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  • Third album from Sam Vallen and Jim Grey.  Plain and simple another triumph.  The great thing about this band is the way they assimilate different influences and make a cohesive whole.  Vallen's guitarwork touches on djent riffing as well as fluid clean lines and Grey's vocals...well they are spectacular as usual.  You get a little bit of Opeth here and Haken there.  Maybe even a little Dream Theater and Pain Of Salvation.  Naturally if you are a fan of Jim Grey's other band, Arcane, you are going to love this one as well.  Very dynamic and dramatic.  Essential 2015 purchase.  BUY OR DIE!"There are certain albums that require more than just open ears. Sometimes, you need to close your eyes in order to sharpen up your senses, to be able to really consume and obtain the musical message delivered throughout the record. So before pressing the ‘play’ button on Caligula’s Horse newest release, Bloom, pour a glass of your favorite drink, put your headphones on and close your eyes.Consisting of 8 tracks, Bloom delivers something deeper than a compilation of technical riffs; it sets an atmosphere, driven by emotion and by the story line, as the sound and production correlate towards that notion. From the very beginning, with the theme song being the opener of the album, you can see how the band sets the mood for the entire record. Mysterious, dark, heavily Opeth influenced, and yet still having its own characteristics to the story.Right from the beginning of the album, one cannot miss how Opeth deeply affected the band’s music. The vocal ideas and implementation, the guitar sound and the general image that’s created, can immediately drift the listener to many of the Swedish group’s finest works. Nevertheless, I do feel that within these carried elements still lies a large chunk of originality that separates this album from being another Opeth-imitation attempt, which can easily be found on a variety of past-releases of different bands.One impressive thing to notice on this record is vocalist’s Jim Grey. It is easy to fall in love with the color of Grey’s voice, as can be heard on The Tide, The Thief & River’s End (2013), but he did manage to improve a certain and essential vocal ability for this album: I’ve always felt that when hitting the higher notes, he needed to “shout” those notes just a little bit too much, having immediate impact on the tenderness and vibrations of his voice. On this album, it seems that Grey feels much more comfortable on higher scales, and that vocal freedom affects his entire range. Grey has turned it up a notch, becoming not only great a singer, but a great storyteller. His vocal movements are probably the most interesting thing to follow on this album, as it escorts the listener throughout each and every song.Another thing that immediately stands out is the band’s cooperation while putting Grey’s vocals as the leading musical idea of the album. Nothing is over-pressed, and it seems that band took a great care of composing the songs mostly to create an atmosphere, to set the right stage to deliver the story in the best way. It is impressive, since many bands tend to miss this very idea, with every musician trying to overlap the other, which mostly leads to a confusing blend that misses the main idea. This shows great maturity of the band, which helped them carry their music to the next level.Many bands these days try to force their music in to a hidden musical horizon just to be different. What’s so great about Bloom is that the band did not try to reinvent the wheel, but only used the tools they had, mixed just a little bit of everything to create something unique. Every song has that thing that sticks to your head; whether it’s a defying chord, a vocal movement, mesmerizing vocals and at times – some really catchy, groovy guitar riffs. That alone helps the fluency of the record, making it an album, 44-minutes of which you listen to from the top to the bottom, rather than just a collection of different songs.Overall, it’s easy to see how the band feels more comfortable with their work with every passing release. With time, Caligula’s Horse understands what they look for while composing their music, yet something still feels held back. It’s funny, because even I, after countless of times listening to the album, still cannot really put my finger towards what it is that is missing. Perhaps it is something that cannot be described by simple words, but it is that something that turns a 9 into a 10. That something that transforms an album which is great to hear, to a one that really dives into your deeper cells, and stays there. Rest assured: You cannot turn a blind eye in regard of the band’s progress, and you absolutely must give this album a try." - It Djents
    $15.00
  • "Longtime Fates Warning frontman Ray Alder with his first solo album on Inside Out Music. Showcasing 10 highly melodic and imposingly versatile songs created with assistance from guitarists Mike Abdow (Fates Warning touring member) and Tony Hernando (Lords Of Black) as well as drummer Craig Anderson (Ignite, Crescent Shield), "What The Water Wanted" was mixed by Simone Mularoni (Rhapsody, Michael Romeo, DGM)."
