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Saturday, February 28, 2015

Ciccada "The Finest of Miracles"


Country: Greece
Genre(s)Progressive Rock
LabelFading records
FormatCD, digital
Release dateFebruary 28, 2015
Tracklist
1. A Night Ride - 6:26
2. Eternal - 8:02
3. At the death of winer - 4:04
4. Around the fire - 9:16
5. Lemnos (lover Dancer) - 0:47
The Finest of Miracles Suite:
6. Birth of the lights - 1:52
7. Wandering - 6:42
8. Sirens call - 1:38
9. As fall the leaves - 3:09
10. Song for an Island - 4:47
Line-up
Evangelia Kozoni: vocals
Nicolas Nikolopoulos: flute, tenor-sax, recorders, organ, mellotron, syntethisizer, piano, electric piano, glockenspiel
Yorgos Mouhos: acoustic, classical and electric guitars, backing vocals
Yiannis Iliakis: drums, marimba and assorted percussion
    With
Johan Brand: bass on 2
Lydia Boudouni: violin on 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Omiros Komninos: bass on 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10
Savvas Paraskevas: piano, elec. piano on 1
Jargon: vocals on 3
Yorgos Lambadis: bass on 1
Marianna Vassou: cello on 2&3
Panayiotis Sioras: larinet, bass clarinet on 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
SUONO BRASS QUINTET:
Yannis Moraitis: trumpets on 2, 5 & 10
Panayotis Zafiropoulos: trombone on 10
Dionysis Agalianos: 2nd trumpet on 10
Spyros Kakos: french horn on 10
Sakis Myronis: tuba on 10

Media/Samples 
Bandcamp
A Night Ride

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Wide Eyes "Terraforming"


Country: USA
Genre(s)Instrumental Progressive Metal
FormatCD, digital
Release dateFebruary 17, 2015
Tracklist
  1. Evacuation 00:51
  2. Renaissance 04:29
  3. The Launch of Kasper 04:44
  4. Escape Velocity 04:40
  5. Titan 06:01
  6. Electrolysis 05:08
  7. Traversing the Oort Cloud 04:59
  8. Voyager 04:21
  9. Engineers I: Euphorium 01:08
  10. Engineers II: Unbounded 04:28
  11. Engineers III: Dark Matter 02:25
  12. The Excursion 04:27
  13. Almayer's Folly 04:42
  14. In Stasis 03:06
  15. Sea of Serenity 03:48
  16. Colonization (feat. ) 05:22
Line-up
Chris Saniga - Guitar
Chris Vogagis - Drums, Guitar
Danny Cullman - Guitar
   With
David Maxim Micic (16)

Media/Samples 
Bandcamp

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Code "Mut"


Country: UK
Genre(s)Post Rock
LabelAgonia Records
FormatCD,  vinyl, digital
Release dateFebruary 27, 2015 (EU) March 10, 2015 (NA)
Tracklist
1.On Blinding Larks
2.Undertone
3.Dialogue Sound
4.Affliction Video
5.Contours
6.Inland Sea
7.Cocoon
8.Numb, An Author
9.The Bloom In The Blast

Line-up
Aort - Guitars
Andras - Guitars
LORDt - Drums
Syhr - Bass
Wacian - Vocals

Description/Reviews
Code which began as something of a supergroup featuring members Ulver and Dodheimsgard, has always been one of those bands that have been good but never great. They've had great moments, but never that complete album that I have always thought them capable of producing. Thankfully my faith in them has been justified with their latest endeavor.
Mut, The fourth full length from the London quintet, sees the band taking a new musical direction. Putting aside their progressive black metal sound for a post rock approach. But it's much more than that. They still display all the progressive elements that have made them a good band for the last decade. However on Mut they have found themselves, realizing their full potential.
 Read the full review at metalbite.com

Media/Samples 
Stream
Affliction
Dialogue

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Ashen Waves "Premonitions"


Country: USA
Genre(s)Post Metal
FormatCD, digital
Release dateFebruary 24, 2015
Tracklist
  1. Whispers 08:36
  2. Pemonition I 01:17
  3. Enmity 07:39
  4. Premonition II 00:49
  5. Frozen Night 06:30
  6. Premonition III 01:11
  7. Bridge Through Time 07:30
  8. The Void 09:51
  9. Pemonition IV 01:03
  10. Anamnesis 05:54
Line-up
Peter Hraur - Guitars, Keyboards, Harsh Vocals
Tyler Fedeli - Lead Vocals, Drums
Graham Noël - Bass
    With
Greg Bogart - Additional harsh vocals (3, 7)

Description/Reviews
Opening with the Amorphis/Vintersorg influenced “Whispers”, we are treated to a very promising opener that perfectly blends multiple genres. We particularly enjoyed the upbeat keyboards and crafty mixture of clean and harsh vocals. The band’s next musical exploration is the surprising “Enmity” that delivers a healthy mix of Doom/Sludge riffs with dreamy Post-Metal/Proggy passages. While this style might sound odd, the band gracefully pulls it off.

