Band: Celeste | Album: Echi di un Futuro Passato | Genre: Progressive rock | Bandcamp
Celeste is an Italian band that put out one album in 1976, disbanded, and then reunited in the late 2010s. Despite hailing from Italy, their style of prog has never felt particularly Italian. The music here (and throughout their discography) is light, breezy, and laid-back. Jazz flourishes are ample, and I really like the keyboard tones. This is a nice, relaxing bit of music to have on in the background, but it doesn’t really have enough to grab onto for active listening.
Score: 64/100
Band: Five the Hierophant | Album: Apeiron | Genre: Post-metal, Progressive metal | Bandcamp
Instrumental post-metal band Five the Hierophant blends biting, buzzy saxophone with sludgy guitars and plodding rhythms. In many ways, this band reminds me of a metallic, instrumental version of Van der Graaf Generator. They draw heavily from dark, jazz-influenced classic prog, like King Crimson and the aforementioned VdGG. Little bits of Middle Eastern music crop up on “Moon Over Ziggurat”, and the two-part “Tower of Silence” features unsettling drone and electronic elements. Though the songs are long, their length feels appropriate. The music is clearly carefully constructed, and no notes are wasted.
Score: 85/100
Band: Kesem | Album: Wander | Genre: Progressive rock | Bandcamp
Kesem’s second full-length album sees them stay in a vein similar to their first. Hawkwind, Pink Floyd, and similarly-oriented acts are clear inspirations, and the band does a great job at keeping things creative and intelligent, while also digestible. I really enjoy all the glimmering atmospheres, and many of the melodies are quite catchy. Mixed in with all that is a good dose of fun, garage rock grit.
Score: 79/100
Band: Map of the Woulds | Album: II | Genre: Psychedelic rock | Bandcamp
The new EP from Map of the Woulds is a fun, jangly psych-rock collection with some strong pop sensibilities. The atmosphere is loose and warm, and there are some interesting influences on display here. Jazz, funk, and alt-rock crop up throughout the release, giving each of the four songs here a unique character.
Score: 74/100
Band: Mellow Beast | Album: Mister Robotico’s Electric Jukebox | Genre: Psychedelic rock | Bandcamp
Mellow Beast’s new album is a long one, coming in at over an hour. Envisioned as something of an in-universe compilation album from Hyperion (the world in which Mellow Beast’s records are set), things vary from fuzzed out stoner rock to electronic-tinged grooves to folky psych-pop. There’s a lot of internal diversity to this record, but it all still managed to be recognizably Mellow Beast. Some tracks are stronger than others, but this act has a fun and recognizable sound which serves both active listening and more passive, background consumption.
Score: 76/100
Band: We Broke the Weather | Album: Restart Game | Genre: Progressive rock | Bandcamp
The latest release from this Massachusetts-based five-piece is a storming, powerful synthesis of progressive rock, garage rock, psychedelia, and a smattering of other things. Passages of King Crimson-style dark jazz-rock, doom metal, and even power pop emerge across this record’s runtime. The songs’ movements flow into each other naturally, and the mood of the record can shift on a dime.
Score: 88/100
The Elite Extremophile 