Someone here is missing

Again a small note to talk about a band not entirely original yet very interesting for fans of groups like Muse, Porcupine Tree, Radiohead and such.
Great pop prog band called The Pinnapple Thief you just released their new album 'someone here is missing'. After half a dozen albums and a best of (3000 days), the band are now at Kscope so you can grab their stuff cheap.
It is a nice effort now very original perse indeed but at least the riffs and rythmic are entertaining and provide a good fill in for oasis fans who are thirsty for good pop and melodies.

Go check them out.

http://www.pineapplethief.com/

Ayreon - The Final Experiment

During a tour in Ireland, we switched quicly from the pogues to something more close to my prog roots. Hence the final experiment by a band called Ayreon. Okay not a band but a rock opera made by hippie ministrel reincarnated prog meister Arjen Lucassen whom works I already talked about in some previous entry (go forth and search !).
TFE is a concept album about a blind ministrel from arthur's court receiving vision from futur scientists (via an experiment - the final one- called time telepathy) as warnings about 3 majors events that will destroy the Earth in the futur 2084.

Lost and confused ? So is Ayreon. He decided yet to go and sing his visions at the Court of Arthur and thus wins the intimacy of Merlin.
All the songs are sung by a bunch of different singers.
This adventure (a bit of la jetée/army of the twelve monkeys rolled unto arthurian excalibur) is not exempt of flaws (it is the first release of an ayreon disc) yet is charmful to say the least with a bunch of songs rising up thanks to the catchy riffs from arjen. We think here 'sail away to avalon' and 'Merlin's will'. But the whole story helps make the solid a tight ensemble who gives a eerie feeling of going back to the dark ages in the middle of all the green pastures and rocky mountains of dingle peninsula and such...

Enjoy the ride folks.

http://www.arjenlucassen.com/

We're here because we're here

It's been a long time as the song says but I must admit I had a pretty heavy couple of months with my work and exams and university and such...
After a quick listening of the three albums from Shadowland (with Clive 'arena /pendragon' Nolan et Karl 'vrooom vrooom threshold' Groom ), which are great neo prog from the 90ies but if you' re not fan just stick with the best of or the double live 'edge of night' it should do the trick; I have received quite a couple of new discs that are turning round on the Ipod and CD player.

I'm gonna do a quick review of the last one which is the new and eagerly awaited album from Anathema.
The album is called We're here because we're here and is in the vein of the last ones (not the earlier doom metal ones mind you), very peaceful , full of small arrangements and harmonies.
Mixed by steven 'Porcupine tree and a thousand more bands' Wilson, the whole album seems very easy to enter but in the end you discover that it is very intimate and deep at the same time. There is a big intimacy and atmosphere of self search that bleeds from most of the songs, wonderfully axed on the 'presence' track and it's spoken story.
There is a couple of songs that may feel a bit weak or out of place ( like 'dreamlight' or 'get off, get out' ) but it does not disturb the order and the flow of this great album that hails the return of a great band.

Oh and check out this great song, simple but powerful that should be rocking your world...'Everything'.

www.anathema.ws
www.shadowlanduk.com

Down and out in Paris and London

Not the book but the CD... and with no relation.
Just a small thought after 25 listenings while running (before I got hurt) of the last album from Tillson (under the tangent moniker). It's classical prog from the 70ies with nice addition of Flute from theo travis. Niot very original but well done though Tillson voice is a bit weak sometimes.
Highlights of the album is (but I'm a sell out on this one) "Perdu dans Paris" which has a nice vibe and middle section with mellotron.

http://www.thetangent.org/

The Never Ending Way of ORwarriOR

A small note to praise the glorious new album (out for some times already) of israelian metal prog band Orphaned Land.
The concept album produced with the help of porcupine tree master Steven Wilson is a great disc based on the coming of a warrior of light to bring peace to the eastern world. A message of peace with lots of arabic and yiddish vibes and melodies poured into this record.
A definitive great album for the year 2010.

http://www.orphaned-land.com/

Daugther of the Night

I put on the pod the first album from french symphonic metallists Whyzdom named From the brink of Infinity.

This first try out is a great work that sounds as professionnal as any female-leaded metal symphonic band out there (whatever that means).

It is lyrical, powerful and bombastic with beautiful vocals by Telya. Vynce Leff delivers a great traditional metal boosted with nice choirs and all that is needed symphonic arrangements.

Of course the album suffers the same problem as some bands in that line of music, meaning a female centered cover concept (not to anyone's taste, least mine) and dark lyrics upon the traditional odd sounding keyboards and the overdose of double pedal.

But that's minor concerns. The tracks are powerful and the prog roots of Vynce show in the odd yet beautiful track 'the Old man in the park'.

Otherwise it is symphonic metal at its best with a wonderful new voice that screams to be heard.

Lay done your Nightwish and try Whyzdom for a while, you won't regret it.

http://www.whyzdom.com/

Mortar Grind

Just finished playing the new EP from Pain of Salvation, Linoleum.
What to say... If you don't know this group you might as well try this EP which is a good introduction to the weird and everchanging world of Pain of Salvation.
Even with a change in the rythmic section, PoS starts to drift mainly into a metal prog rock 70ies because of the main man, Daniel Gildenlow.
Very much in the spirit of last album, Scarsick, these new tracks are good to great songs, catchy and such.
4 new tracks , a special humoristic track and a bonus cover of yellow raven, we have a taste for more of the coming new album Road Salt.
Much more than a lot of their so different albums, this EP is really a goodway to discover the world of PoS. Best track is definitly I'm Gone.
And as always the great voice of Daniel working its magic into our ears.