Things continue to be oddly excellent with tracks like “Frozen Night” and the eerie “Bridge through Time”, two songs that show how different and yet how well-crafted is the band’s music. Going over from the boundaries of one genre to the one three doors down, is the band’s biggest asset and what makes them quite unique. With Peter Hraur leading the way playing guitars and keyboards, this band has a very unique atmosphere that we haven’t heard from an American band in years.
 Read the full review by at infernalmasquerade.com

Media/Samples 
Bandcamp

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The Selfish Cales "Throw Your Watch To The Water"


Country: Italy
Genre(s)Psychedelic, Progressive Rock/Pop
FormatCD, digital
Release date: February  27, 2015
Tracklist
01. Sulphureous Haze - 04:45
02. Soul Mates - 03:51
03. Peacock Girl - 03:09
04. Brighter Days - 03:37
05. Throw Your Watch to the Water - 04:35
06. Colours of the Mind - 03:45
07. I Believe In Magic - 03:40
08. Mr. Hotpeach - 04:01
09. Empathy - 03:56
10. Some Warm Trails - 03:33
11. Imaginary Journey - 02:36
12. See Tomorrow's Shores - 05:21

Line-up
Gabriel Cale - Vocals, Drums, Sitar
Andy Cale - Vocals, Guitar
Sarah Cale - Bass

Media/Samples 
Bandcamp (Free Download)

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Vermilion "Sentience"


Country: Belgium
Genre(s)Instrumental Progressive Jazz Metal, Fusion
FormatCD, digital
Release dateFebruary 27, 2015
Tracklist
  1. Alien Sun Pt. I (10:13)
  2. Uncanny Valley (4:56)
  3. Phantom Frequency (5:23)
  4. Helios Prelude (1:26)
  5. Syntax (6:37)
  6. The Descent (8:58)
  7. Revolt (1:40)
  8. Alien Sun Pt. II (8:09)
Line-up
Timmy Segers: guitars
Tom Vansteenkiste: drums and percussion
Michael Penson: keyboards and synths
Tom Everaert: bass guitar

Description/Reviews
Sentience is Vermilion’s first full length album and it’s an impressive fusion of many genres of music. Foremost flowing in Vermilion’s musical blood is jazz. The influence of jazz is present throughout Sentience with its unconventional time signatures, incredible improvisational flair and the crisp musicianship. While the influence of jazz is clear in the technical arrangement and execution of the music… Vermilion’s sound is gratuitously steeped in progressive metal. The band’s website perfectly sums their sound in the form of a question: What if Miles Davis composed for Meshuggah?
 Read the full review by Dave Allan Guzda at echoesanddust.com

Media/Samples 
Bandcamp

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Decibel "Insecto Mecánico"


Country: Mexico
Genre(s)Avant Prog
LabelDiscos Abronia
FormatCD
Release dateFebruary 2015
Tracklist
CD 1 - Reliquias
1. Insecto Mecanico (5:22)
2. El Eclipse (5:39)
3. Mahabarata (6:14)
4. Le Vampire Glace (9:19)
5. El Otono En Pekin (6:49)
6. Anemic Cinema (3:46)
7. La Estrella De Mar (15:51)

CD 2 - Premoniciones
1. El Calor Que Cayo Del Cielo (11:04)
2. En El Abismo (5:36)
3. Ley De Murphy (5:17)
4. Flamel's Bebop (7:44)
5. Blavatsky (5:25)
6. Thot (Como Es Arriba Es Abajo) (10:37)
7. Fimis Gloriae Mundi (8:32)

Line-up
Alex Eisening
Carlos Robledo
Walter Schmidt
   With
Carlos Alvarado - percussion (7, 14)
Javier Baviera - sax tenor (2)
Elliot Levin - sax tenor (1,8, 11), flute (1)
Ramses Luna - wind midi (3, 13), sax soprano (13)
Victor Robledo - violin (5, 12)
Carlos Vivanco - guitar (2, 7, 8, 11), synth (9)
Juan Carlos Ruiz - fagot (9, 13)
Erika, Ivonne, Rosa Maria and Damian - vocal passages (7)

Media/Samples 
InsectoMecánico
Blavatsky

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Friday, February 27, 2015

Pandora Snail "Война и мир (War And Peace)"


Country: Russia
Genre(s): Instrumental Progressive Rock, Fusion, Neo-Classical
LabelArtBeat
FormatCD, digital
Release dateFebruary 2015
Tracklist
  1. Дилемма / Dilemma
  2. У берега горной реки / By the Mountain River
  3. Догнать ветер / To Catch the Wind
  4. Субмарина / Submarine
  5. Джеймс Понт / James Pont
  6. Слезы матери / Mother’s Tears
  7. Красные реки / Red Rivers
  8. Имена камней / Stones’ Names
  9. Танец под пулями / Dance under the bullets
  10. После войны / After the War
  11. Сатори / Satori
Line-up
Ulyana Gor - keyboards, vocals
Oleg Gorgadze - guitar, electric guitar, noises, vocals
Kirill Klyushin - bass guitar, contrabass
Artem Garejev - violin
Igor Cheridnik - drums, percussion
   With
Yanina Podrezova, Demyan Titov, Yulia Alexandrova, Nikita Sokolov - noises