    $16.00
  • "So I’m writing a review of the new album by Magic Pie, and I figure I should be clever.  The Pie is tasty, a confection, a dessert par excellence, a bit tart and sweet, etc., etc.  And that doesn’t even address the “magic” part. And it all sounds stupid.  Like I’m trying to be clever. And failing.So let’s drop the a la mode and whipped cream (crud, there I go again) and just get to it.  Magic Pie’sFragments of the 5th Element is outstanding.  It’s a great listen with Prog singles and an epic. It showcases outstanding musicianship.  There are hooks galore.  It is not a concept album, and yet there is something of a lyrical theme. This is one of my favorite releases of 2019.Things kick off with “The Man Who Had It All,” which introduces a character out of John Steinbeck called Jeremiah.  He’s a wino who has just died, a guy who loved life and wants his compatriots to carry on without him.  There are no regrets for living in the seamy side of society—just a guy who had fun and had a smile on his face when he passed.  Musically, Magic Pie sends Jeremiah off with a fanfare that segues into vocals/piano/bass—and then moves into a dissonant section followed by a Prog waltz.  And that’s in the first two minutes of the song (a music hall segment is yet to come).  And there are hooks in every part!  “The Man Who Had It All” is a song that has it all.“P & C” (pleasure and consequences) follows.  And somewhat surprisingly, at least in terms of Prog, it’s another song about drinking and partying.  But this time, the guy isn’t going to die, drunk, with a smile on his lips.  Yes, there are ramifications…Thirteen Tequilas, joined with a bottle of red.No doubt! Best rush I’d ever had.Woke up next morning, – managed to crawl out of bed.Bulldozers truckin’ throu’ my head. So….I made a clear decision.Behold! A man with a missionto build a wall-defencive,between pleasure and consequences.Singer/lyricist Eirikur Hauksson sings as if he knows that scene—he does—and is determined to turn things around.  Coming to that decision isn’t easy, of course, and guitarist/band leader Kim Stenbergemphasizes that with some outstanding soloing.  Keyboardist Erling Henanger is given two breaks, one a jazzy improv that explores another Prog genre, the other a quiet synthesizer part that shows the protagonist’s soul finding peace before the final resolution to do better. Did I mention that the first two songs are each about 5:35?  Succinct, varied, interesting, compelling.  That’s the way to kick off an album.“Table for Two” is a love song (not for booze)—although not in ballad form. There’s a recurring fanfare that is broken up by a dreamy chorus section.  This is the love a husband has for a wife after years of being together, remembering back to how it was early on.  He sets up a candlelit table in the attic, reminiscent of those cafes of long ago.  They don’t have much except for each other—and that’s more than enough.Stenberg’s guitar turns bluesy on “Touched By An Angel.”  This, too, is a remembrance of love—but of love lost, the pain and yearning of a man who was once in the heavens and whose life is now hell.  He wants her back, in the worst way.  The initial, quiet blues swells to an emotional roar in the chorus.  This one really showcases the talents of singer Hauksson.  In those quieter moments, he explores the lower part of his range and sounds remarkably like a crooning David Bowie.  And with Stenberg providing a guitar counterpoint, this one packs a punch.Then comes the 23-minute Prog epic to wrap things up…But first, a word about Magic Pie, for there’s an interesting dynamic at play with in this Norwegian band (well, Hauksson is originally from Iceland).  Kim Stenberg is more than just the lead guitarist.  He writes, arranges and produces the music; he pretty much has final say on everything.  He is a self-described introvert who wears hats and sunglasses to ward off the world and provide a persona of mystery.  He’s happy letting Hauksson, with his long hair and rock star moves, be the front man of Magic Pie. Until Hauksson came on board a dozen years ago, Stenberg also was the lyricist.  