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  • Often things happen in an adjacent musical universe that we are not aware of but perhaps we should be more attentive to.  Such is the case with my general interest in the jam band scene.  While I can appreciate the musical prowess of many of these bands the foundation of their music doesn't really interest me all that much.  For example I never got Phish.  Great players but their music flatlined for me.  On the other hand Umphrey's McGee is a very interesting band that resides in the jam band world.  You can tell that progressive rock is a part of their musical DNA.  Such is the case with a band that reached out to us called Squeaky Feet.  I had never heard of this Denver, Colorado based group but it appeared that they were rising stars in that scene but referred to themselves as a progressive rock band.  So perhaps a bit skeptical I gave their studio debut "Cause For Alarm" a listen and I was absolutely blown away and I think you will be too.  The vocal tracks do remind me a bit of Umphrey's McGee - a subtle pop layer sitting on a bedrock of intense virtuosity and intricacy.  As soon as the vocals stop these guys go off into a world of pure prog - blazing dual guitar, flute and sax, keys - over a rock solid rhythmic bed.  These are Berklee grads - they're not fooling around.  These kats can play!  Vocal tracks pop up here and there but the overall musical weight of the album tends to skew in the instrumental direction.  The album is filled with long tracks - each one having a great sense of soft/loud dynamics.  As I mentioned the vocal passages give way to long instrumental stretches where these guys go off.This one came in too late for me to stick it in my Top 10 list for 2023 (lots of competition this year) but if I could I would - it would sit very high up on the top half.  Do I need to say it???  I will anyway...BUY OR DIE!!"Squeaky Feet was conceived within the walls of Berklee College of Music. Its members relocated to Denver in 2018, and their hunger for greatness manifested into what the band is today. Comprised of Colin Shore (guitar/vocals), Greg King (guitar), Jimmy Finnegan (bass/vocals), Brian Keller (keyboards/sax/flute/vocals), and Kevin D'Angelo (drums), Squeaky Feet is poised for success.Their debut album, Cause For Alarm, is scheduled for release on November 17, 2023. It promises to be an electrifying testament to Squeaky Feet's exceptional musicianship, genre-blending prowess, and their innovative approach to progressive rock. The astute listener may hear the influence of King Crimson, Dream Theater, Frank Zappa, Steely Dan, and Snarky Puppy, particularly of guitar player Mark Lettieri, who serendipitously came to play on the album’s lead single."
    $15.00
  • \"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
  • “This smells strongly of British Progressive rock, some Quintessence, some Deep Purple (with flute instead of vocals). The organ and flute, and gung-ho attitude, remind me a bit of both Focus and Out of Focus…” – Daniel Dellamorte, music historian and author of the book Swedish Death Metal"In April 2018 Agusa embarked on a short tour in Italy. The first stop was at Stazione Birra in Rome where the show was recorded by the resident sound technician Alex Di Nunzio. The full gig – without any overdubs – will now be released on a double vinyl and CD by Kommun2 Records. The songs on "Ekstasis - Live in Rome" contain much of the playfulness and improvisational bravado that fans have come to expect from these Swedish rockers. This is the sequel to the live album "Katarsis", but twice as long and with previously unheard renditions of some of the tracks performed exclusively for these Italian gigs. The "Ekstasis" cover features a simple, pencil-drawn picture of the “flower woman” that has become synonymous with Agusa in 2018. I was made by Swedish artist Robin Gnista and was originally sketched out to reflect the complex, yet raw approach of the music. This is the first Agusa album featuring the organ playing of Jeppe Juul and it was mixed by bass player Tobias Petterson together with sound technician Emil Isaksson. This may very well be looked back upon as the most ambitious release from K2."