Media/Samples 
6 tracks
Satori

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Colossus "The Breathing World"


Country: Sweden
Genre(s)Progressive Stoner/Sludge Metal
LabelPerennity Records
Formatdigital
Release dateFebruary 27, 2015
Tracklist
  1. Yehi Aour/Wanderers 08:28
  2. Darkling Root 04:01
  3. Plumed Serpent 06:03
  4. Virgin's Milk 04:15
  5. Fuga Mundi 07:30
  6. Whetstone 06:50
  7. The Silent City 10:36
Line-up
Niklas Eriksson - Guitar & Vocals
Peter Berg - Bass
Thomas Norstedt - Drums

Media/Samples 
Bandcamp

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La Société des Timides à la Parade des Oiseaux "L'imparfait Multiple De Dieu"


Country: France
Genre(s)Avant-Prog
LabelSoleil Mutant
FormatCD
Release dateFebruary 2015
Tracklist
  1. Un dieu est un passage dernier - 27:19
  2. Mon nom est multitude - 11:05
  3. L'imparfait - 5:28
Line-up
Jim B - Guitar, Voice (2)
Patrice Babin - Drums, Percussion
Sebastien Desloges - Bass, Violin, Voice (2)
Christophe Gautheur - Synthesizer, E-Piano (1), Voice (2), Clarinet (3)
Pascal Godjikian - Vocals

Description/Reviews
This is the band's 7th full album - they have been around for nearly 30 years now and have always bee difficult to classify, playing a weird mix of electronics, 80's RIO & post punk music. Just like Ptose, another French band of the era, they have often been compared to The Residents, althrough their music has a much rockier edge. On this brand new album, they show their most avant-prog side, notably on the very long opening track (27 minutes!). The music is very composed, with long instrumental moments, and is more melodic than before (in their own twisted way, of course). Featuring guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, voice. Think Faust, Officer!, Residents, The Work, This Heat ... This odd territory being explored here for the very first time by Soleil Mutant, no need to say that we are very enthousiast about this recording.
Media/Samples 
Extract

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Izah "Sistere"


Country: Netherlands
Genre(s)Post Metal, Sludge
FormatCD, vinyl, digital
Release dateFebruary 23, 2015
Tracklist
  1. Indefinite Instinct 13:30
  2. Duality 15:58
  3. Finite Horizon 11:36
  4. Sistere 31:07
Line-up
Tijs van Wegberg - drums
Frans Terhorst - bass
Twan Bastiaansen - guitar
Roel van Oosterhout - guitar
Michel de Jong - synth, guitar
Sierk Entius - vocals, synth
  With
Bjorn van Zwamen - trumpet, trombone (4)
Armand Vaessen - trumpet (4)
Samples taken from 'For Tracey' by dance/performance company T.R.A.S.H. (4)

Description/Reviews
This Dutch sextet’s promo blurb describes their debut as a “72-minute long musical narration through darkness and light, hope and despair”. Within they pummel the listener with a combination of sludge-packed crush, barren post-hardcore and black metal affectations before soothing them with post-rock atmospherics. Through the use and abuse of multi-part songs, rammed with attack-and-release theatrics, gentle ebb and flow, recycling arpeggios and an array of harmonies and tones they paint a sinister picture of a world gone awry.
 Read the full review by John Skibeat at avenoctum.com

Media/Samples 
Bandcamp

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Kittus "Familia"


Country: Spain
Genre(s)Progressive Metal/Rock
Formatdigital
Release dateFebruary 27, 2015
Tracklist
  1. Mum 04:32
  2. Dad 04:26
  3. Grand 05:59
  4. The Crazy Kittus I: World 11:09
  5. The Crazy Kittus II: Dreams 06:18
Line-up
Marc Ricós Casajuana - all instruments, vocals

Vocal interpretations (in order of appearance):
Mum: Marc Ricós Casajuana(Kittus), Jona Rayf, Jan Tomàs
Dad: Arnau.D., Marc Ricós Casajuana(Kittus), Marc Montserrat Ruiz, Jessie Williams, Gerard Rigau
Grand: Sheila Serrano, Marc Ricós Casajuana(Kittus)
The Crazy Kittus I: World: ALL
The Crazy Kittus II: Dreams: Marc Ricós Casajuana(Kittus)

Media/Samples 
Bandcamp (name your price)

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Il Ballo Delle Castagne "Soundtrack For An Unreleased Herzog Movie"


Country: Italy
Genre(s)Krautrock, Psychedelic, Space Rock
LabelHau Ruck! Spqr
Formatvinyl, digital
Release date: February 26, 2015
Tracklist
  1. In The Garden Of Popol Vuh - 4:56
  2. Lentus In Umbra - 7:04
  3. Il Pianto Di Cristo Su Gerusalemme - 8:33
  4. Profumi Di Oriente - 4:43
  5. Sicut In Caelo - 10:38
Line-up
Marco Garegnani - Acoustic Guitar, Percussion, Grand Piano, Harpsichord
Vinz Aquarian - Voice, Electronics, Synthesizer
Maethelyiah - Voice (3)
Roberto Lucanato - Acoustic Guitar (4)

Description/Reviews
This is a tribute to the genious and the vision of W.H. Herzog. His influence on Il Ballo delle Castagne music has been constant over the years. For all lovers of Popol Vuh and oriental atmospheres this is your soundtrack.

