Seventh Wonder were among the best prog metal hopes of the late 2000s, with their latest album "The Great Escape" receiving rave reviews from progsters and metal-heads alike. Between then and now, the band's singer Tommy Karevik joined power/sympho metallers Kamelot, inescapably putting the future of Seventh Wonder in question. However, the band return last year after 9 years of silence with Tiara. Here, the band continues to blend their brand of melodic prog sound with more AOR-friendly passages and power metal pinches, creating a worthy successor to "The Great Escape", which while not on equal footing, is still an excellent record for power/prog fans. Highlights of the album include "Dream Machines", "Exhale" and beautiful "Against the Grain". This record truly caught everyone by surprise showing that the band is still alive and kicking! Now all we can do is await their return to guide us to new power-prog adventures!
Primordial - Exile Amongst the Ruins (Metal Blade)
The sombre sounds of these proud Irishmen echo once more as if hearing the steps of a Republican dissident heading to the gallows. In their 9th full length, the band continues in the same vein of all their previous releases since 2005's "The Gathering Wilderness". To those unfamiliar with the band, they play a blend of doom/black with mostly clean vocals, incorporating folk and post influences. In "Exile among the ruins", there is a certain tendency to re-approach their black metal legacy, with opener "Nail their Tongues" referencing the Lutheran Reformation, while followup "To Hell or the Hangman" has a more folk/punk aesthetic to it. The rest of the album balances between an energetic revolutionary release and a solemn acceptance of the dark age we find ourselves in, while packing gigantic riffing and of course the -as always- exceptional vocal performance of Nemtheanga. Single "Stolen Years" deserves an extra notion, with a more approachable simpler tune, Nemtheanga's vocals almost unrecognisable, sounding as a bonus song from a Lake of Tears album in the late 90s. Overall, this work is as excellent as its 2 predecessors in this decade, and while not re-inventing the wheel, there are hints in it indicating that the next album from the band might be a very different one!
93.7/100
Below are the music videos for the titular track and "To Hell or the Hangman"
Rage have always been a household name in European power/heavy metal circles, powered by the uber-manly vocals of Peter "Peavy" Wagner. Refuge are essentially a reunion of the classic 88-93 lineup of the band, whose magnum opus "The Missing Link" included of the most beloved songs of the band, such as "Firestorm" & "Refuge". This reunited line-up of Peavy (bass/vocals)with Chris Efthimiadis (Drums) and Manni Schmidt (guitars), revives the craftsmanship of the old days of the band, that some of the contemporary releases of Rage seem to eschew in favour of a more modern sound. Some real gems of the record include , but are not limited to the power anthem "The Man in the Ivory Tower", the creeping power of catchy Savantage-esque "Living on the Edge of Time", the straightforward power of "We Owe A Life to Death" and the defiant closer "Hell Freeze Over". This is one of the best releases of Peavy this side of 2010 and definitely a fitting (parallel?) continuation to the legacy of Rage!
93.5/100
Below is the music video for "The Man In the Ivory Tower"
The Ocean - Phanerozoic I: Palaeozoic (Metal Blade Records)
After a five year break, following the release of "Pelagial" and having changed their rhythm section with newcomers Paul Seidel (Drums) and Mattias Hagerstrand (Bass), the German collective strike back with a concept album exploring the Phanerozoic geological eon and more specifically its Paleozoic period (between 500 and 250 million years ago). Every song title references the periods in chronological order as they occurred within that framework. The first two tracks reference the Cambrian Era and stylistically are the Post/Prog hybrid that The Ocean have championed throughout their career. Piano samples are central to the melody, expanding into soft and harsh vocal lines as well as post soundscapes that establish the mood of the album. The next song "Ordovicium", which references the next era of the Palaeozoic period, has a more post-hardcore feeling compared with its predecessor, with lyrics mixing personal feelings with the geological occurrences within that era. "Silurian" is a more prog oriented piece, with fusion elements mixed in for good measure. "Devonian", features guest vocals by Jonas Renkse (Katatonia), and Cello melodic lines prominently within a more doom-oriented and claustrophobic tune . The final duo of songs refer to the "Permian" era, with tunes reverberating the influence of Dillinger Escape Plan blended within a post soundscape.