But Eirikur needed to feel the words and message, so Kim gave up those duties.  That keeps Magic Pie from becoming a Prog Roger Daltrey–Pete Townsend-The Who situation, where the singer is basically the doppelganger mouthpiece for the guitarist/composer.And in the case of  Fragments of the 5th Element, Eirikur Hauksson’s words and performances are among the most intimate and personal of his time with The Pie.  These vignettes are part of his story, and he’s going to tell them—no matter how much pain he has to relive.Which brings us to “The Hedonist,” the Prog epic that closes the album.  The title says it all—the protagonist wants to live a life of pleasure.  Sure, he knows there is a lot of pain and sadness in the world but there’s little he can do to change things.  Except…it sounds like the guy is trying to convince himself of that.  Being a hedonist can be fun for only so long, especially when reality keeps slapping you in the face.Are you still here? I’m ready, help me riseout of the abyss, into your Paradise.Guide my journey safely to your shore.This wayward traveler wants to pay his score…Please, leave an open door.There is plenty of religious language in this one without any overt mentions of God or salvation. Yet there is the feeling that “the hedonist” is somewhat secretly seeking redemption, renewal.  And there’s more.  When I first listened to this one, before I read the lyrics, when I focused on melody and chord progressions and arrangements, looking for impressions and comparisons, I was struck by similarities with Neal Morse.  Yeah, for those of you who know me, I’m a Morse super-fan.  But I’m serious!  There are moments “The Hedonist” could come from Similitude of a Dream or The Great Adventure.  Toss in the lyrics…And as one should have with Prog epics, there are time and key changes galore.  Intricate vocal harmonies.  Some strings and a flute.  Recurring musical themes. But this is still Magic Pie.  Hauksson is his own singer.  Stenberg is an incredible guitarist who deserves a lot more attention than he’s getting.  And “The Hedonist” is a great song, with so many parts that just grab you and won’t let go.  You will be hooked by the hooks.  And it is a showcase for these guys and the other members of The Pie.I’ve already mentioned Erling Henanger, the keyboardist and backing vocalist.  He can go from classical riffs to jazzy breaks to fiery Prog progressions.  His sound is key to Magic Pie. Bassist Lars Petter Holstadand drummer Jan T. Johannessen are a somewhat unobtrusive rhythm section, but they are very strong and vital to keeping the whole thing together and moving forward.  I guess you could say they are the crust to The Pie (sorry, I know, I promised not to go there).  And rhythm-acoustic guitarist and singer Eirik Hanssen is a key component to the fullness of the sound—and his voice works very well with that of Hauksson. And to cap things off, the mix is done by the legendary Rich Mouser.  The sound/production are outstanding.I admit, I’m a relative newcomer to Magic Pie; a friend introduced me to them a couple of years ago with King for a Day.  I really liked that one and proceeded to work back through their catalogue. But Fragments of the 5th Element is, by far, this band’s best. It is delicious and scrumptious.  It will have you wanting another piece of The Pie.  Yep, that’s contrived cleverness.  But Magic Pie is anything but.  Order some and thank me later." - Sonic Perspectives
    $9.00
  • Following the release of 2021’s ambitious studio album ‘The Absolute Universe’, progressive-rock supergroup Transatlantic present ‘The Final Flight: Live At L'Olympia’. A document of the bands triumphant show in Paris, the last night of their tour in support of their most recent studio album, it sees Neal Morse, Mike Portnoy, Roine Stolt & Pete Trewavas (along with Ted Leonard) performing the entirety of „The Absolute Universe (The Ultimate Version)”, before returning to the stage to perform some of their extensive back catalogue. A night as special as they come, this audio/visual document presents the band at their most majestic. 