Media/Samples 
Bandcamp
Profumi Di Oriente
In The Garden Of Popol Vuh

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A Forest Of Stars "Beware the Sword You Cannot See"


Country: UK
Genre(s)Progressive Rock, Black Metal
LabelProphecy Productions
FormatCD, vinyl, digital
Release dateFebruary 27, 2015
Tracklist
1. Drawing Down The Rain (9:31)
2. Hive Mindless (7:28)
3. A Blaze of Hammers (7:28)
4. Virtus Sola Invicta (6:15)
5. Proboscis Master Versus The Powdered Seraphs Pawn on the Universal Chessboard (7:18)
6. Part I: Mindslide (2:21)
7. Part II: Have You Got A Light, Boy? (3:58)
8. Part III: Perdurabo (3:20)
9. Part IV: An Automaton Adrift (4:13)
10. Part V: Lowly Worm (2:12)
11. Part VI: Let There Be No Light (5:14)

Line-up
Mister Curse - Vocals
Katheryne, Queen of the Ghosts - Violin, Flute, Vocals
The Gentleman - Keyboards, Percussion
Mr Titus Lungbutter - Bass
Mr John "The Resurrectionist" Bishop - Drums, Percussion
Mr T.S. Kettleburner - Guitar, Vocals
Mr William Wight-Barrow - Guitars

Description/Reviews
The music is often driven by the searing guitar riffs, blisteringly fast drums, and high pitched screams you would expect from a black metal band, but there is so much else going on in the course of each track, it’s at first bewildering to behold. There are portions of the album that remind me of late 90s doom and prog bands like Porcupine Tree, My Dying Bride, The Gathering, and Forest of Shadows (with a definite hint of early Opeth in there too). There are also folk-inspired breaks where you’re treated to sublime flutes and violins, and there’s 70s psychedelic synth and keyboard.
 Read the full review by at echoesanddust.com

Media/Samples 
Bandcamp

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Scherzoo "03"


Country: France
Genre(s): Instrumental, Zeuhl, Avant Prog, Jazz, Canterbury
LabelSoleil Zeuhl
FormatCD
Release dateFebruary 2015
Tracklist
  1. Experimentation sentimentale
  2. Bossa yakuza
  3. La menace
  4. Open cluster
  5. Orient express
  6. Contagion
  7. Prélude englouti
  8. Turbulence
  9. Dissonata
Line-up
Francois Thollot: Bass, Keyboards Programming, Drums, Composition
Maxime Mantovani: Guitar
Renaud Vernet: Saxophone
Clement Curaudeau: Drums
    With
Jeremie Van Quackebeke: Piano
Anthoine Maury: Bass
Fabienne Déroche: Hurdy Gurdy
Amelie Bouar: Cello

Description/Reviews
The brand new studio CD of Francois Thollot’s band. The music is jazzier than the band’s previous albums, more melodic too – but still all instrumental. With 3 bonus tracks from Francois’ other project named Dissonanta. These 3 tracks, recorded with different musicians, feature hurdy-gurdy and show a different side of his compositions.
Media/Samples 
Orient express 
Dissonanta
Experimnetation Sentimnetale

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Unit Wail "Beyond Space Edges"


Country: France
Genre(s): Instrumental Avant Prog, Zeuhl
LabelSoleil Zeuhl
FormatCD
Release dateFebruary 2015
Tracklist
1. Imminent take-off -1:36
2. Ziggurat on the moon - 4:12
3. Through the wormhole - 3:44
4. Psycho-active atmosphere - 3:25
5. Deep inside megalopolis - 4:10
6. Polymorphus the wise - 5:26
7. Crash on planet x - 3:22
8. Teralithic spaceship - 3:58
9. D.N.A.A.T.M. (deoxyribose nucleic acid synchronous transfer method) - 6:35
10. Engage mutation - 3:22
11. I see earth  - 5:53

Line-up
Vincent Sicot-Vantalon - keyboards & guitar
Philippe Haxaire - drums
Adrian Luna - bass
Emmanuel Pothier - synths
Franck Fromy - guitar
   With
Ana Carla Maza - cello
Sam Benzo - voice

Description/Reviews
The 3rd album of this great band whose guitar player is Frank Fromy (Shub Niggurath 1st period). This new recording shows the band in superb form, dropping over Gotham their dark, heavy & intense Crimsonian post-atomic music. Fantastic playing from all, with a special mention to the rythm section (oooh, that massive fretless bass!). A fabulous album, their best and most mature so far. 
Media/Samples 
Imminent take off

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Sankt Otten "Engtanz Depression"