    $15.00
  • Formed in Oslo in 1992/93, WHITE WILLOW has built a reputation over the years as a diverse, subtle, progressively-focused group, their albums always critically acclaimed and revered as influential. They were a part of the original revival of progressive rock in Scandinavia that also included Änglagård, Anekdoten, and Landberk, and original Änglagård drummer Mattias Olsson is the drummer of WHITE WILLOW. Fusing influences from 1970s prog rock and folk rock, hard rock, electronica, and even some pop influences, with each album they explore new territories. A common thread throughout all the albums though, is the use of female vocals and the employment of huge arsenals of vintage keyboards and synthesizers, notably Mellotrons, Chamberlins, Moogs, Solinas, Prophets, and more. Among the bands/artists admired by WHITE WILLOW are Genesis, Blue Öyster Cult, King Crimson, Fairport Convention, Nick Drake, Joni Mitchell and Norwegian bands ranging from Høst to Darkthrone.WHITE WILLOW’s first album since 2011’s well-received Terminal Twilight sees the outfit exploring some of the most “progressive” territory the band has ever ventured into, with several lengthy tracks and more instrumental passages than they are usually known for. Musically the album builds upon the foundation of its predecessor, with a modern approach to production. Future Hopes also features a heavy use of synthesizers, including the unique textures of the famed Blade Runner synth, the Yamaha CS80.The Future Hopes lineup, which as always is a loose constellation of musicians with multi-instrumentalists Jacob Holm-Lupo and Mattias Olsson at the core, sees the return of several WHITE WILLOW stalwarts, including flautist Ketil Einarsen (Jaga Jazzist, Motorpsycho), keyboardist Lars Fredrik Frøislie (Wobbler, Tusmørke), and bassist Ellen Andrea Wang (Pixel, Manu Katché Quartet). The singer is however a new arrival. Venke Knutson is best known in her native Norway for a string of Top 10 hits and is well established as a solo pop artist. She came into Holm-Lupo’s orbit as a guest singer with his other project, The Opium Cartel. Guesting on several tracks and putting a clear stamp on the album is Norway’s trailblazing guitar hero Hedvig Mollestad, known from her own Hedvig Mollestad Trio. Holm-Lupo felt the material needed a soloist who could both navigate the tricky, almost jazz-influenced chord and time changes on the album while at the same time retaining a rock edge, and Hedvig fit the bill perfectly.Future Hopes was mixed by highly respected Norwegian Grammy-nominated engineer Christian Engfelt, known for his work on the Elephant9/Reine Fiske album, Atlantis, and the Todd Rundgren/Lindstrøm collaboration, Runddans. The record was mastered by Grammy Award-winning audiophile legend Bob Katz, and completed with a specially commissioned painting by Roger Dean. The CD and digital versions of the album also feature two bonus tracks, including an original tune, “Damnation Valley,” as well as WHITE WILLOW‘s unusual cover of The Scorpions’ classic dirge, “Animal Magnetism,” re-interpreted as a Tangerine Dream-like electronic piece while still retaining the heaviness of the original. The star on the track is New York-based clarinetist David Krakauer, knows as the world’s foremost klezmer clarinetist, with countless credits to his name both with his own projects, in jazz constellations, with many of the world’s best philharmonic orchestras and with soundtrack music. Krakauer is a recipient of many prestigious nominations and awards, from DownBeat to the Grammys.