    $27.00
  • \"With Book 3, The Chronicles of Father Robin reach the final chapter of “The Songs & Tales of Airoea”. This dynamic and soulful journey starts with the upbeat “Magical Chronicle”, a vocal driven track full of lush harmonies and clear references to prog classics such as Gentle Giant, Yezda Urfa and the Canterbury Scene. From the atmospheric “Skyslumber” and the soaring prog ballad that Yes never wrote, “Cloudship”, the album burst into the dynamic psych-rocker “Empress of the Sun”, a song full of energy and contrast eventually sliding into a keyboard lead middle part reminiscent of The Doors at their most adventurous. Finishing the album “Lost in the Palace Gardens” starts off with a beautiful acoustic guitar part brining associations to British folk bands such as Steeleye Span, but also the guitar work of a certain Jimmy Page. The track follows up with vocal parts where Andreas Prestmo and Aleksandra Morozova’s voices perfectly complement each other, making it a perfect culmination of this highly ambitious body of work where Father Robin explores the cloud lands in the Sky. Featuring members from some of the most revered progressive rock bands from Norway, Wobbler, Jordsjø, Tusmørke and seasoned post-rockers The Samuel Jackson Five, TCOFR is a veritable all-star team. “The Songs & Tales of Airoea”, 30 years in the making, is a cohesive triple concept album with 18 songs set in an alternate archaic world for over a period of three decades. The first album, “Book I”, was released on September 15th, and “Book II” will be out December 08th. The Chronicles of Father Robin (TCOFR) emerged from the remains of the band Fangorn back in 1993- 94, mainly inspired by the classic bands and albums of the early 1970s progressive music scene, alongside contemporary bands like Änglagård, Anekdoten, White Willow and Landberk."
    $14.00
  • Hyperdrive marks a new era for Knight Area.  The long running Dutch progressive rock band had previously released four studio albums and toured Europe and USA extensively, performing at all major prog rock festivals.  1n 2012 the band welcomed guitarist Mark Bogert as well as legendary bassist Peter Vink (Q65, Finch, Ayreon) into the fold. With these newcomers onboard, Knight Area introduced a heavier element and fuller sound to their repertoire.  All the classic symphonic rock traits of their previous albums are still clearly evident but the songs on Hyperdrive are more immediate and concise.The band invited noted prog guitarist Arjen Lucassen (Ayreon, Star One) to participate as a special guest on one track.  Joost van den Broek, who is known for his production work with Epica, Mayan, and After Forever, mixed the album.   Rounding out the package is startling artwork by Gustavo Sazes.
    $6.00
  • "“Eye Of The Soundscape” features 13 experimental and highly atmospheric compositions, previously used as bonus material for the “Shrine Of New Generation Slaves” (2103) and “Love, Fear and the Time Machine" (2015) albums, alongside rare cuts (e.g. a new mix of “Rapid Eye Movement” and the single “Rainbow Trip”, so far only released in Poland) as well as 4 new songs (“Where The River Flows”, “Shine”, “Sleepwalkers” and “Eye Of The Soundscape”) into a massive +100 minutes 2CD/3LP package, which showcases RIVERSIDE’s ambient electronic side.RIVERSIDE’s Mariusz Duda explained and introduced this rather unorthodox and experimental release as follows:“I had a feeling that the sixth RIVERSIDE album might be the last chapter of a story. That the future releases might have a different sound, a different character... Unofficially, I called our latest three albums "the crowd trilogy". Each subsequent title was longer by one word – four, five, six. Six words were long enough as a title and I thought that was the one to finish it off with...Before we started a new chapter, perhaps a "new trilogy", I had an idea to release a complementary album. An album in between. An album we had always wanted to record. It wouldn't be just new music but in our case and in such configuration it would definitely be a new quality because we hadn't released such an album before.For years, we have accumulated a lot of material, a part of which was released on bonus discs. I know that some of our listeners still haven't heard those pieces and do not realise that Riverside, basically right from the start, have been experimenting with ambient and progressive electronic music. And that's always been a part of our music DNA.So I presented the idea to the rest of the band and the decision was unanimous. We decided to make a compilation of all our instrumental and ambient pieces, and release it this year as an independent album. Some of the songs would be re-mixed to make them sound better, but most of all, we'd add new compositions.At the beginning of the year, we locked ourselves in the studio and we started to compose. We even published a picture on our facebook page, in which Grudzien is holding a small keyboard as a joke. That was that recording session. We were working with smiles on our faces, genuinely excited, knowing that this time it wasn't just a bonus disc or an addition to something "bigger" but a fully fledged, independent release with that kind of music, full of space, trance, melodies and electronics. The day before I got a text message from Grudzien, "I really can't wait for this release, I have always had a dream for RIVERSIDE to release such an album."The release of “Eye Of The Soundscape” therefor also honours late RIVERSIDE guitarist Piotr Grudzinski, who tragically passed away of natural causes on February 21st, 2016.“Eye Of The Soundscape” is composed of material created between 2007-2016 and concieved in 2015/2016 at Serakos studio in Warsaw with Magda Srzednicka, Robert Srzednicki as well Mariusz Duda as producers, and the release comes packaged in artwork by RIVERSIDE’s longterm design partner Travis Smith (Opeth, Katatonia, Nevermore, etc.)."