Country: Germany
Genre(s)Electronica, Krautrock
LabelDenovali Records
FormatCD, vinyl, digital
Release dateFebruary 27, 2015
Tracklist
  1. Beten, tanzen, küssen - 04:49
  2. Im Lichtorgelparadies - 05:25
  3. Sing die Apokalypse - 12:00
  4. Ich bau Dir ein Museum - 07:59
Line-up
Stephan Otten : Drums, Synthesizers, Programming, Voice
Oliver Klemm : Guitar, Synthesizers, Piano

Media/Samples 
Bandcamp

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Negură Bunget "Tau"


Country: Romania
Genre(s)Progressive/Black/Folk Metal
LabelLupus Lounge / Prophecy Productions
FormatCD, vinyl, digital
Release dateFebruary 27, 2015 (EU), March 03, 2015 (ROW)
Tracklist
1. Nămetenie (10:16)
2. Izbucul Galbenei (6:29)
3. La Hotaru Cu Cinci Culmi (4:11)
4. Curgerea Muntelui (5:24)
5. Tărîm Vîlhovnicesc (6:39)
6. Împodobeala Timpului (6:11)
7. Picur Viu Foc (5:09)
8. Schimnicește (6:08)

Line-up
Negru – Drums, Percussion
Tibor Kati – Vocals, Guitars, Keyboards
OQ – Guitars, Vocals, Keyboards
Petrică Ionuţescu – Pipes, Horns, Pan flute
Ovidiu Corodan – Bass
   With
Rune Eriksen (ex-Mayhem) - guitars on "Impodobeala Timpului"
Sakis Tolis (Rotting Christ) - vocals on "Tarim Vilhovnicesc"

Description/Reviews
The album starts off with “Nămetenie”, recently released as a music video. This begins with a hauntingly simplistic but beautiful intro ethereally woven by pan flutes and whispered voices, perfectly matching the mysterious shrouded mountains portrayed in the video. Then the Black Metal influences kick in, and you are immediately swept away by their sheer shattering power. The new vocalist, Tibor, fits in perfectly, bringing in a varying style that seems to flawlessly fit in with the instrumentation, effortlessly flowing from harsh to clean vocals and back again. Perhaps one of the most outstanding tracks on this album is “Izbucul galbenei” with its chuggy riffs and immensely heavy guitar sound that hits you like a torrential flood. The song is very intricate, with a myriad of layers that combine into a beast of a melody, and will undoubtedly be spectacular to witness live. This is followed by the very Folky “La hotaru cu cinci culmi”, with the variation between tracks ensuring that the album remains fascinating to listen to throughout. “Tărîm vîlhovnicesc” is also one of the highlights of “Tău”, with a fast-paced galloping melody intertwined with slower and more melancholic parts. “Împodobeala timpului” is a bit of a strange song however, combining crushingly heavy passages with very Folky tunes. This is accentuated all the more by a hurdy gurdy and female vocals, playing off against screeching guitar solos; definitely a very unique song that might take some getting used to. And finally we come to the last track, “Schimnicește”, a dark and transcendental track that is awash with stormy emotions before drawing to a close and fading out, bringing the listener back full circle.
 Read the full review by Erika Kuenstler at metal-temple.com

Media/Samples 
Bandcamp

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Thursday, February 26, 2015

λάμδα "Η επόμενη μέρα" (Lamda "The Next Day")


Country: Greece
Genre(s)Post Rock, Folk
Formatdigital
Release dateFebruary 26, 2015
Tracklist
  1. Εικασία 03:17
  2. Κανένας μόνος 03:00
  3. Πρωί στην Οδησσό 02:46
  4. Οργή 03:55
  5. Ο χρόνος μέσα μου 03:35
  6. Η επόμενη μέρα 04:25
  7. Ο κύριος ψυχονοσηρός 03:40
  8. Στην αγκαλιά της μητέρας 02:55
  9. Ιστός 03:48
  10. ... 02:13
Line-up
Unknown

Description/Reviews
Two and a half years after the release of the first and homonymous album of the band, and one and a half year of inactivity, lamda release their second album entitled “The day after”; the outcome of deep thought and inner quest mainly, rather than creative inspiration alone. It is an attempt to set a music framework of meanings, ideas, fears and images from daily life in a gradually rotting world. With eyes wide open against reality and with no hope or illusions for a better future…

Media/Samples 
Bandcamp (Free Download)

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Steven Wilson "Hand. Cannot. Erase."