    $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
  • "Still masters of conveying dark, atmospheric introspect through their music, Swedish metal legends Evergrey are set to return with their eleventh studio album, ‘The Atlantic’ in early 2019. Spread thick with melody and following on thematically from its predecessors, ‘The Storm Within’ and “Hymns For The Broken”, closing out an oceanic concept trilogy, vocalist Tom S Englund and the band have indeed weathered some heavy storms to see this record come to light. And their efforts were not for nothing.Unbeknownst to some, upon its initial completion, work on ‘The Atlantic’ was stolen from the bands studio during a break in robbery. Reflected on by Englund as “the worst fucking timing ever”, the singer also confesses that had it not happened, it is likely that the current incarnation of the album would not be what it is now, which is a heightened sense of aggression and vulnerability in light of its initial misfortune. A sentiment reflected in the bands leading single, “A Silent Arc”. A multi-layered composition which takes the listener through both chaos and tranquility,  “A Silent Arc” makes for a strong handshake to new efforts from Evergrey.While it may have been an obvious single choice, it certainly wasn’t the bands only potential front-runner. ‘The Atlantic’ is riddled with worthy contenders, perhaps none more so than “Weightless”. Englund and guitarist Henrik Danhage produce what is arguably the strongest grooves on the record in the form of the tracks infectious man riff, further capitalized on by Rikard Zander’s haunting keyboard melodies and bassist Johan Niemann‘s undeniable grit and grumble. Drummer Jonas Ekdahl has a commanding presence throughout the record also, a notable example of which can be found in his complex, yet beautiful percussive tom work on “A Secret AtlantisA constant in which fans can depend on throughout each and every Evergrey record is the dynamic and emotive vocal delivery from Englund, and here we find no exception. Englund’s ability to capture the heart of a song and translate it through his voice is one of the primary reasons that he was, and very much remains, integral to Evergrey. “All I Have” graces ‘The Atlantic’ with its presence on it. Its lengthy run time and technical proficiency are a treat in themselves for those more affiliated with that side of the band, but they are simply eclipsed by its chorus. From the moment it hits you can feel it bring Englund to his knees in honesty, mortality, and offering whatever left of himself that he has to give in a performance that encapsulates his talent as a sincere and moving vocalist. A heartwarming moment made heartbreakingly good by the level of investment Danhage gives to his solos on this piece.There is no such thing as a standard Evergrey record. Despite being part of a trilogy, even their more recent works have been as rich and as layered as those that came before them, never going stale. This collection of songs closes out that trilogy, which has been a deep and emotional journey for the band, and it does so with class. ‘The Atlantic’ displays intoxicating juxtapositions in true Evergrey fashion. Fierce yet soothing, with an underlying torment that feels almost melancholic, Evergrey have, once again, gone and outdone themselves." - Metal Wani
    $15.00
  • Edensong is a progressive rock quintet from New York City.  The band's self-released 2008 debut "The Fruit Fallen" was hailed as a "masterpiece" by critics, and helped to pave the way for live shows and notable festival appearances throughout North America.At over 70 minutes of new music, their 2016 followup, "Years in the Garden of Years" is even more ambitious than it's predecessor, and will be sure to appeal to fans of both classic progressive rock and metal.  The concept album features an extended song cycle on themes of time, each song a different scale and perspective.  The melodies are more memorable, the riffs more powerful, the flute playing more inventive and propulsive.  The songs prominently feature immersive new textures, from lush keyboard and orchestral arrangements to esoteric percussion from around the world, such as hang drum and Balinese gamelan.   "Years in the Garden of Years" is mastered with audiophile precision by Grammy winning engineer Bob Katz, and the CD release features stunning original cover art and booklet illustrations from beloved surrealist painter Dan May. 
    $6.00
  • "Swedish dark melodic metal masters Evergrey return with their 12th Album - dark and heavy, the Phoenix is rising! Gearing up for the release of their highly anticipated 12th album, Swedish progressive metal band Evergrey is at a point in their career that many of their peers can only dream about. Since the release of "Hymns For The Broken" in 2014, Evergrey has enjoyed increased notoriety and success with "The Storm Within" (2016) and "The Atlantic" (2019) - ironically, a conceptual trilogy - which is highly unusual for a veteran act. They mean to continue this tradition on February 26th, 2021 with "Escape Of The Phoenix", another heavy, melancholic and thought-provoking journey as only Evergrey can create. The result is 11 songs that embody everything Evergrey fans have to expect, albeit "a more metal version of "The Atlantic", with songs that are more direct" according to Englund and producer Jacob Hansen."
    $15.00
  • ‘Arise’ gives the impression that the creative skills of Steve Babb have gone into overdrive, is there a better storyteller in modern progressive music?” - Progradar.comGlass Hammer shoots for the stars with the new concept album, “ARISE.” Set against the backdrop of deep space exploration, ARISE follows the extraordinary journey of an android dispatched by overzealous scientists to uncover the galaxy’s hidden wonders. The album’s lyrics, liner notes, and artwork convey a tale of cosmic dread and wonder that doesn’t begin with a big bang, but, according to Glass Hammer mastermind Steve Babb, “...definitely ends with one.”He’s joined by singer Hannah Pryor and guitarist Reese Boyd for Glass Hammer’s twenty-first studio album. “ARISE is my progressive-rock spin on space rock,” says Babb. “I’m still flirting with doom metal on a couple of songs, as we did on the last two albums, but there’s also psych-rock and even 80’s influence going on in the music. Even so, it’s very much a prog-rock album, just one that touches on other styles.”Babb goes on to make a bold claim. “We’ve always been big on finales,” he says. “But the final track on ARISE is like nothing we’ve done before. It’s an epic-length instrumental prog-rock jam meant to leave our fan’s jaws on the floor!”
    $13.00
  • "If you’re talking about modern progressive rock and don’t bring up Haken, you’re doing it wrong. Since the south English sextet started jamming together in 2004, they’ve been one of their genre’s most loyal yet, simultaneously, adventurous forces. And how do you honour such an eclectic, unpredictable career? You make Fauna: Haken’s most genre-busting and conceptually fascinating album to date. “The premise of the album when we started writing it was that every song would have an animal assigned to it,” explains singer and co-founder Ross Jennings. “They all have something related to the animal kingdom that we could write about, but they also connect to the human world. Each track has layers, and some of them are more obvious than others.” Musically, Fauna represents Haken at their most diverse. Taurus commences the album with its scraping heavy metal chords, as polyrhythmic as they are jagged. However, Ross’s melodic croon and the triumphant chorus are true Haken. Eyes Of Ebony is pure math rock, delicate in its start-stop clean guitar picking and chiming cymbals, while Island In The Clouds flaunts its bouncing bassline. Eighteen years deep, they’re still evolving and keeping their fans on their toes. Is there any truer definition of what making progressive rock means than that?"
    $20.00
  • "TRANSATLANTIC — the multinational progressive rock supergroup featuring vocalist/keyboardist Neal Morse (SPOCK'S BEARD, THE NEAL MORSE BAND), drummer Mike Portnoy (SONS OF APOLLO, DREAM THEATER), bassist Pete Trewavas(MARILLION) and guitarist Roine Stolt (THE FLOWER KINGS) — will release its fifth studio album, "The Absolute Universe", on February 5, 2021 via InsideOut Music. Representing the band's first new music since 2014's "Kaleidoscope", with "The Absolute Universe" the band has done something unique and created two versions of the record: "The Absolute Universe: The Breath Of Life (Abridged Version)" and "The Absolute Universe: Forevermore (Extended Version)".As Portnoy explains: "We've got two versions of this album. There is a two-CD presentation, which is 90 minutes long, and a single one — that's 60 minutes. However, the single CD is NOT merely an edited version of the double CD. They each contain alternate versions and even in some cases, new recordings. We wrote fresh lyrics and have different people singing on the single CD version tracks as compared to those on the double CD. Some of the songtitles have also been changed, while others might remain the same, but compositionally, what you'll hear has been altered."You must appreciate that what we have done is unique. We revamped the songs to make the two versions different."Trewavas adds: "We did write some new music for the single CD. What's more, there are also differences in the instruments used on some of the tracks across the two records."Each album will be available on CD, LP and digitally. But there will also be what has been called "The Absolute Universe: The