As with all albums of the band, this is not a straightforward release but a thought experiment that needs to be listened to multiple times before accepting it as a masterpiece in its entirety. 93.2/100
Below you can watch the music video for "Cambrian II: Eternal Recurrence"
All traps on Earth are, in essence, the spiritual continuation of the prog rock giants Änglagård. The band was created and is led by Johan Brand (bass), while also including Änglagård members Thomas Johnson (keyboards) and Erik Hammarstrom (drums). All traps On Earth lineup is completed by Johan's daughter Miranda on vocal melodies. The occasional prog listener should be aware that this is not a record for the faint of heart, it is a true successor to Änglagård, where King Crimson, jazzy interludes and mostly instrumental music, with the voice of Miranda acting purely as another instrument in the prog/jazz elegy. Thus, while it is surely not an album for everyone, every single prog purist will find true joy in its twists and turns.
The album is essentially composed of four prog rock suites & a short interlude. It begins with the first suite "All Traps on Earth", a prog journey through jazzy roads, Operatic howls, mellotron echoes and in your face bass-lines. The following composition, "Magmatic Warning" starts by grabbing you by the horns, before becoming quiet, shifting into a jazzy mood and then keeps ebbing and flowing throughout, emulating the signs of volcanic eruption while also paying a small tribute to the great french band Magma. Highlights of the track are the impressive use of wind instrumentation in key moments of the composition, setting the tone of the piece. "Omen" is the most Änglagård song of the album, while at the same time being the pinnacle of the record. Whereas in the previous 2 suites there was experimentation in other styles, here there is a more melodic prog rock vibe that is very much in line with what Änglagård did in the seminal "Viljans Öga", with the vocal colours of Miranda providing an excellent antithesis to the quick paced prog melodies displayed throughout. "Bortglömda Gårdar" starts with a male voice singing in Swedish accompanied with harpsichord, introducing the theme of the piece, where vocal led passages are intertwined with instrumentally-led ones. The piece ends with a jazz frenzy directly leading to a stunning synth solo which also eventually subsides, as a more ethereal piano-led melody takes the composition and the album to its triumphant end. 93.15/100
Over the last decade, Haken have been able to establish themselves among the leaders of the contemporary prog scene. Their 2011 & 2013 albums "Visions" and "The Mountain" constitute undoubtedly some of the best prog rock moments of this decade. However, many fans criticised their 2016 output "Affinity" and the band seemed to be suffering from fatigue at that point. Nevertheless, "Vector" is a certain return to form from the band, easily standing on equal footing to their greatest moments and showing that the band still has what it takes. Songs such as the frantic & erratic "Puzzle Box" and the musically enchanting "Veil" show beyond any shadow of doubt that the band still's "got it". The album is quite short (~45 minutes), but makes up in quality what it lacks in quantity, with the new electronic elements introduced in Affinity more seamlessly blended to the sound of the band. Another excellent record that shows that despite bumps in the road, the band was able to get it together and continue on their prog journey with us tagging along to an amazing ride.
For more Haken, you can check out the review of their best album yet here. 93.1/100 Below is the music video for "A Cell Divides"
The Sea Within is the debut album of an international progressive rock super-project consisting of an all-star team including vocalist/ guitarist Roine Stolt (Flower Kings, Kaipa, Transantlantic), bassist Jonas Reingold (Flower Kings, Kaipa),singer/guitarist Daniel Gildenlöw (Pain of Salvation), drummer Marco Minnemann (The Mute Gods) and keyboardist Tom Brislin (Meat Loaf/Spiralling). Daniel has collaborated with the Flower Kings crew a couple of times in the past, with contributions to 2000's "Untold Future" and "Adam & Eve", as well as worked with Stolt within the context of Transatlantic live performances. For Brislin and Minnemann, this is the first collaboration with the Swedish power trio. The project was written collectively by the band and crosses over to many aspects of contemporary prog rock music, with tracks such as the opener "Ashes of Dawn" having a more metal edge, while others such as "They know my name" lean on the art rock spectrum of things. Overall a fantastic accomplishment (especially given that it was written in a short period of time), that while may not be the crowning achievement of any of the gentlemen in it, is still a breathtaking piece of prog rock music. 93/100
Spock's Beard are back with their 13th album (the first since the return of the original drummer Nick D'Virgilio) and they definitely haven't lost the skill to create songs that are meant to stick to your head and your playlist for a looong time. "To Breathe Another Day" is the perfect example of catchiness thanks to the great vocals by Ted Leonard and progressive elements that have the feel good vibe characteristic of Spock's Beard. "What Becomes of Me" is another instant Spock's Beard classic (where you can almost hear Neil Morse in the vocals) with some amazing keyboard and guitar interludes by Ryo Okumoto and Alan Morse. "Somebody's Home" is an interesting song as it takes a more melodic turn starting with a great acoustic guitar intro & building towards an awesome sing-along chorus. "So This Is Life" is the epitome of melodic prog rock with interesting violin, viola & cello contributions while "One So Wise" is a keyboard oriented piece whch segues onto Okumoto's keyboard instrumental "Box of Spiders". "Beginnings", wraps up the record with a shout. "Noise Floor" is without a doubt among the list-toppers of the list for feel-good albums of 2018!