    $11.00
  • "2020 saw the English rock band Arena celebrate their 25th Anniversary of the band’s first critically acclaimed studio album. “The Theory of molecular inheritance” was due for release in 2020 but because of delays/ pandemic / and tour postponements the album is finally here with the now rearranged 27 date European tour being undertaken in September/October 2022. Renowned Artist David Wyatt has illustrated books by JRR Tolkien, Terry Pratchett along with other Arena albums in the past and now he’s has now rejoined Arena to design the Artwork for "The Theory Of Molecular Inheritance".The band also welcome a new vocalist; Damian Wilson is an English musician, songwriter and vocalist who has appeared on over 70 separate album releases. Damian is mostly known in the progressive metal genre, as the lead singer of Headspace and Threshold. He also sang and toured with bands and projects such as for Star One, Ayreon, Praying Mantis and with Rick Wakeman's English Rock Ensemble. As a solo artist he has released 5 solo albums."TRACKLIST1. Time Capsule2. The Equation (The Science of Magic)3. Twenty-One Grams4. Confession5. The Heiligenstadt Legacy6. Field of Sinners7. Pure of Heart8. Under the Microscope9. Integration10. Part of You11. Life Goes On
    $24.00
  • Describing Kingcrow today is quite a difficult task, but one could state that the influence of different kinds of music, from progressive rock, ambient music, alternative rock and metal are all present.With each release Kingcrow has taken a step further away from their original metal roots and is regarded today as one of the most exciting bands that Italy has to offer.“With the last record “Eidos” we finished what we call the “life” trilogy (Phlegethon , In Crescendo, Eidos) and when we started talking about the new chapter everyone agreed we needed somehow to step a bit outside of our comfort zone and refresh our sound. With that in mind I started to write a lot of music (ended up being 3 hours of music more or less) trying different things till I came up with a couple of songs that sounded interesting and fresh to us and showed the “x factor” of the new record. These early songs (“Everything Goes” and “Devil’s Got a Picture” were the first two written) sounded different from what we did in the past but still somehow sounding like us, with a kind of a dark ambient, more modern vibe mixed with a heavier rock attitude. Devilnax (graphic designer) was also determined to have a different cover style for the album, and after nights spent listening to the demos and discussing the lyrical content (for the first time all by Diego Marchesi)  he came up with that very powerful image that fits beautifully with the main vibe of “The Persistence”.” -Diego Cafolla
    $13.00
  • Redemption is one of the leading progressive metal bands in the world today.  Formed in Los Angeles, California in 2000 by guitarist / keyboardist / songwriter Nicolas van Dyk, the band features legendary progressive metal vocalist Ray Alder of Fates Warning, as well as guitarist Bernie Versailles (Agent Steel), and the phenomenal rhythm section of Chris Quirarte (drums) and Sean Andrews (bass).Redemption’s combination of heaviness not usually found in progressive metal, irresistible melodies and emotional urgency has created a unique and resonant voice for this band that sets them apart from the many clones in the genre, and which has gained them the attention of fans, critics and musicians.Through the band’s first three studios CDs (2002s self-titled first release, 2005’s The Fullness of Time, and 2007’s The Origins of Ruin), Redemption gained a loyal fanbase and garnered rave reviews worldwide from critics, who describe Redemption’s music as“one of the best progressive metal acts to emerge in the past decade” – DPRP“magical aura and incredible songwriting” – BLABBERMOUTH“it's powerful, catchy, enslaving, technical; it's the whole bunch” – LORDS OF METAL“the new star on the US prog-metal sky” – SQUEALER ROCKSAfter touring in support of Dream Theater and documenting at headlining show at tour’s end entitled Frozen in the Moment, the band returned to the studio to release 2009’s Snowfall on Judgment Day and 2011’s This Mortal Coil.Performing in support of that record, in 2012 Redemption co-headlined the world-famous ProgPower Festival in Atlanta, where the band recorded a unique show featuring nearly 80 minutes of material and staged with complementary visuals that drive home the compelling emotional impact of this band.   That performance is now being released as a CD/DVD set with additional bonus material through Sensory Records, the band’s original label.  From fan favorites such as the never-before-performed Parker’s Eyes to the crushing emotional weight of Stronger than Death, Redemption’s performance captured the special ability of its music to deeply connect with fans.  In the words of one concert-goer, Redemption’s show “was definitely the most exhausting, personal and emotional musical experience I’ve ever had.” 