Ultimate Edition", which collects both versions together in one lavish package that includes 5LPs, 3CDs and a Blu-ray that contains a 5.1 Surround Sound mix with visuals and a behind-the-scenes documentary. All editions have unique artwork created by Thomas Ewerhard.Initial tracking began in September 2019 when the band met up in Sweden to write and arrange the new material. As Portnoy explains: "Over a period of 10-14 days, we mapped out the songs. Then we all went back to our home studios and did the recording. That's the way we always do it. At one point, though, it was suggested that instead of doing what was by that time going to be a double album, we should just be content to do a single CD.""What happened was that everything kept expanding and expanding," recalls Stolt. "Therefore we decided it made sense to make it a double album. It was Pete and Neal who then came out and said they felt this would be too long, and we should reduce it to one…But we were already recording, and it didn't seem feasible to cut it back. There were so many pieces that each of us loved in what we were planning and didn't want to lose. That's when we ended up in discussions over the best way forward."This album also marks a return to the concept album for TRANSATLANTIC."Well, the idea of TRANSATLANTIC deciding to do a concept record this time around won't shock anyone, right?" laughs Portnoy. "What we have is essentially one giant composition, split into chapters. The storyline is about the struggles facing everyone in society today.""We didn't start out with the idea of this being conceptual," admits Stolt. "The way things work with us is that we have a load of ideas, and these are developed spontaneously when we meet up. Everything happens in the moment."So, how does this new groundbreaking album compare to TRANSATLANTIC's previous four albums?"I always try not to compare albums as much as possible," insists Morse. "It's very difficult when you're trying to be creative, because your natural instinct is to constantly compare. But in order to create you have to kind of step away from that. Having said that, I would say this would have more in common with 'The Whirlwind' album [the band's third, from 2009] than others that we've created."For Trewavas, "The Absolute Universe" is a momentous project. "I think it is right up there with the very finest albums we've done," he says. "As the others have said, it compares very well to 'The Whirlwind', which I believe represents TRANSATLANTIC at our best. As on that album, we took our time to write and arrange everything, and that shines through. I am very excited for people to hear it."TRANSATLANTIC formed in 1999 and released its debut album, "SMPT:e", the following year. Sophomore effort "Bridge Across Forever" followed in 2001, but the group went on an extended hiatus after Morse left SPOCK'S BEARD in 2002 to focus on his newly launched career in the Christian music industry.The group reunited in 2009 and released third album "The Whirlwind", which consisted of a single 77-minute track, that same year. A fourth album, "Kaleidoscope", was recorded in 2013 and released the following year, when it debuted at No. 6 on the German top album charts. The band has also released several live albums and live videos, most recently 2014's "KaLIVEoscope".Portnoy and Morse are frequent musical collaborators, having recorded more than a dozen albums together outside of TRANSATLANTIC, including three FLYING COLORS releases, three by THE NEAL MORSE BAND and seven Morse solo albums."
    $10.00
  • I can't remember a buzz on a band's debut since Circus Maximus.  Perhaps due to the album being released in Japan a year ago and its unavailability elsewhere, maybe because they are lined up to play ProgPowerUSA.  Whatever the reason the album finally gets a wide debut and it was worth the wait.  Damnation Angels is a British symphonic metal band fronted by a Norwegian singer.  He goes by the name PelleK and was a contestant on Norway's version of X Factor.  The band's stock in trade is epic sounding metal that pays a huge debt to Kamelot.  The instrumental passages take on the grandeur and scope of Nightwish.  PelleK does a sold job out front - he's obviously listened to a Khan quite a bit.  Highly recommended.
