GUITAR MUSIC/GREAT GUITARISTS:
AHLEUCHATISTAS: What You Will CD
Hell's teeth - what is THIS? Well, an instrumental guitar-bass-drums trio that sounds like old Beefheart Magic Band put through a blender. With 14 tracks in forty minutes, the shortest at less than a minute and the longest at over six, including 6 tracks between one and two minutes long, this has got to be one of the most "angular" sets of compositions in a long, long time. The tracks stutter, drive, twist, turn, flow, stutter, nag at you like a flea bite, get inside your head like a wasp stuck inside your ear and generally proceed to drive you completely insane. Talk about "busy", it's like the band were being paid by the note - rarely have I heard a willingness to cram so many notes into one album - as they race through practically every composition at breakneck speed, occasionally slowing down to give us some breathing space, before hurtling into wild musical territories once more. It's a bit like a rollercoaster ride down a series of winding country lanes and if you've not got your heart in your mouth at several points along the way, you're either very brave or very foolhardy. It's not freeform - far from it - but it feels like it. I hated every minute of it.
SH'MANTRA: A System Of Moments CD
There'll be allsorts of brief interludes along the way in this album where acoustic or electric guitars will play delicately and from the heart. There'll also be a few passages that feature a male vocal seemingly stitched into the main mix as to become almost apart of the overall instrumental texture. But the majority of the album revolves around this huge-sounding, immense, wall-to-wall, endless sea of aircraft-strength guitars. Guitars that blaze a monumental sounding trail to the heart of a distant sun. Over the most solid of foundations from crunchy, slowly driving, pounding and punchy rhythm sections, this wall of guitar intensity glows white hot as this massive movement of a million angry guitars makes the likes of Glen Branca sound like Bananarama. But what makes this all so absolutely riveting is the arrangement, the assembly and the soundscapes, all of which tower over the proceedings like a hurricane in slow motion. The addition of superbly positioned and sounding keyboards at strategic places in the mix, only adds to the overall effect. Across 13 tracks and seventy three minutes, this is sheer genius.
SHRIEVE/LANE/FRISELL/HELLBORG: Two Doors CD
Each half of the 77 minute CD features a different line-up so that on the 37 min part one, we hear the trio of Michael Shrieve on drums and percussion, Shawn Lane on electric guitars and Jonas Hellborg on drums. Between them they cook up a heady and exciting brew of high-powered, dynamic, brilliantly played, immaculately produced, predominantly fiery music that works absolutely superbly with Lane's guitar work leaving you open-mouthed with amazement as he rips his way through some of the most exciting fusion work witnessed from a more rock oriented guitarist in a long, long time. But not forgetting the towering electric bass work from Hellborg that powers its way through the tracks as well as acting as anchor, with Shrieve's varied and expressive drium work equally superb, from the tasty melodic and subtle power of 'Baraji' to the titanic power and melodic content of 'Deep Umbra'-and this is only part 1. On part 2, a line-up of Shrieve on drums, Bill Frisell on electric guitar and Wayne Horvitz on organ actually also manage to kick up a rare old storm on the 39 mins of music with Frisell's guitar work rarely sounding so red hot and powerful with the organ predominantly acting as textural coloration rather than lead instrument. The finely crafted and played tracks follow some adventurous but totally musical paths at times and you are hooked throughout from the relaxed yet biting fusion of 'Stella' to the thunderous trio playing on the monumental 'Your saviour' with Frisell's guitar set on stun. Overall, totally amazing and one of the best guitar-bass-drums albums you'll hear and good for anyone into seriously hot guitar music, from fusion to metal fans and beyond.
INDUSTRIAL:
ROTERSAND: Dare To Live (Perspectives On 'Welcome To Goodbye') CD
Essentially a hulking great combination of remixing, re-working and re-recording of tracks originally on their second album 'Welcome To Goodbye', but if you think that means its something of a stop-gap release, then think again, because this is a real grade-A slayer of an album. Complete with two new tracks, also given the remix treatment, this is one thunderous album of predominantly EBM styled tracks that will have you dancing, head-banging and positively leaping around the room - just don't forget to take the headphones off first! Every track is a massive tour-de-force of industrial electro at its finest, with tracks ranging from a roar and a metallic-sounding body-blow, to solid but more dynamic, flowing examples of EBM song-writing as slow synths drive and sequencers sparkle above chunky electronic drums and acres of synth surrounds. From atmospheric to skull-crunching, this album delivers a ruthless set of tracks that achieves perfection with ease - a stunning album that can't be faulted.