Country: UK
Genre(s)Progressive Rock
Label Kscope
FormatCD, vinyl, digital
Release dateFebruary 25/27, 2015 (Japan/Germany), March 2/3, 2015 (UK & world/NA)
Tracklist
1. First Regret (2:01)
2. 3 Years Older (10:18)
3. Hand Cannot Erase (4:13)
4. Perfect Life (4:43)
5. Routine (8:58)
6. Home Invasion (6:24)
7. Regret #9 (5:00)
8. Transience (2:43)
9. Ancestral (13:30)
10. Happy Returns (6:00)
11. Ascendant Here On... (1:54)

Line-up
Steven Wilson - vocals, guitars, keyboards, bass guitar
Guthrie Govan - lead guitar
Nick Beggs - bass guitar
Marco Minnemann - drums
Adam Holzman - keyboards
Theo Travis - saxophone, flute

Media/Samples 
Teaser
Perfect Life

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Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Gabriel Sucea & Axel Grassi-Havnen "Manmade Heaven & Hell"


Country: UK
Genre(s)Instrumental Psychedelic Progressive Metal
FormatCD, digital
Release dateFebruary 25, 2015 (digital)
Tracklist
  1. Liver Transplant - 06:34
  2. La Peshtera - 06:12
  3. Watching The End Of The Infinite Whilst Dancing Around The Multicoloured Pattern - 18:22
  4. Fuck Peanuts - 06:32
  5. Manmade Heaven & Hell - 08:16
Line-up
Gabriel Sucea
Axel Grassi-Havnen

Description/Reviews
Cool debut album by two young UK musicians who studiously avoid the "djent" style that is all the rage these days instead going for a more atmospheric, psychedelic sound that is both highly sensitive and powerfully majestic. The 18 minute "Watching The End Of The Infinite Whilst Dancing Around The Multicoloured Pattern" is a tour-de-force of psych-infused metal. (progmetalzone.com)

Media/Samples 
Bandcamp

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Methexis "Suiciety"


Country: Greece
Genre(s)Art Rock
FormatCD, digital
Release dateFebruary 25, 2015
Tracklist
   Chapter IV
1. Ruins (4:49)
   Chapter I - exterior-
2. Remember, fear's a relic (6:11)
3. The windows' cracking sound (1:46)
4. Who can it be? (6:34)
5. The origin of blame (3:27)
6. Prey's Prayer (6:07)
   Chapter II - interior-
7. Sunlight (8:20)
8. The relic (8:28)
   Chapter III
9. Suiciety (6:40)

Line-up
Nikitas Kissonas (ex-Verbal Delirium, ex-Yianneis): Guitars
   With
Joe Payne (The Enid): Vocals
Linus Kåse (Brighteye Brison, Änglagård): Keyboards
Nikos Zades (Yianneis): Sound Design
Walle Wahlgren (Agents of Mercy, Lalle Larsson): Drums
Brett d’Anon (Birds and Buildings, Deluge Grander): Bass
Tom Heath, Catriona Christie, Nerys Russell, James Patrick, Alistair Clements: Brass
Lu Jeffery, Bernard Kane Jr, Juliet McCarthy, Ron Phelan: Strings

Description/Reviews
A concept album about the exterior influences a human gets from his childhood, the interior research for a guiding instrument, the exposition on a suicidal society that doesn't listen to the clear warnings and the unavoidable collapse. 
Media/Samples 
Bandcamp

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Universe Effects "In The Haze That Surrounds Us"


Country: Canada
Genre(s)Progressive Metal
FormatCD, digital
Release dateFebruary 25, 2015
Tracklist
01. Against the Influent (5:33)
02. Equilibrium (9:25)
03. Tormented (7:29)
04. The Artifact (7:34)
05. In the Haze that Surrounds Us (9:25)
  Lost in Time Trilogy (30:28)
06. I.    Entropy (8:54)
07. II.   Lost in Time (8:02)
08. III.  Out of the Darkness (13:32)

Line-up
Dominic Tapin-Brousseau - Bass
Francis Grégoire - Keyboards
Gabriel Cyr - Guitar & Acoustic Guitar
Gabriel Antoine Vallée - Vocals & Acoustic Guitar
Philippe Pouliot - Drums

Media/Samples 
Against the Influent / Tormented
Stream

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Seven Year Storm "Aion I" EP


Country: Canada
Genre(s): Instrumental Progressive Metal
Format: CD, digital
Release date: February 25, 2015
Tracklist
1. Virtue
2. Nazca Lines
3. Dyatlov
4. Morphogenesis
5. Blue Car Syndrome

Line-up
Sean Lang - drums, programming
   With
Dean Lamb - guitar
Brent Mackenzie - bass

Description/Reviews
Debut solo album from online drum instructor Sean Lang. Instrumental Prog Metal, heavy on groove and melodic hooks.

Media/Samples 
Teaser
Dyatlov

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Ascendia "The Lion and The Jester"


Country: Canada
Genre(s)Progressive Power Metal
FormatCD, digital
Release date: February 24, 2015
Tracklist
  1. At the End of It All - 5:35
  2. Remember Me - 5:01
  3. Moonchild - 4:50
  4. Demon Eyes - 5:16
  5. Last Forever - 4:28
  6. No More Tales to Tell - 4:40
  7. Why Angels Cry - 1:04
  8. Faded Away - 5:14
  9. My Last Song - 5:01
  10. The Song That You Deserved - 4:34
  11. The Lion and the Jester - 7:53
  12. Starlit Eyes (Bonus Track) - 3:44
Line-up
John Abanador Bass
Billy Lov Drums
John Lov Guitars
Maestro Keyboards
Nick Sakal Vocals

