your life) on keys, Christopher Ewen on bass and Keri Farish on vocals, this 6 piece absolutely owned the stage,and they were the perfect band to end the festival.

Making a brave choice to kick off with the unreleased track Leader of Men, from the opening bar they got the whole of the second stage on side. After all, the Fisters have previous having already fisted an HRH to within an inch of its life.

Pulling together a set list covering all bases (and, of course, the merch desk had all their CD’s including ‘The Road to Darkness’ reissue, ‘A Day In The Life Of A Universal Wanderer’, ‘Forest of Fey’ and ‘Clockwork Fable’, which I definitely didn’t buy the lot of to play on my journey home – here’s a tip for free, if you write for a prog website and know beyond doubt that your beloved better half won’t read this review, when smuggling CD’s into the house and hiding how much you spent, the phrase ‘review copies’ is one that you can get a lot of mileage from!)

Of course, the buggers pulled out the epic Eve’s Song from ‘Clockwork Fable’, which brought a tear to my eye, either that or I was sobbing at how much I’d spent but, either way, the powerfully emotive vocals of Keri Farish really brought this to life live and, of course, the band were on fire throughout.

The witty intro to Emerald Eyes (careful with that plagiarism Eugene) hinted at where the inspiration for this song came from and the between song banter between Luke and Dean was hilarious.

Songs from ‘Forest of the Fey’ (do Gandalf’s Fist deliberately try to provoke proggers with these titles?!?) mixed with the wonderful pieces from ‘A Clockwork Fable’ (a bloody marvellous live rendition of The Capture, for instance) show how much passion and energy the band put into their music. Another new song, The Warden, formed an integral part of the set and I cannot wait to hear the album that becomes part of.

From being a studio project to a fully fledged live band is not the easiest journey for some artists but Dean and Luke have chosen the perfect travelling companions. Stefan and Chris on drums and bass provide the perfect anchor points to allow keyboard wizard (in a top hat instead of a cape) Ben to sprinkle his magic all over the songs (seriously, you need to buy his Patchwork Cacophony albums) and Keri is the perfect blend of star vocalist and frontwoman, adding some real heart and soul to her musical performance and looking like this band have been together for ever.

From a competition to find the maddest prog name, to being real contenders for one of the most innovative and exciting prog bands out there, Gandalf’s Fist have had a tremendous few years, this set confirming what we all knew.

They are the future of prog and it was brilliant to see them play to a room full of appreciative fans, who stayed up well past their bedtime, looking at the at the age of them. We were well and truly Fisted, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

(Picture by Gareth Cole)

ProgradarI can echo James’ sentiments completely here, Gandalf’s Fist really did deliver a performance worthy of the final headliners on Stage 2. The impressive musicianship was matched by the peerless songs. To be fair, they are a band you either get or you don’t but I’m a big fan of their steam punk fantasy lyrics and ideas and, in Keri Farish, they have a vocalist who can capture an audience and hold them in her spell.

Dean’s sometimes crushing riffs give a visceral quality to the fantastical music and the rest of the band are all superb musicians imbuing the whole set with style and verve. Being the final act there was almost party feel to the performance with the audience thoroughly enjoying every track and giving the band well deserved standing ovation at the end. A wonderful way to close out the weekend.

I am a great believer in the healing power of music, and music, brings us together and unites us under one common cause, if only other things in life were so easy.

The HRH Prog festival crams a lot into the three days on site and I am very sorry to the bands that I couldn’t get to see due to clashes but, in events like this, you’re never going to see everyone, and I am glad I saw the sets I did. While I was most looking forward to seeing Gandalf’s Fist, who did not disappoint in any way shape or form, Southern Empire with their empirical and dominating set, just edged it for me as band of the festival.

The next HRH Prog is down in that there London, whether it will retain the family feel of this one I am not sure but, if the line up is anywhere near as strong as this, then any attendees won’t be disappointed.

People talk about the diminishing returns and lack of punters for small local prog gigs, I do wonder if this model isn’t the future, it might cost a little more, and take out more of your time, but I loved the friendliness, the convenience, and the way of seeing a combination of bands I loved and new bands that I now love, all within a very small dash between two stages.

Hats off to all the folks involved in pulling this together, and a massive thanks for letting me tag along and be a small part of something much, much bigger.

Progradar: HRH Prog 2018 was a huge success for me, excellent bands spread across two excellent stages with all the support network (food, beer, water etc.) very close to hand. The location had a hell of lot to do with the brilliant atmosphere and time will tell if the Shepherds Bush Empire venue will be as accommodating next year.

The highlights were Martin Barre, I Am The Manic Whale, This Winter Machine and Gandalf’s Fist but the star band of the whole weekend were the incredible and magnificent Southern Empire.

Keep your eyes peeled for forthcoming interviews from HRH Prog 2018 with Southern Empire, Exploring Birdsong and Gandalf’s Fist.

Review – Damanek – In Flight – by Progradar

“Who hears music, feels his solitude Peopled at once.”
― Robert Browning, The complete poetical works of Browning

Damn, 2018 has been a stellar year for some great new releases and another one has found its way to Progradar Towers!

Damanek are a sort of Prog Rock supergroup formed by fellow Yorkshireman Guy Manning (vocals, keyboards, percussion, guitars, bass), Marek Arnold (saxes and seaboard), Dan Mash (bass) and Sean Timms (keyboards, guitar, backing vocals & additional programming). This talented quarted is joined by a plethora of stellar musicians including Antonio Vittozzi, Luke Machin and Tzan Nico on guitar and Brody Thomas Green on drums.