PROG-ROCK:
ARS NOVA: Chrysalis CD
Brand new studio album from the all-female Japanese prog trio and this is a gem - their best for ages. A total of 6 tracks that give full reign to their full-force instrumental prog-rock compositions. With a guest electric guitarist on half the tracks, this remains a keyboards/synths-led set that sees the band tone down the hurricane strength of previous album into a tamed but still mighty brew of more melodic proportions.
Without singling out any particular track, what you will hear on this album is a trio on red hot form in every way - for a start, the drums and electric bass work is just stunning but in such a way that you notice this from a completely musical point of view rather than feeling you're being beaten senseless by it, and certainly some of the strongest drumming you'll hear on any prog-rock album around. The bass work really comes together as this gigantic undercurrent that runs all through the album from titanic chording to bowel-rumbling rivers of ground-shaking proportions. But, above all this you have, arguably, the most outstanding female prog-rock keyboard player in music today in the form of Keiko Kumagai, not a name that readily trips off the tongue, which is probably why she isn't greeted with the same god-like genius comparisons as Wakeman, Banks, Emerson and the like, but on the evidence of this album alone, there is not a reason in the world why she should not be considered as being able to stand alongside those legends of prog-rock keyboardists. Here, track after amazing track features this incredible multi-instrumntal work from organs, synths, mellotrons, piano, more synths and you get the feeling that she has an arsenal of the things that would make any of the greats, sit up and take notice. As for her playing, it's simply out of this world, and any fan of the giants of seventies prog, will just lap this up and play it repeatedly. If Rick Wakeman can sell his latest album, 'Retro', which is a similar sounding album, you have to bear in mind that this is EVEN STRONGER!! Deserves to sell by the shedload, so please don't ignore one of THE finest keys/synths-led instrumental prog-rock albums on the planet.
CARNEGIE: Carnegie CD
Late seventies prog band with album that draws from the likes of Queen and Renaissance with two Grand Piano players, keys/synth/mellotron guy plus three more on guitar, bass and drums. Musically they play a brand of neo-classical sounding, typically seventies prog, with plenty of instrumental space for the guitars and pianos to shine, as mellotrons rise up in the background. Rescued from the archives, so it sounds just fine although the production can be a bit "indistinct" at times.
CRYPTIC VISION: Moments Of Clarity CD
Ooooo……….sometimes you know a prog-rock album from a new band is going to be red hot and glorious, just from the opening two minutes - and this is one of those albums. The opening instrumental erupts into life on a surging tidal wave of synths, keys, bass, drums, guitars to provide a mighty introduction that will immediately have you wanting more. The first song ensues, and we're in classic prog-rock territory, sort of Spocks Beard with more passion and more of a seventies feel. There's this huge production, but a production that sees every instrument at its clear finest as the synths soar and the guitars spiral, rhythm section playing a blinder. The male vocals and harmonies are just fantastic and it's an absolute pleasure to hear such corking prog-rock with a vocalist who can really deliver the goods. The song themselves are strong, brilliantly written and performed, while the musicianship is simply jaw-dropping. Song after song, between four and twelve minutes long, sees the band completely avoiding self-indulgence, completely avoiding going "over the top" and, instead, turning in an album that wreaks class, quality and genius from every pore. It's powerful it's passionate, it's magical - it's got everything that you could want from a modern prog-rock album - in short, it's amazing. The next big thing in the prog-rock arena is right here and right now - miss out at your peril, but remember - when this lot are bigger than Spocks Beard, you heard it here first.
JADED HEART: Helluva Time CD
With its huge sound, big riffs, horizon-expanding synths backdrops and solid driving rhythm section, not to mention vocals that soar and ring out on choruses a mile high, that this is an overtly AOR album shouldn't matter a hoot. It's powerful, plenty of red hot guitar leads, solo and multi-track vocal that soar to the skies while the lead guitar work strikes effectively with a wealth of stunning soloing, and duelling with the synth layers . The opening track alone will not only take your breath away with its majestic power and monumental sound, but the sheer quality of its performance is on that will surely appeal to the prog and rock fraternity without actually conforming to either, yet being a whole lot more rounded than most prog-metal. Most of the songs are anthems - huge choruses, huge production, huge sound - with vocals that are immediate, enjoyable and suit the arranging to a tee. That the guitar work is full of molten riffs and searing leads is the core of what makes it work, while the synths and multi-part vocals are the icing on a seriously fine cake. In short, this is one red hot AOR album that needs to be heard by anyone with a rock sensibility who wants it all on one silver platter. This is easily the best of its kind in aeons - quality AOR that thunders yet songs that are red hot, arranged to perfection and delivered even better. If you want quality songs that rock, quality production with acres of guitars and synths, quality vocals that are on fire and to die for, and just sheer quality of writing and arranging, riffing and soloing, then this is the album you HAVE to hear - AOR genius and then some.