    $17.00
  • Swedish psychedelic/progressive rock alchemists AGUSA present their third full-length album simply titled Agusa.The follow-up to 2015’s Agusa 2 (Två ) sees the AGUSA circle expanding their kaleidoscopic output which conjures images of nature and the cosmos, their extensive passages again leading the listener into fantastic realms of a possibly supernatural or parallel existence. While Agusa 2 (Två) engulfed forty minutes of music through two massive tracks, Agusa sees the band delivering their singular brand of, trance-inducing, folk-inspired, occult rock through more traditional track lengths, offering five songs which range from five to ten-and-a-half minutes in length and are a bit heavier than the album’s predecessors.Agusa was recorded and mixed by Viktor Rinneby and mastered by Grammy-winning engineer Bob Katz, and completed with art by Danilo Stankovic and design by Peter Wallgren.In September 2016 AGUSA released their live disc Katarsis, which had been recorded in Athens, Greece six months before. Following that release the band had hectic schedule with gigs in Scandinavia, Poland, and back to Greece. This proved to be too much for organ player Jonas Berge who left the band in January 2017, while recording the new Agusa album, which caused the band to take a pause in order to complete the album and replace Berge. Finding a talented organ player who would also fit into the group proved to be a difficult task, but finally Danish organ player Jeppe Juul was picked as Berge's successor. Juul is originally from Denmark but now lives in the deep woods of southern Sweden in primitive circumstances, where they must carry all water from a nearby well and occasionally get some electricity from some solar cells on the roof. He has previously played with many acts in different genres; Marcus Miller, Royal Danish Ballet, and Lili Haydn, among many others.AGUSA has performed live throughout Europe, including the mighty Roadburn Festival and more. Preceding the new Agusa album, flute player Jenny Puertas gave birth to a daughter in May which saw the band performing sans-flute for several shows, and additionally, organist Jonas Berge rejoined the lineup for several performances, which saw them playing live with two organ players. As always, AGUSA performed vastly different versions of the new songs live compared to how they ended up on the album, continuing their ongoing mission of turning every concert into something unique.
    $15.00
  • "The Chronicles of Father Robin is a Norwegian prog-rock supergroup, with members hailing from Norway’s symphonic prog kings Wobbler, the ever non-definable Tusmørke, seasoned post-rockers The Samuel Jackson Five and the elusive prog gem that is Jordsjø. “The Songs & Tales of Airoea”, 30 years in the making, is a cohesive triple concept album with 18 songs set in an alternate archaic world for over a period of three decades.  The first album, “Book I”, will be released on September 15th.The Chronicles of Father Robin (TCOFR) emerged from the remains of the band Fangorn back in 1993- 94, mainly inspired by the classic bands and albums of the early 1970s progressive music scene, alongside contemporary bands like Änglagård, Anekdoten, White Willow and Landberk.During the years the boys created the story of the entity Father Robin. The root idea was that this creature embodied all the members of the band into one being. And as the members experienced challenges in life and their development as human beings, this translated itself into the story of Father Robin, sprinkled on top with a fair amount of inspiration from different mythologies and such. Through lengthy jam sessions and then more finely tuned arranging and structuring, the band developed an ongoing system where every song linked itself to the others. Holistic impulsivity and ideas, altruistic friendship, music, fantasies and coherent concept - all melded together in one pot, and everything took place in the archaic world of Airoea."
    $14.00
  • All Traps On Earth is the solo project created by Anglagard bassist Johan Brand.  He's enlisted former Anglagard keyboardist Thomas Johnson and current drummer Erik Hammarström.  In addition Johan's daughter contributes vocals.  There are a number of guests on board including guitarist Phil Mercy.Musically speaking the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.  You can hear a direct musical connection to Anglagard.  There is so much going on in the compositions and arrangements that your head will be spinning for days.  Its a very intense listening experience and essential for any fan of Anglagard or 70s progressive rock in general.  BUY OR DIE!"Take a modern progressive rock fan and let him listen to the first notes of "A Drop of Light", debut album from a new project called All Traps on Earth: we have no doubt that it will take him a few seconds only to recall a name that has become a legend of Scandinavian symphonic prog: Änglagård!As a matter of fact, All Traps on Earth is the name chosen by Änglagård's founding member and bassist Johan Brand for this project of his, involving keyboard player Thomas Johnson and drummer / percussionist Erik Hammarström from the same 'source band'. They are joined by Johan's talented daughter, Miranda Brand on vocals, as well as a plethora of guests from the Swedish scene.Almost five years of painstaking work and an obsessive care and attention even for the smallest details have led to the creation of an exceptional work that starts Änglagård's music, amplifies its complexity and epicness, and enriches its sonic spectrum thanks to the presence of five other musicians on guitar and wind instruments. As for instrumentation, improvisation, dynamics, rhythmic shifts and atmosphere, All Traps on Earth have put no limits, releasing a monumental record, destined to leave a mark not only for the current year 2018, but also in the future to come.Fans of King Crimson, Goblin, Magma, the Canterbury scene and even of Ennio Morricone, whose sounds are frequently recalled during the record, will enjoy this album for sure, but we have no doubt that any prog-lover will appreciate this unexpected, fantastic album."
    $17.00
  • Ultimately, progress will not be stopped. Pain of Salvation have been firmly at the forefront of the progressive rock and metal scenes for nearly three decades now. Led by mercurial multi-instrumentalist Daniel Gildenlöw, the Swedish band have consistently demonstrated a sincere passion for moving their own extraordinary music forward, while always remaining lyrically enlightened and ferociously intelligent. As a result, the band’s return in 2020 could hardly be better timed.Since selecting the Pain of Salvation banner back in 1991, Gildenlöw’s crew have arguably been the definitive prog band of the modern era. From elaborate and pointedly metallic early classics like The Perfect Element, Part I (2000) and Remedy Lane (2002) to the obtuse wizardry of Be (2004) and the genre-blurring mischief of Scarsick (2006), Pain of Salvation’s all-encompassing musical vision has delivered some of contemporary prog’s most brave, bold and startling moments. Perennially restless, the band switched to a more retrogressive style for Road Salt One (2010) and Road Salt Two (2011), conjuring a precocious blend of ‘70s blues rock and proto-metal with Gildenlöw’s unerringly inventive instincts.Also one of modern rock’s most revered and acclaimed live acts, Pain of Salvation reached a new peak of efficacy on 2017’s In The Passing Light Of Day, an intricate but soulful concept piece that focused on notions of mortality and joy. Both a technically dazzling metal band and a freewheeling prog ensemble, Pain of Salvation have earned their formidable reputation by simply being their brilliant, creatively fearless selves.Fast forward to 2020 and the world is in a state of disarray. But music’s power to uplift and unite has never been in doubt, and the new Pain of Salvation album PANTHER is guaranteed to provide prog fans with a much-needed dose of sumptuous musical substance. Since the release of In The Passing Light Of Day, the band have deftly weathered the departure of guitarist Ragnar Zolberg, discovering a newfound enthusiasm for what happens next in the process.