Blinded By Tokyo: Live In Tokyo (CD/DVD)

"Recorded live over 3 nights in October 2003 (17th-19th).In the summer of 2003 Cardiacs were charged with the unenviable task of casting a wincey eye back.Way back to before Sarah hung up her little saxophone, before Tim Quy broke the nausea rule, before THE CONSULTANT and Miss Swift held the reins. Way, way back.For that coming October’s ‘Special Garage Concerts’, Cardiacs were expected to wipe the grime of the dusty archive from thirty-two tunes everyone had long since forgotten about. Cardiacs dutifully frittered away the waning days behind locked doors, exhuming songs from clanking, obsolete machinery and reams of faded manuscript. Music from the band’s conception in 1976 to their ‘coming of age’ in 1983 was given the dressing down THE ALPHABET BUSINESS CONCERN had always wisely insisted it deserved.With the arrival of autumn the songs had somehow taken on a raw, definitive bent. Haphazard approximations you may have previously heard performed by wide-eyed, puny youths were given deftness, muscle and swagger by the four grizzled and worldly-wise men proudly standing their ground under the Cardiacs banner today.This nostalgic arsenal was duly recorded over three consecutive nights at London’s sizeically challenged ‘The Garage’ concert venue. Privileged witnesses described the spectacle as "one-fifth loving recreation, two-fifths exercise in futility and four-fifths sheer brute force."Cunningly encrypted on to two Compact Discs, as never they were meant to be, Volumes One and Two are a unique testament to pure bloody mindedness and musical irrelevance.Both volumes contain music that has never previously been recorded and re-workings of other tunes that many of the faithful claim to have ‘insider knowledge’ of.They don’t have a clue."

"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

"TAROT is not only a card game, but also a long time running Heavy Metal band from Finland. The band was founded in the early eighties (!) by the Hietala brothers, Marco and Zachary. The first album "Spell Of Iron" was finally released in 1986. Much later Marco became famous as a member of SINERGY and of course NIGHTWISH, but he never abandoned his "baby band“. From time to time with some breaks, for obvious reasons, TAROT have released great albums which have made them a great addition to the metal scene. In 2007 Tarot signed a contract with Nuclear Blast and released the highly anticipated album “Crows Fly Black”.. The first single “You” entered the Finish charts on position # 1. One Year later in 2008 after several tours they released their first Live DVD ever. “Live Undead Indeed” also entered the Finish DVD Charts on position # 1. Now in 2010, TAROT is back in business. The hairy dudes from the town of Kuopio, county of Savo, Finland have again come up with a bunch of songs, which you will be able to hear on their eighth studioalbum titled “Gravity Of Light”. Most of the demo work for this album was done in August and September 2009 by Marco Hietala, Zachary Hietala and Janne Tolsa, the main writers of the band. The actual recordings for the album started immediately after that in November 2009. Mixing has been done by Janne and Mikko Tegelman and the mastering by Mika Jussila at Finnvox studios in January and February 2010. The album feels like meeting an old friend. Some things are the same, but your friend has gained weight. He shows new scars, and tattoos. The beard is longer and he projects a meaner and faster temper. At the same time there´s still a big heart at the center. The blood might rush to your head when your friend takes you to a weightless sauna orbiting the sun. When you hear “Gravity Of Light” you will believe."

"Maxi Nil (ex Visions of Atlantis) and Raphael Saini (ex Iced Earth) after touring the world and captivating audiences along the way, decided to join forces and re enter the music world as Jaded Star!Exploding with energy, experience and drive the band's debut album "Memories From The Future" is ready.Produced by Maxi Nil, mixed and mastered by Fredrik Nordstrom at the legendary Fredman Studios in Sweden, this album showcases Maxi's electrifying vocals and the masterful drum work Saini is known for.Guitar hero Kosta Vreto with his unique finger strumming style, eschews the plectrum in favor of a raw, organic sound that literally comes straight through his hands. Babis Nikou on the bass brings a solid foundation and the chemistry between he and Maxi as the song writing team provides emotion to match the power of the sound.The elements are there, the forces have aligned, the Jaded Star is ready to shine!" 

