Our 258th edition features a bumper 10 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 13 April 2023
All words, selections and layout by Andy Read.
1: EXPLORING BIRDSONG - Dancing in the Face Of Danger
Country: UK
Sub-genre: Prog-rock
Description: My top discovery this month is this piano-driven, guitar-less progressive rock band from Liverpool. After launching in 2017, the trio have developed a truly unique sound drawing influence from 70s prog pioneers ELP and Genesis, the pop-prog legacy of Kate Bush and the heavier, modern style of Tesseract and Porcupine Tree.
The voice of Lynsey Ward is the big plus-point for me. Across the five tracks, she offers some stunning harmonies and hooks that I am happy to devour. It is surprisingly heavy too, yet the use of violins, viola and cello add a delightful, classical, Iamthemorning prog-edge along with a folksy groove familiar for those who enjoy Kingfisher Sky. There is nothing to dislike here. This band should be big!
2: LEGACY PILOTS - Helix
Country: Germany
Sub-genre: Modern prog-rock
Description: The experienced Hamburg-based musician Frank Us initially construed Legacy Pilots as a one-off project to satisfy his secret love for prog-rock. Now onto its fourth album, it seems that Frank's prog-rock love affair is now into the open, and he and Legacy Pilots are now in a long-term relationship.
The 'band' is also home to Todd Sucherman, Marco Minnemann, Pete Trewavas, John Mitchell, Steven Rothery and Jake Livgren. Helix is another impressive slice of contemporary prog/art-rock that, featuring both an eight-part and a three-part epic, will appeal to fans of Steven Wilson, Arena, Marillion and RPWL.
- Listen to and buy the album on Bandcamp
- More information from the official band website
3: KHAN - Creatures
Country: Australia
Sub-genre: Heavy-psyche
Description: This month my ongoing exploration of heavy-psyche has brought me face to face with Bandcamp best-seller Khan. Hailing from Melbourne, this is their third full-length effort and it is a varied meld of fuzzy psychedelia with stoner riffs and post-rock crescendos, alongside an exploration of more progressive rhythms and some languid, pastoral passages.
At times I am reminded of King Buffalo, Masters of Reality and Lucid Planet. Top Track: Eyes, Lungs, Arms & Mind
4: DEPOSED KING - One Man's Grief
Country: Hungary
Sub-genre: Alt prog-rock
Description: Hailing from Budapest, Deposed King is a duo of Daniel Kriffel and Dominique Király. Clearly influenced by Steven Wilson and Riverside, their music is a contemporary style of alt-prog-rock with a heavy coating of electronic trappings.
Half-instrumental and half-vocal, there is a wonderful variety of mood and dynamic across the album with a cinematic and emotional depth that you just want to wrap yourself up in and enjoy.
5. AMOEBA SPLIT - Quiet Euphoria
Country: Spain
Sub-genre: Canterbury/jazz-fusion
Description: If your tastes veer towards the progressive jazz-rock fusion of the 70s, or takes references from the more contemporary Canterbury scene, then this collection of seven skilfully and sensitively executed tracks, will make you quietly euphoric.
These eight Spanish musicians (including two saxes, trumpet and vibraphone) have delivered a carefully-crafted alchemy of light atmospheres, complex experimentation and reinvented jazz flavours that will delight fans, both new and old alike.
6: JASON BIELER And The Baron Von Bielski Orchestra - Postcards From The Asylum
Country: USA
Sub-genre: Rockin-all-over-the-place
Description: It was spring 2021 (issue #229) that I became re-acquainted with Jason Bieler, guitarist and sometime frontman with 80s alt-metal band Saigon Kick. Supported by a vast cast of guest musicians Bieler has been releasing his own music since 2011, blending the hard-rock-with-attitude, the avant-garde, the pop and the alt-rock, with fashion and art. He has 30 releases available on Bandcamp.
Released today, his newest album displays an abounding joy at creating music without any particular boundaries. To summarise in Bieler's own words: "My family and friends, you are welcome for the gift that is me."
7: VASS-KATSIONIS - Cynical Silence
Country: Greece
Sub-genre: Melodic prog-metal
Description: It was only a year ago that this collaboration between Greek singer Billy Vass and musician/producer Bob Katsionis first emerged. Their debut album, Ethical Dilemma, was a joy for all fans of the traditional 90s style of prog-metal, especially Fates Warning, Queensryche, and Conception. It duly made my top 5 albums of 2022.
They haven't changed the recipe for their second offering, again released by Symmetric Records. Ten straight-to-the-point slabs of melodic progressive metal for you to enjoy.
This was released only last weekend, so I'm gonna wait for my 300-limited-edition CD to arrive before diving in properly.
- Listen to and buy the album on Bandcamp
- More information from the official band website
8: MASS SKY RAID - Calm In Chaos
Country: Australia
Sub-genre: Alt-rock
Description: This Aussie quartet has previously supported such bands as The Butterfly Effect, Dead Letter Circus and Caligulas Horse and played at the iconic Progfest in Australia. This is their second album, and it should delight fans of the above bands plus fellow countrymen Cog and Karnivool. Good stuff!
9: MISTBORNE - The Cradle Of Time
Country: UK
Sub-genre: Symphonic prog-metal
Description: A symphonic prog-metal band from London with a sound that screams Arabian nights! Not a whole lot of info out there about this band, nor this album, that was released at the very end of 2022. As far as I can make out, Mistborne is a trio of Denis Hristov on vocals and piano, Jodey Baxter on guitars and Jordan Turner on drums.
The vocals are strong, as are the symphonics and there is clearly a concept/story being told by the varying moods created. In that respect it's closer to Ostura than Symphony X, and not as predictable as Myrath. However this should appeal to fans of all three.
10. ISOLE - Anesidora
Country: Sweden
Sub-genre: Progressive doom
Description: If you like your progressive metal to have a doomy vibe, then this is an album you need to check out. Isole date back to 1990 and released their debut in 2005. However this is my first encounter with them, and I am rather impressed.
The doomy heaviness is as much achieved by the intense atmospheres created in the more atmospheric sections, as it is by the riffing guitars. There is a touch of Green Carnation in that respect. Sorcerer in the more guitar-dominated sections. I like the singer and the melodies stay with you.
More great music to be discovered here in my special round-up of the
The Top 20 Heavy Prog & Progressive Metal Albums of 2022
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