Description/Reviews
As “At The End Of It All” swells into focus with a tribal drum beat and chanted vocals, it's already obvious that this is not going to be prog-by-numbers. The song kicks into gear with a syncopated guitar riff, before the vocals soar over the top of everything, slapping a thick coat of melody atop the sound. There's a quiet section in the middle of the song that feels like a cousin of Killswitch Engage, which is a fresh sound to hear in this kind of music. When it opens back up into the chorus, the song is massive, and it's hard to believe all of that music was contained in five and a half minutes.
 Read the full review at bloodygoodhorror.com

Media/Samples 
At The End Of It All
Faded Away

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Tempest "The Tracks We Leave"


Country: USA
Genre(s)Prog Folk
LabelMagna Carta Records
FormatCD, digital
Release dateFebruary 24, 2015
Tracklist
  1. Rantin' Rovin' Robin 
  2. The Tracks We Leave
  3. Vagabonds
  4. September Jig 
  5. All Mann Hadde Fota
  6. Fog On The Bay 
  7. Ganesh
  8. The Brown Coffin 
  9. Rattlin' Roarin' Willie 
  10. The Leitrim Set 
  11. Bonus Track: Surfing To Mecca 
Line-up
Lief Sorbye - Lead Vocals, MandoGuitar, El. and Acoustic Mandolins, Mandolas, Flute, Harmonica, Bodhran
Adolfo Lazo - Drums
Greg Jones - El. Guitar, Vocals
Kathy Buys - Fiddle, Vocals
Josh Fossgreen - Bass
     With
Robert Berry - Keyboards
David Dilullo - Congas, Doumbek

Description/Reviews
New original and traditional songs! Tempest's first studio album in five years draws upon Celtic, Scandinavian and other folk traditions from around the globe, in what may be the band's most exciting work to date. Inspired by a Dakota Sioux proverb: "We will be known forever by the tracks we leave," a reference to the environmental, spiritual and musical tracks we leave upon the world we live in.
Media/Samples 
Samples
The Tracks We Leave

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Eric Baule "Revelations Adrift"


Country: Spain
Genre(s)Progressive Rock
FormatCD, digital
Release dateFebruary 24, 2015 (digital), March 15, 2015 (CD)
Tracklist
  1. Tidal wave - 01:41
  2. Redemption - 08:40
  3. Back to nature - 06:34
  4. Flying High - 08:31
  5. Circle of dead eyes - 08:10
  6. Touching the Earth - 04:15
  7. Release from duality - 11:27
  8. Undertow - 01:52
  9. Far from here - 09:50
  10. Spring disease - 08:17
Line-up
Eric Baulenas - vocals, guitars
Eric Rovira - drums, backing vocals
Dani Soto - bass
Isam Alegre - keyboards, backing vocals

Description/Reviews
Debut by Spaniard Baule and his band featuring members of Moonloop, Arborea, Zermeño & Obsidian Kingdom. Some really beautiful melodic symphonic rock and enough metal to qualify for inclusion here (just check out Flying High for a great example.) A great debut from an artist that we hope will be around for a long time! (progmetalzone.com)

Media/Samples 
Bandcamp (Free Download)

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Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Below the Sun "Envoy"


Country: Russia
Genre(s)Post Metal, Black Metal, Doom
LabelTemple of Torturous
FormatCD, digital
Release dateFebruary 24, 2015
Tracklist
  1. Outward The Sky 11:09
  2. Cries of Dying Stars 08:23
  3. Alone 10:27
  4. Drift In Deep Space 15:28
  5. Breath of Universe 07:23
  6. Earth 06:29
Line-up
Vacuum - Guitars
Quasar - Guitars, Addictive Vocals
Entropy - Vocals, Addictive Instruments
Lightspeed - Bass
Void - Drums, Overtone Singing, Addictive Instruments

Description/Reviews
You may have noticed that I left out any sort of classification of what kind of metal Below the Sun plays. This is intentional, to some degree. Terms like post-metal, funeral doom, and black metal may come to mind, but Below the Sun’s dark hybrid of majestic and delicate metal doesn’t particularly need to fit into any one box to be digested properly. Appropriately taut drumming nicely complements a handful of memorable leads on this album, which almost always linger over distorted chords. In fact, the feeling of echoing into infinity is present in most moments of Envoy, even when the pacing is moderate. Because of this, the album can get to be a bit repetitive at times, with the band doing what it does best constantly: creating an atmosphere of endless drifting. In a way, the repetition and isolation fit Voyager 1’s lonesome adventure through the stars. Eternal ambiance likely matches decades of floating across the void, and the relatively infrequent moments when vocals are thrown into the mix, they feel charged with the intensity of solar flares.
 Read the full review at blackmetalandbrews.com

Media/Samples 
Bandcamp

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La Société des Timides à la Parade des Oiseaux "Les Liquidateurs"