“We did In The Passing Light Of Day and that ended with the departure of Ragnar from the band,” Gildenlöw recalls. “In the past, 10 or 20 years ago, that would probably have made me doubt the future of the band and all of that. I went through that a lot in the past with members leaving or things not turning out in a good way! It’s always difficult and it’s always something that makes you sad, when your little band family is disrupted, but I never came to the point where I doubted where to go or what to do. The other band members were pushing us on to continue, so I just kept writing music.”The result of that sustained surge of creativity is PANTHER, the eleventh Pain of Salvation album and a very obvious landmark release in a career full of them. PANTHER is a concept piece that delves into the conflicts and contradictions between so-called normal people and those who are wired entirely differently.“I guess a lot of the songs that came out dealt with not being part of the norm of society,” Gildenlöw says. “Because we live in a time where we’re more aware of people not fitting the norm and we’re doing everything we can as a society to acknowledge all of these individuals, but at the same time, they’re more disowned than ever, more medicated than ever. The album is painting pictures of a world, I guess. If this was a movie it would be scenes from a city. It’s set in one city, and it’s populated by dogs and the panthers, the so-called normal people and the spectrum people. That’s the setting for the entire album.”As with all Pain of Salvation records, PANTHER will demand multiple listens before it reveals all of its secrets, both musical and narrative. But one things is certain: Gildenlöw’s ability to create a unique and fascinating musical and lyrical world has only grown in recent times. Both traditional and radical, PANTHER is the epitome of a modern prog concept album.With such a deep and varied catalogue, Pain of Salvation – completed by guitarist Johan Hallgren, keyboardist Daniel ‘D2’ Karlsson, bassist Gustaf Hielm and drummer Léo Margarit - have taught their fans to expect the unexpected at all times. Although instantly recognisable as music from the wild mind of Daniel Gildenlöw, PANTHER once again refines and redefines the Swedes’ sound, with echoes of the past vastly outnumbered by vivid, new textures, tones and sonic sleight-of-hand.“For this album, I started off looking for sounds. I always feel I need to move and change and find new ground for myself. Maybe it’s not intentional, but looking back I see that I chose a different starting point every time, or a different methodology, which makes everything else unfold in a different way. It’s a way of making sure that I’m not repeating myself.”Meticulously pieced together by Gildenlöw in Eskilstuna and The Cabin, and mixed together with Daniel Bergstrand (Meshuggah, In Flames, Devin Townsend) at Studio 33 in Stockholm as well as mastered by Thor Legvold / Sonovo (Tambours de Bronx, Purified in Blood, Susanne Sundfør, Gazpacho) in Los Angeles, PANTHER ended up becoming a very intense and personal labour of love for Pain of Salvation’s leader.“It’s been somewhat of a lonely process, but I was finding sounds that I felt were communicating something, and then built something around that,” says Gildenlöw. “It started off a chain of events that led to PANTHER. Just like we did with the last album, you have a song and you find a new sound that you like, and then you start pulling the other songs into that world, step by step. So there’s a lot of odd sounds and a lot of trying to think anew, particularly from my point of view. I don’t have to try to make it sound like Pain of Salvation – the sound is basically what I do when I write music.”Old school PoS fans need not panic, however. Panther still features plenty of guitars and recognisable prog rock and metal tropes: It’s just that Daniel Gildenlöw can’t help but do things differently, every time he hits the studio.Yet another groundbreaking monolith to progress, passion and the joy of music itself, and with artwork consisting of fantastic illustrations made by André Meister, PANTHER is destined to be one of 2020’s most significant releases. Sprung from the maverick mind of prog’s most ingenious contributor, it’s a triumph for artistic imagination and an exhilarating new chapter in the life of a truly great band.“I don’t think that an album can change the world in any way, but I think that every small drop in the ocean can make a difference,” Gildenlöw concludes. “Hopefully people will look around at life as it surrounds us and they’ll realise that this is something we choose. We don’t have to have things as we have them right now. Then I hope, as always when it comes to our albums, people will take time to absorb it all. Our albums work best when they have a little time to sink under the skin. Hopefully with our track record, people know what’s coming!”"
    $19.00