Described as ‘a genre-defying collection of sophisticated songs..’, ‘In Flight’ is the follow up to 2017’s well received ‘On Track’. Once again Sean Timms’ sleek production adds to the overall sense of quality and class.

There’s a shiver of anticipation running through me as the opening notes of Ragusa break out, there’s already a feeling of class and quality shining through. Guy has one of those voices that speaks to you through and beyond the music, a familiar cultured tone that puts you at ease immediately. The music itself is impressively stylish and smooth and just adds to the feeling of sophistication. The guest guitarists add even more sparkle and inspiration, this is going to be one enjoyable journey. Oooh, jazzy piano and percussion, the opening to Skyboat is joyful and upbeat and, as the track opens up with gusto, we are sent on a rollocking musical ride. Funky guitar and edgy percussion, along with an ever so cool hammond organ, add to the feel-good factor and the grin spreading across your face. This is music at its inspiring best and music that brings joy to your soul.

The Crawler opens with a deliciously dark melody and feel, a mature and sophisticated aura permeates the song with Guy’s distinguished vocal adding layers of class. The captivating chorus with its elegant sax sends shivers down your spine. Sean’s production can be felt most here, giving us a stand out piece of music on what is becoming an evidently impressive album. There’s a levity to Moon Catcher, a lightness of soul and featherlight touch to the music. The sparsity of the production and laid back approach to the vocals, along with the meandering sax, leaves a whimsical feel, a really classy piece of music.

Catchy, addictive and upbeat from the first note, The Crossing is a jazz-infused delight, the carefree tinkling of the ivories a particular highlight. Add in some more of the impressive sax and Guy’s vocals and you are onto a winner. The 3 part epic Big Eastern closes the album, taking the listener on an emotive journey from East to West: from the poorest rural lands of China to the West Coast of the USA. Grand in conception, and inspired in execution, it’s a journey that you become deeply involved in and one that takes you across the whole galaxy of progressive music, visiting every nuance on its way. At just shy of thirty minutes it is a true epic but never outstays its welcome, every note and every word is there for a reason and that reason is to give the listener the best and most joyous experience ever when it comes to music.

‘In Flight’ is an album I haven’t remotely got bored of, even after multiple listens. A compelling, engaging and stimulating listening experience that leaves you high on music and life. Every absorbing minute of music is a minute that will bring a smile to your face. This year there have been some fantastic releases, releases that are finally bringing the joy back to music and Damanek’s ‘In Flight’ should be considered up there with the best of them.

Released 5th October 2018

Buy In Flight from GEP here

Listen to ‘Ragusa’ from ‘In Flight’ here

 

Review – Southern Empire – Civilisation – by Progradar

“And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon Englands mountains green:
And was the holy Lamb of God,
On Englands pleasant pastures seen!”

Sage words of bombast and pomposity and the sort of thing you’d hear at the Last Night of the Proms. To be honest, if we had an equivalent thing for progressive music (in my opinion, the closest thing to classical music nowadays), there would be some prime candidates to be included in any such event.

Having listened to ‘Civilisation’, the new, sophomore, release from Aussie proggers Southern Empire I seriously think they have put forward an excellent case for inclusion in this, admittedly, fictitious concert.

Formed from the break up of cult band Unitopia, their debut, self-titled release had a very positive reaction but they have come back with an album that is grander in every aspect.

Opening track Goliath’s Moon (written by guitarist Cam Blokland) is a thundering, hard-rock heavy piece of music that brings back memories of ‘Milliontown’ era Frost* to my ears. It’s taking all that is good from that style of music and injecting it with some much needed joie de vivre. It is an uplifting and mightily powerful song that flies into town at a million miles an hour, puts a huge smile on everyone’s face and then buggers off the same way it came with not another word, the guitar run out at the end is pure genius too!

Cries For The Lonely takes Dream Theater and Queen at the height of the pomp and circumstance and delivers nineteen minutes of pure unadulterated musical theatre. The lush vocal harmonies are note perfect and the music is as polished as you could ask for and yet there is a definite glint in its electronic eye. There’s an utter sense of enjoyment in the delivery of every note and every word and, once again, a superb guitar solo from Cam closes out the song.

Simply put, Civilisation is a proper progressive ‘epic’ in the true sense of the word. The song is a re-worked and extended version of a song that band supremo Sean Timms wrote with ex Unitopia colleague Mark Trueack for an abandoned album and it ebbs and flows like all great tracks do, there’s some superb saxophone from Mr Timms and Danny Lopresto’s voice is just so silky smooth. It’s twenty-nine minutes of dynamic progressive music like Transatlantic used to do before they decided that too much still wasn’t enough…

The final song Innocence and Fortune dials the intensity back a notch but most definitely not the quality. Written by Timms and Steve Unruh of Samurai of Prog fame, it has more of the brooding quality of IQ to it. Brody Green’s drums and the measured bass of Jez Martin take the lead here but it isn’t long before those lush vocal harmonies make a triumphant return along with that more upbeat tempo. Do we get another great solo from Cam? What do you think…?

‘Civilisation’ is one of the early contenders for album of the year for me, a tremendous release that hits all the right notes and finally sees joy and elation return to the creation of music. It’s as close to a must buy as anything else I’ve heard this year so far. Right, that’s it, I’m off for another listen…

Released 20th July 2018

Order the album from GEP here

Here’s Hold from Southern Empire’s debut album: