Folk Metal

Wobbler's latest simply blew me away...The band's musical history has shown a variety of influences.  While their debut Hinterland demonstrated elements of King Crimson, Gentle Giant, and many other 70s prog bands, later efforts moved towards full blown Yes worship (not that there's anything wrong with that).Personally I was a fan of Hinterland.  We released it on our in-house label and it pushed all the right buttons.  From Silence To Somewhere reverts back to that sound.  Its very English and very 70s.  The band has matured and they really have established more of their own identity.  Sure you will hear something that might remind you of Genesis or Yes or [Insert your favorite 70s prog band's name here] but it will only evoke the feel - it won't sound like music that was written with tracing paper.There can be only one true answer: BUY OR DIE!

Sons Of Apollo have certainly enriched the music sphere since their formation in 2017. It says much that the huge talent involved immediately combined with a cohesive and recognisable individual stance on debut album 'Psychotic Symphony', acknowledged as one of the finest releases in '17. And in 2019, the band put out the glorious 'Live With The Plovdiv Psychotic Symphony'.Now, though, Mike Portnoy (drums & vocals), Derek Sherinian (keyboards), Jeff Scott Soto (vocals), Ron 'Bumblefoot' Thal (guitar & vocals) and Billy Sheehan (bass) are ready to take everything to a new level with second studio album 'MMXX'.Stylistically, we have followed the same path as the debut, outlines Portnoy. “But we feel that it has come out stronger, simply because we know one another better. 'Psychotic Symphony' was the first time the five of us had worked together, so there was bound to be an air of experimentation happening. Now, we can draw on having the experience not only of recording that album, but also of touring together a lot. And now there is clearly a lot more obvious chemistry going on.We did 83 shows on the last tour, adds Sherinian. And it was so worthwhile, because we came out of it with a stronger bond, and that is certainly reflected in what we wrote.The writing process began at the start of the year, as Portnoy, Sherinian and Bumblefoot got together.The three of us were at my home studio in Pennsylvania, explains Portnoy. And it took about three weeks to get all the music written. That was a very smooth process. The last time, it certainly must have felt a little weird for Bumblefoot to be writing with Derek and me, because we were strangers to him. Now, we know one another better and that helped things push along.Sherinian reveals that at least two of the songs began to take shape even earlier than January '19.I am always writing, and started to come up with ideas straight after we finished work on the previous album. The tracks 'Asphyxiation' and 'Desolate July' definitely date back to that period.I agree with Mike on the way things were smoother this time around when writing with Bumblefoot. The first time I ever met him was when we started getting the songs together for the debut. He walked in, we shook hands, then he put on his guitar and we got right to work!Once this part of the equation had been successfully resolved, things quickly went to the next stage.We demoed everything and then did the pre-production process, continues Portnoy. Once this had been worked through, Derek and I went back to Ocean Studios in Burbank for me to do my drum tracks. It's also where I did them in 2017.As with that debut, 'MMXX' was produced by The Del Fuvio Brothers, who are...That's Derek and me, using the same pseudonym as we did first time around, laughs Portnoy. I got my drum parts done by the end of January, because I had a lot of other commitments coming up. Then the rest of the guys fitted in what they had to do as they had time available in their busy schedules.Because we all have our home studios, it meant everyone could record there as and when they had opportunity, continues Sherinian. We all had the luxury of being able to take our time to get all the parts done, which was a huge help in the way the album's come out. I suppose in all, it took about eight months to record everything.The lyrics were written by Soto, who also came up with the melody lines with input from Sherinian.While Jeff was left to come up with the words on his own, as the melody lines are part of the music, it made sense for me to be involved with that part, says the keyboard player.The mixing stage has once more been handled by Jay Ruston, who also oversaw the mix for the first album.We leave Jay to get on with the mix at his home studio in Sherman Oaks, explains Sherinian. He then sends wav files through to us, and we come up with tweaks when necessary. It doesn't take long for it all to be agreed.There are eight tracks on the album, with variations in length.The final song is 'New World Today, which is 16 minutes long, says Portnoy. This one has elements similar to 'Opus Maximus' and 'Labyrinth' on the previous album. It has some insane, brilliant instrumental moments, which I am sure the fans will love.We wanted to do something epic here, as we did with 'Opus Maximus' last time around, adds Sherinian. You have to remember that Mike and I come from Dream Theater, where we never bothered about how long a song was. So, for us doing a 16 minute track is not a problem.There's also 'King of Delusion', which clocks in at nine minutes in length.This opens up with a piano solo, explains Portnoy. And it also has a middle section where Derek and I do a piano & drum duet.I have actually played more piano on this album than I have ever done before, delights Sherinian. This fitted nicely with what we were aiming for. I am also so pleased that I get to play a lot of Hammond organ this time.The first single will be 'Goodbye Divinity'...This is seven minutes long, says Portnoy. And we have also shot a video for it.The album title was inspired by a chronological fact.This will be released in mid-January 2020, outlines Portnoy. That means it will be one of the first releases in what is a new decade. So I came up with the idea of calling it '2020', except having it written in the Latin form of 'MMXX'.The artwork, which has been done by Thomas Ewerhard (who was responsible for the cover design last time out), inevitably reflects the title.For the first record, we had a mythological feel, explains Portnoy. This time around, though, there's a much more futuristic style to what we've got. It has a very 21st century appeal. And the band crest is more polished, cleaned up and a lot more modern than last time, when it had an old fashioned look.Portnoy and Sherinian are very happy with the way everything sounds.I have never thought we were a progressive band as such, insists Portnoy. I would define Sons Of Apollo as a hard rock band, with occasional prog moments. I would compare us to Rainbow, Van Halen and Aerosmith with some crazy shredding musicianship on occasion and touches of progression.There's a very balanced and good mix of material here. It's a 60 minute album, which I think works nicely when you have eight tracks. And we will certainly aim to do much of this live. The last time out we had to put in covers for our live set list. But when we tour again, we won't have to do that at all. All the material we play onstage will be original. That's a very positive thing.Each member of this band has their own signature sound on their instrument, adds Sherinian. And when you put all of this together what you get is a wonderful five-headed beast. It makes this a sonically special band, which is definitely what comes across on 'MMXX'.You can hear odd time signatures and amazingly crazy performances here. And I feel that personally I have gone deeper musically than I have ever done before. For instance, you'll find some great harmonies. Overall, we've been satisfyingly more adventurous this time than we were before, and I know people are sure to love what we've done. 'MMXX' is an album I am proud of.

"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

"Southern Empire were formed by keyboardist Sean Timms following the dissolution of Unitopia.Influenced by the likes of Dream Theater, IQ, Transatlantic, Karnivool and Steven Wilson, Southern Empire bring a harder, more edgy sound to their music whilst displaying a knack for catchy songs and great melodic hooks."Southern Empire is Australia's newest, most exciting progressive rock band:    Sean Timms - Keyboards/Vocals/Saxaphone    Danny Lopresto - Lead Vocals/Guitar    Cam Blokland - Guitar/Vocals    Brody Green - Drums/Vocals    Jez Martin - Bass/VocalsSean Timms: After a 17 year stint as main song-writer, producer and keyboard player with Unitopia Sean was looking to bring the finest musicians together in one band. He feels he’s achieved that with Southern Empire.Danny Lopresto: A seasoned performer with a huge vocal range, mad guitar skills and many years of live and studio experience, Danny’s work with nationally renowned band Clearway and the highly successful sold out Queen/Zeppelin Show sees him regularly playing to packed houses.Cam Blokland: Lauded nationally as one of Australia’s premiere guitarists, Cam was the face of the 2014 Adelaide International Guitar Festival, sharing the stage with some of the world’s finest guitarists including Guthrie Govan.Brody Green: One of a rare breed of drummers, Brody is not only great at hitting things with sticks, but also a stunning vocalist with a supersonic range, guitarist, keyboardist and song-writer.Jez Martin: A highly in-demand bass player, Jez can be seen and heard with the Bill Parton Trio, Lather (The Frank Zappa Tribute Band), The Dream Theater Tribute Show and many musical theatre performances.

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.

“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."