Dust And Dreams

Prospekt are a British Progressive Metal band influenced by bands such as Dream Theater, Symphony X, Opeth and Circus Maximus, as well as film scores and fusion. Prospekt combine the fierce technicality of progressive metal with the symphonic elements of contemporary prog.From brutal riffs coupled with odd time-signatures, to majestic melodies, the principle of Prospekt’s music is to create an intelligent and atmospheric mix of melodic, modern progressive metal. Incorporating passionate higher ranged vocals, frenetic guitar work, haunting orchestration and solid grooves, every composition remains both interesting and original.The Colourless Sunrise was mixed by  Adam "Nolly" Getgood of Periphery and mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street.

"'You've got some new Momentum...you better keep on going,' Neal Morse declares in the exciting title track of his new album. After an amazing 2011 that included the release and subsequent world tour of 'Testimony 2', and the release of the five disc set of 'Testimony 2 Live in L.A.', what could Neal possibly do to follow that? 'That's about where I was in January of 2012; waiting and wondering what was next. Then, Mike (Portnoy) had an open window at the end of January, so I booked him and Randy (George) to come to Nashville to record. But I had no album! Fortunately, an explosion of creativity happened that far exceeded our expectations...'Featuring guitar work of six string legend Paul Gilbert, and of course, the stellar drumming of long time partner Mike Portnoy, 'Momentum' is a musical thrill ride that will leave you breathless! Everything you'd ever want in a Neal Morse album is here; going prog elements, hooky pop choruses, intricate vocal weaving, blistering musicianship and beautiful melodies are all present and accounted for. Highlights: 'Thoughts Pt 5', the perfect sequel to the earlier Spock's Beard classics, 'Weathering Sky', rock/pop brilliance and 'World Without End', clocking in at 33:51, this is the ultimate prog epic from the man who practically invented the term.Also featured on the album is Neal's newest find, Brazilian guitarist Adson Sodre and other members of Neal's new live band. With its surprising directness, depth and pure prog exhilaration, 'Momentum' is quite possibly the ultimate Neal Morse album."

“You can expect a beefy rock album, freak style. I think that Cooking with Pagans finally has the sound and energy of Freak Kitchen live; the energy and rawness. It is anything but overproduced, stripped down, drums, bass and guitar. To the point.” – Mattias “IA” EklundhIt has been 5 years since Freak Kitchen graced us with a new album.  Since the release of 2009’s Land Of The Freaks, the band has toured the world – making stops in Europe, USA, and Asia along the way.  Finally the band was able to settle down in their home base of Sweden to record the long awaited follow up Cooking With Pagans.The album finds the band collaborating with Blacksad comic book creator and former Disney animator Juanjo Guarnido.  In addition to creating the amazing packaging for the album, Mr. Guarnido has created an incredible animated video to support the album release.Freak Kitchen consists of world renowned guitarist Mattias “IA” Eklundh, bassist Christer Ortefors and drummer Bjorn Fryklund, The trio offers an intense blend of progressive metal and rock, often served up with a wicked dose of humor.  RIYL Frank Zappa, Steve Vai, and Bumblefoot. 