Digipak edition with one bonus track."Tasting The Tears in the ninth studio offering from Italian prog metal masters Eldritch. For those who are unfamiliar with the band, that is what we here at Lady Obscure are here to do! We shine the spotlight on bands that may have flown under the music fans radar. Eldritch perform a technical form of melodic progressive metal with elements of thrash metal thrown in to create a style that is instantly recognizable as Eldritch. Following up on the success of the bands previous album Gaia’s Legacy (which included an invitation to perform a powerful set at the famous ProgPower USA festival in 2011) is no easy task, but after several listens of Tasting The Tears, I can safely say that Eldritch are up for the challenge. After the global warming concept of Gaia’s Legacy, the band turns to more personal subject matter. The lyrics on Tasting The Tears share a common theme: love in all its different forms. Not exactly progressive metal forte but Eldritch pull it off thanks to vocalist Terence Holler’s emotive delivery and some excellent songwriting.Tasting the Tears was produced by Eugene Simone at ES Studios in Livorno, Italy. and mixing and mastering duties have been handled by Simone Mularoni (DGM) at Domination Studios in San Marino, Italy. The album combines melody, complexity, and dark compositions to create a cohesive album. The production is crisp and all the individual instruments are given a clear representation in the mix. The album kicks off with Inside You, a moody and catchy headbanger with a soaring melodic chorus, and lots of tasty riffs courtesy of the guitar duo of Eugene Simone and Rudj Ginanneschi. The title track features the keyboard wizardy of Gabriele Caselli overlapping the thrash metal machine gun drumming of Rafahell Dridge with melody. The mood takes on a melancholy and darker tone with Alone Again. The band combines the clean guitar tones with keyboards and Holler’s melodic voice combined with superb vocal harmonies. Based on the lyrical content, Waiting For Someone is a song about loneliness and the search for love. The music is heavy and progressive with plenty of melody and guitar crunch. Seeds of Love has a driving intense drums and chugging guitar rhythms. A piano intro starts of The Trade, a song of betrayal and the tone relects the seriously dark subject matter. The thrashing mad Something Strong is filled with brutal riffs, technical drumwork, and impassioned vocals. Don’t Listen the trash influence is apparent but Caselis keyboards and Hollers vocals add the perfect melodic touch. The band shows their diversity and takes a chance with the moody piano ballad Iris. The song is well done although personally I would rather hear the band rock hard. Luckily the next song Love From A Stone shows the band doing what they do best and that is playing intense and melodic prog metal.The energy is ramped up on Clouds, an intense heavy progressive song with some fantastic keyboard work and a fantastic memorable chorus. As with Gaia’s Legacy, the albums closing song is a cover song, this time of the Queensrÿche classic I Will Remember from Rage for Order. The song is given the Eldritch treatment with added piano and Holler’s voice which is drastically different from vintage Geoff Tate, but he adds his own unique spin to the song and make it his own. Is it better than the original? Of course not, but it is a faithful rendition and tribute to one of the bands influences and I commend the band for taking a chance on recording a song of this stature in the metal world.Although it is not a perfect album, s a fan of Eldritch, I can highly recommend Tasting the Tears. It’s not as heavy and lively as Gaia’s legacy or Blackenday, but being one of the lucky fans to catch their last U.S. performance, I can say that the band puts on a highly energetic show and one can only hope that they return to U.S. shores soon. Fans of melodic progressive metal with a touch of thrash will appreciate the latest Eldritch offering." - Lady Obscure

"7 long years it has been since PYRAMAZE’s last album, “Immortal”, with the famed Matt Barlow at the vocal helm. Come 2015, the band has seen half of the original lineup revamped; still remains Jonah Weingarten on keyboards, Morten Gade Sørensen on drums and Toke Skjønnemand on guitars, but have welcomed about longtime-friend and producer Jacob Hansen on guitars and Terje Harøy on vocals. “Disciples Of The Sun” assuredly marks the beginning of a new era for the band, adopting a new and fresh musical trajectory.Who would replace the former members were always at the forefront of the minds of their fanbase. A Danish band, with the exception of American Jonah, Jacob Hansen is well-known in the metal echelons of his home-country and abroad for working with and producing many of Metal’s greatest bands; DELAIN, ABORTED, ANUBIS GATE and EPICA among them. Already the band’s producer, the transition to guitar simply made sense. As for vocals, many considered Matt irreplaceable; such cynicism does not have a place in the metal world, for the band pulled in Terje from Prog/Heavy band CROSSNAIL (formerly TEODOR TUFF).On one hand, the decision to pick a relatively-unknown singer to take the vacant vocal position could be considered risky, but it was the best-possible decision the band could have made, because “Disciples Of The Sun” is chock-full of uplifting and powerful heavy-hitters, to which his voice is perfectly-suited. The introduction of epic proportions sets a spanning, cinematic scene for chugger “The Battle Of Paridas”. One of the album’s heaviest moments right off the bat, the track soon gets into the lyrics, where Terje’s power is obvious right away. Come the chorus (in fact, any chorus on the album, especially that of “Fearless” or “Hope Springs Eternal), the man’s voice lets loose with raw, unrestrained energy. Not losing their trademark, soaring atmospherics either, which are incredibly present in this track, as well as in the infectiously-catchy “Back For More”, PYRAMAZE proves that they have successfully moved forward without losing any trace of their identity.In hearing the wonderful lyrics for the album, written with absolute poetic flair in “Genetic Process” and “Hope Springs Eternal”, I learned that ANUBIS GATE’s very own bassist/vocalist/lyricist Henrik Fevre was asked to write the new album’s lyrics, given that Michael Kammeyer, the previous writer, had left. And they fit the music PYRAMAZE has lovingly-crafted ever so perfectly; uplifting crescendos and dramatic cascades the ideal vehicle. Heavy-hitting, Progressive Power Metal the band’s tried-and-true engine, not one track on the album hints to any monotony; each piece has its own vibe, and is a story all in its own. For one, “Perfectly Imperfect” booms with a series of Stoner-like opening riffs, before transitioning into soaring and gloriously-melodic choruses. The track to follow, “Unveil”, however, provides some of the more ‘Proggy’ moments on the record; the key-change in the last chorus leaving me light-headed, and probably best display’s Terje’s impressive range. As for the most balls-to-the-castle-wall Metal track on the album, “Hope Springs Eternal” is the package, containing the album’s fastest, most aggressive, most blistering riffs; but in a gracefulness only Scandinavian metallers have perfected, transitions to long-lasting, memorable and melodic choruses.For my own personal pleasure, the band picked the right year to release “Disciples Of The Sun”, being able to look forward to new NIGHTWISH and new KAMELOT albums as well, for if Metal were a competition, the genre heavy-weights would have serious competition. PYRAMAZE is, quite frankly, the come-back I’ve been waiting for." - Metal Temple