Country: France
Genre(s)Avant-Prog
LabelIn Poly Sons
Formatvinyl
Release dateFebruary 2015
Tracklist
1 - Alarme / Couches de protection 
2 - Instructions aux Liquidateurs
3 - Courses
4 - Hésitation
5 - Horreur
6 - Mort du liquidateur
Line-up
JimB : guitar
Pascal Godjikian : vocals
Patrice Babin : drums, percussion
Christophe Gautheur : clarinet, sax, synth
Sébastien Desloges : bass, violin

Description/Reviews
A tribute for all the men and women who gave their life, an homage to what they felt, what they lived, what they had to endure during the rescue mission of the accidented nuclear reactor of Chernobyl. The history mentioned here is about a young liquidator from Armenia. It is freely adapted from the movie "The Battle of Chernobyl" directed by Thomas Johnson : http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/the-battle-of-chernobyl/ The musical composition is divided in 6 parts, separated by "fragments" describing the impact of the radioactivity on (the nearby town) Pipriat's daily life, ignoring the deathly danger. The chronology includes the alarm and liquidator mobilisation's stage, the listening of the instructions given by the chiefs, the rush to the reactor, the hesitation of the president in charge (Gorbatchov), the absolute horror on the roof of the reactor until the death of the liquidator. We precisely follow the story of a young armenian liquidator, lost into his lack of understanding of the russian instructions, with fear in his stomach, and his extraordinary sense of duty. By sacrifying himself like hundreds of thousands of his comrades, he's going to save humanity. 
Media/Samples 
Alarme / Couches de protection

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Eternal Tapestry "Wild Strawberries"


Country: USA
Genre(s)Krautrock, Psychedelic
LabelThrill Jockey
FormatCD, vinyl, digital
Release dateFebruary 24, 2015
Tracklist
01. Mountain Primrose (04:59)
02. Wild Strawberries (15:24)
03. Enchanters Nightshade (16:08)
04. Woodland Anemone (01:59)
05. Maidenhair Spleenwort (08:41)
06. Lace Fern (10:23)
07. Pale-Green Sedge (05:53)
08. White Adders Tongue (15:36)

Line-up
Nick Bindeman
Jed Bindeman
Krag Likins
Warren Lee
Cat Hoch

Description/Reviews
Committing to Wild Strawberries is a daunting undertaking; unlike its namesake, the rather more concise Ingmar Bergman film of the same name, this is a place where sprawl begets sprawl, coming in just shy of 90 minutes in length. It's cosmic music with an earthy tone, slowly ricocheting between the stars and the ground, recalling similarly minded souls such as Acid Mothers Temple, Spacemen 3, Popol Vuh, and Guru Guru. Wild Strawberries has distinct parts, becoming looser and more rock-focused at the beginning, with deeper experimentation in its back half. The transition from the jammy title track, built on a twinkly organ drone pricked with guitar solos, to the closing "White Adder's Tongue"—all bare husks of sound, slowly uncoiling drones, and a purposefully dysfunctional loop that envelopes half of its 15-minute duration—highlights the band's breadth.
 Read the full review by Nick Neyland at pitchfork.com

Media/Samples 
Mountain Primrose

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Quanah Parker “Suite degli Animali Fantastici”


Country: Italy
Genre(s)Progressive Rock
Label: M.P. & Records - MPRCD068
FormatCD
Release date: February 23, 2015
Tracklist
1- From Distant Lands - 3:55
Suite degli Animali Fantastici (tracks 2-9):
2- Risveglio Onirico - 2:49
3- Danza di un mattino - 6:35
4- Interludio Notturno - 0:57
5- Deja-vu Fantastico - 3:38
6- Luci dagli Abissi - 1:32
7- Cantico Marino-  4:04
8- Animale Multiforme - 4:30
9- Ritorno alla Mente - 3:47
10- A Big Francesco - 4:12
11- Death of a Deer - 9:36
12- Make Me Smile - 4:46

Line-up
Riccardo Scivales -  keyboards
Elisabetta Montino - vocals
Giovanni Pirrotta - electric and acoustic guitars, bass
Paolo Ongaro - drums, percussion
Alessandro "Unfolk" Monti - bass, vocals, Moeck flute, tabla, assorted percussions

Media/Samples 
Animale Multiforme
From Distant Lands

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Radiant Frequency "Brørby Sko"


Country: Norway
Genre(s)Progressive Rock
LabelFeral Delight
FormatCD, digital
Release dateFebruary 23, 2015
Tracklist
1. Warning (10:17)
2. Thelema (6:46)
3. Mania (5:01)
4. Enord (3:19)
5. Spectre (5:09)
6. Sleep (12:53)

Line-up
Brynjar Nystedt - Bass Guitar, Synth
Kim Are Olaussen - Drums
Ola Vaage Wang - Guitars
Anders Brørby - Vocals, Synth, Electronics
Ramon Figueras Alsius - Trumpet (4, 6)

Description/Reviews
"Brørby Sko" was largely written and made from various improv sessions as a full band effort. The album mixes progressive improvisation with tight rock structures, and is inspired by 70´s progressive bands like King Crimson, Can and Van Der Graaf Generator, as well as psychedelic jam bands, alternative rock, improv avant-garde and the occult. 
Media/Samples 
Bandcamp

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