KARCIUS: Sphere CD
French Canadian instrumental group playing a mixture of prog-rock and fusion, with rhythm section plus electric guitarist and bloke on piano, fender Rhodes and keyboards. To my ears, it's more fusion than prog, as the jazzy way they arrange things, seems to take precedence. The absence of any synths and the extensive use of piano, plus the occasional acoustic guitar, adds to this effect. In fact, it's only really the fact that they have a strong melodic content, that makes them fall into anything like the prog-rock bracket. But, categories aside, this band have a technical virtuosity while the tracks are well written and arranged. Anyone who likes good attacking guitar-keys led jazz-rock, would do well to score this one.
MOB: The Mob CD
A veritable prog-rock-AOR supergroup quartet featuring guitarist Rob Beach, King's X Doug Pinnick on lead vocals, Kelly Keagy on drums and Timothy Drury on keyboards. Add production by none other than Kip Winger, and you're talking ultimate quality AOR-rock with eleven songs in forty two minutes, all of which are grade A gems. With the extensive use of keyboards, the whole thing feels like a proggy version of King's X as song after soaring song, rises up and gets the adrenaline rushing, acres of furiously riffing guitars and bass, crunching drums, soaring lead vocals, stunning vocal harmonies providing an overall band performance that's simply jaw-dropping, But the real secret is the songs themselves - well written and arranged, with a huge production, huge sound, and some scorching lead guitar work in there throughout, the combination of vocals and riffs and solos working their way into your head with ease, and staying there, too. A track such as 'The Magic' just has the hairs standing on the back of your neck, as it starts with acoustic guitar and vocals, before rising into this awesome sounding anthemic brew of gloriously massive AOR with vocal harmonies and band positively taking off, the whole thing like a much more anthemic AOR version of Bad English only smoother, fuller sounding and simply inspirational, just one great track on a truly phenomenal album. Track after burning track blazes a trail to the stars on what has to be one of THE best AOR-styled albums for a long, long time and totally essential listening.
PHENOMENA: Psychofantasy CD
With no less than 6 vocalists, including Glenn Hughes & Tony Martin, plus old Trapeze (Hughes' old band, too) guitarist Mel Galley, this is a prog-metal concept album that really lifts the roof off. The opener, 'Sunrise', sets the scene with plenty of mid-paced metal riffing against an arsenal of synths, some incredibly solid bass and drum work, as the anthemic lead vocals and soaring choruses work their magic. With the unmistakeable vocals of Hughes leading the way, 'Touch My Life' turns into an equally huge-sounding slice of symphonic metal, again with plenty of tight riffs, sparking lead breaks, the tungsten-strength rhythm section, a sound embellished with lashing of synths and multi-tracked vocal harmonies, as Hughes just shines with a sterling vocal performance that's right out front, but perfect sounding in this context. 'Kiling For The Thrill' goes down a more traditional heavy metal route, in the same way that 'Rainbow Rising' is heavy metal, with some solid verses and steaming metal guitar riffing, set against a backdrop that's reminiscent of Zep's 'Kashmir'as the vocals burn through, the choruses rise up in classic AOR style, and the band turn in a performance that's the perfect mix of prog and metal. With 8 equally fantastic and consistent tracks to follow, this is a stunning example of the genre which, complete with lavish packaging, is not to be missed.
SOMBRE REPTILE: Le Repli Des Ombres CD
Want an instrumental prog-rock album that doesn't sound like any other instrumental prog-rock album and yet is stunning? Well, try this out for size. It's the most accomplished work by miles from this French trio and is certainly the strongest, most cohesive musical statement they've made to date. Consisting of keys/synths player, electric guitarist doubling up on e-bow and drummer, they have come up with a flowing yet complex, strong and dynamic set of tracks lasting between four and twelve minutes - 6 tracks in fifty four minutes - that really have atmosphere and drive, with musical interplay, soloing and ensemble work that makes the total way more than the individual parts. On the opening eleven minute track, you'll hear elements of everything from vintage seventies Santana, Eno, Camel, ELP & Hackett, to name but five, all delivered in a tight yet easily digestible form with some stunning arrangements and equally hot playing throughout. The four and a half minute 'Escales' is a tight and powerful piece with guitar work that glows as those insistent rhythms drive forward with lead guitar work somewhere between Santana & Latimer, while the synths embellish the sound and occasionally come to the foreground, all told, a mighty melody with strong foundations. The eight minute 'Quartiers Perdues' veers between forceful and flowing, positively glowing when it's flying, almost relaxed when it drops back to a more languid territory. All the while a combination of crystalline but searing lead guitar, synth strings, wondrously seventies sounding organ work, heady percussion, dynamic drums and deep rivers of synth bass, combining to provide a muscular does of huge-sounding instrumental magic. A four minute and 2 twelve minute tracks carry this all forward in similarly excellent sea of solid sounding prog-rock magic, as guitars, synths and keys ring out, from passages of great strength and dynamics to more relaxed sections, but always with a mix of seventies and modern providing the pattern for maximum cohesion and enjoyment. If you like your prog to carry a Tyson-sized punch, then this one's for you.