    $14.00
  • After a 10 year absence Enchant are back.  The band started in 1993 making them one of the earliest prog metal band.  Actually they are sort of an interesting band in that they seem to exist in both the prog rock and prog metal realms.  Some metal fans think of them as a bit lightweight and some prog rock fans think they are too heavy!  One thing is for sure they are wildly successful.  This is definitely prog but it never loses sight of the melody.  Fronted by the great Ted Leonard (who is now doing double duty with Spock's Beard) this one is a no-brainer - whether you are metal or prog head.  "irst impressions are the similarities to Spock’s Beard. Hardly surprising since Ted Leonard has been singing with them since 2011. He’s been with Enchant longer; their first CD came out in 1993. And familiarity doesn’t breed contempt here, fortunately.Bay area progressive rockers, they steer a straight course composing guitar-structured songs that they extemporise over. Guitarist Douglas A Ott is also the band’s main producer, with The Great Divide having been recorded at his own studio, but if in the past the band’s followed his direction they’re now more involved after a ten year gap working on other projects. Also, while integral, Ott doesn’t dominate Enchant’s sound but flows in and out adding a hard rock bias to their generic musical flavouring. Drummer/percussionist Sean Flanegan and bassist Ed Platt have the solidity of early Kansas and musically there are some pretty snazzy and often too brief keyboard solos from Bill Jenkins.A rolling cyclical bass line forms the basis of opening number ‘Circles’ with Leonard pondering life going round well, like a circle – while the lyrics aren’t profound they feel right and though this isn’t a concept album, despite the band stating otherwise, there are common themes concerning the human condition in a loosely existential manner. Mainly straight verse and choruses ‘Circles’ breaks out into more complicated time signatures before an acoustic comes to the fore, vocals return, an electric guitar take over and it concludes with a nicely warm keyboard solo. ‘Within An Inch’ follows with a steady rock backbeat over which Ott’s playing echoes Camel’s Andy Latimer interrupted briefly by some John Ellis punk-styled sirening. ‘The Great Divide’ follows suit in a more epic manner, the arrangement akin to Genesis in their golden period.Enchant don’t play with the fairies, despite what their name suggests. If anything they’re two steps removed from an AOR sound leaning in towards early Asia with some latter day Beatles thrown in, and a less grandiose take on Spock’s Beard. One might refer to them as technically proficient rather than emotionally overwrought, meaning there is a heartfelt flavour to their songs, and they tend to grow on you.The subdued opening to ‘Life In A Shadow’ throws a brief curveball echoing the Canterbury sound of Hatfield & The North before a heavy chorded chorus takes this into a rocking tune with soulful harmonies. ‘Deserve To Feel’ pours on the technical drumming and dribbling triplet bass figures with some flashy pyrotechnics predominantly on guitar but with keen keyboard flourishes, moving into a more intricate musical score as Jenkins and Ott trade inspired lines towards its conclusion. Likewise, ‘Here And Now’ builds reflectively moving towards emotional drama.Finely composed, played well, Enchant’s The Great Divide might not have you falling under its spell, but you may well be surprised how you find yourself being drawn to playing it." - The Midland Rocks
    $13.00
  • "“Mirror your World through my Touch…Set me Free, oh Set me Free”These words, from the song Colours on Magenta’s new We Are Legend album, are about Vincent Van Gogh, but they could also describe the feelings engendered by this imaginative and impressive release from the premier Welsh Progressive Rock band. We Are Legend underlines Magenta’s outstanding musical credentials, but they have far more than just great technique, imbuing their songs with melodies to stir the soul and stories to fascinate the mind.In a recent interview with Peter Jones on his Progzilla Radio show, Tales from the Tiger Moth, Magenta main-man Rob Reed revealed that he wanted this Magenta album to be “different”. Since their last album, The Twenty Seven Club in 2013, Magenta have overcome some issues, including illness, but Reed revealed that he had struggled in writing a new Magenta album after the peaks he felt they had achieved. As a result he channelled himself into his own excellent Mike Oldfield inspired solo Sanctuary projects and helping Christina Booth complete her fine emotional solo album The Light. The results of this break have clearly refreshed Reed as We Are Legend projects Magenta into a new trajectory, fizzing with energy and creativity.Magenta have never made compromises in their music, ever since Rob Reed decided to stop trying to pursue mainstream success and produce exactly what he wanted to – a truly epic and distinctly ‘uncool’ double debut album Revolutions in 2001 shamelessly referencing his 1970s Prog heroes, Genesis and Yes in particular. Magenta went on to develop their own distinctive sound built around the trademark triad of the pyrotechnics of Chris Fry on electric guitars, Christina Booth’s pure, luminescent vocals and Rob Reed’s mastery of the Piano, Hammond and Moog. However, when considering the new album Reed initially felt restricted by that template and felt he did not want to re-tread old ground. Therefore, he decided to channel what he felt was ‘negativity and angst’ about the direction of the next album, similar to his frustrations prior to Revolutions, and decided to “make a record for me – I will use whatever I want on it”, leading to an album which includes distinctly ‘un-Magenta’ elements such as drum loops, sequencers, dashes of dance music rhythms and heavy guitars as Reed and the band stretch their boundaries. But long-term Magenta fans should have no fear, they are still recognisably Magenta, but noticeably reinvigorated with energy, sounds and an edge, showing a band that does not compromise and wants to move on in terms of its expression and imagination.In a break from previous albums, there is no overall ‘concept’ around this release. Magenta have chosen to present three distinct songs with separate narratives and atmospheres, but there is a cohesive feel to the whole album. In a throw back to vinyl days there is one epic ‘side long’ track and two shorter songs (both in the region of ten minutes) echoing the layout of classic Yes albums Close to the Edge and Relayer, but let’s be clear, Magenta are no ‘Prog by numbers’ clones and have produced a remarkable and vibrant progressive rock album.The epic opening track, Trojan, starts atmospherically with synths which then explode with squealing guitars over a juggernaut of bass and drums, immediately evoking a sense of science fiction. Steve Reed, lyricist and Rob’s older brother, has shared that the theme of this piece was initially suggested by the opening few minutes of the music alone, presented to him by Rob, the musical ideas helping to inspire Steve’s lyrics towards a peculiar yet interesting sci-fi story. In short, huge robots emerge from the sea and initially appear to be benign, but ultimately act as ‘Trojan horses’ to take over the world for a long forgotten and banished human species that took to living beneath the seas and have now returned to reclaim the Earth!If you think that’s bonkers then wait until you’ve heard the music which sounds like some sort of spectacular soundtrack for a Japanese Manga or Studio Ghibli cartoon. This is pulsating music. sweeping across the narrative in a range of distinct parts. Rob Reed revealed that he was influenced by Marillion’s Misplaced Childhood suite, which has the reputation for being epic in length, but is a series of linked songs. Similarly in structure but not in style, Trojan is a series of song sections over 26 minutes ‘sewn together’ (as Reed puts it), although you can hardly see the joins, such is the skill of Reed and the band.Following the opening cinematic section, Chris Fry kicks in with a heavy guitar riff and Christina Booth, over shimmering dance inflected keyboards, chants the early panic of those on land confronted with the slow, emphatic progress of these strange new conquering robots. The atmosphere changes to the gentler perspective of a little girl in Japan who thinks of the robot as a ‘Tin Man’, with imagery akin to Ted Hughes’ Iron Giant. Booth shows great vocal versatility as she switches from the softer vision of the small girl to more dramatic parts of the narrative as the story develops. The music flows descriptively – you can visualise the slow, inexorable march of the robots as Magenta interweave sinuous dance inflected keyboards, reminiscent of Faithless, with passages of fluid, dreamy blues tinged guitar at some points. Pastoral guitars underpin a peaceful passage with Booth’s soft vocals before distorted guitar breaks in, possibly to indicate that the ‘paradise’ of ease brought by the robots will be ultimately destroyed.I hope you’re keeping up!!!Don’t worry, Magenta’s imaginative music carries you along and you may not always understand (or even care!) exactly what is happening as you dive into the rich multi-layered elements that make up the epic sound and story. Steve Reed has always sought to look at subjects from unorthodox and differing perspectives, such as the ‘glutton for punishment’ angle of the classic Gluttony from Seven. Similarly, in Trojan he seemingly shifts from the fate of the land civilisation to the perspective of the long exiled species of undersea dwellers held within the Trojan Robots, looking forward to hopefully reclaiming their world. A beautiful acoustic guitar led section of hope emerges with Christina singing beautifully;“The light it fades, When you all will sleepWith love to share, Anger drifts awayAs the hurting stops, With the time to findPaths to tread in this world…I