But wait! There is more! In Disc 2, there is the mesmerizing "Cutting Room Floor", "Bulletproof" with serious summer vibes, "Vault" which is a highlight of the bonus album with amazing acoustic and electric guitar riffs and finally "Armageddon Nervous" another great prog instrumental proving that the band is still in as good a form as ever! 92.7/100
Below is the official music video for "To Breath Another Day".
Sacral Rage - Beyond Celestial Echoes (Cruz del Sur Music)
Sacral Rage return with their 2nd full length release in "Beyond Celestial Echoes" and once again present us with an amalgamation of Mercyful Fate, Annihilator and Watchtower, evolve their personal sound by leaps and bounds and establish a personal identity that establishes them among the best bands of speed heavy-thrash metal right now. Vocalist Dimitris K. is propably among the best screamers in heavy metal right now, with a vocal range reminiscent of King Diamond, while guitarist Marios P is an amalgamation of Hank Sherman, Ron Jarzombek and Jeff Waters, providing the band with a level of virtuosity that is really rare in heavy/speed records. The rhythm section of the band [ Spyros S. (Bass) and Vagellis Felonis (Drums) ] while clearly not the main feature, manages to hold its ground against the combined maniac assault of Marios and Dimitris.
The album kicks off with the atmospheric "Eternal Solstice", but quickly shifts gears with the technical speed assault of "Vaguely Decoded", while "Suspended Privileges", combines the madness of the above two with an even more thrashing attitude. "Samsara (LCE)" signifies the return to a more theatric piece with Dimitris trying different vocal approaches throughout and fades out with a blastbeat (!) which is seamlessly weaved into the composition. "Necropia" again shifts the tone with a more neo-classical riffing structure that draws heavily from the best moments of Annhilator. The album concludes with "The Glass" a truly epic composition and the first such attempt from the band, that nevertheless succeeds to create a landmark of an album and set the bar high for a genre that has been looking for new heroes!
Fans of intricate doom elegies rejoice! The second release from King Goat was tailor-made for you! The cover from Travis Smith (Opeth) already predisposes you towards entering a dark and fiery world, and the band delivers the goods with some of the darkest and most innovative doom of 2018! The Brighton-based band is an excellent hidden gem that is definitely worth keeping an eye on. The album combines deep & theatrical vocals by Anthony 'Trim' Trimming(who has a voice made for doom & heavy riffs) with amazing melodic guitars (by Petros & Joe) and solid drumming (by Jon). "Rapture" which kick-startsthe album is an awesome doom song with progressive touches spanning at over 9 minutes and spanning from clean vocals to growls and from mellow tunes to an epic heavy-riffed ending."Eremite's Rest" is a worthy follow-up which manages to give us some even heavier riffs and more pronounced drumming tunes. The title-song "Debt of Aeons" adds a more melodic touch shedding light on the lead singer's vocal range!
"Psychasthenia" is a mesmerizing interlude which along with the personal favourite heavy-riffed "Doldrum Sentinels" (again combining both amazing vocals and heavy guitar riffs)
seamlessly lead to the atmospheric finale "On Dusty Avenues" which takes a different direction with a "dirtier" sound and more progressive vibes retaining throughout its heavy doom identity. 92.5/100
Below is the lyric video for "Doldrum Sentinels"
Seventh Wonder were among the best prog metal hopes of the late 2000s, with their latest album "The Great Escape" receiving rave reviews from progsters and metal-heads alike. Between then and now, the band's singer Tommy Karevik joined power/sympho metallers Kamelot, inescapably putting the future of Seventh Wonder in question. However, the band return last year after 9 years of silence with Tiara. Here, the band continues to blend their brand of melodic prog sound with more AOR-friendly passages and power metal pinches, creating a worthy successor to "The Great Escape", which while not on equal footing, is still an excellent record for power/prog fans. Highlights of the album include "Dream Machines", "Exhale" and beautiful "Against the Grain". This record truly caught everyone by surprise showing that the band is still alive and kicking! Now all we can do is await their return to guide us to new power-prog adventures!