SPOCKS BEARD: Don't Try This At Home+Feel Euphoria DBL CD
Regarding the 'Don't Try This' album, it's that awful moment when you finally get around to hearing an album that you had thought would not actually be that good, only to discover that it's actually a blinding body of work and you wished to god you'd done it weeks before. Yet, that's exactly what we have here. Following several live albums of varying quality, you'd be forgiven for dismissing this as I did - but you'd be making a terrible mistake, because they've only gone and turned in an album where the performances are just spot on. The sound quality id absolutely perfect and the delivery of the music and songs, way more expressive, emotional, dynamic, powerful and plain mind-blowing than on the last studio album. From the opening near ten minutes of 'Day For Night' to the closing twenty minutes of 'The Healing Colours Of Sound' this is quality, enjoyable and highly riveting stuff. So, cast aside your aversion to live albums and, as a prog fan in general or a Spocks Beard fan in particular, you simply have to get this album.
Regarding 'Feel Euphoria' so, if I'm reading this right, Neal Morse (former guitarist/vocalist) has gone, to be replaced by.....Alan Morse on guitars and vocals. I take it that this is no mere coincidence. Quite lucky really, because talent clearly runs in the Morse family on the evidence of this new album. The lion's share of the lead vocals are D'Virglio's and he's got quite a strong, mid-register, vocal style, balanced perfectly by the harmonies from the rest of the band. So, vocally, while it's not a case of metamorphosis without noticing, the transition works a treat, and throughout the album you have no problems at all with the vocals. That's for starters, though, as the songs revolve around writing and arranging, and here things have taken a new turn too. Gone, is the "kitchen sink" approach where layer upon layer upon layer are built up, to be replaced by a much more "produced" set of arrangements allowing each instrument to be heard so that when the mellotrons come sailing in, then you hear them clearly and not just part of the sonic soup. In a way it's much more warm and friendly overall. The album opens with a piece of firepower where the group are saying "back? We never left!" as a salvo of guitar firepower is let loose and the strong rhythm section steams in, pounding bass and solid drums sounding just fantastic, as the OSI- styled song is embellished with keys splendour and powers ahead to leave you in no doubt that they mean business. The seven minute 'The Bottom Line' is a wonderful slice of song-based prog with some great mellotron work in there, whille the seven minute title track runs a gamut of paces from delicate to all-out attack and covers more influences in one track than you've had hot dinners with elements as diverse as The The and King Crimson passing by. 'Shining Star' is one of those building prog power-ballads that starts off quietly and gradually becomes more anthemic only to drop down and rise once more, a glorious exercise in harmonies, keys and ensemble playing. The seven minute 'East Of Eden, West Of Memphis' is the first time we glimpse anything approaching classic seventies prog, with fantastic mellotron and synth work as the song changes from languid to electrifying, as the bass rumbles on and the keys lead the way, and then a supercharged electric guitar solo comes in from nowhere and the hairs rise on the back of your neck as it all charges forward, and dies away - stunning, and a fantastic track. 'Ghosts Of Autumn' is a near six minute song that is more than ballad, less than rock, and certainly anthemic, again with plenty of instrumental space to make it work as a classic slice of modern real prog-rock. The next six tracks are a twenty minute linked piece that is the album's "epic" and you don't need me to tell you that, in the light of what has already been heard on this album, that it fulfills every bit of its potential and more, setting a course right through the heart of classic Spock's Beard territory and coming out smiling. After this amazing experience, the album ends with yet another incredibly strong, layered, anthemic song as vocals, harmonies, keys, synths, guitars, drums and bass soar and solo to leave you with but one thing you just have to do - return to track one and play it all over again.
Not just a comeback - although as they'd be the first to point out, they never left - but a triumphant one at that which should actually keep all the old fans and genuinely win over even more new ones.
