This week, we celebrate nine years since the very first edition of this blog.
It's certainly been a busy start to this year. The main DPRP will be covering new albums from the likes of Riverside, The Tangent, Transatlantic, Overhead, Damanek, Jethro Tull, Haken and Redemption.
However our 257th edition features five great new releases from across the progressive music spectrum. As ever, each album comes with a mini review, plus all the necessary links you need to discover more about the artists, to listen to their music and, most importantly, to buy your own copy.
Published on 14 February 2023
All words, selections and layout by Andy Read.
1: RAIN - Radio Silence
Country: UK
Sub-genre: Prog-rock
Description: I totally missed Singularity, the debut album from this UK-based quartet that was released during the first Covid lockdown. However I shall have some catching up to do, now that I've been enjoying this, their second album so much.
This band features Andy Edwards and John Jowitt (former members of IQ, Arena, Frost* and Jadis) and two musicians I'd not heard of before, Rob Groucutt and Mirron Webb.
This being a mini review, let me just conclude by saying that this wonderfully diverse album is modern progressive music at its best.
2: ZOPP - Dominion
Country: UK
Sub-genre: Canterbury-infused prog
Description: Three years ago the self-titled debut album by Zopp won plaudits from my DPRP colleague Owen Davies with a recommendation that it would "definitely appeal to listeners who wish to experience an oven-ready take on a stylistic canvas of sounds often associated with bands like Hatfield And The North, National Health and Egg." (read his full review here).
Ryan W Stevenson is the man behind Zopp (composer, mixer, producer, performer and basically everything but the drums, which have once again been performed by Leviathan’s Andrea Moneta). Ryan recorded the album at his home studio in the suburbs of Nottingham.
Moving on from the instrumental, Canterbury-infused neo-prog of the first album, Zopp now features vocals. It is an epic 42-minute journey spanning avant-garde, jazz, ambient, folk, psychedelic rock and endless heaps of PROG.
"I think it’s more bombastic than the first album," states Ryan. A full review is coming soon on DPRP.
- Listen to and buy the album on Bandcamp
- More information from the official band website
3: ANASAZI - Cause & Consequences
Country: France
Sub-genre: Alt-, progressive-metal
Description: I first came across this band from Grenoble with their 2011 release, Playing Ordinary People. I remember that I rather enjoyed their blend of prog-metal with more alternative rock and nu-metal sounds. They have so far released six albums and four EPs, all of a very consistent quality, yet Anasazi have not really broken out of the underground scene.
Featuring Mathieu Madani (guitars, bass, keyboards & voice), Bruno Saget (lead guitar) and Anthony Barruel behind the drum-kit, they give their influences as Porcupine Tree to Tool, Anathema to Pantera, and Dream Theater to Peter Gabriel. Worth exploring if you enjoy the more alt-rock side of the heavy-prog spectrum.
4: WE CAME FROM SPACE - Overlords
Country: USA
Sub-genre: Symphonic, melodic prog
Description: The second album from this quartet out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania will delight all fans of symphonic, melodic prog. Dave, Bill, Tim and the other Dave have created an impressive collection of varied tracks that slip some blues, reggae and 70s hard rock into their modern take on classic prog. This should delight fans of the Neal Morse Band, Kansas, Spocks Beard, ELO, Flying Colors and, well you get the idea.
Slick and stylish, it's delivered with a sense of humour which indicates that these guys don't take things too seriously.
5. ICE AGE - Waves Of Loss And Power
Country: USA
Sub-genre: Heavy-prog
Description: Another unexpected comeback!
Any self-respecting fan of heavy prog/progressive metal should have a copy of Ice Age's The Great Divide; the New York foursome's debut album released by the Magna Carta label in 1999. The band also released a decent follow-up, Liberation, in 2001 that combined melodic heights and metallic crunch. The band supported the release with festival performances and tours of Europe and the USA. Then nothing.
Now 22 years later Ice Age is back with their third album due to be released on the Lasers Edge label on March 10. I've spun the disc three times already and it is sure to delight fans of Kansas, Styx, Dream Theater and Fates Warning. You'll have to make do with the first single (below) for now, but a full review will be on DPRP soon. Pre-order with confidence!
More great music to be discovered here in my special round-up of the
The Top 20 Heavy Prog & Progressive Metal Albums of 2022
For more reviews, interviews, concert review and features on the world of progressive music visit our main page at dprp.net