see the need inside your soulThe love that’s in your heart.”Such poetic and touching lines perfectly match the emotive music as Fry’s languid guitar flows along before ascending into a brief transcendent solo, characteristic of his more restrained performance throughout the album. It’s remarkable that amidst this science fiction complexity they can skilfully insert a song of such delicacy and feeling, underlining that for Magenta the priority is always melody and emotion, not the sterility of mere technique without feeling. Jonathan ‘Jiffy’ Griffiths shows his versatile and subtle percussive skills alongside Fry’s eerie, expressive guitar as the piece sinisterly shifts towards the treachery of the robots as they turn against the land dwellers. The whole composition comes full circle as the dramatic robotic fanfare from the intro re-emerges with soaring guitars over pulsing synths and as one civilisation falls another rises from within the Trojan robots with hope:“At the break of day, As the silence roarsAnd the dust it falls, Open up the doorsWhen we’re stepping out, Walk into the light, Man’s re-birth.”Both musically and through the narrative, the opening track is quite a ride! Definitely a piece that, like most great tracks, pays repeated listenings with a strange story that reveals itself more over time.Legend is another imagined narrative song with a post-apocalyptic sci-fi feel, partly inspired by the films Omega Man and I am Legend, and the intro certainly sounds cinematic as weird sounds throb and pulse before a crunching combination of drums, bass and guitar puts us firmly in the stark post-apocalyptic setting. Dan Nelson, long time live bassist, has now fully joined the band and with new member Griffiths’ fine rhythmic work on drums they underpin this album with precision and power, particularly on the leviathan that is Legend. Christina Booth sings powerfully as this driving song describes the fate of one of the last men on Earth, before Reed’s synths and Fry’s weird distorted guitars intertwine in a nightmare musical depiction of the vampiric state into which humanity descends. A strange but captivating song, it concludes almost elegiacally with the last human trying to hang on to the final vestiges of his humanity as the vampires hunt down the weak and vulnerable, even amongst themselves. Perhaps it’s a comment on the self-consuming and self-destructive nature of much of our society… or just a dramatic but depressing story about zombies and vampires!! Who knows, but the journey is compelling.Colours is another remarkable song about the tortured and tragic soul of an artist. It starts with a beguiling musical box intro before erupting into an intense passage with staccato and textured sounds underlying Booth’s manic vocals. The evocative and multi-layered music conveys images of the artist, on the edge of sanity, passionately and frantically applying his paint to the canvas. Apparently Rob Reed presented the music to lyricist Steve by simply saying “It’s about Van Gogh”, but he had no words, making it remarkable that Rob was able to so fully evoke the musical images of a complex and tortured individual obsessively daubing paint onto canvas to try and express his innermost thoughts and feelings. Flute-like melodies move through to subtle blues inflected guitar, a short fluid Hammond Organ passage followed by a soaring guitar vignette by Fry, with Nelson in fine form, constantly changing the colours of Magenta’s musical palette. Van Gogh perceived everything in swirling vibrant colours, mirrored by the music as the impetus picks up with insistent synthesiser, orchestral keyboards and driving guitars, Steve Reed adding one of his best lyrics to reflect the power of the music and convey the artist’s sad decline in a maelstrom of creativity which he cannot sustain. The music and lyrics combine so well in this remarkable offering, building darkly to an intense finale with Rob Reed excelling, culminating in intensely sung and chilling lines:“Save me, love me, Gun in your hand and I’m waiting to dieSky bright, sun shineField like the sea, I’m wanting the endDarkness, silence, Near to the end TheoPlease set me free, set me free.”The ending is rather enigmatic, but there is a suggestion that Van Gogh’s brother Theo shoots him to put an end to his suffering in an act of mercy. Whether fact or not, it is certainly an evocative and emotive song which displays the combined talents of Magenta. A real showcase for the band, particularly Booth, as the song builds to its dramatic ending, it has already become rather a live favourite, no wonder as it combines the music and lyrics so well.In We are Legend Magenta have created one of the best albums of their career by daring to stretch and express themselves with great integrity and dazzling imagination. This will be regarded as one of THE progressive rock albums of 2017 – Magenta have definitely added to their own ‘Legend’." - The Progressive Aspect
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