Band: Demolished Men | Album: In a Violent Way | Genre: Jazz-Fusion, Progressive rock | Bandcamp
This EP is full of light, smooth, complex instrumental passages that equally put you at ease and keep you guessing where they’re going next. It constantly treads the line between rock and jazz, and sax, electric piano, and guitar share lead duties fluidly. The hand percussion is executed excellently, adding a nice depth to the rhythmic elements of this release.
Score: 81/100
Band: Krallice | Album: Porous Resonance Abyss | Genre: Progressive metal, Progressive rock | Bandcamp
Prolific prog-metallers Krallice have returned with another new album, but this one is pretty distinct within their discography. This sprawling, four-part piece has synthesizers as the lead instrument for almost the entirety of its runtime. There’s a lush, haunting atmosphere to this release, and it suits the band’s black metal quite well. There’s a Gothic aesthetic to the coldness and oppressiveness of the synths, and the whole 40-minute suite flows together beautifully.
Score: 82/100
Band: Mellow Beast | Album: The Wizards [sic] Dream | Genre: Space rock, Progressive rock | Bandcamp
This Belfast-based act put out a fantastic album last year with Waiting Room. This follows in a similar vein of dreamy, psychedelic atmospheres and smooth, organic evolutions. The individual compositions flow into each other naturally. This one-man band has a strong ear for melody. The Wizards Dream is a relatively light piece, but there’s plenty here to enjoy.
Score: 80/100
Band: Space Kitchen | Album: Space Kitchen | Genre: Progressive rock | Bandcamp
This band mixes the aesthetics of progressive rock with some of the more pop-oriented rock sounds of the 1970s, like ELO or Cheap Trick. This EP is an overall strong release with smart compositional choices and strong melodies. Its runtime is brief, but it leaves the listener satisfied.
Score: 75/100
Band: Spectral Lore | Album: 11 Days | Genre: Progressive metal, Black metal, Krautrock | Bandcamp
At barely over 40 minutes, the latest release from the Greek one-man project is shockingly terse. That’s not to say Ayloss (the one member of the band) cuts down on his sprawling, atmospheric tendencies. Instead, they’re simply focused into four rather digestible songs. 11 Days tells the story of refugees crossing the Mediterranean (proceeds will be donated to refugee-oriented charities), and the music portrays such a journey with squalling black metal and eerie synthesizer experiments. It’s about equal measures blistering metal and haunting kraut-y electronics, and it works excellently.
Score: 84/100
Band: Zhaoze | Album: No Answer Blowin’ in the Wind | 没有答案风中飘 | Genre: Post-rock | Bandcamp
Zhaoze is a band that hails from Guangzhou, and they play a distinctive variety of post-rock flavored with Chinese folk elements. Much of this is found in both the melodies and the heavy use of an electrified guqin. These lighter elements blend beautifully with Western rock traditions, and it makes for an often idyllic atmosphere. The compositions strike a smart balance between restrained minimalism and artful emotionality.
Score: 82/100
The Elite Extremophile 