"Progressive rock and boy-band pop seem like natural enemies at first. The former's fascination with ornate, elongated passages of finger-exhausting musicianship is in almost every way the opposite of the latter's emphasis on catchiness first; it's hard to imagine turn-of-the-millennium hits like "Bye Bye Bye" with extended guitar and keyboard solos. Yet ever since A Doorway to Summer, their 2005 debut, Moon Safari has put to rest the notion that progressive-minded songwriters can't make pop that's as hook-driven as it is ostentatious. Grandiloquent epics like "Other Half of the Sky," from the 2008 double album Blomljud, weave together widescreen arrangements with the band's signature five-part vocal harmony, a feature unmatched by few groups in any genre, anywhere. It's easy to isolate the audience with solipsistic soloing and obtuse orchestrations, but from day one Moon Safari has made prog that—assuming the layperson were more amenable to songs that run upwards of thirty minutes—could lead them to something like a pop crossover hit.But while the union of hook-heavy vocal interplay and '70's prog stylistics gives Moon Safari an unmistakable, unique sound, it also handicapped them in a significant way for their first two LPs. The group's accessibility on A Doorway to Summer and Blomljud, along with its technical prowess, is unassailable, but the high-fructose sweetness of its style leads to a diabetic rush when stretched out onto songs that span ten to thirty minutes. For example, "Other Half of the Sky," the titanic thirty minute showstopper off of Blomljud, has so many memorable hooks that by the time it's run its time out, it's hard to remember all of them. The classic problem of "too many voices leads to a noisy room" was the defining problem of Moon Safari's otherwise enjoyable sound for some time. All that changed, however, in 2010 with the release of Lover's End.It is no exaggeration—even as the decade remains young—to say that Lover's End is one of the finest progressive rock records of the '00's. Hell, it's not even crazy to say that it's one of the finest pop albums of the '00s; anyone, even those turned off by prog's eccentricities, can find something to love on this mellifluous collection of songs. From the a cappella charm of "Southern Belle" to the hook-loaded "New York City Summergirl," Lover's End is chock full of goodness from beginning to end. What explains its genius is that in contrast to A Doorway to Summer and Blomljud, the songs are given exactly the amount of space they need, and not a second more. Some songwriters may feel hamstrung by the verse/chorus structure, but it's a perfect fit for Moon Safari's joyous approach to music.With their newest studio outing, Himlabacken, Vol. 1, Moon Safari continue the refining of their sound, and while this isn't the breakthrough that Lover's End was, it nonetheless attests to the brilliance of this group. Whereas the latter was bound by a loose concept (love and heartbreak), Himlabacken Vol. 1 is less a lyrics album than its predecessor. The cost of this is that the music is less distinct in its cohesiveness, but there are no shortage of catchy passages and amped-up solos. "Mega Moon" comes off as a tribute to musical theatre, with "The Very Model of A Modern Major General" vocal delivery interweaving with Queen-esque bombast to an impressive effect. "Too Young to Say Goodbye" sees and matches the polyharmonic beauty of "Lover's End (Part One)." By sticking to concise song formats—the longest cut here runs nine and a half minutes—Moon Safari ensures that things never run out of steam, an essential quality to any good progressive rock band.If nothing else, Himlabacken, Vol. 1 proves that there's one thing Moon Safari can't be accused of: being unaware of themselves. Grand finale "Sugar Band" is as much a statement of identity as it is a slice of epic pop: "Sweet and saccharine are we," they declare, followed by "syrup's the blood in our veins." (Less successful is the clumsy Katy Perry innuendo of, "suck our big candy canes," which is thematically consistent but tonally off.) Both "Sugar Band" and "Little Man," one of the few Moon Safari songs to feature a solo vocal, are emblematic of the mushiness that might turn some prog fans away from their music. The latter, while obviously a touching document of a father's love for his son, does feel a bit out of place in how deeply personal it is; part of the strength of this group's sonic is the universality of its pop appeal, and the intimacy behind "My Little Man" makes listening to it an almost voyeuristic experience. "Mega Moon" and "Sugar Band" are better at capturing the convivial spirit of the band that's accessible to all.As with past outings, even those drawn to vocal harmonies might find it hard to stomach all of the sweetness of Himlabacken, Vol. 1. But what ultimately makes this LP successful is its unpretentious commitment to fun. Moon Safari are a rare collective that prove daunting musical chops aren't anathema to accessibility, and with Himlabacken, Vol. 1 they've made a recording that, while not the magnum opus that Lover's End was, is as true a capturing of their ethos as there could ever be. Sating a sweet tooth brings to mind the phrase "guilty pleasure," but there's no guilt involved with music as first-class as this. Who knew being in a boy band could sound so classy? " - Sea Of Tranquility

Second release from this superb progressive metal band from France - and their debut release for Sensory. Everything about the sophomore effort is an improvement - from the production to the performances (and there was nothing wrong with Mental Torments). If you are fan of mega-tight ensemble work, chops from hell and real songs then you have to hear Anima. We are very proud to have SUE as part of the Sensory roster."The early beginnings of Spheric Universe Experience dates back to 1999, when guitarist Vince Benaim decided to create a progressive metal band together with his friends Sam (on drums) and John Drai (on bass). The band did some local gigs in and around the southern parts of France, going by the name of Gates of Delirium.They knew that they limited their own repertoire by not incorportating vocals and keyboards, so by 2001 keyboardist Fred Colombo entered the band together with vocalist Alex. Now going by the band name of Amnesya, the guys did lots of liveshows and one demo CD.In August 2002, the band split because of musical disagreements leaving Vince, John and Fred to continue under the name of Spheric Universe Experience.During the next 8 months their passion for composing led them to write a complete album, which they recorded at home as a demo in April 2003 with session vocalist Franck Garcia, who came in just a few days before the recordings began. The vocals were recorded in a professional studio, and although Franck didn't have much time with the band prior to recording it, the result is very convincing, which is why he joined the band fulltime.The 2003 demo, "The Burning Box", was sent to Intromental Management in Denmark, who immediately fell in love with the bands sound, and decided to offer them a management-deal.Helped by session-drummer Volodia Brice, the band began recording the debut album, “Mental Torments”, in August 2003.In summer of 2004 Spheric Universe signed a worldwide record deal with French label Replica Records. An American license was also inked with Nightmare Records.Nico "Ranko" Muller joined the band in fall 2004 as their new drummer, and with him on-board the line-up was complete. The debut album, Mental Torments" was finalized by the great mix of Tommy Hansen (Jailhouse Studios, Denmark - a.o. Helloween, TNT, Pretty Maids). The cover artwork was created by famous Swedish artist Mattias Norén at ProgArt Media (www.progart.com).2005 was spent writing new material plus playing various live shows, opening for acts such as Scorpions and Uli Jon Roth in France.Now, the band has finalized their 2nd effort, “Anima”, which is a strong follow up to the debut, showcasing S.U.E. from their finest side. The album was recorded by Charles Massabo during the summer of 2006 in Coxinhell Studio Studio and Kallaghan Studio in France and was mastered at Jailhouse Studios in Denmark by Tommy Hansen, giving the music of S.U.E. the extra powerful touch that is needed in today’s music market. Artwork was this time around handled by Björn at Killustrations Media in Germany (www.killustrations.com).The music of Spheric Universe Experience is technical, melodic and possesses a top-notch progressiveness, that can be compared to bands such as Dream Theater, Pain Of Salvation and Fates Warning, but filled with an incredible intensity and an original identity of their own."

Andy Latimer goes Celtic!